Vincentians

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Bringing Help and Hope Through Disaster Assistance
Bringing Help and Hope Through Disaster Assistance 480 640 SVDP USA

Tornadoes. Floods. Hurricanes. Fires.

When a disaster strikes, you see neighbors pulling together to restore what was lost. But when entire communities are devastated, more help is needed.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is ready to step in at a moment’s notice to provide both rapid-response and long-term recovery grants. Working closely with the National Council subsidiary Disaster Services Corporation (DSC), parish Conferences and regional Councils, the National Council supports efforts ensuring that families in critical need of help are served not just for a few days or weeks following an event, but for however long it takes to get them back on their feet.

This kind of assistance goes beyond emergency food, water, furniture, and temporary housing. It is a
response of compassionate friendship, of journeying with, so that the long road back to self-sufficiency for those who are suffering is not a path walked alone.

During the 2021 to 2022 fiscal year, the National Council responded to 13 U.S. disaster recovery efforts with assistance totaling over $467,000.

Your generosity makes it possible. You enable the National Council to respond to requests for aid from SVdP volunteers who are the hands, the face, and the caring heart of Christ in times of crisis.

In 2022, DSC coordinated with FEMA and other organizations across the South and Midwest, helping prepare rapid response teams and finding locations for parish recovery centers to distribute supplies for tornado survivors.

The news coverage moved on long ago. But DSC and the National Council continue recovery work
in communities hit hard by disaster. We are often onsite many months after the disaster strikes to
assist in the rebuilding of homes, jobs, and lives.

The National Council provided more than $70,000 in rapid-response and long-term recovery grants
to local Vincentians working with DSC after Hurricane Ida. Funds were distributed as gift cards and hygiene kits to neighbors in need of living essentials including food and water, medications, baby formula, and diapers. Some funds assisted with funeral expenses.

Dave Brucker, SVdP Council President in Tyler, Texas, said, “I saw an army of local Vincentians volunteering at parish-based recovery centers — many full time over a couple of weeks, and many with their own damaged homes with which to contend. All so generous of their time. Disasters are never a good thing, but disasters can serve to bring out the best in people, and I was so happy to see this … God bless SVdP and DSC for facilitating the parish-based recovery centers, the volunteers, and the survivors facing significant challenges.”

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SVdP News Roundup April 29 – May 5
SVdP News Roundup April 29 – May 5 1080 1080 SVDP USA

With 100,000 Vincentians across the United States and nearly 800,000 around the world, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul provides person-to-person service to those who are needy and suffering. Read some of their stories here:

INTERNATIONAL

NATIONAL

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A Week in Prayers May 1 — May 5
A Week in Prayers May 1 — May 5 1080 1080 SVDP USA

Monday, May 1

Open my heart, Lord Jesus,
Empty me of myself.
Take away all that worries me,
And all that troubles my mind.
Take away all of my triumphs,
And all victories of this world.
Empty me of myself, O Lord,
That You may live in me,
And I may live in You.
Amen

Tuesday, May 2

Heavenly Father,
Your love is like the dewfall,
Covering the earth like a blanket
During each night’s darkness,
And rising in the growing light
To be the very air I breathe.
On this path, O Lord,
May Your light guide me
And Your truth lead me,
As I seek to follow Your way.
Amen

Wednesday, May 3

In everything I do, O Lord,
In everything I say,
Let me be Your instrument.
Do not let my own hesitation,
Selfishness, or worry
Stand in the way of Your love
Shining forth through my smile
My manner,
And my actions.
Amen

Thursday, May 4

Lord, help me to bear wordless witness;
To proclaim Your truth by living my faith.
May my neighbor come to know You
Through my acts of mercy and love,
In the name of Your son Jesus Christ.
Amen

Friday, May 5

O my Jesus, forgive me.
In Your mercy, make me whole.
Measure out Your mercy,
As I have measured mine,
Knowing, as I do, that it is You
I serve in the neighbor.
Amen

Daily Prayers are written by Tim Williams, National Vincentian Formation Director.
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SVdP Bremerton Supersizes Their Thrift Store
SVdP Bremerton Supersizes Their Thrift Store 2560 1707 SVDP USA

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Bremerton WA has proudly opened the doors to its new and improved thrift store.

With 27,000 square feet, 50% more than the previous store, new fixtures and mannequins donated by JC Penney, Silverdale and lots of unique treasures, the Conference has proudly named its newest iteration the St. Vincent de Paul Super Store.

