St. Patrick and Life Changing Experiences

Editor's Note: Today's entry is from Fr. Mike McCue, OSFS, director of De Sales Service Works in Camden, NJ. Fr. Mike reflects on the life of St. Patrick (one of my personal favorite saints, for obvious reasons) and how his experience has paralleled the experiences of many people who have participated in service retreats with DSW. All of the saints have something to teach us, and by trying to follow their example of serving those who are on the margins of society we come closer to the heart of God.

Camden Cathedral

In addition to sponsoring DeSales Service Works, the Oblates staff the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception parish in Camden. People often think of a “cathedral” as any large, stone, usually gothic-style church. But, to use the word precisely, a cathedral is the church for an entire diocese; it is the local bishop’s church. So, many cathedrals actually are big and beautiful to accommodate large gatherings. However, there are very humble and ordinary cathedrals that, none the less, serve as a bishop’s church.

Camden’s Cathedral is one of the pretty humble cathedrals. It was built in the mid 1800s as a parish church by the immigrant people of the time, Irish people. Clearly people at the time put a value on solid construction and on beauty because this church has both. Some of the art reflects the Irish background of the founders. In the front of the building there is a large, colorful window of St. Patrick with shamrock held high, speaking to the heart of the pagan leaders about the goodness and power of the Triune God.

St. Patrick

This is still an immigrant parish, though in this generation people come mostly from Latin America and the Caribbean. Still this saint has much to offer; the man we celebrate each March 17^th is so much more than a friendly leprechaun or the mascot for celebrating and wearing of the green. His life has a lot to teach us. Patrick grew up in a comfortable setting in Roman Britain. All that changed when bandits stole teenage Patrick away to slavery in Ireland. After several isolated, hungry years, he escaped and returned home. Something about his experience changed him, so that he followed a vocation to become a missionary bishop to the Irish people who had enslaved him and had taken away his childhood. Who could blame him if he were angry and bitter toward those who had enslaved him. Instead of becoming a man consumed and shrunken by anger and desire for retribution, he dedicated his life to service and to the God whose gospel commands love of neighbor, and even love of enemy.

The Jesuit Volunteer Corp (the Jesuit version of DSW) has an unofficial motto that captures Patrick’s experience: he was “ruined for life.” There was no way he could live unaware of the people of Ireland and their need, and his awareness impelled him to do something.

Experience of DSW Service in Camden

“Thank you for reminding me how lucky I am. Coming here has made me want to donate more service to the Lord. I will continue to pray for Camden.”

“… a life changing experience”

“… first time I have ever lost sleep over another’s misfortunate circumstances. I’m more motivated to be active in service and faith than ever. You’ll be hearing from me again!”

“…I have learned so much and feel changed for life…”

“Coming to Camden, I have taken a look at the way I live my life. While handing out food to people, I would ask how they were doing, and some would answer with, “I’m alive.” That took me by surprise. If I were asked that question, I would simply say “fine” or something along those lines. Never would I have thought to answer with, “I’m alive.” As my week has gone on here, I learned not to judge people by their outward appearance or their life’s situation, but by the person they are deep inside. Even though the city is dangerous and crime filled, there is something about it that I truly love!

These thoughts represent some of the experience of college and high school students who have come to Camden for a Salesian Service Retreats. The work volunteers do and the people they encounter have an impact. As St. Francis de Sales observers, “nothing is small in the service of God.” Volunteers work with the neighborhood kids, many of whom clearly are happy for attention from youthful volunteers. They clean out the alleyway near the school. With Sr. Claire Sullivan, they visit people’s homes, some fully functioning homes next to burnt-out or abandoned ones. They paint, plant, rebuild, provide food, extend kindness, play cards or checkers and extend respect.

Service in a place as needy as Camden can open our awareness to the world, to God’s grace and action: that can make an impact in our lives. Some may hear a vocation to be involved in full-time service, like St. Patrick. Others will hear a call to find ways to serve in every walk of life.

Needy communities need us all. But every community needs the generosity of heart and unselfishness that the volunteer quotes and the JVC motto convey. Playing with a child whose family can’t provide daily breakfast; cleaning up an alley with a friendly, homeless guy who can find no way to get off the streets; visiting people in a neighborhood where half the houses are vacant lots, burnt out, abandoned or falling in; walking down a sidewalk littered by discarded syringes and postage stamp sized plastic bags; celebrating Mass in Spanish with warmth and devotion. All these things make an impression. “Ruined for life” is another way of talking about the paschal mystery, death and resurrection. Out of sin, defeat, betrayal, hopelessness can come life, second chances, forgiveness, and deeper understanding.

