St. Vincent de Paul

By Ashley Lahr

St. Vincent de Paul is virtually a well-known saint in the Catholic realm. Quite honestly, all I knew is that he was a saint and there is a thrift store named after him on South Congress and other various places around town. When I looked up saints for either yesterday or today, I was pleasantly surprised to find his day on September 27. I was excited about researching to find out who he was and what he did.

De Paul was born on April 24, 1581 and died September 27, 1660. He was born into a peasant family in Landes, France and had three brothers and two sisters. He graduated from Toulouse with a degree in Theology and was ordained in 1600 at the mere age of 19. De Paul stayed in Toulouse until he went to Marseille to collect inheritance. In 1605, he was captured by Turkish pirates who brought him to Tunis and sold him into slavery. By 1607, he converted his owner to Christianity and was freed. De Paul is the founder Daughters of Charity and Congregation of the Mission. Congregation of the Mission was founded in 1625 and works towards the evangelization of the poor and formation of the clergy. Daughters of Charity were founded with Louise de Marillac in 1633. They are a group of women who work to help the “poorest of the poor.”

De Paul is most venerated for his continual service to the poor. Catholic Charities works to do the same exact thing. We may not be under the Saint Vincent De Paul Society or organization but we work toward the same goals. As Catholics, we work together as a team to help bring self-sufficiency to those we assist. It is so much more than giving out food each week or meeting with people to help them figure out how they are going to pay next months rent. Our goal is to instill confidence in each client we serve. We work to strengthen individuals, families and communities. It is not about helping only Catholics or religious people. It is because we are Catholic that we are able to have the faith, spirituality and love behind all we do here at Catholic Charities.

If you are interested in volunteering or working to help the poor, please check out our website www.ccctx.org. Be sure to check out the St. Vincent De Paul website at http://www.svdpusa.org/. Help us spread the good word.

Client Stories: God is always with you

“Without God man neither knows which way to go, nor even understands who he is. In the face of the enormous problems surrounding the development of peoples, which almost make us yield to discouragement, we find solace in the sayings of our Lord Jesus Christ, who teaches us: “Apart from me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5) and then encourages us: “I am with you always, to the close of the age” (Mt 28:20).”
- Caritas in Veritate (para. 78)

Catholic Charities of Central Texas recognizes that in the face of seemingly unmanageable problems and severe discouragement, finding a solution deems impossible. Without a third party on the outside looking in, the idea of a solution can get lost in the midst of turmoil. We all need God to get us through to the next step and realize that there is a way out. Our employees are able to provide a helping hand and lend an ear when needed most through the strength given to us by God.

Finding solace can be extremely hard in times of despair. Our clients at Catholic Charities have overcome tremendous odds. Below, we have selected three stories that best encompass what we do as an organization.

Prior to the devastation of Hurricane Ike, FRANCES and WILLIAM lived comfortably in a two-bedroom condo in Galveston. When the storm hit, the elderly couple fled to Austin with nothing but the clothes on their back. Living in a hotel room, they anxiously awaited word that they could safely return home. Then Frances and William became very ill, both checking in and out of the hospital due to medical issues. Frances had no medical insurance, and the couple was fully dependent upon William’s monthly Social Security check. On the verge of homelessness, they came to Catholic Charities. Here they found a light of hope and help. A case manager was able to find them housing assistance through a Rapid Re-Housing program, medical assistance through Project Access, and food through food stamps and Meals-on-Wheels, and then helped them move into and furnish a new home. The couple, now permanent Austin residents, continues case management under Catholic Charities of Central Texas and are on the road to self-sufficiency.

SORAYA, 57, came to the U.S. from Afghanistan in 2002 with the hopes of finding a better life for herself and her six children. After witnessing her husband’s murder by Taliban forces and the many other atrocities of the war in her country, Soraya sought and obtained refugee status. She arrived in the United States in January 2002 and, as a refugee, she has seven years of access to a variety of social programs to provide support and help her integrate into society. This allowed Soraya to access the physical and mental health care she needed to care for several medical conditions, including early dementia. Catholic Charities helped Soraya bring her son and grandson to the U.S. In early 2009, Soraya’s access to social programs that she needed to treat her dementia was expiring. Fortunately, she applied for citizenship in March 2009 with the help of Catholic Charities staff—filing her paperwork, preparing her for the interview with immigration authorities and accompanying her to the interview to determine whether she will become a citizen. Now, as a proud citizen, Soraya is safe and secure while living the gift of freedom other Americans enjoy every day.

When John lost his high tech job of 10 years, JOHN and MARIA thought that they might lose their house as well. They used their saving trying to stay current on the mortgage, but had fallen two payments behind. After a six-month search, John had finally found a job, but they were unable to catch up and didn’t know where to turn. Attending Catholic Charities’ Tactics for Touch Times workshop changed all that. John was able to take the information he learned in the workshop to develop a new budget and then negotiate a repayment plan with his mortgage company that allowed him to catch the past due amount up over a twelve month period. “I was ready to give up and just walk away from my house and then I Saw the flyer for Tactics for Tough Times. Thank God Catholic Charities was there in this time of need.”

Americorps Applications

We are now accepting Americorps applications! If you would like more information please go to http://www.ccctx.org/news_view.php?id=92#Employment. 

We have a really great team and are sad to see them leave. However, maybe YOU could be apart of our next round of Americorps! Check out the website or email us. 

Godspeed.