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02-23-2023 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders
02-23-2023 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders 1080 1080 SVDP USA

Every Christian should visit the Holy Land at least once.  Called the “Fifth Gospel,” Israel’s holy sites make the Scriptures come alive, reminding us that the story of our salvation, culminating in Christ, is not a myth or a beautiful idea, but actual events in specific places at particular historical moments. Having just returned from there with 116 pilgrims, I felt once again the magnetic power of Jesus Christ, whose life, death and resurrection is the center and source of our Catholic faith.

The Garden of Gethesemane, just outside Jerusalem, is a spiritually powerful place for me. The garden contains six olive trees which were there the night Jesus sweated blood in His agony. Inside the church, immediately in front of the altar, is the rock on which tradition says Jesus threw Himself down and prayed that the cross would pass Him by. Of course, we know the Lord accepted His Passion and death on that rock in the end, handing His will over to the Father, and winning forgiveness and salvation for the entire human race.

Whenever I pray in front of that holy rock, I ask the Lord for the grace to hand my will completely over to Him. I must confess I always feel a twinge of fear when I pray that. I am happily willing to give 90% of my will to God, but I also want to keep some back for myself, hanging onto a parachute or an exit strategy, just in case God’s will is too difficult or frightening. We indeed can get ourselves to a spiritual place where we grit our teeth and white-knuckle our way to accept God’s will in our lives, but such a place of joyless, resigned surrender is not good enough.

What I want is to want what God wants because He wants it, to will the will of the Father. That spiritual place is one of freedom, acceptance, peace and docility.  Jesus willed His Passion and death, freely accepting it, embracing the pain, lifting all to the Father, and He did so generously and completely. The Lord’s embrace of the cross in Gethsemane is the fulfillment of His entire path of obedience, which we will hear beautifully on the First Sunday of Lent, when, at the beginning of His ministry, Jesus rejects the temptations of the devil, renouncing any self-seeking or misuse of power, always handing His life over to the will of the Father.

Lent is a spiritually opportune time for us to grow in our obedience and docility to the will of the Father, to reject the temptations of sin and self-absorption, and to expand our heart and spirit through the traditional actions of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. By being generous with God and others, we grow in our ability to transcend our own narrow limits and to apprehend the infinite mercy and compassion of the Lord. When I contemplate what Jesus has done for me, when I hold a crucifix and remember that the eternal Son of God traded His life for mine on the cross and has won eternal life and mercy for me, my heart expands and my spirit soars. How can I be stingy when God has been infinitely kind to me? How can I measure what I give to the Lord, when He has blessed me without limit?  How can I reduce my faith to some heavy fulfillment of obligation, when I come to understand that everything in my life is a gift, an undeserved grace?

We do none of our Lenten actions to impress God, to demonstrate our spiritual greatness, or to win the approval of others. Such arrogant attitudes Jesus condemns in the Gospel for Ash Wednesday. (Matthew 6: 1-8) So why do give up things, try harder to be virtuous, and spend more time in prayer during these 40 days? I think of Lent as a clearing out of inner space, so God can act more freely in my life, so there is more of Him and less of me, that my heart is more supple and generous, that I have surrendered my will in little things, and hopefully that will make me more able to be generous and docile in the bigger challenges.

If I can see and accept God’s plan in my life through every detail of events, people, tasks, joys, tragedies, and opportunities that crowd my days, then I am free to live in union with Him, to be His instrument, to serve as His messenger, to be an extension of Christ in the world.

When we look at life through that supernatural lens, we powerfully realize that our work as Vincentians is an extension of the presence and action of God in the world. The Lord powerfully uses us to bring the Good News to the poor, to witness to the radiant dignity of every person, to alleviate suffering with compassion, and to build up the Kingdom of God. Our Vincentian witness is evangelical for it is a proclamation of the Gospel, certainly in word, but most profoundly in deed. For all the good that God accomplishes through us, we give glory and thanks to God!

This Lent, consider inviting someone to join your Vincentian conference. Many people simply need a friendly nudge to consider such a possibility of service. Many Catholics want to serve and love more, but just do not know how. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a beautiful way to live the Gospel and embrace the social teachings of the Church in a very practical and specific fashion. Imagine if every Vincentian brought one other person into the Society!

