Another way of celebrating the feast of St. Vincent
John Freund, CM
September 23, 2017
Another way of celebrating the feast of St. Vincent
I sometimes wonder how St. Vincent would feel about celebrating his life and work.
In this year of Welcoming the Stranger, I suspect he would be very interested in the little things that mean a lot especially to the homeless.
35 ways you can help the homeless
Just Give offers 35 practical ways to help the homeless. Here are just a few…
- Show respect and kindness. This could happen to someone you know, or worse still, your own family.
- Educate your children on the issue. It’s a problem not going away anytime soon. We need the future generation to flex their creative muscles to think about how they too can help when the time comes. Imagine, your Lego-loving child might be the person to build the ultimate affordable housing solution! Also by discussing the issue of homelessness, we help our children empathize with those in need and feel grateful for their very own roof.
- Donate what you can to local food or clothes banks. A simple google search using the phrase “food bank” and your zip code should get you started.
- Donate your time by helping out at your local soup kitchen.
- Lend an ear. Often the homeless can feel de-humanized, but a simple conversation is a reminder they are not alone. If you have a local homeless person, think about dropping off some groceries or disused clothing. Or, ask if you can buy them a bottle of water, or a cup of coffee.
- Volunteer your professional services, whether it is medical skills, psychological counseling or careers advice, all help is needed.
- Sign up to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, a Christian housing ministry building houses for families who are at risk of becoming homeless.
- Employ the homeless. If you have the ability, don’t let someone’s lack of a home fool you into thinking they have a lack of skills, too. There are highly qualified individuals out there or those who are willing learners, who could do well with a bit of training.
- Say a little prayer to St. Benedict Joseph Labre, patron saint of the homeless.
That still leaves 26 other possible ways of celebrating the feast of St. VIncent!
Tags: Homelessness
1 Comment
Speaking of being homeless, the hurricane Irma destroyed the Key West home of my daughter. As she and her brother and a neighbor tried to climb over debris to even get close to her dwelling, twenty people came down the road (wearing yellow tee shirts) and said “May we help you”. She thought they must be angels. They worked together in the 90 degree temp. After two hours, it was time for them to leave and one of the group said “would you join us now in a prayer.” All joined hands and a short prayer was offered. It turned out these angels were MORMONS (LDS), volunteering to help those so badly afflicted in this storm. The inspiration of St. Vincent is visible all around us. Happy Feast Day.