Together, Daniel and I went on his first St. Vincent De Paul home visit. This was years ago as Daniel has now been our conference president for several years and before that a new member. Maybe it was 10 years ago when we had the occasion to go to see two men who had just left a group rehabilitation or halfway home to live together in an apartment that was provided by their program. They called our St Vincent De Paul's local office requesting some pots and pans. Our protocol for a home visit is to go in pairs, to be with those in need and to help them. I don't recall their names, I do recall their love. I often recall their love as a reminder of my own vocation in St. Vincent De Paul "SVDP" as I am sharing this morning.
Daniel had just joined us, signing up during our St. Catherine's ministry drive. Daniel was maybe 30 years old at the time and he along with several other young new members was refreshing and life giving to our aging conference. (Conference is how we refer to our local parish community that participates in our SVDP.) I wanted our home visit to these men to be exemplary and follow the training I had received/learned during the SVDP Ozanam Orientation. So before we went to meet with these two men that had been assigned as roommates and whom had requested pots and pans, Daniel and I met at the church, obtained the voucher for household goods and then drove over to the apartment. Before leaving our vehicle, we prayed together. In our prayer we asked to be compassionate to be present, generous and to be open to their needs.
We prayed the beautiful Vincentian prayer
Prayer before a Visit
Father, we ask you to provide
all that we need
as we do the work you have given us to do.
Fill our hearts with your love;
help us to listen with compassion
and to speak with kindness and confidence.
Jesus, we pray for the grace
to go without our preconceived judgments
so that we can be true peacemakers.
Stir in us the fire of your love
and guide us with discernment.
Fill our hearts with wisdom, generosity
and kindness.
Holy Spirit, inspire us
with joy and patience.
Be at work in us
so that we will
bring good news to the downcast,
healing to the brokenhearted,
hope to the destitute,
love and compassion to all who are suffering.
Amen.
We walked up the stairs, and knocked on their door. They both came to the door and we all introduced ourselves. They invited us into their humble and empty apartment. These men had nothing and they had only requested pots/pans. We saw that they needed furniture, beds, dishes, sheets, towels, household goods....they only asked for pots and pans. These men we not young, they had years of suffering, addiction and experience beyond knowing. With nowhere to sit, I suggested we just sit on the floor and discuss their situation and also maybe pray. The older man, with white hair and beard had piercing blue eyes looked at all of us and said, gently and quietly, "I know the Confiteor." He then immediately led us in this prayer that is from Catholic doctrine, meaning to Confess, or acknowledge.
Here is the prayer he said:
I confess to almighty God
and to you, my brothers [and sisters],
that I have greatly sinned,
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done and in what I have failed to do,
through my fault, through my fault,
through my most grievous fault;
therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,
all the Angels and Saints,
and you, my brothers [and sisters],
to pray for me to the Lord our God.
I know that in that moment, I was healed, I was forgiven and I was in the presence of God. It is this home visit that continues to fortify my commitment to the service and love we provide as Vincentians, a name used for members of SVDP. I have come to know that in my personal struggles, God heals through one another ...open your eyes and hearts to the other and be healed. #stvincentdepaul, #love, #service, #healing
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