Ozanam News - svdpusa.net

National Council of the United States
Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Inc.
58 Progress Parkway
Maryland Heights, Missouri 63043-3706
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
ST. LOUIS, MO
PERMIT NO. 3662
Dignity in
Despair
NEWS
Onizanam
ty
g
i
D
r
i
a
p
s
e
D
in
2nd Quarter 2012
A Woman's Touch.
Asuncion has made the best
of her family's small income,
and her daughter is proud of
the little improvements her
parents have made to the
house they own for their
family of five
En Español
MENSAJE de
DESDE la
la Presidenta
Oficina de la Esquina
¿Que tal un poco de Caridad
y Justicia con su Pizza?
Hoy, recibí una copia de la nueva “Guía Vicentina sobre
Asuntos de Diversidad/Multiculturales”. La Guía será
oficialmente presentada durante la reunión de Medio Año.
Todos los días trabajamos con personas de otras culturas, razas,
religiones y edades. Estas relaciones tienen el potencial de enriquecernos,
de darnos nuevas perspectivas del mundo, y de darnos nuevas amistades.
La interacción con otros que pueden ver la vida diferentemente también
trae desafíos y oportunidades de hacer malas interpretaciones y para que
tensiones se desarrollen.
La diversidad es un cofre de tesoros. Cada uno puede escoger abrirlo y
explorar el tesoro, o ignorar el tesoro y pretender que no existe. Podemos
aun escoger resistir tener que hacer algo sobre la idea de la diversidad.
Como miembros de conferencias Vicentinas, ahora tenemos la oportunidad
de explorar comunidades de Americanos Nativos, Hispanos/Latinos
Americanos, Americanos Europeos, Americanos Africanos y Asiáticos y del
Pacífico desde las perspectivas de esas personas mismas – los Vicentinos de
varias culturas han compartido sus culturas de forma que todos podemos
llegar a un mejor entendimiento de aquellos que servimos y de aquellos
que sirven con nosotros.
Viajando por toda la nación yo he visto ejemplos de diversidad que trabajan
muy bien. Yo conocí a Sherry y Judy en Seattle. Ellas trabajan en equipo, una
Americana Africana y una mujer Caucásica, preparando donaciones para
venderlas en la tienda de SVDP. Las inigualables celebraciones que forman
parte de la Conferencia de Nuestra Señora del Monte Carmelo en California,
reflejan el casamiento exitoso de los Hispanos/Americanos y con los de
habla Inglesa, en el servicio, adoración y celebración.
Desafortunadamente vivimos en una sociedad que esta llena de perjuicios y
discriminación. A pesar de que, como católicos, queremos ser de libres de
estos estereotipos, es imposible crecer sin tener en tu mente y corazón algo
de estos estereotipos. Estas cosas residen tan en lo profundo de nosotros
mismos, que ni nos damos cuenta de ello. Por que no reconocemos estos
perjuicios, continuamos actuándolos, así que inconscientemente nos
separamos de aquellos que nos lucen diferentes. Perjuicios que no
reconocemos son desafortunadamente obvios a aquellos que reciben los
estereotipos. Y si somos de una raza o cultura que ha sido estereotipada,
nosotros podemos ver perjuicios aun donde aquellos con los que nos
encontramos no tiene intención de degradar, faltar el respeto, o ignorar.
Nuestras interacciones como miembros de la sociedad Americana, nos
preparan para mal interpretar o para ser mal interpretados.
Como miembros de la Sociedad de San Vicente de Paúl podemos reflexionar
sobre nuestras experiencias para descubrir cualquier perjuicio que
tengamos; nosotros podemos ser pro-activos en desafiar palabras que
exhiban perjuicios y pasiones, y podemos tomar pasos positivos abrazando
la diversidad cuando aparezca en nuestro servicio y en nuestra amistad.
De ustedes en Vicente, Louise, Federico y Rosalie,
El Obispo Kenneth Untener, un buen amigo que ya se ha
ido a casa con Dios, sugirió durante un retiro una forma de
reflexionar y recordar los elementos significantes de la enseñanza
Social Católica. El sugirió que nuestra enseñanza social gira
alrededor de siete palabras claves, que pueden ser recordadas por
el dicho: “Por (favor) Sirvan Pizza Redonda (con) Todas (las)
(e)Squinas Cuadradas”.
La P es por la “Persona”. Cada persona es un hijo de Dios y tiene
una dignidad que nunca pueden perder. Las personas son más
importantes que las cosas.
La S significa “Social”. Los seres humanos fueron hechos para
juntarse con otras personas. Una de las conexiones más
importantes es con la familia, y con una vista más amplia: la
sociedad, en la cual todos tenemos un derecho y una
responsabilidad en participar.
P significa “Pobres” los cuales tienen un derecho especial porque no
están compartiendo en las cosas que Dios creó para todas las
personas. Una forma básica de medir todo lo que hacemos es:
¿Cómo va a afectar o involucrar esto a aquellos que viven en la
pobreza?
R es por los “Responsabilidades”. Cada persona tiene derecho a la
vida, lo cual incluye comida, alojo seguro, cuidado de la salud,
educación y trabajo. Aún más importante, cada uno de nosotros
tiene una responsabilidad de defender los derechos de los otros.
T significa “Trabajo”. El trabajo no es “necesariamente malo”. Más
bien, participación en el trabajo de Dios es parte de crear y
mantener la comunidad a nuestro alrededor.
La S es por “Solidaridad”. Nosotros pertenecemos a una familia
humana y somos hermanos de todos los hombres y mujeres.
La C es por “la creación”. Tenemos una responsabilidad de ser
buenos custodias de todo lo que Dios ha hecho.
