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Thursday, July 31, 2008

On his Feast Day - St. Ignatius of Loyola Servant of the Poor

Although well known for his founding of the “Jesuits,” Ignatius Loyala is also known for his love for the poor. St. Ignatius, was named Inigo de Loyola when he was born in 1491 in Azpeitia in the Basque province of Guipuzcoa in northern Spain. After being raised in a powerful family, eventually he found himself at the age of 30 in May of 1521 as an officer defending the fortress of the town of Pamplona against the French.

It was here in this defense he fell ill from a serious leg injury. His leg was set a second time, but did not heal, so it was necessary to break it again and reset it, all without anesthesia. Ignatius grew worse and was finally told by the doctors that he should prepare for death.

During the long weeks of his recuperation, he was extremely bored and asked for some romance novels to pass the time. Luckily there were none in the castle of Loyola, but there was a copy of the life of Christ and a book on the saints.

Not long after a miracle healing, he proceeded to the Benedictine shrine of Our Lady of Montserrat, made a general confession, and knelt all night in vigil before Our Lady's altar, following the rites of chivalry. He left his sword and knife at the altar, went out and gave away all his fine clothes to a poor man, and dressed himself in rough clothes with sandals and a staff.

Ignatius, whose love it was to be actively involved in teaching catechism to children, directing adults in the Spiritual Exercises, and working among the poor and in hospitals, would for the most part sacrifice this love for the next fifteen years - until his death - and work out of two small rooms, his bedroom and next to it his office, directing this new society of the Jesuits throughout the world.
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Wednesday, July 30, 2008

When Sin Abounds

The Apostle Paul once said, "When sin abounds, grace abounds all the more." Romans 5:20 The long and short of it is that when we are consumed with personal sins, lusts and desires - guess what? Grace can abound all the more when we aggressively go after what we can change in our lives. We can be more merciful to others. We can stop judging. We can go to daily Mass and monthly confession. Although we cannot fix our selfishness and habits of sin, we can abound in grace by being a merciful, loving, patient and kind person. "Love covers a multitude of sins." 1 Peter 4:8

Let us pray ...

Heavenly Father, teach us this day to be loving, kind, patient, understanding and forgiving. To recognize your presence in all men and women, especially in the rejected, the poor, the despised and in those who mourn. May we never be guilty of judging another person, lest we be judged by the measure with which we judge. We ask this through Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with you, one God forever and ever. Amen.
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Tuesday, July 29, 2008

When all else Fails ...

When all else fails and we can not seem to find the way in our faith, the Apostle John tells us that love is the measure. No matter how active one might be in the church, famous or involved, if we do not love the underserved, the unlovable and the broken among us, we have missed the mark. Here is how John puts it, "God Is love . . . "

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. . .

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. . .

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.

We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him."
1 John 4:7-16
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Monday, July 28, 2008

In My Father's House there are Many Mansions

To God the Father who puts an end to our homelessness, we pray ...

For those who have no home or family:
- bring them to dwell in your heavenly city.

For those who are alone, abandoned, poor and in need:
- bring them to dwell in your heavenly city.

For those who dwell in the poverty of wealth, excess and power:
- bring them to dwell in your heavenly city.

For abused children and teenagers who are gay, troubled or misunderstood:
- bring them to dwell in your heavenly city.

Our Father, our fathers wandered in deserts and a wasteland of wants and needs. Teach us to rely on you to put an end to our poverty, emptiness and loneliness. We ask this through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Master of our heavenly home. Amen.
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Saturday, July 26, 2008

Hate and Hope in Fort Lauderdale

HIA reported recently the senseless killing of a homeless Cleveland man early this summer by teen suspects. (See Wednesday, July 9, 2008, Caught on Video Tape). About two years ago a parallel hate crime occurred in South Florida. A surveillance video captured images of a similar situation; a homeless man being savagely beaten in the Fort Lauderdale area of South Florida by two teenage suspects. Both were charged with the murder of Norris Gaynor and aggravated battery for the videotaped beating of another homeless man - Jacques Pierre. The two teens are also suspects in the beating of a third man, Raymond Perez, 49, whose case remains under investigation. One of the attacks took place on the Fort Lauderdale campus of Florida Atlantic University.

