St. Vincent de Paul Society

NEWSLETTER

Published by and for Vincentians http://www.stvincentdepaul.net/Vincentian-Support June 2017 Diocesan Council of Phoenix, AZ Vol. 17 No. 6

“It is for your love alone that the poor will forgive you the bread you give them.” St. Vincent de Paul

As Vincentians, most of us have heard about the two-by-two requirement for home visits, but we are often tempted to put that rule aside because of convenience, or a general lack of understanding of why it is important. Frederic Ozanam and the rest of our founders went two-by-two because that is how Jesus sent out His disciples. There is great wisdom in the two-by-two directive and since the implementation of the Diocesan Safe Environment Program it is a hard fast rule required by our Bishop. The Safe Environment requirements are there to protect children, the vulnerable and the elderly, and to protect us against false accusations. There is no gray area when it comes to this requirement.

Vincentians may not under any circumstances have person-to-person contact with a client/guest without two Safe Environment certified individuals being present. Two-by-two is not a suggestion or something that we can override. It is a hard, fast rule that must be followed at all times. This means we may only transport someone if there are two of us in the car. We may only meet a person to pay the rent if there are two of us present. We may only drop off a food box or other donations if there are two of us doing it. Violating this Diocesan requirement is a major offense that puts everyone, including the Conference, at risk. A pastor can close down an entire conference if they violate the two-by-two requirement. Remember, a Conference can always pay for a taxi, UBER or LIFT ride, or give the person a bus pass. We can use non-Vincentian volunteers who are Safe Environment certified as a second person, but we can never, never minister alone. Where there is a will there is a way, but that way must always be two-by-two.

By Shirley Smalley President, St. Bernadette Conference

Always & Everywhere Two-by-Two

General Membership Meeting The next General Membership Meeting will be on June 17, 2017. Mass will begin at 8:30 am in the Hall of Banners. Business meeting will begin shortly after break-fast. The results of the election will also be announced at this meeting.

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On March 12,2017, current, retired and deceased members of Saint Daniel The Prophet Conference were honored and presented with a Jubilarian Crucifix. Twenty-Nine Vincentians donated over 480 service years to the needy. Our Conference is 51 years old. Special thanks to Father Thaddeus McGuire for a beautiful Mass in celebration of our Service. The Knights of Columbus in full regalia also honored us by standing guard at the Mass. The History of our parish and Conference is as follows: On August 20, 1961, SDTP had their First Mass celebrated by Father Lawrence in the Motorola Cafeteria. We were nicknamed Saint Motorola. Thereafter, in 1965, SDTP/SVDP was initiated under the direction of Father Martin C. Kelley, who also encouraged and facilitated our Legion of Mary. In December of 1966, our Conference was recognized by The International Society of Saint Vincent de Paul. Our Conference first Annual report in September of 1966 listed: Total receipts $2,018.60, expenditures of $1,905.36, and 11 active members. During that first year SDTP/SVDP helped 42 families, 284 persons and did 166 home visits. In 1966 our Conference was involved in one of the first Food Drives in Phoenix to help the Poor. Legend has it that a parish family of Chinese heritage, who owned one

of the preexisting flower gardens along Baseline, donated $10,000 to Father Kelly for startup fees for a food pantry for our Saint Vincent de Paul. Of the Jubilarians Honored on March 12,2017, our Conference has been blessed to have two deacons, and eight married couples. Some of the married couples served simultaneously as officers. The married couples are: Aitchesons, Fraisers, Hullands, Murphys, Nells, Peters, Santanas, Seiferts, Whitlatchs , Sheridans, and Mirabitos. Michele Parsons has served the poor the longest, 48 years. When Michele first heard about Saint Vincent de Paul, she returned to her birthplace, France, and investigated how SVDP got started and why. When Michele first came to America she thought everyone was rich. Once she began working as a Vincentian in Phoenix she said, "There are so many abandoned mothers raising their children.”

