By Father Christopher Kubat, Catholic Social Services
Recently, I had the opportunity to visit the western part of our beautiful diocese. I was privileged to have visited, Grant, Imperial, McCook, Wallace and Curtis.
As many of you know, there are two saints named Isidore: St. Isidore of Seville, who was the Archbishop of Seville and died in the year 636; and St. Isidore the farmer, who died in the year 1130. He was married to St. Maria Torribia and was a Spanish farmer who spent his life helping the poor. He is the perfect patron saint for our western rural apostolate.
While in Imperial, I had a chance to talk to Bill Sullivan, manager of our St. Isidore Gift & Thrift Store and Center. He had many great stories to share about helping individuals and families avoid homelessness by using the profits from the store to pay for rent, utilities etc. out west.
To emphasize the power of prayer, he mentioned there was a woman, needing a specific-sized mattress for a bed that she had acquired, who came to St. Isidore’s to shop. After learning we did not have one, Bill confidently told her we would pray that one would be donated. As it has happened numerous times in the past, one came in within the hour. No coincidence, just the power of prayer.
Before leaving the thrift store, I was fortunate enough to receive a dinner invitation from Ray and Vicki Buffington, and was served smoked pork baby back ribs, grilled to perfection on a grill purchased (you guessed it) at St. Isidore’s Gift & Thrift. It was the first meal grilled after the purchase. The picture shown is of our beautiful thrift store and chapel in Imperial.
It’s important to remember that all material donations are either given away to needy clients, or sold and the profits used to help them, including vehicles. It was also while out west, I received a title of a vehicle that was donated to CSS.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our supporters who make helping poor and needy families possible. Please never forget that all of our donors are in our special prayers and Masses offered in our chapels scattered across the diocese.
St. Isidore the Farmer, pray for us!