Why did St. Patrick go the way he did, toward life rather than to the dead-end of retribution and anger? Clearly he responded to the God whom he experienced as with him in even his lowest moments. Patrick had the grace to respond, and that made all the difference.

Immigration and Catholic Social Teaching

One of the most hotly contested issues in our country today is the issue of immigration. People of good will fall on both sides of the issue, and I don't pretend that a blog post will be able to sway people's convictions one way or another. However, it is important to recognize where people are coming from in this debate and to be loving in our dialogue. Frequently in the immigration debate, as with many debates in politics, people stop listening to the other side and demonize their opponents. This is a far cry from the Gospel imperative to love all people, regardless of their beliefs and/or behaviors.

The immigration issue in Arizona has gained much press in the recent weeks. Catholic leaders have spoken prophetically in support of comprehensive immigration reform that respects all parties involved. While Catholic social teaching (CST) does not purport to have all the answers for every political problem, the values we espouse as Christians must influence the way we approach these issues. In particular, CST demands that we recognize that everyone is created in the image and likeness of God and has inestimable dignity, regardless of his/her legal status. How we legislate these issues is open to legitimate discussion and disagreement, but we can never lose sight of this fundamental principle. Further, it is easy for many of us in the first world to overlook all the privileges we have had in our own situations and not be able to see the plight of many people who feel forced to immigrate to our country for a host of reasons, often in extremely dangerous conditions.

The following link provides resources from the Unites States Conference of Catholic Bishops on the Church's approach to comprehensive immigration reform. it is my hope that the bishops' teaching will be prayerfully considered by all thinking Catholics as we together discern the best way to deal with this complicated issue.
http://www.justiceforimmigrants.org/index.shtml

The Impact of the Visitation Sisters on DSW

Editor's Note: The following entry is from Fr. Mike McCue, OSFS, director of De Sales Service Works in Camden, NJ. Fr. Mike traces the impact that the sisters of the Visitation, particularly the community in Minneapolis, have had on DSW. This year the Visitation order celebrates its 400th anniversary of the first group of Visitation sisters begininng in Annecy, France, after being formed by Sts. Francis de Sales and Jane de Chantal. Visitation sisters throughout the world keep the Salesian spirit alive in the world today. For more information about the Visitation order, visit http://www.visitationsisters.org/.

Later this month, three recent college graduates will begin a year of service in Camden volunteers with De Sales Service Works. The entry below highlights a number of aspects of this year. In addition to year long volunteers, DSW also hosts individuals and groups for day, weekened, or week long service retreats. For more information on DSW, please visit: http://www.oblates.org/dsw/

Models for DSW
This is the second of three reflections that look at communities that serve as models for De Sales Service Works in Camden. The three are St. Francis Inn in Philadelphia, what I call “the Oblate work ethic,” and the Visitation Monastery of North Minneapolis.

Visitation Sisters
For 20 years a group of Visitation Sisters have lived a monastic life in an unusual setting. These nuns make their community in a very poor section of North Minneapolis, MN. They follow a regular cycle of prayer, Mass, chanted psalms, meditation, community and labor that makes up the schedule of any contemplative nun or monk. But their setting is not a walled enclosure in a remote, pristine location. Their monastery is two big, old houses in their struggling neighborhood.

One of the most vivid ways to describe this Visitation community is to tell the story they tell about getting settled in the neighborhood. Late one afternoon when they had been in the area only a few months, a young man was shot in the street outside their house. The sisters all ran out of the house to help the man. One cradled his head in her lap; another tried to stop the bleeding. They all knelt in the street and prayed and sang for the man while they waited for the police and rescue to arrive. They made an impression in the community by reaching out in this un-scripted way: they reached out naturally; they naturally prayed. People gathered around told the sisters that the man was a drug dealer, a real “bad guy.” He did not deserve their care or the prayers. The sisters said they did not care. He still deserved not to die alone, and they held him and prayed.

That action, somewhat imprudent, definitely natural and generous, established their identity as unafraid and prayerful. Moreover, they were clearly members of the neighborhood who were there to stay.

Natural Prayer
This story illustrates three things that this Visitation community gives to De Sales Service Works. First, they bring prayer into everything in very natural, honest ways. There are dramatic moments like the shooting of the drug dealer. But most often they connect with God in simple Salesian hospitality and kindness. The sisters have been part of the community for so long that many people have been connected and have become friends. So people knock on their door to check-in or just to say hello. These visits provide occasions to catch up and connect, and to offer thanks to God or to ask for help and blessing. Visits, departure, welcome, start of workday, learning news, special occasions: all of these are moments for simple prayers and blessings.