Caridad y justicia son dos lados de una moneda y nuestro amor
por los Evangelios trae a los dos lados juntos. Necesitamos poder
ofrecer una manera de llenar inmediatamente las necesidades de
aquellos que viven en la pobreza que nosotros vemos, y tenemos
que cambiar las condiciones que permiten que esas necesidades
inmediatas sigan repitiéndose. Las Escrituras nos dicen que
aquellos “sin un plan, son gente que perecerá”. Todos nosotros – los
que tenemos y los que no tenemos - podemos trabajar juntos para
construir una comunidad sostenible para todos. Esto puede parecer
como un sueño o una visión, pero es posible hacerlo realidad. Y
¿quien mejor que los miembros de la Sociedad de San Vicente de
Paúl para llenar lo que falta entre la visión y la realidad, y hacer
que las dos sean una?
Sheila Gilbert
Presidenta Nacional.
Buscando caridad y justicia
Roger Playwin
Director Nacional Ejecutivo
Ozanam
NEWS
www.svdpusa.org
2nd Quarter •
Spring 2012
Voice of the Poor
Love of God and Neighbor: Commandments of the Society
By Jack Murphy, Voice of the Poor Committee Chair
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus is asked about the greatest
commandment and we are all familiar with his response:
We live out this Gospel passage by loving the Lord and showing that
love through prayer and serving our neighbors with dignity.
“You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your
soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first
commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as
yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two
commandments.” (Matthew 22:36-40)
When you are in need, dignity can be a hard thing to come by. We
have all dealt with people in need, who have had a hard time
admitting that they are in trouble. They may not have told their
landlord, spouse or family about their difficulty.
The entire Society of St. Vincent de Paul is built upon these two
commandments.
For others, the idea of taking unemployment or other forms of public
assistance may be completely anathema to them. I can’t tell you the
numbers of times that I’ve heard people say, “I just wasn’t raised
that way.”
That is just one reason that we are so warmly accepted into the
homes of perfect strangers. We are not there to judge or to make
people jump through hoops to get our help. We are there to love and
support them with dignity.
Often times, people receiving are already experiencing a huge hassle
to receive public benefits. They may rely on mass transit, or friends
and neighbors to help them get to the office to register for aid. And
they usually have to go to several different locations to receive
benefits.
Thankfully, many states have developed Web-based programs to
allow people to apply for the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance
Program, (formerly Food Stamps, now called SNAP) or Temporary
Assistance for Needy Families (what used to be call welfare, now
TANF).
Still, getting public assistance would be a very difficult and humbling
experience for most of us.
Nellie is a great-grandmother who lives with her husband, two granddaughters,
and two great-grandsons. They've lived in the same home for over 20 years, but
have never had quite enough income to keep it maintained or to improve it.
There is a growing movement to make that experience
more difficult and humbling. The National Conference
continued on page 12
The Ozanam News • 2nd Quarter 2012
FROM the
FROM the
Corner Office
President
How ‘Bout Some Charity
and Justice with Your Pizza?
Today I received a copy of the Society’s new “Vincentian
Guide to Diversity/Multicultural Issues.” The Guide will be
officially released at the Mid-Year Meeting.
Every day we work closely with peoples of other cultures, races,
religions and ages. These relationships have the potential to enrich us,
give us new perspectives on the world, and bring new friendships.
Interacting with others who may see life differently also provides
challenges and opportunities for misunderstanding and for tensions to
develop.
Diversity is a treasure chest. Each of us can choose whether to open the
chest and explore the treasure, ignore the treasure or pretend that it
doesn’t exist. We can even choose to resist having anything to do with the
whole idea of diversity.
As Vincentian members of conferences we now have the opportunity to
explore Native American, Hispanic/Latino, European-American, AfricanAmerican, and the Asian and Pacific communities from the perspectives of
the peoples themselves –– Vincentians from various cultures have shared
their cultures so that we may all come to a greater understanding of those
we serve and those we serve with.
As I travel around the country, I see many instances of diversity working
well. I enjoyed meeting Sherry and Judy in Seattle. They work as a team,
an African-American and a Caucasian woman, preparing donations to be
sold in the SVdP store. The unique celebrations, which are part of Our
Lady of Mount Carmel Conference in California, reflect the successful
marriage of the Hispanic/Latino and English speaking members in service,
worship and celebration.
Unfortunately, we live in a society that is plagued with a history of
prejudice and discrimination. Even though, as Catholics, we want to be
free of stereotypes, it is impossible to grow up without taking into our
minds and hearts some of these stereotypes. They reside so deeply inside
that most of the time we are not aware we have them. Because we don’t
recognize our biases, we continue to act based on them, thus
unconsciously separating ourselves from those who seem different from
us. Biases we don’t recognize are, unfortunately, obvious to those who are
the recipients of the stereotypes. And, if we are from a race or culture
which has been stereotyped, we can see biases even where those we meet
have no intention of demeaning, disrespecting or ignoring. Our
interactions as members of American society thus set us up to
misunderstand and to be misunderstood.
As members of the Society of St. Vincent DePaul we can reflect on our
experiences to uncover any biases we have, we can be pro-active in
challenging statements that exhibit prejudice and bias, and we can take a
positive stance in embracing diversity however it appears in our service
and our friendship.
Bishop Kenneth Untener, a very dear friend who has
since gone home to God, suggested during a retreat an easy way to
reflect on and remember the significant elements of Catholic social
teaching. He suggested that our social teaching revolves around
seven key words that can be remembered by the first letter of the
saying: “Please Send Round Pizza With Square Corners.”
