St. Vincent dePaul Society aid to illegals

[fisheaters]

I volunteer for my parish’s StVdP society. As a Vincentian, our purpose is to witness God’s love by embracing all works of charity and justice. We collaborate with other people of good will in relieving need and addressing its causes, making no distinction in those served, because in them we see the face of Christ.

Basically, we go out each week to give monetary aid (usually for rent or electricity) to those in need in our community. The money mostly comes from black bag collections and private donations. The majority of our clients are Hispanics living in run-down apartments just trying to make ends meet. I would guess that at least 50% are probably illegals and don’t speak English very well if at all.

My question is should we be giving financial aid to people who are living here in the U.S. illegally? Most of these people are hard working, decent folks who are very appreciative of our help. However, is the aid we are giving just allowing these people to continue to break the law?

 

[juliamajor]

I volunteer for my parish’s StVdP society. As a Vincentian, our purpose is to witness God’s love by embracing all works of charity and justice. We collaborate with other people of good will in relieving need and addressing its causes, making no distinction in those served, because in them we see the face of Christ.

Basically, we go out each week to give monetary aid (usually for rent or electricity) to those in need in our community. The money mostly comes from black bag collections and private donations. The majority of our clients are Hispanics living in run-down apartments just trying to make ends meet. I would guess that at least 50% are probably illegals and don’t speak English very well if at all.

My question is should we be giving financial aid to people who are living here in the U.S. illegally? Most of these people are hard working, decent folks who are very appreciative of our help. However, is the aid we are giving just allowing these people to continue to break the law?

If you go By what I believe the Gospel says and the Church has stated I would say that the law itself is immoral -I don’t have to obey an immoral law. There are many times civil law and Godly (or ethical moral law) come into conflict. Throughout OT &NT God shows a preferential treatment for the poor and the stranger- i prefer to obey God rather then men- especially this administration that is so corrupt as to defy imagination

 

[puzzleannie]

I volunteer for my parish’s StVdP society. As a Vincentian, our purpose is to witness God’s love by embracing all works of charity and justice. We collaborate with other people of good will in relieving need and addressing its causes, making no distinction in those served, because in them we see the face of Christ.

My question is should we be giving financial aid to people who are living here in the U.S. illegally? Most of these people are hard working, decent folks who are very appreciative of our help. However, is the aid we are giving just allowing these people to continue to break the law?

there is nothing in the law that requires anyone giving charity and assitance to others in a formal or informal way to ask for their birth certificate or green card. If you are not a member of the border patrol, it is not your business, your business is to distribute assistance to all those inside your parish boundaries who need it.

 

[verdigirl]

I would say that generally speaking, you’re ok. My personal position is that our immigration laws are unjust, so you’re just being charitable and compassionate. We’re going back and forth on a similar topic here.

I hope your group has some sort of guidelines as to whom receives the help and how many times. An unfortunate consequence of the situation is that sometimes people who feel desperate make desperate choices. You may find that some will take advantage of the situation.

I was once the business manager of a parish in a largely-Hispanic neighborhood, and I had to institute policies to stretch the emergency fund dollars. I found out quickly that there are people who would take advantage because of alcohol or drug addiction or who simply were just lazy. I am Hispanic as well. These were difficult situations to deal with sometimes.

However, I will paste in a comment from the forum referenced above, regarding the Bishops’ take on the situation:

The Church believes that current immigration laws and policies have often led to the undermining of immigrants’ human dignity and have kept families apart. The existing immigration system has resulted in a growing number of persons in this country in an unauthorized capacity, living in the shadows as they toil in jobs that would otherwise go unfilled. Close family members of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents must wait years for a visa to be reunited. And, our nation’s border enforcement strategies have been ineffective and have led to the death of thousands of migrants.

Therefore, whatever help you and your ministry can offer, so much the better.

My prayer is for the success of your ministry!

 

[catharina]

there is nothing in the law that requires anyone giving charity and assitance to others in a formal or informal way to ask for their birth certificate or green card. If you are not a member of the border patrol, it is not your business, your business is to distribute assistance to all those inside your parish boundaries who need it.

I agree completely. We in the SVdP Society are involved in feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, etc., always witnessing God’s love for all without respect to documentation. Many conferences insure that “moneys” are spent as given - by giving vouchers for foods in large local supermarkets, or for furniture/clothing/housewares available in SVdP stores.

 

[fisheaters]

there is nothing in the law that requires anyone giving charity and assitance to others in a formal or informal way to ask for their birth certificate or green card. If you are not a member of the border patrol, it is not your business, your business is to distribute assistance to all those inside your parish boundaries who need it.

