"So often love means just showing up."

Recently I went to the annual meeting of parish office staff and volunteer group leaders since I'm the president of the St. Vincent de Paul conference at our parish. As I was at the mike, giving a brief summary of what we do, I said, "We don't go on a Home Visit to tell them about Jesus." I thought for a second and then said, "But of course we do go to tell them about Jesus, we just don't always say it."

Awkward, right? But accurate.

Listening the next morning to Father Mike Schmitz talk about what he learned from his parents, he put it the exact right way. "So often love means just showing up."

That's what everyone one of us in the society does. We show up — on the hotline, in the pantry, and at their homes. I see time and again how that makes a difference in our neighbors' lives.

I'm honored to be part of that expression of love as we "just show up."

Kerrville Flood Relief Through the St. Vincent de Paul Society

I am a member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. I planned on beginning to share with readers how it has thrown me out of my comfort zone in a way that has deepened my faith. 

However, this morning I received an email from the Dallas Council about how we can help our neighbors who have suffered so much from the flash flooding.

This comes first.

The Kerrville Conference is in the thick of it, helping with clothing, food, and more. You can donate here.

The council's statement is moving and inspiring. I include it below:

We stand in awe of the power of nature. We stand in horror of the devastation wrought by the flash floods in Central Texas on July 4.

We cannot stand on the sidelines and do nothing.

We do not have the skills and tools to make a real difference in the recovery effort. We can still make a difference.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul Conference at Notre Dame Parish in Kerrville is taking the lead in helping residents and visitors with food, clothing and other necessities.

You can join in helping them serve their neighbors in need by making a contribution to the Notre Dame Conference by clicking here.

...

And just as importantly, we pray with those affected by the flash flooding. We pray for the safety of those who survived, we pray for those who perished, and we hold the grieving families in our hearts that God’s loving heart will fill them with consolation at this time of unimaginable loss.

Americans Are Waking Up to the Homelessness Crisis. Here’s How to Fix It.

Neither strict nor lenient laws will end homelessness. But a systematic and community-wide focus on homelessness prevention measures just might. ...

They save lives, dignity, and dollars, and more communities should invest in them. In our experience, these programs succeed because they are personal and flexible: personally administered and rooted in Christian charity; and flexible in the assistance they offer—whether it’s repairing a car, paying a utility bill, or working directly with a landlord to keep eviction at bay.

Precarious living situations don’t fit neatly into bureaucratic boxes. And administrative layers add complexity to application processes, deterring the very people who most need help. Flexible funding, personally administered ensures that households in crisis get help as quickly as possible. The simpler the process, the more quickly we can stabilize families and entire communities.

This is an op-ed piece by John Berry (National St. Vincent de Paul Society President) that ran on Real Clear Policy. He discusses how becoming homeless is a contingent event, in other words, not one that’s inevitable or irreversible. It is very clear look at homelessness, the political arguments surrounding it, and how to help prevent it. 

Simply great. Go read the whole thing.