The P stands for “person.” Each person is a child of God and has
dignity they can never lose. People are more important than things.
S means “social.” Human beings are made to connect with other
people. One of the most important connections is the family and
the wider connection is “society,” in which all have a right and
responsibility to participate.
R stands for “rights and responsibilities.” Every person has a right
to life, which includes food, safe shelter, health care, education and
employment. More important, every of us has a responsibility to
support these rights for others.
P stands for “poor,” who have a special claim because they are not
sharing in the goods that God intended for all people. A basic
measure of everything we do is to ask: How will this affect or
involve those who live in poverty?
W means “work.” Work is not a “necessary evil.” Rather,
participation in God’s work is creating and sustaining the
community and the world around us. Work should be respected
and allow the worker a wage that allows him or her to sustain and
support a family.
S is for “solidarity.” We belong to one human family and we are all
brothers and sisters to each other.
C is for “creation.” We have a responsibility to be good stewards of
all that God has made.
Charity and justice are two sides of the same coin, and our love for
the Gospel brings those two halves together. We need to offer a
way to meet the immediate needs that those who live in poverty
present to us and we need to work to change those conditions that
allow those immediate needs to keep on repeating themselves.
Scripture tells us that “without a plan, the people will perish.” All
of us ― those who have and those who don’t ― can work together
to build a sustainable community for everyone. This may seem like
a dream or a vision, but it is possible to make it a reality. And who
better than the members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul to
stand in the gap between the vision and the reality, and bring them
together?
Yours in Vincent, Louise, Frederic and Rosalie,
2
Sheila Gilbert
National President
Seeking charity and justice
Roger Playwin
Chief Executive Officer
Help Which Honors
By Bishop John Quinn, National Episcopal Advisor
Did you ever reflect on what meaning the
action you have taken truly has? The action I
am addressing here is charity. Charity, you
might think, is always good. After all, it is based
on the Greek word for “love.” But the truth is that charity
could be bad just as well as good. It all boils down to what
your motive is behind the gift, your attitude and your method
of presentation.
On October 21, 1848, Frederic Ozanam wrote a remarkable
article in his newspaper, The New Era. The article was entitled
“Help Which Humiliates and Help Which Honors.” Here is an
excerpt.
(Help) humiliates, when there is no reciprocity, when you give
the poor man nothing but bread, or clothes, or a bundle of
straw — what, in fact, there is no likelihood of his ever giving
you in return. . . . Help honors, when to the bread that
nourishes it adds the visit that consoles, the advice that
enlightens, the friendly shake of the hand that lifts up the
sinking courage; when it treats the poor man with respect, not
only as an equal but as a superior, since he is suffering what
perhaps we are incapable of suffering; since he is the
messenger of God to us, sent to prove our justice and our
charity, and to save us by our works. Help then becomes
honorable, because it may become mutual, because every man
who gives a kind word, a good advice, a consolation today,
may tomorrow stand himself in need of a kind word, an
advice, or a consolation; because the hand that you clasp
clasps yours in return; because the indigent family whom you
love loves you in return, and will have largely acquitted
themselves towards you when the old man, the mother, the
little children shall have prayed for you.
Based on what Blessed Frederic said above, the help you give
can either build up the dignity of the person you are helping
or tear it down. The unfortunate thing about this is that you
don’t always know which way it is going.
If you truly want to provide the “help that honors,” then
before each visit take time with our Lord who is wearing the
face of someone in need. Reflect upon and come to truly
understand who you are visiting and why … and what you
are hoping to give. Pray. Greet our Lord before you
physically meet Him. Only then will the “charity” you give
reflect the meaning of the Greek word from which it comes,
that is, to love.
En Espanol
Ayuda Que Da Honor
¿Han pensando en el significado que en verdad
tienen sus acciones? La acción a la cual me refiero
aquí, es la Caridad. La Caridad, quizás ustedes piensen,
siempre es buena. Después de todo esta basada en la
palabra Griega “amor”. Pero la verdad es que la Caridad puede ser
tanto mala como buena. Todo se refiere a cual es el motivo atrás del
regalo, su actitud y su método de presentación.
En Octubre 21, 1848 Federico Ozanam escribió un artículo
extraordinario en su periódico, La Nueva Era. El artículo estaba
titulado “Ayuda que humilla y Ayuda que honora”. A seguir una
corta cita.
(Ayuda) humilla, cuando no hay reciprocidad, cuando ustedes le
dan al pobre nada más que pan, o ropa, o un lío de paja – lo
cuales, en realidad, para el no van a ser nunca posible darles a
ustedes en retorno……. La Ayuda honora cuando a el pan que
alimenta, se le agrega la visita que consuela, el consejo que
ilumina, la mano amistosa que levanta el coraje; cuando se trata
al pobre con respeto, no solamente como un igual pero como un
superior, ya que el sufriente puede sufrir lo que quizá nosotros no
seriamos capaces de sufrir; ya que es el mensajero de Dios hacia
nosotros, mandado para probar nuestra justicia y nuestra
caridad, y a salvarnos por nuestro trabajo. La ayuda entonces se
torna honorable, porque puede hacerse mutua, porque cada
hombre que da una palabra benévola, un buen consejo, una
consolación hoy, quizá mañana el mismo estará en necesidad de
una palabra benévola, un consejo, o una consolación; porque la
mano que usted tomó, te toma la tuya en retorno, porque la
familia indigente que tu amas, te ama en retorno; y entonces
pueden sentir que les han pagado, cuando el viejo, la madre, los
niños chiquitos hayan rezado por usted.
