St. Vincent de Paul Needs Your Help

St. Vincent de Paul Needs Your Help

                                                                    By John McOwen

For those of you who may not be familiar with the St. Vincent de Paul Society, it was originally named the “Conference of Charity” and was founded in Paris in 1833 by twenty-four year old Frederic Ozanam  of Lyons, France and several Catholic college students.  The members chose St. Vincent de Paul as its patron because of his work with the poor. 

Today the society is active in over 130 countries, with well over 875,000 members.  Our Risen Savior/Prince of Peace Conference helps assist families in need in our community with mortgage, rent, gas and electric bills, as well as food, clothing, furniture and housewares. We also financially assist twenty other parish conferences in Albuquerque, which are part of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe.

As an example of the work we do, my wife and I recently visited grandparents raising three of their grandchildren, two of whom have special needs.  The grandparents are unable to work due to health problems, but they refuse to allow the children to be split up in foster care.  They are receiving food stamps and another family member is helping as much as they can. 

The five family members live in a tiny apartment with only one chair, a cardboard table, one dim lamp, a twin bed shared by two of the younger children and another twin bed for the grandmother.  The grandfather and twelve year old boy sleep on the floor.  They were low on food and in need of assistance with their electric bill.

We paid their utility bill, gave them a food voucher, a family donated two twin bedframes and a table, and we purchased two new mattresses from our St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store on Menaul.  A fellow member and I delivered them, as the family has no car.  This is just one example of the many families we help with the very generous donations we receive from our parishioners.

We receive frequent calls for assistance and desperately need more members to help carry on this vital work. Teenagers can help out, too. It is an opportunity to follow Jesus’ Gospel message by performing acts of charity.  We ask that you give some thought to this matter and pray to the Holy Spirit to guide you.

Membership training is provided and, for safety, we always go on visits in pairs.  All of our members must be in compliance with the Archdiocese’s Adult Safe Environment Training for Children.

Volunteering for St. Vincent de Paul would only take approximately four hours of your time per month – about the same amount of time you might spend going to dinner and a movie; but the return is great – you get the fulfillment of doing what Jesus has called you to do by helping someone in need.

Our meetings are held the 2nd Tuesday of each month at Risen Savior, Room 4, from 7:00 – 8:00 PM and on the 4th Tuesday, same time, at Prince of Peace.  For further information, contact our Main Office. Thank you, and God bless you!