Message from Executive Director, Karen Zengel
and Council President, Casey Guilfoyle
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On October 1, we celebrated our dedicated Vincentians at the annual St. Vincent de Paul Feast Day Mass and Brunch. The positive energy of the gathering was the perfect match for the beauty of that crisp fall morning. Did you know that this year’s Feast Day Mass and Brunch is the largest we can remember? By Sister Judith’s count from the choir loft just prior to mass, 170 Vincentian friends, family, and supporters gathered to celebrate. During the brunch, the St. Therese school cafeteria was buzzing with lively conversation, accentuated by a well-deserved recognition of the time, talent, and treasure that you, our beloved servants of Christ, commit to the Society. The three essential elements of our special ministry - spirituality, service, and friendship – came out with fervor on that day!
What a blessing to have Bishop Iffert join us for the mass celebration! We are grateful for his words of encouragement. In speaking about the trials of Job, Bishop Iffert reminded us that we are not saddled with the responsibility to figure out why someone may be suffering or how a situation came to be. We can take comfort in knowing that we are relieved of this burden. We are simply called to love. So, take a deep breath and have faith! Let’s move forward one day at a time with faith that God will take care of all.
Clearly, by design, Bishop Iffert’s homily strikes a chord with what do here at St. Vincent de Paul. The problems in our community can seem so big. We try to explain it and come up with solutions. These problems may feel so big sometimes that one small act of mercy in one single day for one single family may feel insignificant.
As we were preparing our remarks for the Feast Day Celebration, it became clear that those “one acts of mercy” add up very quickly to make a huge impact. That one visit to learn about a person’s struggle to pay their rent made by one Vincentian team is combined with another single home visit to learn about another person’s challenge to put food on the table for their family. In the last year, all these one act wonders for SVdP have saved 6,100 people from homelessness and fed over 16,000 people. As we bring this fiscal year to a close, it looks like we’ve helped over 40,000 people through our ministry. That is 40,000 individuals who experienced the love of Christ thanks to that one time you chose to show and share your faith. Let’s take that a step further and think about the difference that our Jubilarians have made in their 15,20, and 25+ years of service to those in need. Finally, it was very clear that Bernie was humbled and genuinely surprised by how many people he’s helped with simple acts of kindness as the beautifully written nomination for the Vincentian Service Award was shared with the crowd.
It all started with you, offering your time, talent, and treasure to serve – just one time. Thankfully, you’ve decided to serve another time too! The magnitude of these one act wonders is a modern-day miracle. Celebrating your service with you has filled our hearts to the brim and leave us inspired to continue in our own service. Thank you for all that you do to serve.
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Conference Spotlight
Mary Queen of Heaven
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Mary Queen of Heaven (MQH), located in Erlanger, has been an SVdP conference since 2007 and was officially aggregated in 2011, with the help of St. Paul conference. MQH conference was started by Ed Vogel, a caring and kind man, who was passionate about serving the needy in his community. He passed in 2017 and his memory still lives on as MQH continues to be a strong and engaging conference. His wife, Barb, is MQH’s current conference president and enjoys continuing her husband’s legacy by serving neighbors in need.
The conference currently has seven active members, a small but mighty conference. They have grown to be close friends. Barb recalls her first time doing a home visit with the conference saying that “it changed her whole outlook on serving others and she fell in love with how the society operates.” The unique aspect of our organization is the person-to-person service that we provide with a home visit, a listening ear, and a special prayer. Barb says that “what we are doing is how Jesus taught us to be and how he wanted us to treat our neighbors in need, with compassion and love.” MQH conference goes above what is asked of them, helping neighbors with their moves, building bed frames, repairing fridges, and negotiating with plumbers to get free or low-cost repair services for neighbors who don’t have the means. The members of MQH conference have hearts of gold and they show up at each home visit giving 100% effort to each neighbor they serve.
The conference has an onsite pantry stocked with nonperishable items and toiletries. They keep their pantry stocked with the help of their generous parish school and church members. The priest and principal at MQH parish are very supportive of the outreach that the conference does. Father Jim Schaeper experienced firsthand the need in the community with neighbors coming to the rectory asking for assistance. He was delighted when the conference started at MQH, allowing him to direct neighbors to get the help they need.
Although the conference is small, it has a big impact and they are continuously working to attract new members and to serve more neighbors each month. If you are looking to give back and be a part of a tight-knit community, consider reaching out to our Conference Relations Manager, Sister Judith Niewahner for more information on becoming a Vincentian volunteer at your parish. Sister can be reached by email at [email protected].
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Thank you to everyone who attended our annual Feast Day Celebration! |
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The St. Vincent de Paul Feast Day Mass and Brunch was a huge success this year! Special thank you to Sister Judith Niewahner for coordinating the event and St. Therese Conference for hosting the gathering! We were blessed that Bishop Iffert celebrated mass with us. Congratulations to the following Vincentians who received awards and to our newest Board members.
Bernie Macke, Norb DeJaco Vincentian Service Award - St. Mary Conference (Pictured With Family, Top Left)
Kay Sendelbach, 25 yr. Jubilarian -St. Joseph, Cold Spring Conference (Pictured, Top Right)
Larry Sendelbach, 25 yr. Jubilarian -St. Joseph, Cold Spring Conference (Pictured, Top Right)
Ruth Neltner, 25 yr. Jubilarian -St. Philip Conference
Jim Bradley, 25 yr. Jubilarian -St. Agnes Conference (Pictured, Top Right)
Frank Decker, 20 yr. Jubilarian -Blessed Sacrament Conference (Pictured, Top Right)
Morgan Moore, 20 yr. Jubilarian -Blessed Sacrament Conference
Bernie Macke,15 yr. Jubilarian -St. Mary Conference
Amy Hartig,15 yr. Jubilarian -St. Mary Conference
Al O' Mera,15 yr. Jubilarian -Mary, Queen of Heaven Conference
Barbara Vogel,15 yr. Jubilarian -Mary, Queen of Heaven Conference
Kelly McMahon,15 yr. Jubilarian -Immaculate Heart of Mary Conference
Patrick Curran -Newly Installed Central District President
Dawn Groneck -Newly Installed Council 1st Vice President
(Both, Bottom Picture)
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Have you registered for the 15th Annual Turkeyfoot Trot 5k Run/Walk in support of your parish SVdP conference?