Since that time, Frs. John and Larry from the Fathers of Divine Mercy have begun to personally console the homeless in South Florida and offer them hope. Weekly they distribute sandwiches, soda and crackers to those who gather in front of Fort Lauderdale City Hall. About a year ago, they found 20 people hungry and waiting. Now they make over 90 sandwiches along with three pans of hot food such as Shepherd's Pie. They also give out socks and sneakers - all donated by friends of the ministry. They are joined by Frank who cooks winning recipes from a restaurant he was a chef at in Massachusetts. Almost daily, the numbers of homeless continue to increase. With limited funds and facilities, John, Larry and Frank do their best with the donations received and make the ingredients go longer and farther due to some very creative cooking in their home kitchens! Thanks be to God, many like them respond to the call to serve Christ in the poor across the U.S. where it is estimated that 3 million people are homeless annually.
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Thursday, July 24, 2008

Thanksgiving in July

What shall I give unto the Lord for all he's done for me? Psalm 116:12

"Thanksgiving" comes from the Greek word for "Eucharist." Living a posture of thankfulness before the Lord is central to Christian spirituality. The debt we owe to God for the gift of his faithful love and mercy to us can only be repaid by a two-sided coin: We must turn to God in love, adoration and praise - then go and do for others what has been done for us.
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Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Isaiah meets Cardinal McIntyre






Isaiah meets Cardinal McIntyre

At least that is the case of two cozy homes in Hollywood, California providing a resident-based substance recovery program (McIntyre House) and quarters for homeless who are misunderstood and underserved - primarily because of mental illness (Isaiah House).

Both are resident experiences providing living space – 1-2 persons to a room, daily family meal times, chores and a structured rehabilitation program (photos). Marianne, the director of both homes along with staff pass out lots of reward, recognition and even consequences for individuals that “fall off the cart” for any reason. Today, one resident was busy making atonement for a recent problem by having to write an essay on the experience. What if we all had to do that after going to confession?

One guest put it this way, “I came to you [McIntyre House] hopeless and addicted to drugs, a nightmare that had lasted for fourteen years. By the grace of God, I am now sober. When I showed up … I thought all my dreams were shattered. Today, I am a pre-law student.”

The Isaiah and McIntyre Houses are the initiative of many, but most prominent are Monsignor Murphy from St. Victor’s and others who are part of the local parish community. Their funding, 50-60 percent comes from private donations and the remainder by way of grants. There is more on the Internet about their outreach at http://www.mcintyrehouse.org/.
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Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Wisdom that Confounds the Wise

The kingdom of God, sown like an insignificant seed at the burial of Jesus and his birth as an immigrant, a wandering Jew, a homeless man, a condemned criminal - has now grown into a tree whose branches embrace the cosmos and all that is in it through his resurrection. His name, known first to only a handful of followers, is now praised by people of every race and nation. His wisdom confounds the wise!
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Monday, July 21, 2008

The Wealthy Must Do More

Since the 1970s, Nelson Mandela became an international symbol of freedom and equality and respect for the poor. Following his release from 27 years in prison on February 11, 1990, his policy of reconciliation and negotiation helped lead the transition to multi-racial democracy in South Africa. Since that time he has been widely praised, even by former opponents.

This past Friday, sounding and looking vigorous on his birthday - the man who has become a symbol of peace remains troubled by the demoralizing poverty still faced by so many.

"If you are poor, you are not likely to live long," he said.

His message was simple — "the wealthy must do more."

"There are many people in South Africa who are rich and who can share those riches with those not so fortunate, who have not been able to conquer poverty," Mandela said during the 10-minute interview, his first such exchange with journalists in years.
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Friday, July 18, 2008

Dogs Bless America

This morning, Sr. Pauline Quinn corresponded with HIA from Marinette, Wisconsin via a post at the Homeless In America People of Mercy and Compassion Map (see bottom of the page), “I spent years being homeless, thrown away in Institutions, so wounded from the experience that I could not talk, became self abusive for 25 years, developed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder but I came back, pulled myself up and have not stopped helping God and the people I meet who have asked me for their help…”

After being homeless and self-mutilated on the streets of Los Angeles to becoming a Dominican Sister, Pauline Quinn has worked like a dog for God, literally. In 1981, Sister Quinn started the Prison Dog Program in Washington State, rescuing shelter dogs & bringing them into the prison where inmates trained them to assist the handicapped. Today, Prison Dog Programs are in many states and some think it is one of the most successful rehabilitation programs in the American prison system.