“For those who believe in the love of God and love him, the most varied circumstances that condition one’s existence are not seen as simply dictated by chance or by the blind laws of nature, but they are all guided by this love. They are occasions and means by which God serves to bring his work of sanctification to completion. He conceals himself behind all the events of one’s life: a given health condition…or some particular cause for disappointment, an unexpected change…He lies behind the particular state of life one has set out on, a sudden trial of a moral nature, or any kind of difficulty found at work. He hides himself behind the fact that we find ourselves to be at a specific place, next to a specific person. Everything, for the one who loves God…acquires positive meaning, because through all these circumstances, one can experience the love of God who wants to guide us toward sanctity.”

Servant of God Chiara Lubich, as published in Magnificat, February, 2023

Bishop Donald Hying

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Black History Month: There is Nothing Wrong with Resistance
Black History Month: There is Nothing Wrong with Resistance 1080 1080 SVDP USA

Written by: Doris M. Barrow, III, Director and Campus Minister at the Texas Southern University Newman Center and Vincentian at St. Monica Conference

Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you of two minds. James 4:7-8

Resistance can sometimes become and appear politically charged in our present-day lives and unfortunately bear negative and unchristlike connotations within the Church. Some mislabel resistance by calling it disobedience to authority, and unnecessary, but in my estimation, as I reflect on verses 7-8 from the Letter of James chapter 4, true resistance is against the evil one, the liar and father of lies. (Cf. John 8:44)

True resistance as St. Paul extols to the church in Ephesus, is a battle against evil. In chapter 6:10-17 in the Letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle explains that in order to battle the evil one and to resist the devil,  we must draw the strength to do so from God’s power. Working under our own power to foster resistance is not sufficient nor sustainable. True resistance requires the supernatural power of Almighty God to combat the evil one, his works, and all his empty promises.

When the baptized disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ put on the full armor of God, we are better equipped to stand up to the tactics of the devil. Sometimes, these tactics, unfortunately, take root in the hearts of men, and manifest in the language and work of believers and stand in direct opposition to the teachings of Jesus Christ. The corporal works of mercy (charitable actions by which we help our neighbors in their bodily needs) and the spiritual works of mercy (helping our neighbor in their spiritual needs) are found in the teachings of Jesus Christ and this is where we are afforded the blessed opportunity to resist the tactics of the evil one by loving others as God loves. You see friends, God provides a blueprint through the teachings of Jesus and the power to carry out all works of mercy, which I believe is true resistance of the evil one.

Sisters and brothers, I have offered for your consideration a reflection on how Sacred Scripture provides guidance to true resistance. In light of that reflection, I would like to share the story of a group of college students attending a Historically Black University in Houston, Texas that demonstrated the true resistance I believe God gives the strength to facilitate.

On March 4, 1960, members of the Progressive Youth Association (PYA); students at Texas Southern University (TSU), gathered at the flagpole near Hannah Hall, they prayed, lined up in pairs, and 13 Texas Southern University students marched to the Weingarten Supermarket, about a mile from campus. According to TSU journalism professor Serbino Sandifer-Walker, during a television interview, 60 Years ago today, students protested to end segregation, the students “went into this supermarket and they sat at this lunch counter determined to be served.” “But they weren’t served. But they weren’t discouraged. They stayed there until they were ushered out.”

These brave young souls joined a long-standing and ongoing fight of resistance against the structures of Houston’s legal segregation laws. These laws not only applied to where people dined and shopped, but they also applied to higher education. The creation of the university, these young protestors attended, was established in 1947 for black Texans in Houston. Dr. Alvia Wardlaw, Curator of the University Museum at TSU, in her article, Heart of Third Ward: Texas Southern University, stated that the reason the university was created, was due to the “outgrowth of the bittersweet Sweat v. Painter ruling that denied Herman M. Sweat, an African-American college graduate, and World War II veteran, admission to the University of Texas Law School in Austin.” It seems fitting that the college students at TSU helped to desegregate the city of Houston.

There is nothing wrong with resistance.

