THE SOCIETY'S
NEIGHBORLY NEWS AND UPDATES
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A Message from Your Servant Leader... |
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"Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus,” was the famous response by Francis Church of the New York Times to Virginia O’Hanlon’s letter in September 1897. His message has caught the imagination and hearts for generations. His message is quite real today “Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age.” Further, he states, “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist,” and “No Santa Claus! Thank God he lives and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10 thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.”
Since the beginning of the pandemic, our Conference Vincentians have tirelessly worked to bring hope and joy to those they serve. The price of this service has saddened them by the state of our society in dealing with poverty, etc. Often our families take a back seat to our devotion to our Society’s mission. Is it worth it? I think we can take heart in Francis Church's response to Virginia. We are the Santa Claus of hope and joy Virginia was told to live with. Thank you for this great joy you have offered to those in need not just materially but spiritually. Remember our Santa Claus sled is led by our Vincentian reindeer of values and virtues. We can awaken on Christmas morning knowing we have given to our brothers and sister we serve the greatest Christmas gift of all, our compassionate and sharing heart. May that joy extend to your family, friends, and those you are close to this Christmas Season!
Frank
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Vincentians In Action:
St. Matthew's Conference
Our conference at St. Matthew's Catholic Church is open Tuesday thru Saturday from
9 AM to 12 PM. Right now they are providing warm coats, winter packages for the homeless, and bags of food for families in need. We are so thankful for our Vincentians! Without them, the success of our mission would not be possible.
Every dollar donated to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul SWTX allows our
Vincentian volunteers to serve others.
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A Mother's Christmas Miracle |
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Ms. Kelly Martinez and her three boys are one of the families that SVdP has adopted for Christmas. Ms. Martinez, a single mother, suffered through years of domestic violence. She later found herself at the Battered Women’s Shelter. She and her three boys were homeless and due to COVID-19, they could not stay at the shelter. They were referred to SVdP and since then Ms. Martinez and her children have a safe place to live, and food on the table.
Ms. Martinez says SVdP has helped her and her family immensely and she will continue to share her story to give hope to others going through hardships.
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“They got me here.
They paid my rent, they put food on the table for us,
they got us a Christmas tree.
I can’t even begin to explain how much Devon and Rosie have
done for us.”
to support more families like
Ms. Martinez's.
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Home Sweet Home: Lisa's Story |
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Lisa, a long time resident of Jasper Park, was scared when she received her notice to vacate. Circumstances outside of her control once left her facing a forced eviction. She was connected with SVdP and they were able to help her find a new home and help with rental assistance.
Since SVdP helped her in July, Lisa continues to do very well.
"I have a new place. I have food in my refrigerator. I have a job! I’ve been doing well. You were the gateway for that."
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to support more families like Lisa's.
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"I can't explain to you all the emotions I felt when I received the call from SVdP. I was scared and blessed. If it weren't for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, I don't know where I would be right now."
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Since the onset of the pandemic, the need has increased dramatically. We are seeing more families like Lisa's and Kelly's come to us and ask for support. Your donation counts more than ever. Thank you for supporting our efforts to help our brothers and sisters in need. |
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COMMUNITY PARTNER HIGHLIGHT |
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The University of the Incarnate Word’s Ettling Center for Civic Leadership & Sustainability has been a community partner and friend of SVdP SWTX for over five years. Each fall, the UIW community gathers and collects non-perishable foods to assist those assisted by the conferences supported by St. Vincent de Paul Society of SWTX.
The University of the Incarnate Word is committed to the San Antonio and South Texas area and will continue to work side-by-side with the St. Vincent De Paul Society SWTX.
If you would like to learn more about the UIW’s efforts, please feel free to contact Dr. Ricardo Gonzalez, Director-Ettling Center for Civic Leadership & Sustainability at 210.832.3208 or [email protected].
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SVdP is grateful for our partnership
with UIW and for all the student contributions.
The pandemic did not halt the University’s efforts in collecting and donating over 300 pounds of food and other essential items such as toiletries and diapers!
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“Although this year of 2020 has been a little more difficult than previous years,
I am thankful to the UIW community for giving of their time, money, and effort to support the needs of those served by St. Vincent De Paul Society of San Antonio.
We hope that everyone has a blessed Holiday season and look forward to continued work and support of all the amazing tireless work and assistance SVDP gives to our community within and beyond the Greater San Antonio area.
Together, we all make a difference.”
-Dr. Ricardo Gonzalez
Director, Ettling Center for Civic Leadership and Sustainability
University of Incarnate Word
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DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN DONATE YOUR VEHICLE?
Every vehicle donation helps the Society of St. Vincent de Paul feed, house, and clothe individuals in need.
a representative will call you to schedule
a pick up, and once complete--we will provide you with a receipt to use for
your taxes.
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Inspired by Gospel values, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Southwest Council a Catholic lay organization, leads women and men to join together to grow spiritually by offering person-to-person service to those who are needy and suffering in the tradition of its founder, Blessed Frédéric Ozanam, and patron, St. Vincent de Paul. |
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