St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church Newsletter — March 2021

March 2021

ST. VINCENT de PAUL

CATHOLIC PARISH

Sponsor Couple Ministry

Helps Engaged Couples Prepare for a Lifetime Together

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What is Almsgiving?

A Month and Year to Honor St. Joseph Outreach Coordinator Doris Mullins and Support Thy Neighbor Sunday Caring for Others in Need as Disciples of Christ Stephen Ministry Offers Care for Those Who Are Suffering

5819 W. Pleasant Ridge Rd. Arlington, TX 76016 (817) 478-8206 www.svdpcc.org

hose of us who are or have been married know that marriage can be a rollercoaster. Joy, heartache, love, and sorrow can all come to us at times when sharing our lives with our spouses. Because marriage is a lifelong commitment, it is important to prepare wisely and with purpose, so that couples can face all of these moments together.

Through the Sponsor Couple Ministry at our parish, each engaged couple preparing for marriage is matched with a married couple.

Jason and Ines Roach lead the ministry.

Jason and Ines Roach enjoy leading the “We have been leading this minSponsor Couple Ministry. istry for about five years,” Jason says.

“It’s a lot of fun. We really enjoy it.”

Couples meet about four to six times in the months leading up to the wedding. First, a meeting with Deacon Bruce Corbett is scheduled to ensure all the requirements are met for a Catholic wedding. Couples then take the Fully Engaged questionnaire, a series of questions based on Catholic teaching that is meant to spur discussion on pertinent marriage topics, like finances, for example. The sponsor couple would talk with the engaged couple on why they answered the questionnaire a certain way.

“Finances are a really big and important topic,” Jason says. “We are there to help them get the conversation going and be sure they follow through.”

Ines and Jason meet with the couple in their homes and typically provide a meal at that last meeting. The meetings are informal. They discuss marriage, work through topics and ensure the couple is ready for the sacrament.

There are currently seven couples who serve in this ministry. Jason and Ines would love to have more.

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ST. VINCENT de PAUL From the Catechism

WHAT IS ALMSGIVING? “Giving alms to the poor is a witness to fraternal charity: it is also a work of justice pleasing to God” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2462).

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uring the seasons of Advent and Lent, it is not uncommon to hear about fasting, prayer and almsgiving.

Most of us are familiar with at least two of the three penitential practices — prayer and fasting. We engage in prayer each day, while fasting becomes a regular part of our Lenten routines.

But what is almsgiving?

It is simply giving to those less fortunate than ourselves. This can be through donations of canned goods to the local food pantry, spare change to the Salvation Army during the Christmas season, or even through personto-person contact with the poor.

This Lent, if your family has not regularly engaged in almsgiving, consider making a change. Search for opportunities to serve the poor and vulnerable, making their lives easier — even if in a small way.

Things to do with your family: •

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Place a coffee can in a prominent place in your home, and commit to filling it with loose change throughout the week. Then, place the money in the alms boxes in church, the money supports our parish outreach for individuals and local charities.

The next time you shop for groceries, buy a few extra canned goods and donate them to the food carts at the entrance of the church or ‘Support Thy Neighbor’ on the third Sunday of the month.

St. Vincent’s supports Catholic Charities, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Arlington Charities, Arlington Life Shelter, CASA, Gabriel Project, Meals on Wheels, Metroplex- Women’s Clinic, Mission Arlington, Open Arms Clinic, Safe Haven, Texans for Life and few other organizations. Consider making a commitment to regularly giving to one of these organizations. You can set up monthly donations through the parish online giving for Catholic Charities, Society of St. Vincent de Paul and our parish alms boxes. We also have monthly envelopes for Catholic Charities and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul to help you with your monthly alsmgiving.

Resolve to never judge those who are less fortunate, and teach your children the same.

A Letter From Our Pastor

A Month and Year to Honor St. Joseph Dear Parishioners,

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ur Lord and Savior Jesus Christ chose to enter the world through the human family. He came as an infant born into the marriage and home of the two holiest human creatures who ever lived — Joseph and Mary. At a time when our world and our Church needs family and faithful disciples now more than ever, could there be a more fitting time to venerate the man who gave his life and his love to the Blessed Mother and the Son of God? Pope Francis has declared 2021 the Year of St. Joseph in honor of the 150th anniversary of the saint’s proclamation as patron of the Universal Church. Our pope said he established the year so that “every member of the faithful, following his example, may strengthen their life of faith daily in the complete fulfillment of God’s will.”