The preface to the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, Gaudium Et Spes (Hope and Joy), are fitting as a conclusion, and these words come to mind when I think of the TSU college students who made a conscious decision to resist segregation and I am a beneficiary of it. Approximately 5 years after the sit-in, Gaudium Et Spes was promulgated by Pope St. Paul VI during the Second Vatican Council in 1965 and the first sentence of the document, in my humble opinion, speaks to the experience of the Texas Southern University students and offers an invitation to the disciples of Jesus Christ to engage in true resistant when it is needed.

The preface to Gaudium Et Spes reads,

The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the men of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these are the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the followers of Christ.

In what way is God calling you to a ministry of true resistance?

Mary, our Mother of Mercy, pray for us.

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SVdP Disaster Services Supports Buffalo Blizzard Victims
SVdP Disaster Services Supports Buffalo Blizzard Victims 1920 1080 SVDP USA

It was called “a once-in-a-generation event.” The major winter storm that impacted parts of the U.S. and Western New York. Buffalo and surrounding areas are used to experiencing severe winter weather, but nothing like the storm that took place last December. The weather event caused 51.9 inches of snow to fall, -30 degree wind chills, 80 MPH winds, and over 39 fatalities.

Thankfully, Vincentians were able to respond to the disaster related event and support those in need.

“The blizzard of December 23, 2023 literally blew in Friday morning, closing stores and implementing travel bans for the next 5 days in Buffalo and Erie County. With 75 mph wind gusts, home was the safest place to be. However, our friends in need, as well as many others lost power and food in their refrigerators just days before Christmas. By the time the city opened up, the need for assistance was obvious for Vincentian,” said Cheri Frank, President of Diocesan Council of Buffalo.

“We received a $10,000 Rapid Relief Grant from the National Council and provided 15 Conferences with financial assistance to give out food gift cards and deliver space heaters to those with no heat due to furnace problems caused by the storm. I’m pleased to report, that the funding helped over 300 families with food insecurities and 12 families with space heaters. Thank you to all those involved.”

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02-16-2023 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders
02-16-2023 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders 900 900 SVDP USA

Dear Vincentian Friends,

Our mission statement says that we are “A network of friends inspired by Gospel values.” True to the vision of our principal founder, Blessed Frédéric Ozanam, our network of charity has come to embrace the whole world. Administering that global network and making it feel real to Vincentians is the work of the Council General International. To strengthen the bonds of this network, our tradition going back to our first President General, Emmanuel Bailly d’Surcy, has been for the President General to write an annual Circular Letter to all members.

Renato Lima d’ Oliveira, our current President General, has preserved that tradition and recently released a Circular Letter that will be the final of his presidency. You can find the full text here: 2023 PGI Circular Letter.

Please take the time to read the letter. Renato covers many topics of interest to all. The 17 pages of this year’s Circular Letter are organized around seven topics. Brother Renato, who will be leaving his position on September 9th, has given the text a farewell tone, while at the same time sharing reflections on his seven years in office. The letter would be a good topic for discussion at one or two of your Conference meetings.

I am grateful for the tireless servant leadership of Brother Renato, who constantly demonstrates a deep commitment to serving the poor and to growing in holiness. Below, I include a small sample from the beginning and end of his letter.

Serviens in spe,

Ralph Middlecamp
National Council President

Excerpt from International President General, Renato Lima de Oliveira’s Circular Letter

Praise to our Lord Jesus Christ! Once again, I am delighted to write, for the seventh consecutive year to my dear fellow members of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul around the world, as well as to new members, volunteers and staff at our various projects, Councils and Conferences. May our Blessed Lady show us the path of charity promoted so well by Saint Vincent de Paul.

This year, 2023, I end my term of office as the 16th President General International of our International Confederation, an honor for which I was never properly prepared. Only with God’s help was I able to reach the end of this path, with many successes on the basis of our 10-point strategic plan, thanks to the dedicated work of the International Board and the Superior Councils. …

So as I always say: the writing of a Circular Letter is a gift from God for any President General. I hope that members of our Society can reflect on the sections of this Circular Letter, and I count on you for any comments, criticisms and suggestions, by e-mail: cgi.circularletter@gmail.com. …

The Lord Jesus accompanies me throughout my life, in both joyful times and in the difficult times. The good God protects me every day, washes away my flaws, corrects my mistakes, calms my heart, reduces my anxiety, cares for my family, and makes our plans for life prosper. So I always ask the same thing: pray for me, that I may continue in this fine mission as President General for you all.

