St. Vincent Day 2024
Most fall days Derek Ruffo can be found on a football field practicing or playing defense for the mighty Spartans of DePaul Catholic High School in Wayne, NJ. But on Friday, September 27 he was one of many students gathered at the Motherhouse of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth in Convent Station. It was Saint Vincent de Paul’s Feast Day and Derek was there with his classmate Anthony Bua to participate in one of many ministry projects. Both young men were writing greeting cards for the immigrants housed in the Newark detention center awaiting deportation or permission to remain in this country.
From left: Derek Ruffo, seated, Anthony Bua, and Sister Jeanne Agans, S.C.
“You will overcome this!! Keep fighting because you’re never alone!!!” wrote Derek. Football words, to be sure. Derek also drew a red heart under his message of encouragement. A Vincentian heart, the heart of ministry to those in need.
Students from area schools and ministries sponsored by the congregation assembled in Holy Family Chapel for a prayer service to begin the third annual Walking in the Footsteps of Saint Vincent de Paul Day Program. Noreen Holly, S.C., principal of St. Vincent Martyr School in Madison, greeted the students.
“Today you join the Vincentian Family throughout the world honoring Saint Vincent de Paul and his important mission,” said Sister Noreen. “Our congregation’s founder Mother Mary Xavier Mehegan said “Yes” to follow in Vincent’s footsteps. As a young woman, I said ‘Yes’ to serve the poor as a Sister of Charity. And today we invite you to say ‘Yes.’ Just say ‘Yes’ to all you do to help others.”
Students filling Sam Bags with essentials for people living in shelters.
Students from Mother Seton Regional High School in Clark, and Assumption School in Morristown fill Sam Bags with new socks and daily care essentials for people living in shelters or on the streets.
Several students from Assumption School in Morristown and Mother Seton Regional High School in Clark volunteered to fill backpacks for people who are homeless. In each bag they placed daily care products such as soap, toothbrush and toothpaste, comb, and new clean socks. An eighth grader from Assumption School said she thought it was “very cool” to join students from other schools. “It’s good to share in ministry to help the poor, to help those who need so much. I know I will continue to do this.”
A sophomore at Mother Seton expressed what she has learned in school. “In my heart, I already live a life of charity. I want to show how I already live to others. Helping people in need is ingrained in me,” she said. Her classmate added: “It’s what Jesus did so it’s what I should do all my life.”
Women of Josephine’s Place in Elizabeth write cards of cheer to send to people in area detention center.
Women from Josephine’s Place, a place for women in Elizabeth, were writing greeting cards for those in the detention center and making blankets for those living in shelters.
Rosa Maldonado said she was honored to write notes of encouragement to those in detention. “I know those people feel alone and frightened,” she said. Sonia Ramirez said participating in ministry is “muy importante porque es el espíritu de mi corazón” (It matters a lot because it is the spirit of my heart.).
Other ministries that day included: making tee shirt bags; filling breakfast bags; assembling school supplies kits for students who need them; writing cards to sisters in nursing homes; making sandwiches for diners at area soup kitchens; cleaning headstones in the sisters’ cemetery; raking and cleaning Nazareth Park meditation path; and building bird houses.
Sisters of Charity ministries that offered support for the day: Saint Joseph University Hospital donated supplies; Trinitas Regional Medical Center made sandwiches; Bon Secours Charity Health System donated socks for Sam bags; Maris Stella Retreat and Conference Center donated $1,100; and Josephine’s Place provided project leaders and participants.
Volunteers Margaret Roman, Evy Jarzabek, Michelle Lukenda, S.C., and Gloria Ronga organized lunch and the ever-popular ice cream truck. Judy Mertz, S.C., and Mary Ellen Whritenour staffed the hospitality center. Margaret Roman, Joan Repka, S.C. and Cheryl Gloss were Chapel greeters.
The organizing committee included John DiMucci, Shannon Hoffman, Donna Sartor, Sister Maryanne Tracey, S.C., Mary Fiori, and Jessica Wright.
Sister Peggy O’Neill, left, with Seton Associate Evangelina Rivas Valencio, came all the way from Sushitoto, El Salvador to participate in the St. Vincent Day ministries. Sister Peggy has ministered to the people of Suchitoto for over 40 years.
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