As Christians, we are blessed to have Mary as our spiritual mother and Joseph as our spiritual father. Just as Mary guides us from heaven with loving devotion, St. Joseph also diligently provides for the needs of the family of God, the Holy Catholic Church.

Because of his special role as foster-father of the child Jesus, St. Joseph has merited singular privileges in heaven unmatched by any saint aside from the Blessed Virgin Mary.

To give some modern-day perspective to the significance of this special year, Pope Francis has said the coronavirus pandemic heightened his desire to reflect on St. Joseph, as so many people during the pandemic have made hidden sacrifices to protect others, just as St. Joseph quietly protected and cared for Mary and Jesus.

“Each of us can discover in Joseph — the man who goes unnoticed, a daily, discreet and hidden presence — an intercessor, a support and a guide in times of trouble,” the pope wrote.

At the end of the First Vatican Council in 1870, Pope Pius IX declared St. Joseph the patron of the Universal Church. He is also the patron of carpenters, workers, fathers, and a happy death because he died in the presence of Mary and Jesus. The title of Joseph’s March 19 feast day is “Husband of Mary.” Pope Pius XII later declared May 1 to be the feast of St. Joseph the Worker to counteract the Communist May Day holiday.

As Catholics pray and reflect on the life of St. Joseph this year, they also have opportunities to gain a plenary indulgence or remission of all temporal punishment due to sin. An indulgence can be

applied to oneself or to a soul in purgatory.

An indulgence requires a specific act, defined by the Church, as well as sacramental confession, Eucharistic Communion, prayer for the pope’s intentions, and full detachment from sin.

Special indulgences during the Year of St. Joseph can be received through various prayers and actions, including praying for the unemployed, entrusting one’s daily work to St. Joseph, performing a corporal or spiritual work of mercy, or meditating for at least 30 minutes on the Lord’s Prayer.

As we devote 2021 to St. Joseph’s honor, we will undoubtedly unlock many special graces — not only for our parish, but for each of the faithful who increase their devotion to him during this special year. There is no greater model than St. Joseph from whom we can learn how to live virtuously in imitation of Jesus and Mary.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Philip Brembah Pastor

To read more about Pope Francis’ declaration on the Church granting plenary indulgences for the Year of St. Joseph, visit www.bit.ly/StJoseph2021 Pope Francis’ Prayer to St. Joseph Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

To you God entrusted His only Son; in you Mary placed her trust; with you Christ became man.

Blessed Joseph, to us too, show yourself a father and guide us in the path of life.

Obtain for us grace, mercy, and courage, and defend us from every evil. Amen.

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ST. VINCENT de PAUL

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Outreach Coordinator Doris Mullins Caring for Others in Need

bout seven years ago, when Doris Mullins heard that St. Vincent de Paul was hiring an Outreach Coordinator, she knew without a doubt that the role would be a great match for her background and interests. At the time, Doris had spent over a decade working in community relations and charitable giving with Southwest Airlines. Also, Doris’ roots at St. Vincent de Paul run deep — her family have been parishioners here since 1980. As Outreach Coordinator for our parish, Doris is thankful for the opportunity to blend her faith life with her passion for serving those in need.

“I love being able to have these personal relationships with our community partners,” Doris says. “We’ve made some great friendships and partnerships, and it’s great community teamwork. And I love having the faith community of our parish, as well.”

In her role as Outreach Coordinator, Doris helps our parish partner with many non-profit organizations in the Arlington area to meet the needs of individuals and families in the community. When the person in need is a parishioner, Doris will often work directly with him or her. In other cases, she works to match clients with the local agencies that are best equipped to help. The needs to be addressed can be anything ranging from rent or utility assistance to more unique situations, like a graduating student whose family may not be able to afford the graduation regalia and invitations. Thanks to the generosity of our parishioners, St. Vincent de Paul can successfully serve countless members of our faith family and area residents.

As soon as the pandemic hit last spring, parishioners began contacting Doris and asking her what they could do to continue helping those in need — a phenomenon that, as Doris notes, “speaks volumes” about how charitable our parish is. While many ministries continued operating remotely, restrictions on in-person activities called for a creative new way to serve the community.

To help us continue serving in a more hands on approach, on Sunday, Sept. 27, the feast of St. Vincent de

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Doris Mullins, Outreach Coordinator at St. Vincent de Paul

Paul, we launched our Support Thy Neighbor program which allows our parish to continue providing for the vunerable in the time of COVID-19. Every third Sunday of the month, parishioners can participate in a drivethru drop-off of items to be donated to local non-profit service agencies. Non-perishable food items, baby essentials, and toiletry essentials are collected every month, in addition to a “special” item that reflects each month’s current needs — for example, cold weather essentials in December.