Basado en lo que el Beato Federico dice, arriba, la ayuda que usted
da puede construir la dignidad de la persona que esta ayudando, o
puede destruirla. Lo que es desafortunado es que no siempre se
sabe como va la cosa.
Si usted en verdad quiere dar “ayuda que honora” entonces, antes
de cada visita, tómese un tiempo con el Señor, que está disfrazado
con la cara de alguien en necesidad. Refleje sobre y llegue a
verdaderamente entender a quien estamos visitando y por que….
y lo que usted espera dar. Oren. Reciban al Señor antes de que
estén físicamente con El. Solamente entonces será que “la
Caridad” de usted reflejará el significado de la palabra Griega de
donde procede, es decir, amar.
Sinceramente para ustedes en Cristo
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Obispo John M. Quinn
“Our true aim is to preserve in ourselves the Catholic Faith in all its purity…” - Bl. Frédéric Ozanam
3
Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA
2012 National Sponsors
Platinum Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
Corporate Donors
Ascension Health is the
nation’s largest Catholic and
largest nonprofit health system,
serving patients through a
network of hospitals and related
health facilities providing acute
care services, long-term care,
community health services, and
psychiatric, rehabilitative, and
residential care.
Rooted in the loving ministry of
Jesus as healer, Ascension
Health is committed to serving
all persons, with special
attention to those who are poor
and vulnerable. Ascension’s
Catholic health ministry is
dedicated to spiritually
centered, holistic care, which
sustains and improves the
health of individuals and
communities. The staff at
Ascension Health advocate for a
compassionate and just society
through their actions and their
words. For more information,
visit www.ascensionhealth.org.
4
Motel 6 is synonymous
with a great travel value.
The promise of the lowest
price of any national chain
and a clean, comfortable
room are Motel 6 virtues.
Motel 6 is a household
name, synonymous with
quality and value. It enjoys
the highest brand
recognition factor of any
economy lodging brand. The
National Council of the
Society of St. Vincent de
Paul has partnered with
Motel 6 to provide all SVdP
staff and volunteers with a
10 percent discount at
Motel 6 for any business or
leisure travel! Motel 6
offers travelers a clean,
comfortable room and great
service at the lowest price
of any national chain.
Furniture Brands
International, Inc. is a
world leader in designing,
manufacturing, sourcing
and retailing home
furnishings. We market
our products through a
wide range of channels,
including our own
Thomasville retail
stores and through
interior designers,
multi-line/independent
retailers and mass
merchant stores.
As a leading online
investing firm,
Scottrade offers a
full line of investment
products, online
trading services and
market research tools
to help investors take
control of their
financial future.
Scottrade is dedicated
to personalized
customer service and
Cass Commercial
Bank is committed to value, providing
providing a relationship customers the
convenience of buying
form of banking to our
customers. We want to many stocks online at
just $7 per trade and
know our customers
the support of the
well to better serve
largest branch
them. We serve
network among online
privately held
investment firms,
companies in the
with more than 450
greater St. Louis,
Missouri, region as well nationwide branch
as southern California. offices.
In addition, we serve
religious organizations
nationwide.
Seeking charity and justice
HB&Co. is a fullservice CPA firm that
is committed to
providing superior
service to our clients
and supporting the
community.
At Buckingham
Asset
Management, we
have a mission to
bring logic and
simplicity back to
investing. We are not
fixated on the latest
swings on Wall
Street. We base our
recommendations on
science, not
opinions. We are true
advisors, helping our
clients with their
most import
financial
decisions.
Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA
2012 Friends of the Poor®
Walk/Run Sponsors
Official Sponsor
The First Catholic Slovak Ladies
Association (FCSLA) is a Fraternal
Benefit Society whose mission is
to perform charitable, educational, patriotic and religious works
for the benefit of mankind. The
FCSLA also provides financial
security to its members nationwide through its premier life
insurance and annuity products.
www.fcsla.org
Catholic
Financial Life,
a faith-based
membership
organization, puts Catholic values in action by serving God through serving others, providing financial
security, and by enhancing quality of life for our
member families and their communities. For more
than 140 years, Catholic Financial Life has helped
members take control of their future by providing
real solutions to everyday challenges. Formed by the
merger of Catholic Knights and Catholic Family Life
Insurance in 2010, Catholic Financial Life is the second largest Catholic fraternal in the United States.
The combined efforts of both organizations have
annually raised more than $3 million in charitable
donations and provided more than 180,000 volunteer service hours and in support of parishes,
schools, and communities. For more information,
visit www.catholicfinanciallife.org.
Ascension Health is the nation’s largest
Catholic and largest nonprofit health system,
serving patients through a network of hospitals and related health facilities providing
acute care services, long-term care, community health services, and psychiatric, rehabilitative, and residential care.
Rooted in the loving ministry of Jesus as
healer, Ascension Health is committed to
serving all persons, with special attention to
those who are poor and vulnerable.
Ascension’s Catholic health ministry is dedicated to spiritually centered, holistic care,
which sustains and improves the health of
individuals and communities. The staff at
Ascension Health advocate for a compassionate and just society through their actions
and their words. For more information, visit
www.ascensionhealth.org.
NVDP
Couple Makes a Timely Car Donation to SVdP in North Carolina
t’s been said that, sometimes when a
door closes on us, a window opens.
That appears to be the case for the
Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Murphy,
N.C.
With some 15 members, the Society’s
Conference at St. William Catholic
Church in Murphy, N.C., has been
struggling to help meet the needs of
people in the area as a result of the
recession. “Many of the people we serve
have had trouble paying their utility
bills,” explained Larry Leturmy, who
serves as co-president of the conference.