Yes, you are correct this is how we as Vincentians are to look at the situation. However, is it morally responsible to give financial aid to people that allows then to continue breaking the law? Also, how fair is this to others that are trying to immigrate here legally? What if our assistance is encouraging other members or friends of the family to come here illegally? Help me to understand why we should just turn a blind eye and say its not our business.

 

[puzzleannie]

Yes, you are correct this is how we as Vincentians are to look at the situation. However, is it morally responsible to give financial aid to people that allows then to continue breaking the law? Also, how fair is this to others that are trying to immigrate here legally? What if our assistance is encouraging other members or friends of the family to come here illegally? Help me to understand why we should just turn a blind eye and say its not our business.

if you are going to be strict about this policy you will be obligated to investigate the life of each and every recipient of your aid to make sure they are not breaking some kind of law, for that you will need a private eye or security agency, background checks etc, which will eat up all your funds. personally I donate to SVdP so the money goes to those who need it, not to such useless adminstrative overhead.

 

[catharina]

if you are going to be strict about this policy you will be obligated to investigate the life of each and every recipient of your aid to make sure they are not breaking some kind of law, for that you will need a private eye or security agency, background checks etc, which will eat up all your funds. personally I donate to SVdP so the money goes to those who need it, not to such useless adminstrative overhead.

Then as a donor you’ll be pleased to know that such investigative action would be disallowed by local conferences and right through the international governance. Such investigations are not our province. Feeding the hungry (In imitation of Christ Who also fed the hungry) is not supported by questions such as “why are you hungry?” and “where is your place of birth?”

 

[SeekerJen]

I volunteer for my parish’s StVdP society. As a Vincentian, our purpose is to witness God’s love by embracing all works of charity and justice. We collaborate with other people of good will in relieving need and addressing its causes, making no distinction in those served, because in them we see the face of Christ.

Basically, we go out each week to give monetary aid (usually for rent or electricity) to those in need in our community. The money mostly comes from black bag collections and private donations. The majority of our clients are Hispanics living in run-down apartments just trying to make ends meet. I would guess that at least 50% are probably illegals and don’t speak English very well if at all.

My question is should we be giving financial aid to people who are living here in the U.S. illegally? Most of these people are hard working, decent folks who are very appreciative of our help. However, is the aid we are giving just allowing these people to continue to break the law?

How do you know that they are illegals? Because they’re Hispanic and have lousy English skills? I would ask you not to assume the worst simply based on the fact that someone is poor and does not speak the Queen’s English.

Like Annie said, if you start worrying about who is or is not here legally, then you have to worry about which of your clients needs your help with food because all the money went to drugs, or whether another client is turning tricks to keep the lights on for her kids, etc. It is not our business to ask. It is our vocation to go into their homes, ask them how we can best help them, listen to what they tell us, and then help them without judging, always, always with prayer. This is what Vincentians do. We are not a government agency.

 

[fisheaters]

How do you know that they are illegals? Because they’re Hispanic and have lousy English skills? I would ask you not to assume the worst simply based on the fact that someone is poor and does not speak the Queen’s English.

Like Annie said, if you start worrying about who is or is not here legally, then you have to worry about which of your clients needs your help with food because all the money went to drugs, or whether another client is turning tricks to keep the lights on for her kids, etc. It is not our business to ask. It is our vocation to go into their homes, ask them how we can best help them, listen to what they tell us, and then help them without judging, always, always with prayer. This is what Vincentians do. We are not a government agency.

Yes, I understand this what Vincentians do. My question was if this is the right and morally responsible thing to do.

 

[catharina]

As a Vincentian, you know that Frederic Ozanam has been declared Blessed. Since the primary work of his life was the founding of the SVdP Society, I think it’s reasonable to say that the Church supports the work of Vincentians.

 

[Jack_Fisher]

…

I was once the business manager of a parish in a largely-Hispanic neighborhood, and I had to institute policies to stretch the emergency fund dollars. I found out quickly that there are people who would take advantage because of alcohol or drug addiction or who simply were just lazy. …!

I spent a year with Catholic Worker, which operated a mobile soup kitchen mornings on an empty lot in Las Vegas1/. I figured that a few of the men we served were not homeless, that quite a few were alcoholics or addicts, or not within our targeted demographic. but everyone was fed without question, and if someone wasn’t deserving, it he’d wouldn’t be me he have to answer to in the end.

1. if anyone runs a drive for the homeless, you’ll want to take up a collection of clean plastic water bottles – something you’d throw away without thinking about. you’d be surprised how valuable they are.

 

[mommyof4]

My question is should we be giving financial aid to people who are living here in the U.S. illegally? Most of these people are hard working, decent folks who are very appreciative of our help. However, is the aid we are giving just allowing these people to continue to break the law?

