Author: Teresa Stack

Dear Vincentians and Friends, Your gift to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Chicago has been instrumental in helping our Friends in Need who are struggling to stay out of poverty and to the migrants, that we can provide them with the basic necessities to survive during this time of uncertainty for many of them. No matter what your reason for giving to the Society, we want you to know that we appreciate it and are humbled that you considered our organization on #GivingTuesday! We do not take it for granted that our work would not be possible without supporters like you. Your giving spirit empowers us to impact the lives of our Friends in Need throughout Cook and Lake Counties. Your donations have helped us to provide clothing, basic necessities, furniture, mattresses, rental and utility assistance, funeral assistance and so much more this past year to those struggling to stay out of poverty and will continue to help us in 2024 and years to come. Once again, we are sincerely grateful for your continued support of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. God Bless, Harry Ohde – Volunteer CEO/President, Society of St. Vincent de Paul Chicago ADC

Catch up on the latest news from the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Chicago by clicking on the link below:

November 2023 SVdP E-Newsletter

Our Ebay store is full of unique finds, vintage items, and more! Shop Black Friday Sale Nov. 24th – Nov. 26th and save 25% off all store items. Cyber Monday Sale starts Nov. 27th and ends Nov. 28th. Save 35% for Cyber Monday! Take 50% off 1 item through Nov. 28th with code HALFOFF1ITEM

Discover the perfect new-to-you find this Thanksgiving holiday weekend! Sales start Black Friday and run all weekend long at SVDP Libertyville and Orland Park Thrift Stores.

A big Thank You to Sarah at Vintage + Thrifted Home for recently stopping by our Libertyville Thrift Store! It was wonderful to have you stop by and showcase all the great items our store has to offer. We are also very grateful to have your help in spreading word of our mission to help our neighbors in need through the good works of our stores and employees!

Check out the review on Instagram and give Sarah a follow! SVdP Libertyville and Orland Park Thrift Stores are open 7 days a week, stop in and discover something today! Donations are also accepted 7 days a week at both locations. Feel good about giving, knowing that your support makes a difference!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sarah | Vintage + Thrifted Home (@herstoryretold)

Dear Vincentians & Friends,

We are the Co-Chairs for the upcoming SVdP “Sunday Fun Day” outing at Windy City Thunderbolts, Ozinga Field, 14011 S. Kenton Avenue, Crestwood, Illinois 60418. 

Advance game tickets are $10.00 per person. Tickets the day of the game can also be purchased at the SVdP “Will Call” Table at the Tailgate Party for $12.00 per person. 

For those interested, there will be a Tailgate Party with food, beverages and beer for $15.00 per person (children 14 and under $10.00). Join in the fun of a friendly corn-hole bags game, chow down while enjoying a cool beverage, and visit with fellow Vincentians before the game. Also, there will be a 50/50 cash raffle benefiting the SVdP National Friends of the Poor Campaign. 

Those planning on attending the Tailgate Party must complete and submit the attached form so that we are able to plan accordingly, especially for ordering the food.

Pick up your game tickets at the SVdP “Will Call” Table at the Tailgate Party.

We would love to have a little fun competition between the Districts and/or Conferences as to who will have the biggest attendance!

Please email us if you have any questions. 

Jim (jjferg@sbcglobal.net) and Jackie (jackie@svdpchicago.org)

CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR TICKETS TODAY!

Blessed Frederic Ozanam

My brothers, what good is it to profess faith without practicing it? Such faith has no power to save one, has it? If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and no food for the day, and you say to them, “Good-bye and good luck! Keep warm and well fed,” but do not meet their bodily needs, what good is that? So it is with faith that does nothing in practice. It is thoroughly lifeless.

You must perceive that a person is justified by his works and not by faith alone. Be assured, then, that faith without works is as dead as a body without breath.

(James 2:14-17,24,26)

The Life of Frederic Ozanam

Although a patriotic Frenchman, Frederic Ozanam was born on April 23, 1813 in Milan, Italy. His parents were Jean-Antoine and Marie Nantas Ozanam. He was the fifth of fourteen children. He was raised in Lyons, France where his father served as a doctor.

“From his earliest years Frederic was brought into close contact with human misery and suffering, and a realization of the claims of Christian Charity. In one biography of Ozanam, it is recorded that in later years he thanked God that he had been born into a middle class family, neither rich nor poor, so that he was spared the moral dangers that lie both in the luxury of wealth and in the discouragement of poverty.” (FOS,p.3)

He was always an exceptional student. This was reflected throughout his time in various schools and afterward in his career as a university professor. He suffered through some very disturbing religious doubts in his sixteenth year. Strong guidance brought him through it. In fact, during his university studies in Paris, he and his fellow Catholic students became a strong voice for Catholicism in an increasingly non-Catholic society.

These students chose Joseph Emmanual Bailly as their mentor, their guide to their intellectual discussions, their mature advisor in other matters. Bailly provided them with a location and support for their historical debate society. He was selected to be the first president of the conference of charity formed in 1833. And, it was under his influence that St. Vincent de Paul was later chosen as the patron saint for their works of charity. 

Frederic and his friends were challenged during a debate in the spring of 1833. “We agree that at one time your Church was a great Church and was a source of great good…What is your Church doing now? What is she doing for the poor of Paris? Show us your works and we will believe you.” It was as if the letter of James was open before him: “faith without works is as dead as a body without breath.” Some weeks later, under the guidance of Monsieur Bailly, Frederic, Francois Tallier, Paul Lamanche, Felix Clave, Augusta La Tallandier, and Jules De Vaux formed the Conference of Charity (later to be known as the Society of St. Vincent de Paul).

