Society of St. Vincent de Paul

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Contemplation — Just Prayer

Contemplation — Just Prayer https://ssvpusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Contemplation-blog-1-12.png 1080 1080 SVDP USA SVDP USA //ssvpusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/svdp-usa-ssvp-int.png May 8, 2023 May 8, 2023

“The needs were overwhelming,” the Home Visit team recalled, “And they were beyond what we could provide. So we just prayed.” Have you heard an account like this before? The emotions were high, the needs were great, there was nothing we could do, so…we just prayed.

It’s easy to feel as though we’ve let down the neighbor sometimes. We are the ones who return their calls. We are the ones who listen and understand. And we are the ones who, more often than not, are able to help with that overdue bill, or groceries, or rent, so when we can’t, or when the problem isn’t really a matter of material assistance, it can seem as if we’ve fallen short. Instead of offering our alms, we share in their suffering.

And we just pray.

Yet no matter the need, no matter the outcome of our Home Visit, we always pray. It isn’t an afterthought, or a rote exercise, or something we fall back on only when things seem hopeless! Our prayers are the most important thing we have to offer.

After all, why do we offer them for each other, or for our friends and family? Vincentians are people of “prayer and action.” [Rule, Part I, 3.3] Bl. Frédéric calls us to “do all the good we can and trust to God for the rest.” [Baunard, 81] However great or little our efforts or our material offerings, our work is never complete without prayer.

We always pray; we never just pray. The final balance between our action and our prayer is up to God alone. As St. Vincent reminds us, “God does not consider the outcome of the good work undertaken but the charity that accompanied it.” [CCD I:205]

In our prayers, we place the needs of the neighbors before God in order to assure them that they are not forgotten, that this, too, shall pass. We add our voices to theirs, knowing that God has placed us n the presence for this reason, that He, too, is present on our Home Visit, and that the hope we offer is not merely the hope of a light bill payment.

Pope Saint Gregory the Great taught that to give what is ours to the neighbor is charity; to give them what is theirs is justice. [P.R., Bk III] In this sense, at least, they are all just prayers.

Contemplate

If I approach each home visit as if I have only prayer to offer, how would I pray differently?

SVdP News Roundup April 29 – May 5

SVdP News Roundup April 29 – May 5 https://ssvpusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/My-project-1-12.jpg 1080 1080 SVDP USA SVDP USA //ssvpusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/svdp-usa-ssvp-int.png May 5, 2023 May 5, 2023

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

AUSTRALIA: Old Edgeworth library to be repurposed as home base for Vinnies
AUSTRALIA: Vinnies’ Winter Appeal to Aid Homeless Elderly Women
IRELAND: SVP’s youth day returns to Cork and Kerry after hiatus

NATIONAL

ALEXANDRIA, VA: Blockchain-Based “Survivor Wallet” Streamlines Relief for Families Impacted by Disasters in Tennessee and Florida
CINCINNATI, OH: St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy helps as 200,000 Ohioans expected to lose Medicaid
DAYTON, OH: Social worker recognized for work with St. Vincent de Paul
EUGENE, OR: St. Vincent de Paul says thrift shopping is getting more popular
PHOENIX, AZ: St. Vincent de Paul breaks ground on Ozanam Manor II for unhoused seniors
RICHMOND, VA: ‘Next step up’ for Society of St. Vincent de Paul

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A Week in Prayers May 1 — May 5

A Week in Prayers May 1 — May 5 https://ssvpusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Weekly-Prayer-Graphic-1.jpg 1080 1080 SVDP USA SVDP USA //ssvpusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/svdp-usa-ssvp-int.png May 5, 2023 May 5, 2023

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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Dedicated Vincentians Assist Those Affected by Recent Tornadoes

Dedicated Vincentians Assist Those Affected by Recent Tornadoes https://ssvpusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/5-4-dsc-2.jpg 1024 768 SVDP USA SVDP USA //ssvpusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/svdp-usa-ssvp-int.png May 3, 2023 May 3, 2023

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 https://ssvpusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Servant-Leader-1-2.png 900 900 SVDP USA SVDP USA //ssvpusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/svdp-usa-ssvp-int.png May 3, 2023 May 3, 2023

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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Contemplation — Cheerful Givers

Contemplation — Cheerful Givers https://ssvpusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Contemplation-blog-1-11.png 1080 1080 SVDP USA SVDP USA //ssvpusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/svdp-usa-ssvp-int.png May 1, 2023 May 1, 2023

“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.