I also ask prayers from now on for the 17th International President General who will take up their role on 9 September 2023. To my successor, whoever it may be, I promise I will be a loyal and discreet servant, always available when called upon for any task. I urge my successor to remember that our best response to critics is forgiveness, service, love and goodness, giving to God all the difficulties we experience. Only thus will we gain the Paradise which we so long to reach some day.

I wish to express my deep gratitude to the Board of the Council General, who have helped me govern the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul in the past seven years. As well as the Board, some 100 members belong to the various departments, committees, vice-presidencies, working groups or missions of the Council General. And at our head office, located in Paris, we rely on our well prepared and experienced members of staff. For Father Andrés Motto, our beloved spiritual adviser, I have no words to thank him for the advice he has given us. I also have to express my special thanks to all the territories forming our Confederation. Without the support of the Superior Councils, it would be impossible to be a good President General. A warm embrace to everyone, and see you soon!

Brother Renato Lima de Oliveira
16th President General International

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Black History Month — Resisting the Plague of Racism
Black History Month — Resisting the Plague of Racism 1080 1080 SVDP USA

Written by: Pam Matambanadzo, National Multicultural and Diversity Committee Chair

We continue our reflection on Black History month and its theme for 2023 – “Black Resistance.”

Last week Connie and Wayne challenged us to reflect, relate and release. 

Do you feel you can relate? As a Vincentian, are you open to accompanying those living on fringe of society, going beyond the charity (meal or shelter) we offer? Are you playing a role towards ending the generational struggle that Black Americans continue to carry? Are you seeking justice?

Many Black Americans will collectively continue to resist the plague of racism. However, for meaningful change to occur, it requires “all hands-on deck” approach as one Society. As fellow Christians we are inviting you to journey with us as we explore the many policies put in place at the end of slavery that are still around today in one form or another. These policies act as barriers to entry – keeping families in a cycle of poverty.

After your reflections last week, and this week – do you feel you have a better understanding of the plight of Black Americans? If no, what steps have you taken towards filling in your knowledge gap?

On the third Thursday of each month the Voice of the Poor Committee has webinars that you can utilize. Topics range from how to set up an advocacy committee at your Conference or Council and other times we delve into policies and issues. This month (February) our topic is New Congress; New Opportunities. In March, 2023 Jack Murphy and Wayne will be covering redlining and the discriminatory practices in housing. Please come and join us.

Resources:

  1. Berkley Institute breaks down institutional racism in a video: https://belonging.berkeley.edu/berkeley-institute-breaks-down-structural-racism-visual-explainer-video
  2. USCCB Open Wide Our Hearts: Pastoral Letter on Racism: https://www.usccb.org/resources/open-wide-our-hearts_0.pdf
  3. Harvard paper on Massachusetts Racial Disparity: https://hls.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Massachusetts-Racial-Disparity-Report-FINAL.pdf
  4. Reflective Examination of Conscious: Examination of Conscious .pptx
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SVdP Stores Corner — Expand Your Reach Using Your Fleet
SVdP Stores Corner — Expand Your Reach Using Your Fleet 1080 1080 SVDP USA

Written by: Brooke Trick — Senior Director of Retail Operations
District Council of Madison

Businesses are always looking for effective and unique ways to inform large audiences of their brand and services. What better way to expand your reach then with a rolling billboard? Truck advertising (wraps or vinyl decals) is one of the most successful and cost-effective methods of advertising when compared to other typical marketing; it’s endless exposure for a fraction of the cost of traditional advertising. Truck ads boost brand recognition two times higher than mobile ads and have a higher recall rate than other roadside signs.

Truck advertising offers flexibility unmatched with stationary billboards. Trucks drive diverse pick-up routes often during heavy commute times and frequent popular areas in town. On trucks, whether owned or leased, your brand and the exact message(s) you want to tell are visible to everyone without having to buy the audience. Customers and donors will remember your brand when shopping and will be familiar with your mission after they see your ad in a variety of locations.