Located in East Bremerton, Washington, the shop features a large selection of new and vintage jewelry, fabulous men’s and women’s clothing, and a robust inventory of furniture and household goods, all at very reasonable prices.

Said Bremerton Mayor Greg Wheeler, “This new location will continue to provide a helping hand and essential support to those who need it. Our city is stronger due to the work that St. Vincent de Paul and others do to help people in our region. No matter what the season, in the dead of winter or the heat of summer, those struggling or in need of assistance receive help and hope.”

In addition to providing goods to the community at affordable prices, the Super Store’s voucher program provides clothing, furniture and household items to those in need while providing a shopping experience that’s full of dignity and fun. For neighbors who might need an outfit for a job interview or court appearance, the Super Store will take care of them, no questions asked.

Last year, SVdP Bremerton provided 4,800 items worth $23,000 to the community. In addition, a Friends of the Poor Grant from SVdP National allowed the local Conference to give tents, sleeping bags, rain gear and blankets to those experiencing homelessness during the cold winter.

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Dedicated Vincentians Assist Those Affected by Recent Tornadoes
Dedicated Vincentians Assist Those Affected by Recent Tornadoes 1024 768 SVDP USA

SVdP Disaster Services Corporation is proud to announce that Vincentians Tom and Kathy Williams, both highly-trained DSC representatives, have successfully completed their deployment in Mississippi, where they spent six days tirelessly working to support disaster survivors in Rolling Fork and Silver City after the devastating tornadoes that hit in March 2023.

DSC sends trained volunteers to disaster sites across the country to support Councils in recovery efforts. During their time in Mississippi, Tom and Kathy helped a total of 99 households, providing referrals to legal services, crisis cleanup, medical care, and state insurance boards. They also assisted with FEMA relief applications, ensuring that those impacted by the disaster could receive the aid they needed to recover.

As volunteers, they had the privilege of meeting with community leaders and supporting the local SVdP Council’s disaster recovery efforts in the community. Throughout their deployment, Tom and Kathy witnessed the strength and resilience of the community. They expressed how grateful they were to be trusted with the survivors’ stories, and they will forever hold them in their hearts.

Tom and Kathy’s deployment made an important difference in the lives of these disaster survivors. DSC is proud of the work that Tom and Kathy accomplished, who are grateful for the opportunity to serve those in need.

Tom and Kathy feel blessed by their experience in Mississippi. Although the deployment may be over, the community is undoubtedly in good hands with local Vincentians and Pastor Britt Williamson. The work started by Kathy and Tom is being continued by Diane Clark, Vincentian and SE Regional Disaster Chair, and Jessica Duran, Vincentian and full-time Disaster Case Manager, who is taking time off from her regular duties to travel to Mississippi and provide further assistance to disaster survivors in their journey towards recovery.

Please visit www.svdpdisaster.org to learn more about how you can support our mission.

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05-04-2023 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders
05-04-2023 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders 900 900 SVDP USA

Good Shepherd….Good Plumber

“The Lord is my plumber. That is not what you expected me to say, right?”

Fr. Thomas, well known for his short Homilies, had his flock captivated. He went on to explain that since he had not seen any shepherds out and about, it goes without saying that we need to find another person more relatable to our times.

Good nurse. Good farmer. Good teacher. Good boss. Good mechanic. Good janitor. Good garbage man.

During His ministry, Jesus used parables as a teaching tool. In this Sunday’s Gospel reading He reminds us, “I am the gate for the sheep.”

What tools are available to us today, as we face the challenges of a shrinking church? Drawing most members from our retired population, we appear to have come out of the pandemic leaner than we would have year after year in “normal” times.

With the closures and merges of churches across the country, most of us have been displaced in one format or another. For some, the demographics of our communities have changed. I know for me, after 23 years in one parish, the thought of change traumatized me.

But if I was honest, the parish my heart yearned for was only in my memory.

Then one asks, if I am not growing with my community, do I need to look for a different gate?

Recently I moved to a new parish: Mary, Mother of God. Going in, I knew they had recently completed their “Renew My Church” process. Renew My Church is the movement employed by the Archdiocese to address the challenges being faced in Chicago as Mass attendance dwindles.

I came from what is considered a diverse parish. I have visited many diverse parishes, but never have I felt as a powerful welcoming force as I have at Mary, Mother of God Parish.