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The Santanas helped to start St. Mark’s Conference in 1960, before moving into Saint Daniel’s Par-ish and Conference. Alice served 45 years and her husband, Henry, served 35 years. Following are some quotes from our Vincentians: Deacon Marty: “God is here for all of us.” Deacon Joe Bueti : “I am so grateful for all His blessings, We don’t bring Christ to them, He is waiting for us in them.“ Other Vincentians had these words of wisdom: “Following in father’s footsteps; It is in giving that we receive; Being empathetic not judgmental; Just like us but lack financial needs; Needy need to be shown dignity and love; We need to listen, understand; We must hug them and pray with them; Hu-mility, that’s what the poor taught me; The poor are inspirational and humbling; Frederic Ozanam should be a saint. One cold and rainy night when I was working at the Watkins Dining Hall, a mother came in with three kids. Everybody was wet, shivering in thin tee shirts. Sister found them dry shirts and sweatshirts.“ Jim and Elaine Hulland were driving around in their tractor -trailer trucks working for SVDP wherever they landed—St. Matthews , St. Francis Xavier , Sacred Heart in Prescott, serving in dining halls, food pantries, doing home visits, and helping the poor wherever they found them. Don and Mary Fraiser helped to set up the original food pantry. The Nells, Mo and Ron, orchestrat-ed the pantry remodel as it is today. The flooring was donated by a parishioner, painting and wall construction was done by the parish, and new shelving was donated by Vincentians. Each of us is very grateful to serve .

St. Daniel the Prophet

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As I drove to St. Gabriel's Parish at 6:00 AM on Mother's Day, my grandnephew, who is a Vibrant Vinnie, complained about the early hour. He questioned our need to help with the SVdP, Vibrant Vinnies & Annunciation Catholic School's Spring Food Drive. With a quick and impatient response, I bluntly told him that God does not always call us to serve when it is convenient. In a typical teenage boy tone he replied, "God never calls us when it is convenient!" Over the course of the morning, I began thinking about what he had said. He was right. God rarely, if ever, calls us when it is convenient. If God called us to do what was easy and convenient, it would have little or no value. The greatest gift we have to offer Him is making time to be His hands and feet when we could be doing other things. Our sacrifices help bring glory to God and show how much He cares for the poor and the vulnerable. Last November, I was the Vincentian on-call for our conference when, on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, a food request came in. I was busy making breadcrumbs for my dressing and pies for the next day, but the voice on the phone

sounded so desperate. The call was from an elderly couple we had helped several times in the last few years. The wife was on oxygen and her husband had recently suffered a series of strokes. She called because they had no food in their house. When I spoke to her, she assured me that she had a little bit of cooked chicken and some green beans that could hold them over until Friday. In that moment, I realized that my cooking could wait until I ministered to this family. I called a fellow Vincentian to be my partner, loaded up that same Vibrant Vinnie, put a food box with some gift cards in my back seat, and took off in service to the Lord. When we arrived at the apartment, the wife was so grateful and touched by the fact that we had taken the time to bring her food on the day before Thanksgiving, she cried. She knew that we had been busy preparing for our own family dinners, so our presence was a selfless gift and a sign of God's love and constant care. My family dinner and celebration was not diminished by my short absence; and, my grandnephew, my partner and I were truly moved by the difference we had made in the lives of this elderly couple.

We had taken the time to do a simple act of kindness but the effects of that act were enormous. The Monday after Mother's Day, my friends and co-workers asked me what I did and I told them that I spent the morning collecting food for the needy. One person asked me, "What kind of Mother's Day was that?" I excitedly told her "a perfect one." I can honestly say there was no better way to spend part of my Mother's Day than collecting food to help other mothers feed their children. Of course, collecting food on Mother's Day was not convenient or easy but it was what I was called to do. After spending the morning helping with the food drive, I still had time to enjoy an incredible brunch with my family, to get flowers and a couple of nice gifts. My day had not been ruined or decreased, but rather enriched by God's inconvenient call. As Vincentians, may we all come to appreciate the opportunities we have to be inconvenienced in service to our God through service to our brothers and

sisters.

By Shirley Smalley President, St. Bernadette Conference

Never Convenient

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Wickenburg Gold Rush Conference President, Martha Hernandez received a check from Gino Frattallone

News from Prescott

News from Wickenburg

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Celebrating Refugees By Renee Targos