She writes, “As I met people of every class and race as I traveled the world, one central thread seemed to weave them together. It was an echo of misplaced souls searching for meaning in life. Desperate to make sense of their existence, they sought a purpose for their pain and suffering. The hopelessness of prisoners condemned to spend the rest of their life in prison, the sadness of refugees who have not only lost their way but their families as well, the pain of the abused and battered who have nothing to cling to that will bring them hope, are all people who helped me make sense of my life as I learned to serve them. For me, their suffering and my opportunity to help them, became a cornerstone on which to re-build my own shattered life. After years of searching, clinging to only a dream, my life took root, bursting forth like the green buds of spring. I want to share my journey in order to bring hope to the hopeless. I pray that my story can be a small candle, a flicker of light, to help others down their sometimes dark and lonely pathway.”

Sr. Quinn’s story has been made into a TV film as well as a book titled, Life on the Cutting Edge. It is the story of how a young woman from an affluent background was sexually and emotionally abused, struggled through years of pain and self abuse and became a powerful advocate for others with difficult lives. In 2001, actress Ellen Burstyn produced and stared in the made-for-tv movie, Within These Walls which introduced Sr. Pauline Quinn’s prison-dog-program to a worldwide audience. The movie has been recently released on DVD.
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More on the Internet:
http://srpaulina.blogspot.com/ & http://prisondogs.blogspot.com/
http://dominicandogs.blogspot.com/ & http://pathwaystohope.blogspot.com/ &
http://www.picturetrail.com/srpauline
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Thursday, July 17, 2008

New Poll: "But, why? How?"

From the words of Jesus in the Gospels, to St. Francis, St. Vincent de Paul, Dorothy Day and Mother Teresa - 2,000 years of Christian tradition has always pointed to Jesus being one with the person of the outcast, the homeless, the abandoned and crushed. But, why? How? If questioned, could we somehow verbalize this mystery to others?

Today, a new poll is launched and begs your response - "Do you believe that you have a relatively good understanding as to why and how Christ is present in the outcast/homeless and could articulate it to others?"

Take a brief moment and scroll down to the bottom of the page and vote. Thank you for giving your opinions in all the Homeless in America polls!

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Polls Roll

A few polls roll off HIA today, however, before they do here is a summary of what more than 150 votes, all totaled has yielded.

Regarding the question, “Who is ultimately responsible for serving the needs of the homeless in American Cities?” 38 votes were cast leaving the vast majority to believe charity begins at home …

* The Government: Our leaders, agencies, taxes, etc. - 23%
* The Church: Our pastors, deacons, outreaches, missions, etc. - 7%
* Myself: I can volunteer, give alms, get involved, fundraise, etc. - 63%
* No one: It’s a hopeless cause. - 5%


Regarding the question, “How many family members or friends do you know that in your opinion may be 1-2 paychecks away from being homeless if their income suddenly stopped?” nearly 75% of the 55 responses know at least 3 – 6 people who are in jeopardy of being homeless.

* Possibly 1-2 people. -25%
* Possibly 3-4 people. - 40%
* Possibly 5-6 people. - 34%


One of the most thought provoking questions this past year, “Is the term “wretch” only for the poor, homeless & addict? Should Christians take liberty to change lyrics making songs more palatable in our culture of self-esteem? Substitute Amazing Grace, God “saved a wretch like me” for “that saved and set me free?” prompted 58 votes with the vast majority responding, “NO.”

* Yes - 17%
* No - 82%
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Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Overheard on the Streets

Saturday morning, bright and early, when all is usually quiet on city streets, hundreds of people clamored for a good position in line at the AT&T Store and the Apple Store in Pasadena. It was launch day for the newest – latest – greatest “i phone.” Overheard on the streets, one asked those who were first in line, “What time did you get here?” One eager buyer responded, "I’ve been here since 4:30 in the morning. It’s been cold and damp, but worth it!"

