September is SVP Awareness Month. You can join the SVP in raising awareness about what we do so that we can reach out to more people in need. This year the theme is ‘Befriending’ to illustrate the core work of the members and to highlight the fact that the unique nature of the SVP rests in its commitment to personal contact with those in need.

You can find out more about the SVP here.
A further discussion about the SVP in Newquay is on our music blog here.

Here is the text of Helen’s talk:

I am Helen Connolly. I represent the St Vincent de Paul called SVP in Newquay

For me it’s an organisation that brings the gospel into our lives – and an organisation that was always part of our lives growing up in Dublin – people heading off in the evening to do VSP work, people in need knowing that Vncents was always there to help them. Doing SVP work for me is living the faith and remembering that the helpless person lying in the street is Jesus

And that is today’s Gospel – Jesus is giving us an insight into the consequences of enjoying the fruits of our wealth without concern for the people who are less fortunate. The image of people living off the crumbs we spill is perhaps not a true reflection of our life style, but nevertheless, we are still called on to help those with needs. It is people like ourselves who are told to listen to the cries of the rich man. However, we take consolation in the fact that it is less usual, but it still happens, that poor people beg in the streets. The question is, how far is poverty from us????

In some parts o the world, the image of Lazarus, covered in sores is still present. We cannot ignore the cries of the poor from other parts of the world - however, even in our own country there are still needs that are not being addressed by the welfare state.

People’s response to world disasters is always impressive. – for instance this week we are responding, in the Family Fast day donations, to help the victims of Zimbabwe’s cruel regime. While a disaster is featured on our TV screens and in our newspapers we are reminded to help. BUT for many people, poverty is on-going, day in, day out. Just because it is not featured on the evening news does not mean it does not exist. Who is it that seeks to help those people who are invisible and forgotten by the world at large?

One such organisation is the St Vincent e Paul Society. The Society was started by young students, not content to just talk about Christian charity, but wanting to put it into action through person to person contact. In England and Wales last year, its members made around three quarter of a million recorded visits, being the hands and feet of Christ in our community AND – within this parish, during our 3 years in operation, about 700 visits have been made.

Behind every visit there is a story to tell. Take Sarah for example, who had been living in foster care for 18 months when she fell pregnant. Because she was underage she was only due to receive a limited maternity grant which would not even cover the basics Social Services contacted the local SVP and arranged for a visit. The SVP befriended Sarah and provided various basic items such as baby monitor and a bottle steriliser. They continued to visit her providing her with support and friendship before and after the birth of her baby.

There could be thousands of similar stories up and down the country, nothing spectacular, but very meaningful to those who find themselves with no means to support themselves.

Much of SVP’s traditional work is at home in our parishes, visiting the elderly, the housebound and the sick, We collect furniture that would otherwise go to land-fill, repairing it and distributing it to families. There is an expanding programme of Community Shops, providing low income families with affordable clothing and furniture. The SVP organise Camps for children who would not otherwise have a holiday and can even offer a limited number of families holidays. In conjunction with Lions Newquay SVP currently have four families in need on a week’s holiday in Newquay. In several places, including here in Newquay, the SVP work with sister organisations involved in providing food and help to the homeless. Nor is our activity limited to this country – each branch is twinned with a community in a third world country – Newquay SVP linked to a small community in India which we help financially and communicate with. September is a special month for SVP as it includes the feast day of St. Vincent de Paul – We are trying to make September our SVP awareness month, so that people may be conscious of needs within our community and about an organisation dedicated to helping.

Groups exist in many parishes including here in Newquay – as well as in schools and universities – and increasingly in inner cities where parish communities have broken up.

Helping people is not about making headlines – it is about giving something of oneself in Christ’s name. It turns concern into action – and this is what drew me into SVP. It inevitably brings its own rewards in terms of developing mutual friendships with those one visits and other members of SVP.

You are all a great part of SVP already through your kind weekly donations WE invite you to come and discover more. Our weekly meeting is of practical and spiritual nature. More information is available when members will be at the door after mass

Thank you.