“Give it all to God,” the priest said after I described my struggles with sinfulness, my shortcomings, my stubborn selfishness. “Give it all to God,” he said, “and know that He loves you. He loves you. He loves you.” Let those words wash over you in a wave of mercy – He loves you. He loves you. He loves you. No matter what you have done, these are words to hear, know, and live by: “Give it all to God. He loves you.” During Holy Week, Christians reflect in a special way on the suffering Jesus experienced for us, how he was scourged, crucified, and died out of love for us, to save us from our si ..read more

February 29 -Thursday of the Second Week of Lent Readings: Jer 17:5-10, Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6, Lk 16:19-31 Invitation to Prayer: Lord, direct our servant hearts to you.  Reflection: I’ve known many rich people, many more poor people, and still even more Pharisees in my life. In fact, at different times I’ve acted like each of them in various ways: I’ve squandered personal treasure for my own delights, I’ve been humiliated into accepting charity from strangers, and I’ve preached what I don’t practice.  My life story informs my death story: When I’m aware of my failings and de ..read more

Tomorrow two seemingly unrelated observations will collide in Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day. The day of fasting when many Christians receive the mark of ashes on their foreheads will seem to stand in stark contrast to the bright red and pink store displays of candy hearts and flowers. Yet, at the heart, these two traditions were both born in the Greatest Love. Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” This is the love that Jesus himself showed by laying his life down for us in his passion, death, and resurrection – the very sacrifice t ..read more

We do not support Ohio Issue 1. St. Vincent de Paul Society, Dayton District Council believes in the dignity of every human person. We also believe that each person is created in the image and likeness of God. Every day we accompany our most vulnerable and forgotten brothers and sisters. It is our mission to walk with them and assist them regardless of their circumstances or the choices they make. Some of the most vulnerable people we assist in our ministries are pregnant women and their unborn children. We see firsthand the many challenges that mothers face in this broken world when experienc ..read more

To see the world through a child’s eyes is a wonder. Their pure and innocent perspectives, unhurried by adult responsibilities, remind us of what is truly important. They see and feel everything but do not always understand. Raw emotion, true and untamed, rules their behavior, and the support they receive (or don’t) impacts their development. “Let the little children come to me,” Jesus said, “and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” With these words, Jesus emphasized the importance and value of children. He explains that if we want to enter the kingdom of he ..read more

August 27th is typically observed as the feast of St. Monica, patron of wives, mothers, and victims of abuse. She is recognized as a saintly mother whose deep faith and fervent prayers led to the conversions of her pagan husband and wayward son (that son being St. Augustine of Hippo, who became one of the great theologians and doctors of the Catholic Church. His feast is the following day on August 28th.). Because St. Monica lived in the 4th century, not many specifics are known about her personal life, except those written about by St. Augustine. We know that she had a difficult marriage, and ..read more

When a neighbor contacts St. Vincent de Paul’s neighborhood ministries – known as conferences – for assistance, volunteer members visit the neighbor in their home. This Home Visit is the hallmark of St. Vincent de Paul conferences, as it enables personal accompaniment of a neighbor in need. These volunteers, the Vincentians, meet with the neighbors and offer support and encouragement as they work together to identify both immediate and longer-term needs. St. Vincent conferences may provide emergency assistance with utilities, rent, food, or clothing to help prevent an individual or family from ..read more

Isn’t it so easy to get bogged down with our daily worries and anxieties? There are so many distractions vying for our attention. It is too easy to turn our eyes from Jesus and forget that he cares deeply about us. As our director of spirituality Deacon Mark Danis reminded us in a reflection recently, “Scripture always has a prescription for any situation, and for any challenges we may face. In this case we should apply the Peter Prescription (not Peter Principle, for you businesspeople who read that book): Cast all your worries upon him because He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7 This is not a one ..read more

We are THANKFUL for the amazing people who show up every day and love their neighbors through their work and their presence at St. Vincent de Paul. One such person is Rehousing Manager Angel Bernard, who was recently honored as an Everyday Ohio Hero by the Ohio Children’s Trust Fund for her dedication to improving the lives of children and families.   Kelley King from WDTN recently did a story on Angel (full text below, or click this link for the video). Congratulations, Angel! Thank you for your tireless work and dedication to helping families experiencing homelessness.   ..read more

Photo by Wesley Tingey on Unsplash. A reflection for Holy Week as together we enter into the Lord’s Passion, Death, and Resurrection: All of us experience moments of darkness, when everything we do can feel like failure, everything we want to change we can’t change yet.  Patience isn’t asked; it’s required.  Virtue by default. The weight presses down, squeezes out a tear here and there.  And then there’s the darkest moment–when the soul is black and blends in with the darkness, but the Shepherd’s voice calls out, searching for His beloved lost sheep. In the darkness, you, His ..read more