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The St. Vincent de Paul MISSION COUNCIL: Providing Essential Help to Those Most in Need
The Corporal Works of Mercy are ways we can help others “as if they were Christ in disguise,” as the United States Council of Catholic Bishops tells us.
In 1998, a devastating hurricane hit Honduras. Shortly after, then-Bishop Joseph Delaney of Fort Worth traveled to Honduras with a group of priests and decided to form a partnership between the Diocese of Fort Worth and some parishes in Olancho, Honduras. In 2001, the Mission Council here at St. Vincent de Paul was formed in response to this relationship. The group worked up until 2014 to support the parishes in Honduras. Needed items were sent in shipping containers each year. Groups also traveled to Honduras to serve the people and renovate the rectory and a retreat center. They built playgrounds and put cement in parishioners’ two-room mud homes, as well.
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Letty Zatarain traveled with groups to Honduras and loved serving those most in need. The trips changed her life.
“We called it being bit by the Honduran bug,” Letty says. “Through the generosity of the people here in the different parishes, all efforts were without a doubt very fruitful. God was so very involved and it was amazing to see and experience it all.”
In 2014, safety concerns in Honduras halted the service efforts. The Mission Council members pressed on to support those in need in other places. There are many places here in the United States and worldwide where people are in great need of even just basic items. The ministry exists to help those people and make a difference.
After the Honduras relationship ended, the Mission Council directed their efforts to fund the purchase and construction of water pumps and cows in Bolivia. There were also several service trips to Bolivia. There have also been significant funds given to Africa. Members of the Mission Council have done service work in Kentucky, New Mexico, and Alaska.
Any mission work travel has been put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Mission Council members look forward to hosting future trips when the threat of the pandemic subsides.
“Through the work, we learned that God’s hand is in mission work and it is our job to serve where needed,” Letty says. “We also learned that our parish members have big hearts.”
The Mission Council members want to meet the poor face-to-face and walk with them. As St. Teresa of Calcutta said, “Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time and always start with the person nearest you.”
“There are needs everywhere,” Letty says. “We highly encourage everyone to find their mission because it changed our lives forever.”
The current members of the St. Vincent de Paul Mission Council are Ross Martinez, Elroy Leger, Letty Zatarain, Shaun William, Mark Crocker, Rita Johnson, Charles Riley, and Victoria Farrar-Myers.
Mission Council members visited Bolivia.
In Honduras are (from left) Ross Martinez, Bishop Maldonado, Fr. Andres and Letty Zatarain.
