|
From the Spring 2009 Edition of Clippings Magazine
by Dennis Kroon
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a
Catholic Lay Organization that serves
people internationally, in the United States,
and here locally in Our Lady Queen of Martyrs in
Centerport. It currently is the largest Catholic Lay
Organization in the United States.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul was founded
in 1833 by Frederic Ozanam, a 20-year-old
student at the Sorbonne University in Paris. He
was challenged to "practice what they preach."
Taking as their patron the great French priest, St.
Vincent de Paul, Ozanam and a group of friends
sought out the poor in Paris and brought them
bread, clothes, and most importantly, friendship.
Eventually their work spread throughout the world.
In 1845 the first U.S. Conference was formed in
St. Louis, Missouri.
The Society, whose motto is "We Help People",
was the first ministry in Our Lady Queen of Martyrs
Parish. The OLQM conference was formed 40
years ago and is currently a member of the Suffolk
North District, which in turn, is a component of
the Central Council whose headquarters is in
Bethpage.
As in the past, the Society consists of laymen and
women dedicated to serving the poor and needy
through practical works of charity. The Society’s
mission is accomplished through Vincentian
volunteers who meet regularly in parish or
community-based groups called conferences and
paid staff employed by the Central Council.
Today, the OLQM Conference consists of
dedicated parishioners who meet on the second
Saturday of each month at 9:45 AM in the library
in the Church’s lower level. In addition to our
monthly meetings, the Vincentians are involved
in numerous activities to help those in need.
Working in conjunction with Parish Outreach,
the Society’s members help support our fellow
community members with home visits, assisting
with utility bills, emergency repairs, and furniture.
In addition, the Society maintains a food pantry
which is located in the Msgr. Joseph Colligan
Parish Center.
The home visit is an important component of
how the Vincentians fulfill their mission through
one-on-one contact between the volunteers and
individuals or families who are in need. Working in
teams of two, the Vincentians visit clients’ homes
to ascertain their need and provide assistance
as available. Typically, they are families and
individuals on limited income who are having
problems paying their rent, fuel, or electric bills,
and may not have enough money to buy food
and necessities for their children. The society’s
members provide friendship and hope during the
times when our clients need assistance.
Once a client’s needs are established they are
eligible to visit the food pantry, be assisted with
utility bills, and to receive food vouchers for local
supermarkets. Donations received from Our
Lady Queen of Martyrs poor box and from our
benefactors are used to support the Society’s
activities. Each year the Society of St. Vincent
de Paul conducts a Bag Sunday in November
and a Food Drive in December. Donations from
Bag Sunday consist of items which cannot be
purchased with food stamps, such as paper
goods, detergents, and toiletries. Those items
are distributed to local families with the items
which are collected during the food drive. During
the food drive numerous volunteers are involved
in the sorting of food, creating food baskets for the
families, restocking our food pantry, and delivering
food to our clients who cannot pick up their
baskets. (Although the food drive is held in
December, food is needed year-round. Parishioners
who can help fulfill this need can simply leave a
bag of non-perishable items in the vestibule of the
church. Those donations will be placed in the food
pantry by one of our Vincentians.
In addition to helping those in our immediate
community, the Society also extends its work to
other parts of Long Island. Our donations are used
to support the UPLIFT Program which is run by
the Central Council. UPLIFT is a housing program
for families that provides guidance and temporary
rent and mortgage assistance in times of need.
The Central Council on Long Island also operates
the following staffed programs: three homes for
the homeless, and financial management for the
elderly and disabled. Thrift Stores, disaster relief
and fund-raising programs provide financial aid
for the Vincentians to distribute to people in need
or victims of a disaster.
Twice a year the members of the Society have a
celebration for patients in Pilgrim State Hospital
in Central Islip. In July, Society members from the
Suffolk North District cooperatively work together
to host a barbeque and social for the patients in
this facility. In December, the Suffolk North District
hosts a Holiday party for the patients. Gifts such
as stockings, candy, and toiletries are distributed
during this celebration.
Perhaps one of the most visible signs of the Society
of St. Vincent de Paul’s activities on Long Island
are the clothing bins, pickup trucks and Thrift
Stores. One of the Society’s clothing donation bins
is located in the parking lot of Our Lady Queen
of Martyrs. The Thrift Stores which are located in
Garden City Park, Huntington, Huntington Station
and Bethpage provide clothing, household goods
and furniture to specific needs clients. Gently used
clothing, living room, dining room, and bedroom
furniture, and housewares are available at very
affordable prices. The Parish Outreach program
here at our Lady Queen of Martyrs very often
utilizes the Society’s furniture stores to help those
in need in our parish.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul continues its
175 years of service since its founding in 1833 by
meeting the Gospel challenge to see the face of
Christ in those in need. The Society is dedicated to
helping anyone who are in need. Just as poverty
and suffering do not discriminate in the people
they visit, neither does the Society discriminate
against those whom we seek to help.
Current members of OLQM’s Society of St.
Vincent de Paul Conference include: Dennis
Kroon, President; Ann Johnson, Immediate Past
President and Founding Member; Ellen Duffy,
Secretary; Mary McGuire, Treasurer; Louise
Montovano, Spiritual Advisor and Food Pantry
Coordinator; Joan Lawless, Founding Member;
Peggy Kohl; Joan Borstelman; and Jeanmarie
D’Azzo.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul here at
Our Lady Queen of Martyrs continually seeks
dedicated parishioners to join the Society and
become advocates for the poor. The time, talent
and donations of Our Lady Queen of Martyrs’
parishioners are gratefully appreciated by those
whom we serve. If any parishioner is interested
in joining the Society, or if you know of anyone in
need, please contact Dennis Kroon through the
Parish Rectory at (631)757-8184. Think about it.
Let your heart respond to Christ’s words – "What
you do for the least of mine you do for me."
|