St. Vincent de Paul Society national president addresses Indianapolis council
By Katie Berger
Special to The Criterion
St. Vincent de Paul Society national president Joe Flannigan recently commended and encouraged Indianapolis members to live out Gospel values, and used hurricane relief as a basis for his remarks.
Flannigan was the featured speaker at the annual business meeting of the Indianapolis Council of St. Vincent de Paul Society on Oct. 9.
Flannigan applauded members on their dedication in serving the poor. In addition, he shared experiences from his recent trip to the area affected by hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and called for continued emphasis on spiritual growth and renewal. He also praised the council for its willingness to host the National St. Vincent de Paul meeting in Indianapolis in 2006.
Flannigan, the father of seven and grandfather of nine, was recently elected national president and began his term on Oct. 1. Prior to his election, he had been active with St. Vincent de Paul for 15 years.
“We have a great ministry and it is truly a ministry; we are called to grow in holiness, to be friends and be joyful,” Flannigan said.
He reflected on his trip to Louisiana and Texas, where he visited those working to assist the evacuees of the two hurricanes. During his stop in Baton Rouge, La., he said he was reminded of the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 25, which calls people to assist those in need because they, too, are Christ.
There, workers gave food and drink, clothed the naked, cared for the ill, as Scripture suggests, he said. Flannigan reported that portable soup kitchens were opened; 31,000 people were given clothing, including 6,000 uniforms to public and Catholic school children; 50,000 prescriptions were filled; and shelters with thousands of cots were established.
Local council president Jake Asher said that the Indianapolis council has also been affected by the hurricanes. Not only have they sent assistance to the affected region, they also assisted some of the 1,287 people who have relocated from Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. He noted that the council has been working with the American Red Cross in receiving referrals for furniture to help get families started.
Asher, who started his second term as council president, is optimistic about its future. Among his goals is the addition of a second food pantry which is set to open in six to nine months. The new pantry, which is 6,500 square feet, will have the capability to serve more than 3,000 families per week. The current Client Choice Food Pantry assists 1,500 families per week.
Asher echoed Flannigan’s words that spiritual growth should be the “cornerstone of what we do.”
“We have come a long way in three years in spiritual growth,” Asher said.
“It is what separates us from other social service organizations, and it’s important that we do that as a number one priority,” Flannigan said.
Asher attributed the improvement in spiritual renewal to “Serving in Hope.” That initiative helps members to grow spiritually in the work they do.
“It helps us to see Christ in the poor when we go out to meet those people,” Asher said. Flannigan said that members need to see Christ not only in the people they serve, but also be a representation of Christ in order to build relationships.
“We try to blur that distinction between the rich and the poor, between the two sides of Christ’s face,” Flannigan said. That, he said, can be done through these relationships with those they serve.
St. Vincent de Paul was founded by Blessed Frédéric Ozanam in 1833 while he was attending Sorbonne University in Paris.
The society serves the poor of all religious affiliations, races and ethnic backgrounds. Its facilities are staffed by volunteers who receive no money for their work. †