ARTICLES

Our Daily Bread cafe filling spiritual need

By Barbara Hughes
Special to The Catholic Virginian

Customers of Our Daily Bread at the Ocean Front in Virginia Beach are treated to food for the body and the soul.

The café and deli opened its doors in May and there’s been a steady stream of customers ever since.

Designed to draw teens and young adults, live Christian Rock bands provide music that entertains and inspires from seven in the evening until midnight. Day time clientele includes a mix of teens and families with young children who are attracted to the wholesome atmosphere.

“It’s meant to be a safe haven for teens, kind of a light in the darkness,” said Barbara Hurst, one of four owners of Our Daily Bread.

“Two weeks ago a young man walked in looking sad and when I asked if I could help him, he asked if we were Christian,” she explained.

“When I answered ‘Yes,’ he said he had been walking up and down the street, thinking about killing himself and then he saw our sign and decided to come in. I felt humbled and overwhelmed.

“We prayed together and I got him to a counselor.

“Today, two girls who had run away from home went back to their families in New Jersey,” she continued.

“They started coming here a few weeks ago and we just talked to them. You never know when you walk in the door what will happen,” said Ms. Hurst who works full-time as a mortgage loan officer.

Although she has no formal training in counseling, she said she knows from experience what it’s like to grow up in an abusive environment.

Ms. Hurst says she never considered herself religious. In fact, she had views which opposed the Catholic Church.

“I was trying to prove to my husband, who is Catholic what’s wrong with the Catholic Church and ended up falling in love with it,” she said.

“Since then I’ve tried to help people understand what the Church is really like. There are so many fallacies about the Catholic Church and for a long time I believed them.”

Tim Gavin, one of the partners who is credited with the vision for the effort, had previously operated a café in Homestead, Fla., and had also worked as a liaison with law enforcement. Ten years ago he moved to Virginia and hoped to mesh the hospitality industry with a way to reach out to teens.

“I had been involved with junior high students at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church (in Newport News) and with the youth group at St. Matthew’s (in Virginia Beach),” he said. “And then when I saw my daughter Jessica coming into her own as a teenager, I realized kids need a refuge, a place where they can experience positive peer pressure.”

While he admits that opening Our Daily Bread required a huge leap of faith, now that it’s up and running, Mr. Gavin believes it’s filling a niche in the resort area.

The business has grown so quickly that he recently hired full time manager, Kim King.

Kim, who has a background in the restaurant business, had left employment in the field to be a full-time mom but said, “My heart is in the restaurant business and unlike most jobs in food service this position allows me to work 9 to 5.”

Realizing that music is a natural draw for young people, Tim recruited friend, Josh Dart, full-time youth minister at St. Gregory the Great Church in Virginia Beach. “Josh is a magnet,” said Tim, explaining that his network has provided musicians and vocalists to perform for customers at Our Daily Bread which helps reinforce the Christian tone.

Chris Procta from Church of the Ascension in Virginia Beach is one of his recruits.

Currently a student at Franciscan University in Steubenville,Ohio, Chris is majoring in theology and says he feels called to the priesthood. He has been in dialogue with Father Michael Renninger, director of the Office of Vocations, and considers Father James Parke, pastor of Ascension, a mentor as a parish priest.

The two men have been discussing ways to channel young people who are looking for church through the RCIA process.

“We just want to be there for them,” explained the college student.

The wait staff wears yellow t-shirts with Our Daily Bread printed on the front of the shirt and across the back is printed the question, “What are you hungry for?” Young people involved in parish youth ministry work at the café which celebrated its first anniversary July 1 with Father Parke presiding at Mass on the premises. According to Mr. Gavin, “The place was packed.”

He explained that his vision for the future is to create a franchise.

“I believe every urban and some suburban areas need a café like Our Daily Bread,” he said. “There are latchkey kids and kids who need a safe place to go and my hope is that we can be there for them.”

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