Keeping in touch with Vincentian friends – whether or not they are part of any “official” branch — is very Vincentian. Vincent kept in touch. He wrote over 30,00 pieces of correspondence. Imagine if he had Facebook and Twitter?! I’ve kept loosely in touch with a St. John’s University Vincentian — Melisa (one “es”) Martinez — as she pursues her graduate studies in the southern USA. She just finished doing a little service in New Orleans with another ex “johnnie-vinnie” Melissa (two “esses”). I was sweeping MM’s facebook feed and saw an article about the project in New Orleans.

It’s a Vincentian (Sisters of Charity) project. Writing in The Odyssey Online journal, another Johnnie, Karla Saltos, writes

As a twenty-one-year-old now, I figured they were well recovered and the city is back in place. Unfortunately, this was not the scenario once I landed in New Orleans, Louisiana this past Thursday. There was a total of five of us all connected through service and faith. We stayed with the kindhearted Sisters of Charity in the city of New Orleans for our service trip. Our first day of work was on Friday as we drove to the home of Mrs. A.

She writes richly about the experience and the project. She analyzes what she sees. She thinks holistically. She thinks short and long term. She thinks “system.”

Why does this matter? This is a priority for everyone because twelve years will turn into thirty if we don’t get involved. These people are not charity, they are hardworking individuals that were impacted by a natural disaster and could not do anything else but leave to save their lives. They are not simply asking for money, these individuals are in dire need of support, love, understanding, hope, and your gifts and talents to help rebuild.

This is not a charity, this is a movement we are creating towards recovery.

Read the whole thing here. Melisa, Melissa and Karla. Vincentians of…Wherever.