Hospitality
Secondly, day by day, their service involves welcoming people into their home. They welcome kids for tutoring, for reading, and for computer lessons. The windsock that has become the monastery symbol developed as a signal to kids that it was time to stop by for lessons. Neighbors and friends join the community for Mass in their living room a couple times per week. Following Mass everyone present is welcomed to breakfast and conversation. They welcome old friends back and want to know how things are going. They welcome new people as friends: no one is a stranger.

Liturgy and Life
Thirdly, the warmth and wholesome quality of these women comes across in the way they pray the Liturgy of the Hours, the official prayer of the Church. This prayer is made up of psalms, canticles, hymns, and readings. Singing these prayers is a core part of any monastic life, and the North Minneapolis monastery chants all the liturgies. However, what is different about their praying is that after each psalm, canticle, or reading they take time to “faith share.” The prayers are structured so there is silent reflection built in, but this community takes the time to speak aloud their reflections. The sharing connects the scripture with the daily life of their neighbors, with the ordinary tasks of each day, and with insights from contemplative life. This seems like a great way to insure that common prayer does not become a task to complete so we can get on to the next task. Instead, it connects with what goes on in the rest of our lives. This approach clearly encourages finding God in all people and events, in the ordinariness of daily living.

Because the structured prayer connects with life, it is not surprising that these women seamlessly bring prayers and blessings into ordinary days. They are a gift to their home neighborhood in Minnesota, but their example is a blessing for us in Camden. Learn more about this wholesome and amazing community at their web site:
http://www.visitationmonasteryminneapolis.org/

Vacation and Justice

We are well into summer now and many of us have had relaxing vacations already or are excited for an upcoming vacation. We all need a break from the hard work of our lives and vacations offer the opportunity for us to relax and see the world with new, less-stressed eyes.

However, as Christians committed to promoting peace and justice in the world, there is no such thing as a vacation from this committment. In fact, our choice of how to spend our vacations has an impact on other people and the rest of creation as well. In the Vatican's "Message for 2010 World Tourism Day" (available here: http://www.zenit.org/article-29745?l=english), the Pontifical Council for Migrants and Travelers reminds us of the importance of how we spend our leisure time. I offer the following exceprt for our consideration:

Under the theme of "Tourism and Biodiversity" proposed by the World Tourism Organization, World Tourism Day hopes to offer its contribution to 2010's "International Year for Biological Diversity," declared by the General Assembly of the United Nations.This proclamation was born of the deep concern for "the social, economic, environmental and cultural implications of the loss of biodiversity, including negative impacts on the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, and stressing the necessity to adopt concrete measures in order to reverse it."

Biodiversity, or biological diversity, refers to the great wealth of beings that live on Earth, as well as the delicate equilibrium of interdependence and interaction that exists between them and the physical environment that hosts and conditions them. This biodiversity is translated into different ecosystems, of which examples can be found in forests, wetlands, savannah, jungles, deserts, coral reefs, mountains, seas and polar zones.

There are three imminent and grave dangers to them that require an urgent solution: climate change, desertification and the loss of biodiversity. The latter has been developing in recent years at an unprecedented rate. Recent studies indicate that on a worldwide level 22% of mammals, 31% of amphibians, 13.6% of bird life and 27% of reefs are threatened or in danger of extinction.

There are numerous areas of human activity that largely contribute to these changes, and one of them is, without a doubt, tourism, which is among those activities that have experienced great and rapid growth. In this regard, we can look to the statistics that the World Tourism Organization offers us. With international tourist travel numbering 534 million in 1995 and 682 million in 2000, estimates from the organization's "Tourism 2020 Vision" report are 1.006 billion for the year 2010 and reaching 1.561 billion in 2020, at an average annual growth rate of 4.1%. And to these statistics of international tourism one would have to add the even more important internal tourism numbers.

All of this points to strong growth in this economic sector, which brings with it some major effects on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, and the consequent danger of their transformation into serious environmental impacts - especially in regard to the exorbitant consumption of limited resources (such as potable water and land) and the enormous generation of pollution and residues, exceeding the quantities that might be withstood by a determined area.

The situation is seen to be aggravated by the fact that tourist demand directs itself more and more towards natural destinations, attracted by their beauty, which leads to a major impact on the populations visited, on their economies, on their cultural heritage and on the environment. This fact can actually either be a harmful element or, on the contrary, contribute significantly and in a positive way to the conservation of the heritage. In this way tourism lives a paradox. If on the one hand it emerges and grows thanks to the attraction of some natural and cultural sites, on the other hand the very same tourism can become detrimental and even destructive, and as such the tourism sites end up being rejected as destinations for not possessing their original attraction.