Since its inception, people have flocked to the United States to get a fresh start—free of oppression. Today, the U.S. continues to be a safe haven for refugees fleeing their homelands due to war and religious or political prosecution. However, after arriving to a new land, the life of a refugee isn’t easy. Dr. Zlata can attest to this fact as she and her two daughters fled Bosnia to come to the U.S. in 1996. Dr. Zlata’s husband arrived in the U.S. first and filed paperwork to reunite with his family. One day before his wife and two daughters arrived on American soil, he died of a heart attack. Dr. Zlata arrived with her two young daughters without any support system and unfamiliar with the English language while grieving the death of her husband and displacement from her culture and homeland. As she walked through the security gates at the airport, she saw a single Catholic Charities staff member, who took Dr. Zlata and her children for food and to their new place to live. “They were the only circle of support around me and my kids,” said Dr. Zlata. Catholic Charities helped her, like so many other refugees, get acclimated to our culture. Through the help of Catholic Charities volunteers, her daughters were able to find their way in school and socially. “My life now is happy,” said Dr. Zlata to a

roomful of people at the Catholic Charities “You Make Miracles Happen” Breakfast on May 17, 2017. She wants people to know her life has been changed for the better. She can speak English and has a doctorate in behavioral health. She works in the Washington elementary school district with the refugee population. She also serves as a professor for several universities, including Arizona State University’s School of Social Work. Her daughters grew up to work as attorneys. Dr. Zlata’s story is just one of the hundreds of refugees who have moved to Arizona. World Refugee Day is on June 20, 2017. You can celebrate refugees by learning more about our program and how to support these vulnerable families coming to the United States by calling Pat Gillem at 602-749-4442 or pgillem@cc-az.org or by vising CatholicCharitiesAZ.org.

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General Membership Meeting

Our next GMM will be on Saturday, June 17, 2017

Mass will begin at 8:30 am Please encourage your new

members to attend.

Committee Meetings

If you are interested in joining a committee, please contact the Committee Chair

JUNE 2017 COMMITTEE MEETINGS

DATE TIME COMMITTEE LOCATION NOTES

6/6/2017 Tuesday

10:00am-11:00am

Food Services

Watkins Campus- VSS Conference Room

The Committee addresses issues with food allotments, quantity or quality, delivery charges, dining room and

pantry operations. Call Chairman Chair Jim Van Winkle 480.837.1415

6/7/2017 Wednesday

1:00pm – 2:00 pm

Spirituality

Watkins Campus- VSS Conference Room

We plan and execute programs to help form Vincentians both educationally

and spiritually. We need your ideas and wisdom. Every District should have at least one member on this Committee

and you don’t have to be a Conference officer to serve. Call Chairman Jim

Prendergast at (480) 296-9065 to vol-unteer.

6/1/2017 Thursday

7:00pm – 8:30pm

Resources and Concerns

Watkins Campus- VSS Conference Room

Since this Committee deals with all of the problems and opportunities faced by Conferences, it seeks the widest possible representation. Join in by coming down! Call Chairman Tom

Clouser at (623) 979-3520.

6/13/2017 Tuesday

10:30am – 12:00pm

SOS

Watkins Campus - VSS Conference Room

This Committee helps plan and execute

projects that link our Diocesan thrift stores, Conferences, members and

volunteers. New members are always welcome. Call Chairman Joann Pren-

dergast at (480) 296-9067 to volunteer.

6/26/2017 Monday

3:30pm – 5:00pm

Voice of the Poor

St. Francis Xavier (Phx.)

E-mail Chairman Ron Meyer at ronaldmeyerlaw@myexcel.com

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Ten years ago or so, the thrift stores in the Valley were los-ing money “hand over fist”. The Diocesan Council debated closing stores to stop the drain on the finances for serving the poor. Instead, they hired a director to oversee the stores and sales increased, thereby increasing funding for all ministries. The “Save Our Stores” Committee was created with the intent of working with the Retail Division in all activities, including getting Vincentians to volunteer in those stores. The name quickly changed to “Serve Our Stores.” This Committee works with retail staff in a variety of ways. One of our main goals is to put Vincen-tians, as well as other volunteers, in our stores. Volunteers perform a variety of tasks, which allows the store management to do their jobs.

Greeting customers is essential….fortunately we have happy volunteers who are more than willing to aid in shopping.

The Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon was just held----for the first time, we had a Volunteer from a Thrift Store recognized….she comes from our Mesa Store.

The Committee would like to acknowledge ALL volunteers—Vincentians and oth-ers --you are all essential to the success of our Mission. We are constantly asking for more of you to serve; we are wearing out the volunteers! Some are going elsewhere for the summer months—they will be missed. We wish to acknowledge what has been accomplished over these past ten years by so many. The Committee is grateful; we don’t know your names, but you are all in our prayers. Thank you for all you do. May God bless each and everyone of you! Peace, Joann Prendergast Serve Our Stores Committee Chair

Update on Thrift Stores

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Our Junior Vincentians recently put Easter baskets together for 20 families in our Conference area. They had a wonderful time and the baskets are beautiful, as you can see. All the materi-als were donated by our parish.