Truck advertising is different than traditional advertising because it isn’t restricted by placement, timing and rates. While people can switch off television commercials or use ad blockers online it’s difficult to ignore a colorful and creative ad while driving down the road or stuck in traffic. Most importantly, truck advertising is not invasive or repetitive.

When considering truck advertising, remember these key factors:

  • Be creative! Creative displays attract attention; consider font, color scheme and layout when designing your ad. If you have a fleet, contemplate keeping the format the same but use different pictures to identify shopping and services.
  • Words. As much as you want to inform the public of all the wonderful things you do, use short sentences or phrases that can be read in a few seconds. Experts say catchy or memorable phrases are often the most effective. Some of ours include “Shop with your heart,” or “help your budget, help your planet,
    help your neighbor in need.”
  • If you’re thinking of changing or adding these types of ads to your fleet, consider hiring a local advertising company. They will know current design trends and will incorporate your brand guide into a memorable design. If you have your own design team, they can work together as well.

For more information and resources regarding branding, templates, and logos, click here.

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02-09-2023 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders
02-09-2023 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders 900 900 SVDP USA

What do these famous music albums have in common? Pink Floyd’s “The Dark Side of the Moon,” Paul McCartney and Wings’ “Band on the Run,” Stevie Wonder’s “Innervisions,” Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On,” Elton John’s “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” the Eagles’ “Desperado,” and Billy Joel’s “Piano Man?” Among many other well-loved albums, they all were released in 1973. In case you blinked, that’s now 50 years ago!

We still hear songs from these albums on the radio, as TV commercial backgrounds, and of course in retailers and elevators nationwide, even globally. While every generation’s favored music comes and goes, the music from this Baby Boomer period seems particularly lasting.

On the other hand, some of today’s young adults think that the Beatles played alongside Beethoven or Irving Berlin. Chuck Berry is considered more of a “classical music” historical figure than a musical influence.  Some actually believe that Kanye West gave Paul McCartney his big break on a single just a few years ago. What’s old can indeed be new again, or at least a discovery for a new audience.

Earlier this month the Society participated in the Fellowship of College and University Students (FOCUS) giant SEEK event, with more than 17,000 mostly college students gathering in prayer, fellowship, and introduction to Catholic discernment and volunteer opportunities. Our Vincentians and Society staff talked with hundreds of young people about starting Society Conferences on college campuses and how to volunteer either at school or back home in their local Conferences.

A common message we heard is that while the student knew of the Society, and perhaps had a family member who is a serving Vincentian, they had never been asked to participate themselves. I began to think after a few of these conversations that we could grow our Society’s membership if we did nothing more than ask our own children and other relatives to join us!

Our children often learned about our generation’s music by listening to it with us in the car. Along the way, did we forget to tell them, or show them, what we do as Vincentians?

Likely, if you began your own Society service when you retired, your kids were already adults themselves. Their habits including volunteerism may have been formed, largely from their exposures as teens and young adults to what they saw around them. Some children, at any age, have an unintentional blind spot when it comes to their parents. They are certainly influenced by what they see and hear from parents, but they can be more influenced by a teacher, coach, Scout leader, or other adult who gave them a positive experience. Please consider this both as a parent or grandparent, but also in your dealings with young adults in any part of your life. You might not consider yourself a mentor, but your examples, character and, hopefully, your invitation to join the Society, can be incredibly impactful.

On Broadway they say that every performance is someone’s Opening Night, so the actors are encouraged to give their best every time. Don’t we owe our young relatives and friends this same enthusiasm and Vincentian example when we encounter – and invite them – into our Society path to Holiness and service to those in need?

Those albums from 50 years ago still play well today. So too does our mission after more than 175 years!  So roll over Beethoven, and tell Tchaikovsky the news!

Yours in Christ,
Dave Barringer

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A Black History Month Reflection
A Black History Month Reflection 1080 1080 SVDP USA

Written by: Wayne Bugg and Connie Steward, SVdP African American Task Force Co-Chairs

The 2023 theme for Black History Month is “Black Resistance.”  What does that mean to you? Is it good or bad? We initially concluded that resistance was not a good thing. We perceived it as negative energy. But, after further thought and reflection, we understand this theme is an acknowledgement that over the years many Black Americans have led the charge to resist the evils of racism, calling for a more just society. Therefore, “Black Resistance” is a good thing, and these individuals should be celebrated.