Thanks to the generosity of our parishioners, St. Vincent de Paul is typically able to provide donated items to up to eight different local organizations, including the Salvation Army, the Arlington Life Shelter, Safe Haven, St. Anthony’s Food Pantry, Mission Arlington, and many more.

“It’s really neat just to see the smiling faces — or maybe I should say the twinkles in the eyes with the masks!” says Doris of those who come with donations on Support Thy Neighbor Sunday. “It’s been a safe way to come together in some fellowship and to really connect and give to

and Support Thy Neighbor Sunday as Disciples of Christ others, which is not something foreign to our parishioners at all. They are great, and we’re very blessed.”

As a stewardship parish, all of our ministries work on outreach in various ways, making an impact on countless individuals and families both in our faith family and the broader community. Doris is thankful for the many ways she continues to witness the love of Christ at work throughout our parish of St. Vincent de Paul.

“Having that extension of the Church’s Catholic faith and being there to care for those in need as disciples of Jesus is just ingrained in us,” she says. “The parishioners are the hands and feet of Jesus throughout Arlington — it extends out in all these different ways and all these different groups. It’s a really big blessing and humbling to be a part of the outreach here at St. Vincent de Paul.”

Members of our Men’s Club helping to load and unload donated items at Support Thy Neighbor Sunday

“Having that extension of the Church’s Catholic faith and being there to care for those in need as disciples of Jesus is just ingrained in us. The parishioners are the hands and feet of Jesus throughout Arlington — it extends out in all these different ways and all these different groups. It’s a really big blessing and humbling to be a part of the outreach here at St. Vincent de Paul.” — Doris Mullins

Donations collected for local agencies during a recent Support Thy Neighbor Sunday

Are you interested in helping with Support Thy Neighbor Sunday? Donated items can be brought to the drive-through drop-off at the church every third Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Non-perishable food items, baby essentials and toiletry essentials are always welcome — check our website, Facebook page and weekly bulletins for special items of the month. Many thanks to our Men’s Club for all of their help unloading and loading donations on these Sundays!

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Stephen Ministry OFFERS CARE

ain can visit anyone, in many forms — the death of a loved one, divorce, loss of a job, illness But, thanks to the trained lay ministers of the Stephen Ministry, caring help is available right here at St. Vincent de Paul Parish.

“We offer care in the name of Christ,” says Marilyn Dietrich, referrals coordinator who co-leads the ministry with Maureen Vega. “We are lay ministers who are highly trained. We are not counselors. We provide the opportunity to talk while we listen. We offer a safe place, with a safe person who is not a relative or spouse. The pairings are gender-based. We are trained to listen and we will help you carry your pain.”

Currently, the Stephen Ministry ministers are not meeting their care receivers in person, but instead, are using telephone calls and emails under COVID-19 protocol.

The Stephen Ministry has been in place at St. Vincent since 2005. The non-denominational ministry was founded in 1975 by the Rev. Kenneth C. Haugk, Ph.D., a Lutheran minister in St. Louis. He realized that when he was being overwhelmed by parishioners who needed to talk about their difficulties, laypeople who are trained in understanding could be helpful.

“You don’t have to be from St. Vincent Parish, or Catholic, or a Christian to be helped,” Marilyn says.

The ministry is advertised in our bulletin and includes Marilyn’s phone number. There also are pamphlets available with information about the ministry and its work.

When Marilyn receives a call from someone interested in receiving care, she will learn the circumstances of the care they need. Before COVID-19 restrictions were in place, she would make an appointment to meet with the caller to go into more detail about the ministry’s work. She explains the boundaries for care and the fact that everything is handled in confidence.

“Confidentiality is broken only in dire cases,” she says.

“I ask if they need a Stephen Ministry minister — we have 16 — and I put them in touch so they can begin the caring relationship.”

The caregiver and receiver can meet anywhere, when in-person visits are permitted, usually in a somewhat public location. Some choose to meet at our church, while others meet in certain areas of a library, or parks.

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The St. Vincent de Paul Stephen Ministry members usually meet in person twice a month for peer supervision to discuss their work. However, with COVID-19 restrictions, the group has been meeting on Zoom. Marilyn Dietrich, in the upper right corner, is referrals coordinator for the ministry. The trained members offer caring help through in-depth listening to those experiencing painful circumstances.

“One of our ministry members met with the receiver for a two-hour walk in a park,” Marilyn says. “The place has to be comfortable.”