For all of this, we must assert that tourism cannot relieve itself of its responsibility to defend biodiversity. On the contrary rather, it must assume an active role in it. This economic sector's development inevitably needs to be accompanied by the principles of sustainability and respect for biological diversity.

Francis de Sales was convinced that "We pray best before beauty," and all of us are naturally attracted to what is beautiful. However, we must always remember that all beauty points us to the beauty that is the love of God, and we demonstrate our love for God by respecting the beauty of all creation. I pray that everyone has a beautiful, relaxing vacation this summer that reverences the Creator behind the created world and renews us for our work to promote justice and peace in the world.

Haiti, Six Months after the Earthquake

Over six months have passed since the tragic earthquake struck Haiti and changed millions of lives. There was a tremendous outpouring of support from people throughout the world for the people of Haiti, and many friends of the Oblates were generous in their assistance of the Oblates and our ministries in Haiti. However, as time has passed the situation in Haiti has receded to the background in news coverage and in many of our minds. While we may not be as aware these days of the pressing needs of many of Haiti's people, that need still exists.

Today I am linking to a letter from the president of Catholic Relief Services about the efforts of CRS in Haiti in the six months since the earthquake. Much has been done, but the situation is still dire for many people.

http://crs-blog.org/making-progress-in-haiti/

For information on the important work being done by Oblate Fr. Tom Hagan and his co-workers, as well as information on giving and volunteering in Haiti, please visit http://www.handstogether.org/.

God Interrupts Our Lives

Editor's Note: The following reflection is from Fr. Mike McCue, OSFS, director of De Sales Service Works in Camden, NJ.

Water of Life

Our side porch is the site of a sandwich ministry where volunteers share anywhere from 60 to 140 sandwiches each weekday. On Tuesdays and Thursdays we also give out food bags. Anyone who has been here for a service retreat has made lunches and even participated in the service of distributing sandwiches. Sandwich ministry has evolved and still is developing as more people come for food and we try to offer effective help.

When we began this service, we gave soda and bottled water along with the sandwiches. Last May, two volunteers, Tim Gallagher and Mike Montavon, came up with the idea of self-service water. We now have two water coolers on our porch to provide water for homeless women and men in our downtown neighborhood. Sandwich ministry goes from 10:00 to 12:00, Monday through Friday, but our modest, orange Home Depot water coolers provide water any time of the day or night for people living on the streets around us. This source of water has been very popular, particularly in the hot days of spring and summer.

Encounter

In some ways this service is simple: people in need get water for drink and for washing up. But in other ways, there is a lot more going on.

One thing is that this water has created a place for encounter between two worlds. Perhaps talking about two worlds is too clumsy a way to talk about people; everyone who serves and everyone who is served comes with an individual story. But in a general way, we can talk about one world of “middle class people” with security and resources, andthe other of the “needy” without those basics.

Our needy fall into two general demographics. First, there are poor people trying to make ends meet. Many are new Americans struggling to get a foothold in this “land of opportunity.” There are people with limited income, homeless vets, people with mental illnesses.

The other main group is people on the streets because of drug use. You can read on their faces the length of time they have been living exposed to the all the harshness of outside living. Sometimes people will approach the door, and we are not sure whether they are going to turn out to be volunteers or homeless people. Others appear gaunt and hardened by months or years on the street, the spark of life confused and dimmed by addiction.

God Interrupts Our Lives

I first wrote this reflection when I was preparing to preach on the gospel scene (Luke 7:39-8:3) where Jesus is a guest in the house of a Pharisee, a “sinful woman” comes to the Lord, anoints his feet, bathes them with her tears, and dries them with her hair. Clearly the woman has experienced some sort of interruption by grace. So she comes to the Lord ready for change, extravagantly expressing her love and her desire for a new direction.

The host does not like that Jesus associates with a sinner in this way. We can easily imagine that he thinks he has his life together, that he is happy and complete. Perhaps he is aware of some inconsistencies and contradictions in his beliefs and behaviors, but feels like it is under control. Jesus’ behavior interrupts the assumptions and direction of the man’s life. He gives the man a challenge to look honestly at sin, forgiveness and grace. One subversive thing about the gospel is that it never lets us off the hook. Every challenge is addressed to us. God’s grace interrupts every life.

We hope that our water, the many of the encounters it fosters, and the kindness and respect extended may serve as moments of God breaking into the lives of people in this harsh city. Often, people will express gratitude for the water. In response, sometimes I’ll say, “We wish we could do more; I feel bad that you have to be out here.” What I am looking for is a stronger interruption to break through the resistance that comes with addiction or hopelessness. Perhaps as we spend more time here, we will learn how to do this. For now the simple signs of water and conversation are our tools. Small interruptions can have a cumulative effect.