Recently, the conference found it had
only $1,100 left in its account and
expected that to be drawn down very
quickly. About the same time, Frank and
Jean Tichler, a retired couple in the area,
were thinking about donating their
second car, a Chrysler Sebring
convertible. Coincidentally,
the National Council had just
I
sent Larry pamphlets for prospective
donors that defined the benefits of
donating their car to SVdP’s National
Vehicle Donation Program (NVDP). The
pamphlet turned out to be just the tool
that Larry needed to convince the
Tichlers that donating their second car
would be the right thing to do. Even
more timely was that the Tichlers car
brought $1,100 at auction –– the same
amount that the conference had left. “It
was the Holy Spirit at work,” said Larry.
Since the Society introduced the NVDP
in the fall of 2010, more than 2,500
vehicles have been donated, generating
more than $2 million for people in need.
And, unlike similar programs run by
other charities, vehicles donated to the
Society –– or the money generated from
their sale –– stay in the donors’
communities. The average vehicle
donated generates about $600 in net
proceeds. Putting that in a more
personal context, $600 can mean:
• a month’s rent for a family;
• food for a family of five for almost a
month; or
• critical nutrition for an infant for four
months.
To register your Conference or
Council, log on to:
www.registernvdp.com
Username: carsforsvdp
Password: vincent0927
If you have questions, contact:
Rob Minor, Jr.
National Vehicle Donation Program
Coordinator
E-mail: nvdp@svdpusa.org
Phone: (314) 576-3993, ext. 218
“There is no better way to ensure our eternal happiness than to live in the service of the poor…” -St. Vincent de Paul
5
SVdP Youth Development
g s
n
u
Yo tian
Underway in Trenton Diocese
n
e
By: Joe Williams, Director Youth/Young Adult Membership for the Diocese of Trenton
c
n
“I invite you to plant seeds in your young people that one day will grow to nourish the future development of the
Vi
Society. I remember when I was young how Emmanuel and Sr. Rosalie believed, guided and encouraged me to serve
the poor. I encourage you to do the same with youth and young adults in your parish. Do not be afraid to sow many
seeds and be open to the many new possibilities of engaging young people in the Society. Take these new ideas, use
them and support the hopes and dreams of others. Challenge
yourself –– be inventive and persistent in putting creative ideas
into practice as you continue to develop our network of charity
around the World.”
(Words of Frédéric Ozanam, Founder of the
Society of St. Vincent de Paul)
F
rédéric’s words are as fresh and meaningful today as they
were when he originally issued his challenge. The young
people of the 21st century seem to be drawn to social justice
issues as no other generation before them, and the International
Society of St. Vincent de Paul has recognized the wonderful opportunity it has to provide them an outlet to fulfill their wishes to
make the world a better place. Prior to the World Youth Day meeting held August 2011 in Madrid, the Society sponsored a
“Vincentian Youth Gathering” that was attended by more than
1,500 young Vincentians from around the globe, 14 of whom were
from the USA. International President General Dr. Michael Thio
delivered his message in the form of catechesis on “Identity of the
Young Vincentian of the 21st Century.”
Established in 2008, the International Youth Committee of the
Society is responsible for providing guidance and direction to the
Society’s youth programs throughout the world. Twelve energetic
young Vincentians, representing as many countries, worked
diligently to define and bring the Society’s vision of serving the
poor to their peers. Here in the United States, Sister Christian Price,
ASCJ, was appointed to the position of National Director of
Youth/Young Adults Development at the Society’s St. Louis National
6
Office. Sister Christian is committed to the expansion of
programs that will attract young people to the Society and
the establishment of youth conferences nationwide. During
the National Meeting in 2011, Trenton Diocesan Council
President Pat Brooks met with Sister Christian to explore
how a Vincentian youth development program might be
implemented in the Trenton Diocese. Armed with Sister’s
advice and encouragement, Pat returned from the meeting
determined to plant the seeds for the Society’s continued
growth by instituting a program for young people within the
Vincentian Family of the Trenton Diocese.
Currently, there are two youth conferences in the diocese. Sacred
Heart School in Mount Holly, N.J. The “Mini Vinnies” of Sacred heart
have 30 elementary school age Vincentians working in tandem
with the Sacred Heart Adult Conference. Among their recent
projects were a “Shampoo and Soap for Hope” drive to collect hair
products and soap for distribution to needy families as well as
their participation in the “Walk for the Poor.” Upcoming projects
include assisting at a soup kitchen and trips to a nursing home to
visit elderly and infirm residents.
Additionally, the Mini Vinnies have been a valuable help to the
adult conference during the preparation and distribution of over
200 Thanksgiving baskets. Congratulations to Marge McGinley
(National Goal Leader of Formation and Spirituality and member of
Sacred Heart Conference) and the teacher advisor, Mrs. Diane Huth,
for their involvement in establishing this conference.
Pat Brooks has been instrumental in starting the first high school
conference in the Diocese at Holy Cross High School, Delran, N.J.
Established at the beginning of the current school year, the Holy
Cross Conference conducted a coat drive to provide warm
clothing to the less fortunate prior to the winter
continued on page 7
Seeking charity and justice
season. Plans to establish a food pantry at the school that will
serve the local community are currently underway.
The energy and enthusiasm shown by the members of these
youth conferences are a testimony that Blessed Frédéric’s words
continue to apply today. As such, his words are also a call for
action among the Vincentian Family to introduce today’s young
people to the concept of serving the poor in the spirit of St.
Vincent and the founders of the Society.
each district council and a number
of volunteers in each council who
would be willing to work with the
coordinators to help establish youth
conferences. Please prayerfully
consider serving in this important area
to ensure the continued growth and
success of the Society in the future.