Join us on Saturday, November 5 at Thomas More University for a day of family fun! This year you can sleep in! The race starts at 12:00 p.m. noon. There will be chip timing, a kid's fun run, pre-race stretches by Stretch Lab Ft. Wright and pre-race coffee and hot cocoa from Ft. Mitchell Biggby. Stay after for a post-race party with over 100 prizes to local restaurants like Skyline, Olive Garden, Wings & Rings, Texas Road House, Jersey Mikes, Sassy Nails, Blind Squirrel, Graeter's, and MORE! We will also have food for runners and walkers to enjoy after the race!
Race presented by DBL Law, Payroll Partners, Stock Yards Bank & Trust, and Bellevue Aerie 964, Fraternal Order of Eagles.
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You're invited to Ozanam Orientation!
All SVdP conference members are invited to attend our Ozanam Orientation on Saturday, November 12, 2022 from 8:30 a.m. until 3:00 p.m., held at Blessed Sacrament Church in the Parish Center. The Parish Center is located in the lower level of the school between the Blees Center and the school. There is a sidewalk that leads to the Parish Center. The address for Blessed Sacrament Church is 2409 Dixie Highway, Ft. Mitchell, KY.
The purpose of the Ozanam Orientation is to introduce new and current members with our “spirituality and heritage.” All Vincentians will benefit from this program that provides an overview of the history, spirituality, organization, and current works of the Society, as well as the home visit. The importance of sharing and learning that takes place when members of different conferences come together and have opportunities to interact with each other throughout the course of the program is a tremendous benefit.
Please RSVP by Wednesday, November 9 by clicking here or scanning the QR code above or emailing Deacon Mike Lyman at [email protected]. Lunch will be provided.
We look forward to sharing this special time together.
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Sponsor a Family this Thanksgiving!
We are in our second year of providing Thanksgiving meal baskets to our neighbors in need through our Erlanger and Cold Spring choice food pantries. This opportunity is on a first-come, first-serve basis to neighbors during the week of Thanksgiving.
We are in need of donations for these baskets. Consider "sponsoring" a family by purchasing and donating all the sides! You can purchase on your own and drop off donations in Erlanger or Cold Spring or purchase online through our Amazon Wishlist at https://a.co/9ndCuFO
We are in need of:
- Instant Mashed Potatoes
- Canned Green Beans
- Canned Corn
- Boxed Stuffing
- Boxed Mac n Cheese
- Canned Gravy
- Canned Cranberry Sauce
- Canned Cream of Mushroom Soup
- Containers of Crispy Fried Onions
- Canned Yams
- Canned Pumpkin
- Bags of Marshmallows
- Small Box of Brown Sugar
- Disposable Napkins
- Disposable Plates
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Christmas is coming! Help put a smile on a child's face on Christmas morning.
We have several ways you can help this Christmas Season! If you, your family, or friends would like to "adopt" a family's Christmas wish list, please contact Mark Bradley at [email protected] or 859-426-2649.
If you would like to help on a smaller scale you can donate a toy or gift card or shop through our Amazon Wish List and have donations mailed directly to us! Donations will help our Vincent's Angels Christmas Program, where we invite moms, dads, and grandparents to "shop" for gifts for their children or grandchildren. Donations can be dropped off Monday through Friday, between the hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in our Assistance Office in Erlanger starting November 1 until December 19.
If your company or school would like to host a toy drive, please contact Mark Bradley at [email protected] or 859-426-2649.
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Our annual Coat Drive has officially begun!
We are in our 21st year of providing winter coats to adults and children in need. The demand for coats is expected to be high this winter with costly food prices and rising rent, leaving many without extra room in their budget for other necessities. VonLehman CPA & Advisory Firm is stepping up to help! They will be a corporate
sponsor for the second year in a row and will assist with purchasing new coats
for families in need in Northern Kentucky. In addition to their generous financial gift, they also plan to host a company drive to collect coats. “We are proud to support the St. Vincent de Paul coat drive. The mission behind this initiative resonates closely with our firm values, and we are honored to serve a cause with such a profound impact on our community,” remarked Adam Davey, President at VonLehman CPA & Advisory Firm.
The annual coat drive is a team effort that spans both sides of the Ohio River. In addition, to support from VonLehman, we work closely with St. Vincent de Paul Cincinnati, WLWT 5,
Gold Star Chili, Warm 98.5, and Lemasters Consulting, to collect and distribute gently used and new coats all over the tri-state. The annual coat drive kicked off this past Wednesday. You can find donation barrels all over Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati to donate your new or gently used warm winter gear. Click here for a full list of coat donation drop-off locations. We appreciate your support in helping us reach our goal of giving out over 2,000 winter coats.
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Volunteer at one of our Coat Distributions!
We are looking for volunteers to help at one of our three coat distributions this year! Volunteers are needed to set up, assist neighbors with finding a coat, and clean up. Our distributions will take place on Saturday, November 19th from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Newport Intermediate School in Newport, Kentucky, and Life Learning Center in Covington, Kentucky, and Saturday, December 3rd from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Cristo Rey Catholic Church in Florence, Kentucky. If you are available to volunteer, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Mark Bradley, at [email protected] or 859-426-2649.
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