Meanwhile, hidden among the throngs of people queuing on the sidewalk, a young homeless man eagerly slept on the cold pavement with a shirt pulled up over his head to block out the light and the commotion. After setting down a bottle of water near his head and whispering a prayer and a "God bless you," the whole scene did give cause to wonder. What if the hundreds of people gathered were told that the authentic Jesus, the Man from Galilee was coming to visit them in a few minutes? There would probably be excitement in the air. His physical coming would probably even supersede buying an “i phone.” Some would hope to touch him and speak with him.

Yet, Jesus appears to us in the distressing disguise of the homeless, the broken, the cast out, the addict and the abandoned. The real Deal was right there at our feet Saturday morning, but He quietly came and went into obscurity just as he did 2,000 years ago. It’s a cause for wonder … What if our thirst for “things” and our hunger for the latest-greatest of everything are crowding out seeing Jesus in our broken mother, cast aside co worker, addicted brother or troubled neighbor. What if the noise of “me” is so great that we can no longer see God? Is it possible that He will come again and we will not recognize Him? What if he should come and go a second and last time, yet not recognizing Him, many are left behind to go it alone for an eternity in their own personal material hell?
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Monday, July 14, 2008

Under the Overpass

The past few week’s journey of endless driving across the U.S. in search of Jesus living in the homeless, yielded another journey; the interior one. It was here while listening to Mike Yankowski’s book, Under the Overpass, that real inspiration came. The book can be had at http://www.amazon.com/ or through the public library in both print and audio CDs. The audio version is read by the author, Mike with friend Sam giving additional narration while providing accurate and sometimes comedic interpretation of street talk, various ethnic accents and his personal observations of a distressful life.

A few years ago, Mike and friend, Sam, twenty somethings, set out to leave behind their comfortable middle class life, their families and friends to voluntarily live a homeless lifestyle. Their first immersion was residing at separate rescue missions in Denver. They were undercover, so their treatment throughout the journey was as if they were homeless.

In the book, you will discover what happens as they leave the “comfort” of rescue mission living and begin to live on the streets, sleeping under bridges and in alleys in foggy San Francisco, frigid Washington DC and the scorching heat of the Phoenix Desert, to mention a few. Their stories of abandonment, panhandling, the disregard of passerbys and an occasional encounter with Christians that have a heart will both trouble and inspire you.

A few years after their odyssey to experience Christ in the poor, Mike is now married and Sam is growing a professional career just out of college. You can discover their journey and make it yours by picking up the book and visiting their web site – http://www.undertheoverpass.com/.

Are you ready ? Their journey will rock you. Mike and Sam’s intense reflection on God's thoughts and feelings toward the downtrodden will change you and you will begin to change the world.
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Friday, July 11, 2008

Mother Teresa - "Jesus in that Distressing Disguise"

"It is very important that right from the beginning, we simply live the Gospel. Live the Gospel in prayer; live the Gospel in words. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t reach the height right away …

"The fullness of our heart comes in our actions: how I treat the leper, how I treat the dying person, how I treat the homeless. Sometimes it is more difficult to work with street people than with the people in our homes for the dying because the dying are peaceful and waiting; they are ready to go to God. You can touch the sick and believe, or you can touch the leper and believe, that is the body of Christ you are touching, but it is more difficult when these people are drunk or shouting to think that this is Jesus in that distressing disguise. How clean and loving our hands must be to be able to bring compassion to them!"

Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta (+1997) won the Nobel Peace Prize and founded the Missionaries of Charity

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Thursday, July 10, 2008

Christ has Hidden Himself from the Wise, the Rich & the Powerful

Jim Forest, in his biography of Dorothy Day, Love is the Measure, writes … “The Christian is called not to answer blow by blow, but rather to respond to violence with kindness. He [Jesus] stressed sacrifice. Don’t use what you don’t need. Practice ‘voluntary poverty.’ Have as little as possible. The coat hanging in your closet on a winter day belongs to someone who is freezing with out it; give it away. Do without. Do it for the love of others, especially the poor, for Christ has hidden himself among the hungry and the thirsty, the naked and homeless, the sick and the imprisoned. Seek to live on the level of love … Those who seek to obtain rewards [in this life] Jesus had taught in the Sermon on the Mount, ‘have their reward already.’
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Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Caught On Videotape

About two weeks ago, it was reported in the news that a group of Cleveland, Ohio teenagers beat a homeless man to death as passers-by slowed to watch the attack, some of which was caught on videotape, police said.