To resist something is to oppose it or stand firm against it. Just as Vincentians oppose or stand firm against poverty, we should all oppose racism. It is appropriate to celebrate “Black Resistance” during Black History Month because it is a specific time set aside to reflect, relate and release – the three R’s.

As you REFLECT on your thoughts about “Black Resistance” – do you reinforce racism or do you resist racism. Hopefully we can all join hands and resist racism.

How do you RELATE to members of the opposite race. Are you comfortable conversing? Are you honest and transparent? Are you respectful? Strong, genuine relationships make for a more just and equitable society.

RELEASE or let go of racist thoughts or actions. They are toxic and will wear you down.

One might ask – what does this have to do with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul? We are an organization committed to “resisting” the many barriers that keep our vulnerable brothers and sisters in poverty. As we journey together and bring our spirituality and friendship to those we serve, it is imperative that we Reflect, Relate and Release.

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02-02-2023 A Letter From Our Servant Leader
02-02-2023 A Letter From Our Servant Leader 900 900 SVDP USA

Dear Vincentian Friends,

Over the past few years, COVID-19 has meant many organizations’ well-intended plans and initiatives were put on hold or received little attention. For our organization, one such set of delayed efforts were our plans to improve the policies and practices needed for safeguarding vulnerable persons. At the National Council meeting in Houston in August 2021, your delegates approved Resolution 189 – National Safeguarding Policy for all Member Councils. The resolution asks all Councils to create a safeguarding policy that would follow the guidelines provided and also address their local circumstances, paying attention to local laws and the policies of their diocese.

This is not a popular topic to bring up. Creating and implementing a safeguarding policy is complicated, can cost money, and brings a variety of responses from our membership. My own Conference had a member resign when we put a safeguarding requirement in place many years ago. That departing member told us, “So, some priests have been abusing children, and now I have to take a class and have a background check.” Many members had similar reactions to our national policy at first, but I hope we have moved past this attitude.

For the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, not much of our work is directly with children, but all of our neighbors in need should be considered as vulnerable persons. I am sorry to say that we have had credible reports of incidents of that vulnerability being exploited, which reinforces my belief that we need to keep working on this.

The safeguarding resolution we approved details a number of reasons why it is important to have an appropriate policy and effective training. Certainly, we want to prevent abuse and protect those we serve, but having a plan for what to do if something is reported or suspected is an equally compelling reason for having our members well-trained. There are many states in which our home visitors and volunteers are even considered “mandatory reporters.” By law, they are required to report observed incidents of abuse. Do you know whether that includes you? Do you know what constitutes a reportable incident or to whom you must report it? Does this include reporting a neighbor in need whom you have visited? Are you clear about the process you should take if one of our members violates our safeguarding standards?

At the January Board of Directors meeting, we discussed the implementation of Resolution 189 at length, and it is clear to your National Council leadership that this is a complicated matter. Many Councils already have policies and training in place. Some of them were required to do so by their dioceses many years ago. Many others have not even started – finding the effort too complex or maybe too costly, or the resistance from members too significant.

As we move forward, our National Council is looking for ways to support your safeguarding efforts and share best practices. Please support your local leaders as they create and implement your local safeguarding policy. Your Council leadership already has plenty on its plate, and I would encourage some of you to step forward to help lead the effort. Forming a local task force of members who see the importance of this process and are willing to spend time investigating options will help us make the progress needed.

Doing nothing is not an acceptable option. So far, fortunately, we have avoided major lawsuits and harm to our reputation. The time to act is before something happens. Our Church and many other organizations have suffered incredible harm because they were not proactive. From the beginning, our founders realized that our home visits should always be done in pairs. That early practice of safeguarding is still a key element of our protecting vulnerable neighbors in need. Unfortunately, it is not enough in today’s environment.