The most important element of the relationship is that of trust.

“The minister has to develop trust, especially with someone who has lost trust,” Marilyn says. “That fact that you show up is the most important thing at times. I find that you allow the receiver to talk, and you listen and reflect back on what they say. We learn how to elicit what their feelings are, to let them realize that ‘this person understands what I’m feeling.’”

During the course of helping the receiver, God is brought into the conversation.

“I ask, ‘do you mind if we pray, or do you want to ask God for something?’” Marilyn says. “Every person who comes for help, we look at them as a child of God, and we are not to be judgmental. You listen and walk with them through their pain. You pray together, which can be beautiful for people who have never considered bringing God into their pain, or vice versa. We also say that God is the ‘curegiver’ in the relationship and we’re the caregiver.”

FOR THOSE WHO ARE SUFFERING If a receiver is in an apparent deep depression, the ministers are trained to direct the person to the mental help they need. On occasion, a receiver will seek the Stephen Ministry while they are already in the care of a therapist. In these cases, Marilyn has a form letter for the therapist that asks if the receiver can continue to work with the Stephen minister.

“Nine out of 10 times they will agree to it,” Marilyn says.

The impact of the care provided by the Stephen Ministry is deep and meaningful.

“I’ve seen people come in who could hardly talk and one year later they are a different person,” Marilyn says.

“Someone listened and walked them through it. I’ve been told ‘you saved my life.’ The Stephen minister grows and heals, as well. It’s wonderful for your faith life.”

There have been instances when the Stephen minister has been able to turn the receiver’s life around.

“It’s wonderful to see,” Marilyn says. “It’s holy. It’s like you’re watching God perform a miracle in someone’s life.”

The Stephen ministers receive training that runs 50 hours and is held two to three times a year. There also are continuing education sessions. The ministers meet twice a month for peer supervision, with sessions now held virtually.

The ministers meet to discuss the relationships with their “pairings.”

The discussions are all confidential in that there are no names or identification discussed.

“I think of it as a doctor and nurse meeting about a patient, that type of conference,” Marilyn says. “We talk about what has been discussed with the person and this keeps us on track and helps us help the person who has come to us.”

The ministry also offers help to parishioners who have lost a loved one. The ministry sends the bereaved a complimentary copy of Dr. Haugk’s book, Journeying Through Grief. The feedback from this care has been very positive.

If you are interested in becoming a ministry member, or if you are interested in receiving care, please contact Marilyn Dietrich at 817-457-1658.

Holy Week & Easter Schedule Holy Thursday, April 1 Mass at 7 p.m.

Good Friday, April 2 Service at 3 p.m.

Holy Saturday, April 3 Vigil at 8:30 p.m.

Easter Sunday, April 4 Mass at 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.

We will be live-streaming all the Masses except the 9:00 a.m. Mass on Easter morning.

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ST. VINCENT de PAUL 5819 W. Pleasant Ridge Rd. Arlington, TX 76016 (817) 478-8206 www.svdpcc.org

MASSES Saturday Vigil: 5:30 p.m.

Sunday: 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.

Weekdays: (M/T/Th/Fr) 8:45 a.m. in the church

(Wed) 6:00 p.m. in the church

Holy Days: 8:45 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Confessions: Saturday: 4-5 p.m. in the chapel

Sponsor Couple Ministry “This ministry is a lot of fun,” Jason says. “We really enjoy it.”

There are no prerequisites to this Sponsor Couple Ministry — just to be a married couple and practicing Catholics.

“You don’t have to have any special skills,” Jason says.

“You just have to like people and like to talk to people.”

Jason says this ministry is very flexible, as meetings are set at times that work for both couples. Jason and Ines enjoy the fact this ministry can be done as a couple from their own home. With children who are a bit older, they can keep them home with them during the meetings. Jason and Ines try to match up sponsor couples with engaged couples

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who can relate to each other, whether it be an older couple or one in an interfaith marriage.

“This is a very rewarding ministry,” Jason says. “It is rewarding to see a couple go through this process and get married.”

At the first session, Jason and Ines take a photo of the couple. As a gift, they give them a frame with that photo, a space for their wedding photo, and the Marriage prayer: “Lord, help us to remember when we first met, and the strong love that grew between us, to see the good within the other, and find answers to all our problems. Help us to say the kind and loving thing, and make us big enough to ask forgiveness of the other. We put our marriage into Your Hands.”

If you would like to get involved in the Sponsor Couple Ministry, please contact Jason and Ines Roach at marriageprep@svdpcc.org.