One of our biggest challenges at Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska is helping individuals and families avoid homelessness, and those who are homeless find housing. Even though the number of those in need exceed our resources, we help as many individuals and families as possible each and every year. Last year, with your help we assisted more than 40,000 people, young and old, a number of different ways. We have come a long way, with the grace of God, in the almost 90 years of our existence.
One of the strengths of Catholic Social Services is something that is easy for people across the diocese to overlook – that we are diocesan-wide. We assist individuals and families all across the 24,000 square miles that is the Diocese of Lincoln. Not only do we help individuals and families in the southeast, east, central and western sectors of the diocese, each center works together in a coordinated fashion when necessary for we are one, which is what the term ‘catholic’ means.
Recently, we received a call from a medium-sized city out west, about a pregnant woman, a few days away from her due date, who became homeless with nowhere to go. Since St. Gianna Women’s Homes were full, we brainstormed and placed her in a program we have for homeless women with children. This meant moving her to another city in the diocese where this program is active.
After arriving we helped her move into a two-bedroom home, furnished it with a bed, crib, sofa, end table, items for the kitchen and other essentials. We are now praying someone donates a reliable car for her.
After moving in, we heard that the client who moved out complained of demons that were a bother while living there. Not taking any chances, I went to the home with one of our case workers and blessed the house with holy water and included a prayer of exorcism. She was most appreciative because she is a Catholic. After blessing her I found a beautiful image of Mary in one of our four thrift stores for her, and will get a crucifix to give her.
Since she is in one of our programs, we have time to help her with counseling, and budgeting and parenting classes. Since she is no longer homeless, she can now call her house ‘home sweet home!’
We are most grateful to Almighty God for His graces and the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and her most chaste spouse St. Joseph along with our many patron saints. We are also thankful for our many donors who help us spiritually with their prayers and penances, materially with items around their homes and farms (including vehicles not needed), and financially with cash donations, according to their means so we can respond when we get calls like the one mentioned above.
Please know that we at Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska remember you and all of our benefactors in our daily prayers, penances and Masses. Please keep the lady and her child mentioned above in your prayers along with our other countless clients who come to us on a daily basis in crisis.