On Easter Sunday, Fr. Robert Cook wished us all a Happy Easter in 11 languages (English, French for Francophone Africans, Vietnamese, Lao, Tagalog, Spanish, Yoruba, Edo, Igbo, Tigrinya [Eritreans], and Polish). Looking at the reactions on the faces of those in the pews next to me, I could see how this was received with a warm embrace of togetherness.

Beyond languages spoken by those present that day, Mass is celebrated weekly in English, Spanish, and Viet/Lao. Monthly Masses: Eritreans (Ge’ez Rite) and Burmese. The pastoral council has representation not only from all the groups, but also from the churches that were part of the mergers and other churches that were closed.

Seeing a diverse group of people continue to attend Mass together week after week is extremely encouraging. The pastor has been extremely intentional in fostering a sense of belonging for everyone who walks into the church, including our brothers and sisters experiencing homelessness, who often come for a cup of coffee after Mass.

One would think all of that was enough to tell me I had found my home parish. When a group of us reached out to Fr. Bob about reactivating the Society of St Vincent de Paul, little did we know what a perfect fit this would be.

The parish has an outreach ministry, Canterbury House, “which feeds the soul, and relates to feeding the body through the soup kitchen and food pantry. It is a Eucharist community in service to the parish through prayer, outreach, fellowship, and Catholic social thought.”

This is where we as Vincentians have found a new home. We find ourselves part of a group that opens its doors every Monday from 1 – 5 pm, and invites people living outside to come in as our neighbors. It’s a reverse Home Visit — but so enriching.

I have learned more about accepting the other during these Monday afternoon visits. Been overcome by the beauty of friendships being created. Seeing them embrace Canterbury House as a place where they are not shunned, but rather, are family. The beautiful experience is the brainchild of James Murphy, who is the full-time live-in community member of Canterbury House.

At Mary, Mother of God I have found a community full of Good Plumbers.

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Thank You for Being a Friend to Those in Need
Thank You for Being a Friend to Those in Need 1152 659 SVDP USA

In 2019, Peggy Veltri joined the Society of St. Vincent de Paul at her St. Catherine of Siena parish Conference in West Dundee, Illinois. She and fellow volunteers struggled through the pandemic as requests for help came from more neighbors in need.

The National Council awarded two Friends of the Poor® Grants to Peggy’s Conference over the past two years. That funding helped them provide critical, even life-changing, aid to dozens of area neighbors struggling in the wake of lost wages and rising prices.

Here are two stories of lives that were changed by those Friends of the Poor Grants.

Mary is a mother of two grown sons who both cope with mental health issues that limit their ability to support themselves. The family was evicted after Mary’s work hours were cut. The Society’s local Conference was able to move the family from an extended stay hotel to a permanent home in a less expensive town nearby. The new residence was also able to accommodative their grandmother. The grateful family of four is now thriving in a financially sustainable living arrangement.

Every call for assistance is different. Peggy’s Conference also recently helped a retired couple who became the guardians of their grandkids after their parents, like many Americans, fell into addiction. This husband and wife wanted to provide a better life for their grandkids, but soon after they moved in the grandfather lost his job.

With school about to start and no money for clothes and school supplies they called the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Thanks to you, they got the kids everything they needed to start the school year. When people find themselves at the end of their rope and have nowhere else to go, they often call the Society of St. Vincent de Paul for help.

“These grants are important in more ways than just helping with their current crisis,” Peggy says. “Of equal or greater importance, they provide us a stepping off point for discussions and planning that will have a more lasting impact. It shows the people we serve that SVdP is invested in their progress and success.”

Problems don’t go away overnight, but thanks to your support, Peggy and 90,000 Vincentians across the country are there to serve their communities.

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Contemplation — Cheerful Givers
Contemplation — Cheerful Givers 1080 1080 SVDP USA

“God loves a cheerful giver,” the Apostle reminds us, and so, we might observe, does every person made in His image. Who wants a guest at their birthday party to grudgingly hand over a gift, sighing under the weight of all the stress of shopping for it? Thankfully, there are few such guests. Instead, the great anticipation of the recipient’s joy at seeing the gift often makes us impatient to see it opened.

The beauty of gifts given freely to friends is that they are given completely unconditionally; we don’t consider for a moment whether a friend deserves a birthday present, or whether they will repay it. Our goal is only to find the perfect gift. When we receive gifts, we can hardly help but be happy.

