I recently returned from preaching a parish mission at St. Peter’s, the cathedral parish in Rockford, Ill., at the invitation of their rector, Rev. Carl Beekman. We were both seminarians at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md. in the 90s.
As St. James famously explained in chapter two of his famous epistle - faith alone is dead and cannot save. In other words, saving faith must be conjoined with charity. This was the focus of this Lenten parish mission.
After explaining this concept, I related a story that happened last winter: a wonderful Catholic woman who is a wife and mother came across an accident. Feeling compelled and inspired, she stopped to see if she could render assistance. She was first on the scene, even before the police.
She came across a young mother with several small children whose car had been ‘rear-ended.’ They were outside, waiting in the cold for the arrival of emergency personnel. Fortunately, no one was injured, but their car was totaled.
“Do you mind if your children wait in my car?” the woman asked the young mother, since it was cold. In a very grateful tone, the mother replied, “Sure!”
While warming up, she asked the children, “Where do you live?” “In a motel” answered one of them.
“Where do your mommy and daddy work?” As it turns, they both work at fast food restaurants, earning minimum wage. The small family ran into misfortune, lost their apartment, and was barely making ends meet. They were spending nearly everything on the motel. They did not want to go to the mission.
Soon thereafter, the woman who stopped at the accident came into our office and told me everything. She could only remember their last name and a few other details. Imitating the detective Dick Tracy, I figured out who the grandmother was. My introduction on the phone with her was met with instant tears.
The very next day we gave the couple a donated car, and a promise of a security deposit, first month’s rent and the items needed to make their future new apartment a home, including clothing, furniture and appliances since they have little more than the clothes on their backs. The father wept as he hugged Curt Krueger and me prior to driving off.
I am sure that cold winter day the woman who stopped had other things to do and was tempted to drive on. Being selfless, she stopped.
I am sure the individuals who donate furniture, appliances, clothes and kitchen items to us are tempted to have garage sales, but being selfless, donate them to Catholic Social Services instead.
I am sure those who donate money to us, according to their means, are tempted to spend the said money on themselves or their loved ones or to save it for a ‘rainy day,’ but because they are selfless, they donate it to CSS allowing us to help in the manner described above. All of these donors exhibit faith that is alive.
I would like to thank our benefactors who help us spiritually, materially and financially making it possible to help families in need like the one mentioned above. Please know that we at Catholic Social Services will keep all of you and your families in our prayers!
