Photo Caption: Pat Pelger and Bob Franzwa of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul pray with Detra Sanders of Peoria during a recent home visit.

By: By Tom Dermody

Want to do more than write a check to help the poor in your community? Consider becoming a member of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

Your parish doesn’t have a St. Vincent de Paul group? Consider forming one.

Those invitations were repeatedly shared by Tom Pelger, president of the Peoria Diocese Council of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, during a recent interview with The Catholic Post.

“It’s one thing to read in Matthew’s Gospel, ‘Whatever you did for the least of my brothers, you did for me,’ but it’s another thing to really connect it with your heart. That comes from the experience of responding directly to a person in need,” said Pelger.

Members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul have been growing in holiness through direct service to those in need in the Diocese of Peoria for nearly a century.

Last Sunday, many of the 400 Vincentians active in our diocese gathered at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Peoria for a recommitment Mass with Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, who called them “heroes of our faith.” (See related story here.)

The Society is experiencing new growth. The need is growing faster.

“We really want to see the Society grow in its presence,” said Pelger, a member of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Peoria. While 21 parishes are currently part of Vincentian conferences, that’s “a relatively light footprint” considering there are more than 160 parishes in the diocese, he said.

“There are areas of poverty with no presence,” said Pelger, expressing the Society’s desire to establish conferences especially in the LaSalle, Streator, and Ottawa regions. (A list of parish conferences appears below.)

In the last fiscal year, Vincentian conferences extended more than $1 million in direct and in-kind aid locally — up 30 percent from the previous year. With continuing unemployment and cutbacks in federal and state aid to the poor, a 50-percent increase in demand is being experienced this year.

The eight food pantries the Society operates within the diocese see more than 14,000 visits annually.

CATHOLIC CHARITIES A PARTNER
Locally, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is forging new collaborations with Catholic Charities, which has undergone a dramatic reduction in services since ending all state-funded programs and relying solely on donations.

“We have 400 volunteers. Catholic Charities is starting from scratch with six people. It’s natural we find ways to collaborate,” said Pelger.

The Vincentians are a referral group for Catholic Charities’ newly opened baby pantry and furniture bank in West Peoria. Meanwhile, Catholic Charities’ employee Suzie Meismer is now the central person fielding “Help Line” calls for St. Vincent de Paul assistance in the Peoria area.

All funds to assist the poor come from parish donations. Pelger said that when a parish has a Society of St. Vincent de Paul conference, the level of giving increases significantly.

“The faithful are very generous,” he said. “When they’re presented with a need, they respond.”

Members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul are trained to respond through home visits. A team of one male and one female member conduct the visits and assess the needs.

“We take the time to visit the poor in their homes, at their convenience, to help them solve their problem,” whether it be overdue rent, an unpaid utility bill, or need for food, said Pelger, who was elected to lead the diocesan council in October of 2011 .

“If you’re a single parent working a minimum wage job, it doesn’t take much of a disruption before somebody gets behind,” he said. “Many of those we visit are doing their best to have a successful life, but are living in very difficult conditions.”

Before the Vincentians conclude their visits, they ask to pray with each individual. “We ask for the grace and the blessing to find the right way forward,” said Pelger.

The contact with those in need, coupled with regular meetings including guided spiritual direction, also help Vincentians on the right way forward toward holiness.

“It’s a great way for Catholics to practically apply their faith,” said Pelger. “It’s wonderful when people write us checks, but to directly experience the good of helping another human being, that’s where most of our Vincentians find spiritual growth as well.”

Last Sunday, Pelger announced new training that will help Vincentians better understand poverty so they can address its root causes. He urged members to “really listen to those we help” and ask “deeper questions” to help them move from surviving to thriving.

To learn more about assisting the mission of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, contact an affiliated parish or reach Pelger by phone at (309) 339-9022, or by email at tppelger@comcast.net.