If by chance, the shirt is the wrong size or color, or we’ve already read that book, we always know that it’s the thought that counts; it’s the friendship and love that accompanies the gift that we really celebrate. In the same way, St. Vincent teaches, “God does not consider the outcome of the good work undertaken but the charity that accompanied it.” [CCD I:205] It is not the gift, but the giving that matters.

We bring gifts to each neighbor we visit, and giving them unconditionally, and never “taking the attitude that …recipients have to prove that they deserve it.” [Manual, Ch 2] Those gifts might include help with a bill, or food, or rent, or “any form of help that alleviates suffering or deprivation and promotes human dignity and personal integrity in all their dimensions.” [Rule, Part I, 1.3]

Most importantly, though, we “never forget that giving love, talents and time is more important than giving money.” [Rule, Part I, 3.14] What makes a birthday gift so special is the thought and care and love that goes into finding it, wrapping it, and giving it. What makes our gift of time and self to the neighbor so special is thought and care and love that goes into answering their calls, visiting them cheerfully, and always helping in the best way that we can.

When we knock on the neighbor’s door it should be with the same joyful anticipation with which we arrive at a party, with gift in hand. Every home visit is an opportunity to remind the neighbor that God has not abandoned them; to bring them the gift of love – the love of God.

Home visits should never be approached as a chore. They are a special grace from God, given to us so that we might see Him, serve Him, and make ourselves the instruments of His boundless love. It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Contemplate

“Why,” St. Louise asked, “are our souls not in a continuous state of joy and happiness?” [SWLM, A.14B]

Recommended Reading

Mystic of Charity

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Immersing Neighbors in Love and Mercy
Immersing Neighbors in Love and Mercy 2560 1490 SVDP USA

You might imagine that the day someone is released from prison would be the best and happiest day of their incarceration. But that’s not always the case.

Many agonize over leaving. Why? Because they’ll walk out to freedom with no more than that. No clothes, money, phone minutes, or even a valid ID. No job — and often not a single friend or family member they can go back to. Alone on a bus at the end of the line, they have no idea where to go or what to do next.

Having the right kind of help in those first hours and days is critical to making a successful return to society. So is having ongoing help for weeks, months, and even years to come.

Thanks to generous support from donors to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Vincentian volunteers are receiving the spiritual formation and training they need to serve neighbors in need with the most effective person-to-person assistance possible. The success of the Society’s Immersion Reentry Program is one example.

Begun in early 2019, Immersion provides citizens returning to their communities with caring and compassionate support from Vincentian volunteers along every step of their journey. Immediate help includes providing transitional services during the first 72 hours after release, as well as basics like food, clothing, and shelter. Longer-term support includes mentoring, employment assistance, education, help reconnecting with loved ones, advocacy, and securing permanent housing.

“We are following in the footsteps of our founders,” says Peter Kortright. He and Diana Reeves co-founded Immersion in their Attleboro, Massachusetts Council. Frédéric Ozanam and the first Vincentians encountered these same situations nearly two hundred years ago. The first Home Visits they carried out eventually became the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. They offered practical and prudent ways to reflect God’s mercy.

“Visiting the prisoner who is preparing to reenter the community is quite like a Home Visit, God is asking us to pay special attention to those least of us who may need it.”

“Nobody anywhere gets paid to accompany someone so closely for so long in their journey back to self-sufficiency,” Kortwright says. “Vincentians do it for love, with the traditions, mission, and zeal of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and guidance from the Holy Spirit.”

The power of praying together, listening, empathizing, organizing, and taking action means the world to brothers and sisters who are rebuilding their lives.

Over 2019 – 2021, volunteers accompanied Christine step-by-step following her release from prison. Along the road they offered grocery gift cards, bus passes, clothing, and rent to enter a “sober house” for two months. There were empowerment classes, job applications, and help to regain custody of her children. There were shared tears and cheers, and many prayers of gratitude.

Last July, with the Society’s assistance in funding a security deposit, Christine moved into her own space — the biggest step so far in her journey forward. “It’s small and it’s kind of ugly, but it has a lock on the door and it is mine,” she said with a smile.

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SVdP News Roundup April 22 – April 28
SVdP News Roundup April 22 – April 28 1080 1080 SVDP USA

With 100,000 Vincentians across the United States and nearly 800,000 around the world, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul provides person-to-person service to those who are needy and suffering. Read some of their stories here:

INTERNATIONAL

NATIONAL

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