First of all, how do you KNOW that these people are here illegally? You are not an arm of the law, you have no way of knowing for sure one way or another.

Secondly, even if they are here illegally, we have a duty to clothe the naked, feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, etc. Jesus didn’t say “only do this to people who are in your county legally…” or whatever.

 

[chicago]

If a person is in need at a particular moment, the requirement is to address that need. We can always look to the larger and underlying problems which might be contributing to their ongoing need and try to get at this somehow, also. But what would the option be to helping their present situation? Allowing them to go hungry, lose work, get deeper into debt and impoverishment? Tell them “Go back to your old country!”? I don’t believe that there is anything immoral about assisting those before you, therefore. Indeed, it is an act of justice and charity. The larger question of immigration law is something which just shouldn’t enter the picture at this level.

 

[Jack_Fisher]

If a person is in need at a particular moment, the requirement is to address that need. …

I can’t see why the OP would find it necessary to speculate on the immigration status of those served by frontline charities, or what purpose that speculation would serve.

on the other hand, I have found that people will look for any reason not to exercise charity, as in “they’re lazy”, or “they’re illegal”, or “they’re professional panhandlers”. perhaps they are. but, as I’ve maintained, the given fact that some abuse charity is not an excuse not to do charity, nor am I the person to whom such abusers will ultimately answer.

 

[Leopard]

…I would ask you not to assume the worst simply based on the fact that someone is poor and does not speak the Queen’s English…

For what it’s worth, the Queen has lousy English skills too. She can’t seem to pronounce the letter “h” and inserts unnecessary letters into words like “color” and “aluminum”. But I wouldn’t let that stop me either if she were to show up at our SVDP chapter in need of assistance.

 

[catharina]

If it matters to anyone (and maybe it does) our SVdP conference enacts referrals to social service agencies for anyone dealing with chronic poverty. Because the decision has been made that rental assistance can be granted only once to any petitioner, it seems imperative that we enable clients to find ongoing help.

 

[catharina]

Thursday Sept 27th was Vincent de Paul’s feast day.
Hope nobody missed it.
Following quote is from the Franciscan site, americancatholic.org
…

"September 27, 2007

St. Vincent de Paul (1580?-1660)

The deathbed confession of a dying servant opened Vincent’s eyes to the crying spiritual needs of the peasantry of France. This seems to have been a crucial moment in the life of the man from a small farm in Gascony, France, who had become a priest with little more ambition than to have a comfortable life.

It was the Countess de Gondi (whose servant he had helped) who persuaded her husband to endow and support a group of able and zealous missionaries who would work among the poor, the vassals and tenants and the country people in general. Vincent was too humble to accept leadership at first, but after working for some time in Paris among imprisoned galley-slaves, he returned to be the leader of what is now known as the Congregation of the Mission, or the Vincentians. These priests, with vows of poverty, chastity, obedience and stability, were to devote themselves entirely to the people in smaller towns and villages.

Later Vincent established confraternities of charity for the spiritual and physical relief of the poor and sick of each parish. From these, with the help of St. Louise de Marillac, came the Daughters of Charity, “whose convent is the sickroom, whose chapel is the parish church, whose cloister is the streets of the city.” He organized the rich women of Paris to collect funds for his missionary projects, founded several hospitals, collected relief funds for the victims of war and ransomed over 1,200 galley slaves from North Africa. He was zealous in conducting retreats for clergy at a time when there was great laxity, abuse and ignorance among them. He was a pioneer in clerical training and was instrumental in establishing seminaries.

Most remarkably, Vincent was by temperament a very irascible person—even his friends admitted it. He said that except for the grace of God he would have been “hard and repulsive, rough and cross.” But he became a tender and affectionate man, very sensitive to the needs of others.

Pope Leo XIII made him the patron of all charitable societies. Outstanding among these, of course, is the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, founded in 1833 by his admirer Blessed Frederic Ozanam.

Comment:

The Church is for all God’s children, rich and poor, peasants and scholars, the sophisticated and the simple. But obviously the greatest concern of the Church must be for those who need the most help—those made helpless by sickness, poverty, ignorance or cruelty. Vincent de Paul is a particularly appropriate patron for all Christians today, when hunger has become starvation, and the high living of the rich stands in more and more glaring contrast to the physical and moral degradation in which many of God’s children are forced to live.

Quote:
“Strive to live content in the midst of those things that cause your discontent. Free your mind from all that troubles you, God will take care of things. You will be unable to make haste in this [choice] without, so to speak, grieving the heart of God, because he sees that you do not honor him sufficiently with holy trust. Trust in him, I beg you, and you will have the fulfillment of what your heart desires” (St. Vincent de Paul, Letters)."