News from St. Rose

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And so it

began...

Society of St. Vincent de Paul June 2017

VSS Third Annual BBQ A big thank you to Marc, and his happy helpers; Gonzo, Ismael, and Luis. We could not have done it without your help. Thanks to all for making this event a success, and for all that you do., and thanks to all who helped to make this a success.

Thank you, to all our Vincentians who attended the VSS Annual BBQ. It was a pleasure, as always, seeing all of you. We appreciate all that you do to serve those less fortunate.

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More BBQ Pictures

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Requiescat In Pace

May the Angels lead them into Paradise, may the martyrs receive them at their coming and lead them into Jerusalem, the Holy City.

May the Choir of Angels welcome them and, with Lazarus, who was also poor,

may they have everlasting rest.

Jack Gorski Volunteered for many years at the

Food Reclamation Center

Eva Picone Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Gordon Ackerman St. Thomas More

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Blessed Frederic Ozanam Intercession Prayer Line

O God, our Father, You alone have the power to bestow those precious gifts of Yours which we rightly call miracles. If it be Your will, be pleased to grant such a gift on behalf of...

ALL SAINTS MESA

Geri Adams Veronica Nord Maureen Julian CHURCH OF THE RESURRECTION

Eddie Zavala Bob Bruce Maria Veloz HOLY CROSS Traci Fay HOLY FAMILY Emily Allaire IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Mike Vize Sally Ochoa Lucy Lucero Linda Lee–Chambon Diane McCann OLPH SCOTTSDALE Mike Herrrmann Pat Hawn Forrest Dougherty Lila Wisdom Barbara Lowman OUR LADY OF THE LAKE Doris Vore QUEEN OF PEACE Greg Miller Celia Lara Sheila Coulthard Joe Hizney SACRED HEART—PARKER Karen Rath Mary Gonzales ST. JAMES Diane Stofko Abel Noble SACRED HEART—PRESCOTT Richard Howell Herb Bourgault Hamilton "Smitty" Smith Vivian Miller ST. BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX Dick Norton

St. Thomas the Apostle John Winters ST. HELEN Joan Compas ST. LOUIS THE KING Phil & Mary Whelan Ed & Esther Escarcega Raul & Elvia Lujan Mario & Mary Fierros Bob McCarty ST. CLARE OF ASSISI Art Gratton Cathy Benoit Mariluz McVay

ST. GERMAINE Fred Widmer Gloria Johns Marie Grist Gil Stritar Pat Caldwell Jeanne Kochan Pat Pike Gil Stritar Lucy Vaughn Sean McKeller ST. GREGORY Dixie Miller

ST. MARGARET MARY-BHC Rev. Peter Dobrowski

ST. MARY—KINGMAN Janie Scott Roger and Rita Gaumond ST. MARY MAGDALENE Nancy Weise ST. JEROME Nancy Barnes Yvonne Hurley

ST. JOSEPH—WILLIAMS Theresa Norsworthy ST. MATTHEW Evelyn Guerra Charles Seps

ST. PHILIP THE APOSTLE PAYSON Anna Guerre ST. JOACHIM & ST. ANNE Gene Harmeling Irene Sosnicki Harry Steckler Archie Schiavo Elizabeth Carnal Al La Rocque Mary Taylor Lucia Mastroianni Terry Young

ST. ROSE PHILIPPINE DUCHESNE Demore Family

ST. VINCENT DE PAUL Henrietta Cordova SVDP EXECUTIVE OFFICE Andre O’Connor Michelle Small Ryan and Jenna Stepp Kevin Harless Merle Schmith Mary Toman Joan McKeon Jerry Simmons Timmy Seeman Jim Novotny Emilie Lima Catherine Mulhern Esteban Chavez John Jakubczyk Cindy Coons Joan Goldfarb Elaine Myers Rosemary Brown Peter McQuaid Kathleen Lewis Michael and Mia Estrada Gloria Garcia Kathleen Nageotte Sharon Ehmann Jon Smith Ernie Garcia Pam Eisenberg Russ Scaramella Elizabeth Lehe Bob Enderle

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