There are 52 weeks in each year, but only one is referred to as Holy Week. The interval between Palm Sunday and Easter is the holiest of times. At St. Vincent de Paul, we see each day as another opportunity to bring the Gospel to life through service to others.
Jesus commands us to help our less fortunate brothers and sisters and makes it clear that when we show kindness and compassion, we are extending a helping hand directly to Him. One of His greatest gifts to us is the knowledge that He is present still, and centuries later, He walks among us, often in the disguise of the poor and suffering.
Each person we serve is an individual created in God’s image. At St. Vincent de Paul, we recognize that the men, women and children who come to us are not statistics; they are human beings with specific strengths and weaknesses and individual needs. An awe-inspiring thought is the fact that there is only one of each of us.
Whether you inherited your father’s brown eyes or your mother’s curly hair, there never has been, and never will be, anyone exactly like you. Despite a world population of more than eight billion people, we are all unique. Maybe one reason for that is so we can help each other. Where one person is weak, another may be strong; when one person is down, someone else is able to lift them up. Because we believe in the dignity of the individual, because we know that every life has value, St. Vincent de Paul has a one-on-one philosophy. We helped thousands of people who needed food, clothing, shelter, furniture and household items in 2023, and continue to do so 2024. None of this would be possible without you.
If anyone doubts that Christ’s ministry is alive and well, here is living proof. People’s lives are being changed – one person at a time. This year we are on track to serve those in need on more than 350,000 occasions as we serve meals, provide shelter, and make home visits to the most vulnerable in our community.
On behalf of all of our neighbors in need that we serve, we thank you for all your support.
We pray that this Holy Week and the entire Easter Season will be a special time in your life.