Serviens in spe,
Ralph Middlecamp
National Council President

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The Call of Catholic Social Teaching: A Reflection on Homelessness
The Call of Catholic Social Teaching: A Reflection on Homelessness 940 788 SVDP USA

Written by: Fr. Patrick McDevitt, C.M., Ph. D., Provincial Superior, Congregation of the Mission, Western Province

I was delighted to be asked to submit this reflection on homelessness through the prism of Catholic Social Teaching.  After some initial thinking on the topic, I was overwhelmed by both the immensity of the body of literature called, “Catholic Social Teaching”.  Furthermore, I was personally challenged on the profound reality Catholic Social Teaching calls us to change, to care, to sacrifice, and love our brothers and sisters who live in poverty.

Catholic Social Teaching is rooted in the biblical tradition of “preferential option for the poor”.  According to the commands of God, the care for the poor is the highest priority.  It is a moral imperative for Christians to love and care for the poor because God is the poor and the poor are God (Matthew 25). This great summons of justice is found in the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures, and evident in centuries of Catholic Tradition and articulated in the Magisterium Teaching of the Catholic Church. The Christian mandate is to be both charitable and to pursue justice.  It is not enough for Christians to espouse ideals, principles, and credo. An authentic and integrated Christian life must include charity, service, advocacy, and justice.  “To receive in truth the Body and Blood of Christ given up for us, we must recognize Christ in the poorest, his brethren [sic]” (Cano. 1397).

The depth of love for our sisters and brothers in poverty need to be accompanied by a commitment to advocacy (a commitment to stand with and to work in the best interest of the poor) for systemic change in policies that deny or limit access to needed resources for the poor.  Catholic Social Teaching shows that we must do more than just “help out” – “give some of our time” – “be nice” – and to do for the poor in order to “feel good about ourselves”.  The Christian call is to advocate for real systemic change to directly alleviate and liberate our brothers and sisters from the suffering and shackles of poverty.  The disease of poverty kills the body and spirit in both those directly affected by the rage of poverty and it deeply affects all of society.

Homelessness is just one of the many symptoms of the complex nature of poverty in our society.  From a clinical perspective, one cannot just address the symptom of a problem; one must look at the etiology deeply underlying the symptoms.  It is only when one “drills down” deep beneath the surface of a problem that real healing and systemic change are possible.

Homelessness perpetuates the victimization and traumatization of highly vulnerable people.  The psychiatric community is only beginning to learn how devastating trauma disables and immobilizes individuals.  Trauma can only be treated within a safe and secure place.  The reality of homelessness continues to expose people to the harsh elements of violence, exploitation, prejudice, loneliness, and fear.

Catholic Social Teaching emphatically states that everyone has the inalienable rights of dignity, community, and care.  Without these inalienable rights, people are devoid of what truly constitutes their basic humanity.

The concept of “Home” is more than just a structure or a shelter.  A home is meant to be a place of safety, security, and grounding for our bodies and souls.  It is only in this type of environment that our humanity can really thrive and grow. Furthermore, it is in this “sacred” place of home that humans discover and rediscover the goodness and divine nature of humanity.  Home is to be a “holy” place for healing and the “safe place” where vulnerability and love can be shared.  The sacred externals of home leads us to the holy and sacred places of our hearts and souls.  “Home is where the Heart is” (Song by Elvis Presley).

Catholic Social Teaching illustrates the communal responsibilities we have to care and advocate for the poor in their material needs, humanitarian needs, and spiritual needs.  The Catholic call is to “look beyond” the bread you eat; to “look beyond” the cup you drink” (hymn by Darryl Ducote, 1969), and to look deeper into life and the social challenges facing society.  In looking beyond and looking deeper, we will find Christ in the poor.  The late British author, Graham Greene reminds us that, “most things disappoint till you look deeper”.

The wealth of wisdom in Catholic Social Teaching serves as a guide to address the global epidemic of homelessness with authentic values and principles.  This treasured wisdom provide us with the constant reminder of our duties and responsibilities to respond with the armor of charity and justice for God’s homeless people.  Finally, Catholic Social Teaching inspires hope that we can and we will bring an end to this cruel reality of homelessness in our lifetime.  We are reassure of this hope by the prophet words of Joshua, “Now behold, today I am going the way of all the earth, and you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one word of all the good words which the Lord your God spoke concerning you has failed; all have been fulfilled for you, not one of them has failed” (Joshua 23:14).

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