Vin Youn
g
ce
nt
ian
s
Although our effort to develop youth programs and conferences is
still in the very early stage, we are anxious to make rapid progress
throughout the Diocese. To do so, we need the help of all
Vincentians. Ideally, we would like to have a youth coordinator in
Sacred
Heart’s
Mini
Vinnies
Prepare for Lent in the Vincentian Way
By Marge McGinley, Goal 1 Leader
T
he Mini Vinnies are a new youth conference of
the Society of St. Vincent de Paul at Sacred Heart
School, Mount Holly, N.J. On Tuesday, February 21,
the Vincentian youth gathered for a retreat to prepare
for the season of Lent. In view of the next day’s liturgical events for Ash Wednesday, the Mini Vinnies were
led in a discussion on the symbol of the ashes –– a
cross –– that would be placed on their foreheads. The
youth were introduced to the phrase “carrying a cross”
to mean anyone who is carrying a heavy burden; and
Simon of Cyrene was discovered to be someone who
helped Jesus to carry His cross.
Ashley (their Mini Vinnie spiritual advisor) read the
Gospel of the Good Samaritan, after which teams of
Mini Vinnies were challenged to answer questions in
this Gospel:
1. Who was the person carrying a cross?
2. Who was Simon of Cyrene?
3. Who missed the opportunity to recognize the face
of Jesus in distress or to respond as a Vincentian
would?
The pre-Lenten retreat, conducted by Marge McGinley
and Diane Huth, served to help these young
Vincentians journey through scripture readings and
focus on the Vincentian essential elements of growing
in spirituality, friendship, and service. What an
inspiration they are to us!
“Charity teaches us that when we visit the poor we gain more than they do...” -Bl. Frédéric Ozanam
7
Distribution Center Opens
for Wildfire Victims
sat there at the barricades and prayed that God would
send me an angel to save the kids,” she said. Thankfully,
a neighbor who knew the area well and had gone home
to check on his motorcycle heard Julia Perez’ daughter
yelling for help and rescued them as the flames engulfed
their home.
I
“
“It was hard to believe that this big man with tattoos who
drives a Harley, was my angel, but I know he was,” Perez
said. Now, as the Perez family and so many other families
seek to rebuild their homes and their lives, there are more
“angels” to help.
The St. Vincent de Paul Distribution Center is distributing
furniture, household goods and other necessities to prequalified families who lost their homes in the recent
wildfires. The center is the product of collaboration among
Catholic Charities of Central Texas, the Society of St.
Vincent de Paul-South Central Region, the Society of St.
Vincent de Paul Diocesan Council of Austin, the St. Vincent
de Paul Thrift Stores of Central Texas, the Ladies of Charity
and the Texas Department of Emergency Management.
By Shelley Metcalf, Catholic Spirit Staff
The wildfires that ravaged the Bastrop
area in September destroyed Julia Perez’
home of 25 years and nearly killed her
Christy Schneider,
the executive director
daughter and stepson.
of the Society of St.
Vincent de Paul Diocesan
Council of Austin, said working with the different Catholic
organizations has been an exciting venture.
“We all bring different strengths to the table. We can each
offer something different and then together, it gives us the
ability to fully respond to the needs people have,” she said.
The venture began within a day of the start of the fires.
Elizabeth Disco-Shearer, the Associate National Executive
Director of the South Central Region of the Society of St.
Vincent de Paul, said the Texas Department of Emergency
Management immediately asked the Society to do case
management at the shelters and recovery centers in all
areas of the state experiencing wildfires. Seven case
managers, one case management supervisor and one data
entry coordinator have been working in Bastrop since the
fires began.
Case managers work with the families to access their
needs, create a budget and build a recovery plan for each
family. Disco-Shearer said the recovery process takes
anywhere from 30 days to two years depending on the
family’s situation. Case managers are now working with
families to assess how the St. Vincent de Paul Distribution
Center can help them with their unmet needs.
Paul Kleypas, Stores Director for St. Vincent de Paul Thrift
Stores of Central Texas, said the distribution center
provides a basic list of items so that when people transition
from a hotel to a permanent residence they have furniture
and household goods to make their house a home.
8
“The clients are identified by the case managers, who then
write a voucher that the clients bring to the distribution
center. We try to identify their exact needs. If they don’t
need a table and chairs, then we don’t give them one. But if
they need five beds, then we give them five beds,”
Kleypas said.
Seeking charity and justice
funding first, and then we can help them meet the unmet
needs,” she said.
Kleypas said the “beauty of the application process is that we
are able to identify families that have special circumstances:
uninsured, underinsured, special needs, elderly, single-parent
households, people who haven’t qualified for other assistance.”
Organizers estimate there are 700 families who can benefit
from the distribution center.
Perez, whose daughter has burns on her arms and legs from
running through the fire to get to the nearest road, is currently
living in a rental house in Manor. Her family will move back to
Bastrop when their home is rebuilt, which she hopes is within
the next six months.
“Before the fires, we were a working family who had
everything,” she said. “We had always been the ones who
helped others, we always tried to help as much as we could, so
now, after the fires, we are the ones who need help. We are so
grateful for all that we have been given.”
Through the St. Vincent de Paul Distribution Center, families
are given a pre-bundled collection of furniture and household
goods referred to as a “House in a Box.” The families are then
able to “shop,” free of charge, for other items they need. There Kleypas said all of the organizations who are working together
are clothes for all sizes, toiletries, household items, books and to help the wildfire victims are in it for the long haul.
variety of other donated items.