Frederic spent most of his life lecturing at Universities and establishing conferences of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Wherever he traveled, he would either work to found a new conference or be sure to visit an existing one. The Society which he founded to benefit his beloved Church, to serve his loving God, was ever dear to him.

Frederic was a family man. He married late in life and had one child, a daughter. He was very devoted to his wife and child, he would never let other matters draw him away for long. “He retained the youthful amour of his marriage, observing each month the wedding anniversary with a thoughtfully-chosen remembrance. In a busy world and life, he found time for his only daughter, regaling her at his knees with tales and imagery of the past he knew so well.” (AMM:9,p.248)

From early childhood, his health had been a burden to him. He had always been sickly. A few months after his 40th birthday he died in Marseilles. On September 8, 1853, he died peacefully in the presence of his family, while members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul prayed for him.

On January 12, 1954, Pope Pius XII signed the decree of introduction for the beatification of Frederic Ozanam. On August 22, 1997, Pope St. John Paul II presided over his beatification. His official title is now “Blessed Frederic Ozanam” and his feast day is September 9.

(The above excerpt was taken from Mike Syslo’s Book, Vincentian Spirituality)

May 14 is Mother’s Day …. A yearly celebration where we celebrate that special woman in our lives who has loved us unconditionally

SVdP Chicago is excited to offer once again our Mother’s Day card for that special woman in your life. Someone’s mother could be an Aunt, Grandmother, Friend, etc. Whoever this special person is, let her know that you’re thinking of her this Mother’s Day and appreciate everything she has done for you with this unique, one-of-a-kind card.

Proceeds from the sale of these cards will go towards providing clothing, food and other necessities to help our friends in need.

We will hand address and sign the card/s from YOU! This is a 5×7 double sided full color professionally printed card (see above) that we will mail on your behalf. The cards are $10 each.

If you prefer, cards are available at both our Orland Park Thrift Store at 7010 W 159th Street in Orland Park and Libertyville Thrift Store at 168 Peterson Road.

Let’s work together to to eliminate homelessness in Chicago and Cook and Lake Counties in Illinois in 2023.

Thank you in advance for your kindness and support.

Christ Our Light Catholic Church (formerly St. Florian) Helps Feed Their Neighbors In Need in the Hegewisch Community

Approximately 90 families per month in the Hegewisch Community visit Christ Our Light Catholic Church in need of food assistance for their families. Christ Our Light Catholic Church is a combination of St. Columba, Mother of God and St. Florian with St. Florian the only parish to have a SVdP Conference. Joan Gibbons, SVdP Conference President, has been a part of the food pantry for around 10-15 years. Kathy has been volunteering for 25 years. Besides Joan, Kathy is the next longest volunteer with the food pantry. With Joan’s group of 15-20 volunteers (all seniors) they have their food pantry set-up and distribution down to a science. The food pantry has been in operation since 1992 and in November 2022 they celebrated their 30^th Anniversary!

When the pantry first opened, they started with 5 ladies serving 12 families. In the late 90s/early 2000s they were serving as many as 200 families. Joan felt it was because many of the steel mills and industry closing. When their Friends in Need stop in, they are given a number, they register, a table with literature is set up. Then they begin getting their items in the gym, into the hallway, into a back room where there are several freezers/refrigerators. They receive enough meat for at least a week (or more). They also have tables filled with baked goods that are donated from Food Rescue, who partners with the Greater Chicago Food Depository. Food Rescue sends trucks to Walmart, Target, Jewel, etc., and brings surplus baked goods. The majority of their donations come from the Greater Food Depository, Food Rescue, the donation drive held by the post office, Scouts, and they always accept donations from their neighbors.

With Easter around the corner, they plan on distributing a ham/turkey for the larger families and chicken for the smaller families or individuals.

The Christ Our Light Catholic Church delivers to six shut-ins who are either handicapped or have no means of transportation. These deliveries are made before the pantry opens.

Henry and Ken have been volunteering with the food pantry for several years. Henry began when his brother-in-law, Bob, who lived nearby, talked him into helping out. Henry’s brother-in-law has since passed, but he still makes the commute from New Lenox. As much as he says every November it’s time to stop and take it easy, he’s still year a couple of years later.

Ken has been with the pantry for several years now. As his parents were getting older, Ken and his siblings took care of them. He used to help at a Soup Kitchen in Hammond years ago so he is all too familiar with volunteering and helping others. He said that is what he enjoys the most is helping others. He started helping out at St. Florian when an ad in the paper caught his eye that they needed volunteers. Here he is now, seven years later.

On Wednesday, March 22, the SVdP every St. Florian Pantry Volunteer received a Certificate of Appreciation from the Office of the Governor Illinois Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service. Each volunteer received a certificate for their countless hours of dedication and service to their community.

Needless to say, SVdP Chicago-ADC is very proud of all the hard work and effort that goes into the Christ Our Light Catholic Church food pantry. God bless you for all you have done and continue to do for our Friends in Need.

Congratulations Elvia Rojas, Office Administrator, for SVdP Chicago ADC. Elvia has a long history and has been very dedicated to charitable, non-profit organizations.

Elvia began working with charitable, non-profit organizations in 1985 when she started with Catholic Charities. Then in 1990 she began her career with St. Vincent de Paul Chicago ADC, and today we celebrate her dedication and devotion to SVdP ADC for 33 years!

Elvia, congratulations and THANK YOU for all your hard work you have done for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Chicago ADC. You are sincerely appreciated!