Recently while walking through our lobby, I greeted a man who seemed a little older than I. He seemed pleasant but quite concerned and worried. It turns out he was facing a three day eviction notice from his landlord. Seeing my clerical garb, he asked, “Would you please pray for me?” He then explained his plight. He informed me he had recently lost his housing voucher and was trying to adjust his finances in order to remain in his apartment. He was behind in his rent. He said he had nowhere else to turn.
I invited him to join me in our beautiful St. Joseph Chapel where we have the Blessed Sacrament reserved. As I knelt down I noticed him trying to do the same but was only able to go down on one knee because of a physical abnormality. I thanked God for all He has done for us and asked him to help His adopted son who was in need of assistance.
After our prayers he showed me a check written by one of the local Protestant congregations in town made out to his landlord for one third of the rent. The check was so recent, the “ink was wet.” After meeting with our social services case worker, and her assessment, he found out we were able to help with the rest of the rent. He left our office grateful for the help and the prayers said to Jesus in our chapel. He was heard repeating over and over in a loud voice, “Praised be Jesus! Praised be Jesus!”
This was not the first time I have been stopped in our lobby for the purpose of praying with a client and it will not be the last. We are grateful we have chapels in each of our four fixed sites. I cannot tell you how many times I walk past our chapel and make visits to the Lord during the day only to find someone off the streets talking to the Lord, some of whom are crying. It is in these same chapels we not only pray for our clients but for all of our donors too, for without you, we would not be able to help the countless individuals and families that come to us on a daily basis.
I am elated to relate that minutes before typing these words, Ray and Carolyn Mazour from Blue Hill stopped by our main office with a gift from Holy Trinity parish in Blue Hill - an extra tabernacle that was in storage. I would like to thank their pastor, Father James Schrader, and the parishioners of Holy Trinity. It is in great shape and will come in handy for an upcoming expansion project.
I would like to thank Ray and Carolyn for taking time to deliver this most precious gift. It is similar to the tabernacles in our St. Francis Chapel in Auburn, St. Isidore the Farmer Chapel in Imperial and Bishop James Conley’s chapel in his home.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us!