Anthony Waters, 42, suffered a lacerated spleen and broken ribs during the attack and died at a Cleveland hospital, police said. Portions of the attack were caught on a surveillance camera outside a towing company on the city's east side. Police said the videotape shows passing cars slowing to watch three teens attack Waters until he staggered into the parking lot, where he was assisted by employees of the towing company.

"It was just horrifying the way he looked," said Marlo Massey, Waters' sister, who saw her brother's body after the attack. "They beat him to death and I just can't stop thinking what was on his mind while it was happening."

The attackers appeared to be between the ages of 14 to 17, robbed Waters of a music player and headphones, police said.
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Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Dorothy Day, "Love is the Measure!"

Jim Forest, in his compelling book, Love is the Measure, (a biography of Dorothy Day, founder of the 1900s Catholic Worker Movement) writes, “It pained her [Dorothy] to see ‘business like priests’ who seemed more like ‘Cain than Abel.’ who ignored the poor and never said a word about social justice. Yet she was grateful that even they offered her access to the sacraments. She took comfort in knowing that there were other priests who lived poorly and ‘gave their lives daily for others.’ However, often it seemed that Christ was hidden, rather than revealed by the Church. The bishops and the clergy seemed often unaware of the poor, yet the poor were in the Church. Dorothy surmised, ‘If only it was less a Church of charities and more a Church of social justice. I felt charity was a word to choke over. Who wanted charity?’ It seemed all too often that the charities were hardly better than government agencies, heavy with bureaucracy and lacking human touch.”

The Catholic Worker Movement was founded by Dorothy Day (+1980) and Peter Maurin (+1949).
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Monday, July 7, 2008

Upwardly Mobile Now "Downwardly Mobile"

Recently, Associated Press Writer, Christiana Hoag reported that more and more people in Los Angeles are joining the legions of people she calls, “downwardly mobile.” These are individuals who are just four wheels away from complete homelessness.

"I'm not a piece of trash," says Ms. Knoll, a former home health-care aide as she stroked one of five dogs in her cramped quarters parked in the waterfront community of Marina del Rey.

Some people are crowding into other parts of the city, including the seaside community of Venice, where dozens of rusty, dilapidated campers can be seen lined up outside neat single-family homes. In Los Angeles, as in many other cities, it is illegal to live in vehicles on public streets. But the law is not easy to enforce. Police have to enter a vehicle to find signs that people are living there, such as cooking or sleeping, and occupants often refuse to answer when cops knock.

"It's trending toward an increase," said Michael Stoop, acting executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless. "People would rather live in a vehicle than wind up in a shelter, and you can't stay on a friend's couch forever."

"For more working-class and lower-middle-class people, the car is the first stop of being homeless, and sometimes it turns out to be a long stop," said Gary Blasi, a University of California, Los Angeles, law professor and activist on homeless issues.

"We need somewhere we can have a safe haven, where we won't be harassed," Ms. Knoll said as the wind from a passing car rocked her RV. "I never thought I'd be living like this, but I'm stuck. This is it for me."
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Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Homeless In New Mexico



Not long ago, HIA shared the homeless outreach story (see Thursday, June 12, 2008) of Brother Matthias and his founding of the Brothers of the Good Shepherd. This week is a first-hand report on their ministry.

Check out the pictures! Brothers Charles and Gerard among others bring the life of Christ to the inner city homeless. Daily, at 3:15 pm they provide a sit-down hot meal for 100-200 people. Each day, the kitchen also serves breakfast and lunch for 20-30 people who are in a 37 day recovery program. Those in the program have come direct to the house from under bridges and living on streets. They receive clothing, shelter, a bed, counseling services and more. Brother Matthias founded the ministry in the 1950s and it has been operating non-stop since that time. The brothers also serve the poor in other locations such as Toronto, Hamilton and Miami to mention a few.
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