“There was a tremendous community response immediately,
during and after the fires, and with those donations, we are
The items were donated to the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift
Stores and Catholic Charities of Central Texas by people from now prepared to help people for the long term. Other
organizations have come in, done their thing and left, but we
throughout Central Texas and beyond when the fires first
are here for the long-term recovery,” he said.
began. Catholic Charities has collected more than $450,000
from public donations and $115,000 in grants to purchase
More donations are still needed. Online donations can be made
more furniture and household items as the needs arise.
to Catholic Charities of Central Texas at www.ccctx.org.
“The outpouring of generosity that we have seen has been
amazing,” said Melinda Rodriguez, Executive Director of
Catholic Charities. “I think we have all been humbled by this
experience.”
Donations of goods can be made through the Society of St.
Vincent de Paul Stores. For more information, call (512) 442-5652.
Disco-Shearer said wildfire victims needing assistance should
call “211” for more information. The distribution center is not
open to the public and is only for pre-qualified wildfire
victims. There is a 35-page application that families must
complete to begin the process of getting help.
“The application process helps us collect the information so
that we can assist each family as best we can. We want to
make sure each family is served well by the state and federal
“Give me a man of prayer and he will be capable of everything.” -St. Vincent de Paul
9
Rich in What Matters to God
By the Most Reverend David A. Zuhik. Bishop of Pittsburgh
Recently, I had the humbling experience of
joining our seminarians as we served steak
dinners to a number of guests who came to
the Jubilee Soup Kitchen in the Hill Dis¬trict
of Pittsburgh. So many of our guests that day
comment¬ed that it was the first time in
their lives they had eaten steak. Their dignity
that day, by their own admission, was
increased! So was the dignity of our
seminarians! So was my dignity as Bishop! In
our action, we met Christ. In our action, those
served also met Christ.
During the Great Depression, a soup kitchen
had been set up at the Chancery on South
Craig Street in Oak¬land by Bishop Boyle,
who lived next door near the Cathe¬dral. The
story is told that the bishop's mother was
visiting her son one day. Looking out the
chancery window, she noticed something and
called to her son, "Hughie, there's a poor old
man out there who has had two meals
already and is back in line for a third!" Bishop
Boyle replied, "I had no idea the food was
that good. I am going to get some my¬self!"
Each year during the traditional season of
Lent, ev¬ery follower of Jesus is invited by
Him to do three specific actions. Sharing is
recognized, along with prayer and fasting, as
a very important means to prepare for the
Risen Lord. Sharing is an essential obligation
of Christian life not only during Lent but
24/7/365. When we give, we can't ask how
much is too much. Nor can we ask if
someone has gotten in line too many times.
Early in the Acts of the Apostles we see that
the deacons were charged with making
certain that the needs of those in need were
being addressed. Sharing finds expres¬sion
today in giving attention to the common
good, in a pref¬erential option for the poor,
and in promoting the rights of people not
only to the bare necessities of life, but also to
their right to full dignity as intended by God
the Father and the Creator of all. A sense of
solidarity, the promotion of social justice, and
a commitment to sharing, each and all are
seen in both our individual acts and in our
collective efforts as Church. These acts of
sharing are new forms of almsgiving that the
Holy Spirit has given to us through the
Church.
You and I are called to be servants. You and I
are called to extend the hand of service as
the hand of Jesus Himself to anyone who is
in need, to every person who lives in our
10
"world"—no matter his or her faith, or no
faith at all. Caring for every need, sharing in
response. It is who we are.
You and I must face these hard times
together in Christ. In a very real way, it
means that you and I can't re¬treat into
ourselves. You and I can't expect to find all
the answers on our own. You and I can't
expect those in need to be able to get along
without us. You and I can't hold back from
others. You and I can't be held back from
others. You and I have to be servants. You and
I have to be served. You and I can't refuse to
help. You and I can't refuse to accept help.
How important for us to remember what
Jesus did at the Last Supper when He donned
an apron and washed the feet of His
disciples. And when done, Jesus charged
them and us:
"Do you realize what I have done for you? You
call me teacher' and 'master,' and rightly so, for
indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and
teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to
wash one another's feet. I have given you a
model to follow, so that as I have done for you,
you should also do" (John 13:12-15).
There is a story about Pope John Paul II that
was aired during the silver jubilee of his
election to the papacy. Perhaps it was shared
before that special event, but it was on that
auspicious occasion that I heard it for the
first time.
On his first trip back to his homeland of
Poland following his election, Pope John Paul
faced many challenges, perhaps the greatest
being the calculated resis¬tance against his
visit by the Communists who held political
power at the time and who were foolish
enough to think that they could hold power
over Christ and the Pope, the Vicar of Christ
on earth.
But the one challenge that snuck up on John
Paul, the challenge that he didn't see coming
until it was actually upon him, occurred as
he was being driven to the airport to fly back
to Rome. It was the end of his first pilgrimage
to his home¬land.
He was with a good friend in the car. He
quickly came down with a heavy dose of
"homesickness." He realized he was leaving
his "former" home to go back to his new
"home" in Rome. John Paul was
uncharacteristically quiet in the car. He said
nary a word to his friend. His friend knew
Seeking charity and justice
why. When his friend turned to John Paul, the
friend saw the symptoms of the
homesickness—tears rolling down the Pope's
cheeks. When he got out of the car, the Pope
climbed the stairs to the plane, never looking
back with the tears still gently lining his face.
Later the Pope would reflect on those tears
borne out of love for his peo¬ple. But in those
tears, he would recall the many tears of
people all over the world, and not just in
Poland, who needed him - to be the Vicar of
Christ, to be Christ's voice, to be Christ's
hands, to be Christ's heart, and to challenge
the Church as the Body of Christ to do and be
the same.
