By Julie McGee For The Catholic Week The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is an organization of lay Catholics, following Christ’s call to serve the poor. Members make home visits to establish personal relationships with our neighbors in need, not only providing material assistance such as rent, utilities, food or clothing, but also offering friendship, understanding, and prayer. There are 22 active conferences within the Archdiocese of Mobile.
Stories of St. Vincent de Paul's work include:
A humble and self-sufficient 59-year old man was released from a nursing facility after a leg amputation. He bought a gutted old trailer for $700 and managed to add a plywood bed, a pipe for cold water and a space heater. SVdP helped by installing a shower, a hot water heater, handrails and pavers to help him get into his wheelchair.
A disabled mom of two children, ages six and 11, broke her leg as did her younger child in a car accident. She was overwhelmed. SVdP members visited her trailer and found everyone wearing dirty clothes, broken exterior doors and windows and garbage and debris in the home.
SVdP cleaned the house and yard, replaced the refrigerator and air conditioner, fixed the broken doors, windows and toilet, took clothes taken to laundromat and purchased clothing racks, an air mattress and sheets.
The family was taken to medical appointments, had medications purchased, the children registered for school with school fees paid and new gym clothes and school jackets purchased.
The SVdP Corpus Christi conference is holding A Friends of the Poor Walk on Oct. 23 at Corpus Christi Parish.
— For more information on the walk, contact Bob Brunke at 251-459-9425. For more information on the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, visit www.SVDPCCC.org; the Saint Vincent de Paul Corpus Christi Conference-Mobile Facebook page; or call at 251-209-0026.