Billy

This week a man, Billy, stopped by our house. He had been a regular at the door for water, food, and usually with a story about how he needed “just five dollars” to get to his sister’s house in suburban Philadelphia. He also repeatedly asked to use a phone, because he had met someone who was going to take him to a rehab program somewhere. This went on for months, and we could see the toll his drug use and living on the streets were taking on him. He even showed up some days with bruises on his face and cuts on his bald head. In all of our encounters he was polite and easy to engage, even though we knew he was stretching the truth, trying to get by.

He stopped by to see us because he was doing better. Three months ago he had been picked up by the police and had been in jail. He described this as saving his life. He got away from the danger on the street, he was able to detox from drugs and alcohol. And he told us he feels like he is headed in a new direction. God interrupted, and Billy has responded.

It meant so much that Billy went out of his way to tell us that he appreciated the support we gave via the hospitality extended by the volunteers and the Oblates. It means so much to have evidence that we too are cooperating with God’s grace in these ordinary encounters at our door.

Heart-less in Camden?

Editor's Note: In today's entry, Fr. Mike McCue, OSFS, director of De Sales Service Works in Camden, NJ, reflects on his experience of living in close contact with homeless people. The fact that some people do not have basic necessities such as housing is a challenge to all Christians, and Mike wrestles with some of the questions this issue raises and different options for how we can respond in love.

Recently, some 300 people with connections to the Oblates in the D.C. area gathered at Bishop Ireton High School for “Live Jesus Day” a morning of reflection, prayer and community in the Salesian tradition. As one of the presenters, I used the occasion to share experiences and insights from life in Camden.

I talked about the experience of having Ken and Barbie live on the front porch of the Oblate residence for the fall and much of the winter of this year. I frequently talk about this particularly poignant experience since they are such nice people, and we have gotten to know them pretty well. They have been our most sociable homeless neighbors since we arrived in August 2008.

When cold weather came, they set up camp on the front porch. Our front door with its floor-to-ceiling stained glass panel became a thin wall separating our two worlds. Because of the glass panel, we could never forget they were out there in the cold and insecurity of homelessness, while we lived and worked warm and secure in our middleclass world inside.

If I have any insight to share from this, it is that it is important to be unsettled as Christians as long as anyone, anywhere, lives without the necessities of life. Beyond that is the insight that there are no quick and easy solutions to poverty, homelessness, mental illness, and addiction that plague our neighbors—near or distant.

I think I may have come across in my “Live Jesus” presentation as heart-less because I lived for months face to face with these neighbors exposed in the cold.

What could we do? We talked about inviting Ken and Barbie in out of the cold: we have three guest rooms. But then would we invite the next people who pick our porch as a home? How about the others in our parking lot or across Market Street in that lot? We have three guest rooms, but I also have a double bed---couldn’t I share? People could sleep on our couches. Our floors are carpeted---even the tiled kitchen floor would be better than sleeping outside. Even our basement would be better.

It sounds like we need a homeless shelter set up to help people in this situation. But even with a shelter, there would be a limit, finite amount of beds, rules for order. Speaking for our area, Camden has far too few shelters for the numbers of homeless in our region. And our entire nation has insanely inadequate mental health and addiction services.

We did not invite our neighbors to live in our house. But we did offer food, kindness, patience, respect, and encouragement to connect with city services. We continued to work with other area Churches and groups to develop some kind of shelter before next fall. But still nothing about the situation can let us rest satisfied. The fact that we live on top of the problem in Camden as literal neighbors to these “least brothers and sisters” keeps the unfinished nature of the situation before us. But really, wherever you or I live and work, our needy neighbors are here, even if they are out of sight or at a distance.

I always replay homilies and talks in my mind after I give them. Replaying this one after “Live Jesus 2010,” there is much I would do differently. Two specific things I would add are these questions for the assembly: “What would you do if two homeless people lived outside your door?” Second, because there is need, whether we see it daily or not, I would ask, “What do you do?”

The answer to “What do you do?” would likely include donations and great support for efforts in inner cities and in poor nations, prayer and study, and direct service. It would likely include support for public policy in our nation to make social structures more fair and just, to offer support for those who find themselves deep in holes, improvement to the U.S. health system, improvement for our education system. There are not quick fixes; justice has a complexity.

Whatever efforts we participate in, the point remains, that as long as anyone anywhere is without what is needed for a decent living, Christians cannot rest satisfied. We will be in that state until the Lord himself comes to establish the fullness of God’s kingdom. Until that “kingdom come,” we do our best to respond to the challenge.