It can be said that humanity's greatest hope and greatest fear - is that Jesus meant exactly
what He said. He said that we must love God
and show that love to our neighbor.
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and
all the angels with him, he will sit upon his
glorious throne, and all the nations will be
assembled before him. And he will separate
them one from another, as a shepherd separates
the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep
on his right and the goats on his left. Then the
king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you
who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the
kingdom prepared for you from the foundation
of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me
food ,l was thirsty and you gave me drink, a
stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you
clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison
and you visited me'" (Matthew 25:31-36).
Remember how they responded, those good
people. They looked around, stunned. They
had no memory of doing such things.
"Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed
you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did
we see you a stranger and welcome you, or
naked and clothe you? When did we see you
ill or in prison, and visit you?" (Matthew
25:37-39) The point of Jesus' teaching? "Amen,
I say to you, whatever you did for one of these
least ones, you did for me" (Matthew 25:37-39).
Look into the eyes of everyone whom you
meet. These are people whose tears are
looking for the compassionate and sharing
response of Jesus through you. And when we
are bold enough and caring enough to look
into the eyes of those in need, may we treat
them as if they are Christ; may we
treat them as if we are Christ.
News & Views
Spring 2012
Ray Dupont, National Stores Committee Chairperson
The theme for this newsletter is “Dignity in Despair”. I think the people of Central Texas
could very well relate to this theme. In September of 2011 the Bastrop and Spicewood fires
blown by high winds, swept through this area of Central Texas. There were close to 2000
homes and thousands of acres of wooded areas destroyed.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul jumped into action and joined forces with the South
Central Region, Austin Diocesan Council, Catholic Charities of Central Texas, Ladies of
Charity Austin and St. Vincent de Paul Stores Austin to assist the families who lost their
homes and possessions. The attached picture is an update on the progress of the overall
program.
The devastation that people felt was overwhelming. The stories were heartbreaking.
Bastrop is largely rural area and people live in acreage home sites. This means many
people had farm and domestic animals and the loss of these animals was heartbreaking to
these individuals. It was very difficult to hear the stories from some of these victims. This
is where St. Vincent de Paul came in to help. The South Central Region and Elizabeth DiscoShearer and her disaster team stepped in immediately and started to do case management
and coordinate assistance. Catholic Charities of Central Texas organized a special collection
to assist in the effort. St. Vincent de Paul Stores Austin set up a collection and distribution
center and many, many Vincentians helped with the case management and distribution.
This illustrates how the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Stores can work in collaboration with
other organizations to help people in a disaster.
Here is an update on the status of the assistance published in the diocesan newspaper the
Catholic Spirit. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul was there to give “Dignity in Despair.”
The Ozanam News
is the official quarterly
publication of the
National Council of
the United States
Society of
St. Vincent de Paul
Publisher
Sheila Gilbert
Executive Editor
Roger Playwin
Managing Editor
Pamela F. Johnson
Editorial Board
Liz Carter, Leigh Anne
Cipriano,
Pamela F. Johnson,
Roger Playwin,
Ray Sickinger,
Mike Syslo,
Charles Henderson
58 Progress Parkway
Maryland Heights,
Missouri 63043-3706
Phone: (314) 576-3993
Fax: (314) 576-6755
E-mail:
usacouncil@svdpusa.org
www.svdpusa.org
Reprinted with permission from the Catholic Spirit, Austin
“Let us walk with confidence on this royal road on which Jesus Christ will be our mentor and guide.” -St. Vincent de Paul
11
Albuquerque
Thrift Store
Moves to Larger Location
By Linda Strasburg, Archdiocesan Council President
The St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store in Albuquerque
has moved to its new location at 4120 Menaul Blvd
NE. This new building doubles our floor space, adds
50 parking spaces, an additional building for
donations and warehouse, and a four-fold increase
in drive-by traffic. For the first time in many years,
we will have the store and the warehouse at the
same physical location so donations can be sorted,
cleaned and priced before going to the sales floor.
We have new offices for intake with those requesting
assistance all handled by our marvelous volunteers.
And, we are quickly computerizing all our records in
order to more carefully document those we serve.
We are able to run with only a few employees due to
our many Vincentian volunteers, Albuquerque Public
School students, and TANF recipients. Systemic
change is always at the forefront when we assist
someone. We were recently able to purchase a spray
paint machine for a gentleman who lost his tools
during a robbery. He quickly painted our new store
and now has the means to provide for his family.
Voice of the Poor
Love of God and Neighbor: Commandments of the Society
continued from page 1
of State Legislatures reports that nearly two dozen states are
considering legislation that will require drug testing for those
receiving public benefits.
None of us wants to encourage fraud or illegal behavior at any time,
including drug use. I am concerned, however, about the number of
innocent, honest, good people that we serve who are now going to
have one more hoop to go through to receive aid at the time when
they most need support and help to get back on their feet.
We must be a Voice of the Poor, to advocate against a perception that
those in need—the clients that we serve—are the bottom of food
chain in our society. We need to let people know that the people we
visit aren’t loafers, cheats, and criminals.
12
St. Vincent urged us to see those in need as Our Masters. If we truly
see the face of Jesus in the poor, shouldn’t we be finding more ways
to help them get back on their feet? Shouldn’t every encounter with
our clients be a chance to show our love for them? Shouldn’t we
advocate with them, and for them, to make certain that they receive
the utmost dignity in their time of despair?
*Scripture texts in this article are taken from the New American Bible,
revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian
Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright
owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible
may be reproduced in any form without permission in
writing from the copyright owner.
Seeking charity and justice