Newsletter: June 2024
Dear Friends of Joseph House:
It is a great mystery of our faith that after the Resurrection Jesus still bore the marks of His crucifixion. They were how He proved His identity to His disciples: “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself” (Luke 24:38-39).
It must have been difficult to look at those wounds, at the flesh that was so savagely torn and pierced. But to look away would mean to look away from God’s love. The disciples could not keep their distance if they wanted to embrace our Lord.
Wounds are so intimate, so personal. To avoid contact with someone because of the wounds he or she bears is a rejection that strikes deep into the soul. Many people end up keeping their pain hidden rather than showing their vulnerability.
Another mystery of our faith is that what we do to the least of our brothers and sisters we do to God (cf. Mt 25:40). Very often the “least ones,” the poor and marginalized, are burdened with great wounds, both visible and invisible. Someone’s appearance or behavior might make us feel uncomfortable, but like the disciples who touched the nail prints and St. Francis who embraced the leper, we can choose to be guided by love and cast our fears aside.
People suffer in so many ways. In ministering to the needs of people who come to the Joseph House, there is a sharing of material resources. Equally important, there is a sharing of the heart. To be seen, to be heard, to be welcomed and accepted no matter what — this is the human contact that many long for. We are grateful that our volunteers and staff are so good in responding to people with sensitivity. Each encounter is a chance to reveal the meaning of love.
For Theresa, 27, the last six months have been rough. She was diagnosed with leukemia and has been undergoing chemotherapy. Theresa has a young son. She receives $400 a month in child support plus $270 in temporary state benefits. It is not enough to live on, so even though she feels sick all the time she is looking for a job. The Joseph House helped her with $300 toward her past-due rent.
Herschel, 56, recently had a stroke, his second in five years. His kidneys have been failing for more than a decade. He was behind by $800 in paying his electric bill. With a cut-off date approaching, we paid $400 toward the balance. This enabled Herschel to get on a budget plan with the power company.
In his second year of being treated for cancer, Alonzo, 62, is now receiving disability payments. His first check was mailed to his old address. He had nothing to pay his rent of $950 and an eviction notice was served. To give Alonzo some more time, we sent $475 to his landlord. Thankfully, everything seems to be getting straightened out with Social Security.
Kiera, 53, is temporarily unable to work at providing daycare because of a shoulder injury that required surgery. Her only income at the moment is a state grant that gives her $200 per month. A young family member is living with Kiera, making her monetary situation even more of a crisis. She had no funds to pay toward her delinquent electric bill of $598. We paid $350 to prevent a cut-off.
At least once a week, Virgil, 65, drives to a hospital two hours away to see his wife who is recovering from a heart transplant. Their combined Social Security amounts to $1,600, which also equals their rent. Virgil has gone back to waiting on tables to earn money to pay their other bills. He was short on cash to pay the electric bill, so we contributed $267 to get his account caught up.
Karlie and her four children have been without permanent housing for a couple of years. They stay with friends and sometimes find beds in a homeless shelter. Their life has been chaotic and unstable. Karlie gets a monthly check from the state, but there is a time limit on those benefits. The high cost of housing has been keeping Karlie from getting a secure place to live for her family. Finally, after years of waiting, she received a subsidized housing voucher. The next hurdle was finding the money for the security deposit so she and her children could move into an apartment. The Joseph House paid $300 toward the cost.
Inez, 33, fled an abusive relationship and ended up living in her car. She has managed to hold on to her job, giving her hope that she will make it through this ordeal. Inez calculated that she had enough income for the car payment, insurance, food, utilities, and rent, but not enough for the security deposit. We contributed $300 so Inez could have a proper place to live and use her car only for its intended purpose.
Mollie, 31, loves her work. She does home care for seniors and Alzheimer’s patients. For the family members, Mollie’s work is essential; the demands of care giving can be overwhelming at times. Despite her love for her job, Mollie cannot make ends meet. She is part of the “working poor,” which should be called “hard-working poor.” She makes a vital contribution to society, but does not receive fair and adequate compensation. According to governments guidelines, she makes too much for state assistance. Thus, periodically Mollie must go on a search to find help in order to pay her rent and utilities. She came to our Crisis Center and we paid $325 toward her back rent.
Your support of our ministry is received with grateful and humble hearts. Thank you for remembering us and all the people we serve.
Our founder wanted our ministry to be without pretense. There’s no room for any make-believe, Sr. Mary Elizabeth said: “We know we are all broken people healing other broken people through God’s love.” No one here has any doubts about that. Acknowledging our own brokenness is the only way to embrace others with an open and compassionate heart.
We send good wishes to everyone as another summer gets underway, and may the prayers of St. Joseph bring a shower of graces to all men being celebrated on Father’s Day!
Your Little Sisters of Jesus and Mary
We pray for our friends and benefactors every day. Send us you special intentions so we can pray for your needs: Contact Form
The ministry of Joseph House depends on your support. Please make a donation today: Donate
