September Drinking Companion

This month is a bit delayed since I wasn’t sure if my child would be born yet. I would like to write about her birthday saint, which will determine her middle name. Since it’s winding down to the end of the month, I decided to write about a saint who has had an influence in my life, in very subtle ways, St. Vincent de Paul.

St. Vincent to begin is the patron and founder of a religious group (The Vincentians) my friend Father Charles Plock is associated with. Father Charlie as we called him growing up was a close family friend of my step mother’s family, who they knew since he was a seminarian. When I was away from the faith, he was always near by the phone when I called. He was influential in talking to me when I was struggling to find myself in life. In addition I had a friend who was battling drug addiction and Father Charlie would talk to him as well, whenever my friend needed someone to talk to about his addiction. In addition when I moved to Charlotte, N.C., St. Vincent de Paul was my parish.

Long story short, as soon as I could stop going to church, I did. When I had left basic military training in 2002, I tried to come back to the faith, after a stint in Navy boot camp, but sadly the people of my parish let me down. Part of the problem was my effort as well, I reached out to the priest once, and when I fell through the cracks of email, I gave up. During this same time I lost touch with Father Charlie as well. I would wander for the next 6 years. While I was experiencing a lot of success in business, I felt empty. October 2008 I decided to change paths after 5 years with Domino’s. At this same time Father Charlie was being arrested, and on the cover of the Daily News in NYC.

This was a challenging and sad time for both of us. I was leaving a family business environment that I loved and felt like I belonged, in addition I saw my friend at the lowest point in his life, despite being such and uplifting person in my own and many others. Little did I know 2 years later we both would be leaving the darkness for good. Fast forward to 2015 the Pope was coming to Philadelphia, and I knew my friend was in the Pennsylvania area. I had reached out to try and find him, and through a series of events I received an email response. I shared with him my details of coming back to faith and if he would be willing to catch up when I was in town. He agreed and he met me at the airport, and led me to the city of Philadelphia where we had a coffee.

Upon meeting he shared with me his skepticism of meeting, due to the anger and scandal his actions caused many. I shared with him, that I was grateful of his constant presence in my life when I was younger, and the fact that I understand we all fall into weak “moments”, which we all can reconcile if we are only willing to say we were wrong. He shared that he had been in darkness for sometime. I easily understood due to knowing the challenging work he did in the toughest areas of Central America and NYC. I had similar experiences in NYC and life, which I empathized with. It was a blessing we were both able to say we had peace in life and were reconciling for our past failures.

Two years later Father Charlie was able to have further influence in helping me, as I began dating my future wife nearby. One of our first dates was to the Miraculous Medal Shrine on the feast of the Miraculous Medal. This shrine was founded by his religious group. Over my time in New Jersey I would visit this shrine regularly and the hospitality of St. Vincent was always alive in these men. This is the spirit of St. Vincent. He reluctantly chose to serve the poorest of the poor in France, and has since then taken on the patronage with many St. Vincent de Paul centers for those in need.

In honor of this saint’s influence in my life, my wife and I decided to visit his tomb in Paris, along with St. Catherine Laboure, around the corner. She is the one who the Blessed Virgin Mary gave the Miraculous Medal. We saw these two great saints, our first night in Paris on New Year’s Eve. It was more beautiful because we attended Mass on the feast of “Mary, Mother of God.” Every time I get a chance to say thank you to a saint for helping me, I try to visit them, because I realize they are very much alive in Jesus Christ, as any living Christian. It’s an amazing feeling to have that connection to heaven on earth. This is why I try to go to Mass and honor these saints with Jesus, it’s a slice of heaven in the middle of a chaotic world. They are interceding and helping us daily, like any friend.

In close I had a small moment yesterday, with this feast day approaching. I saw a homeless man on a corner I pass every Thursday. Most of the time I just pass whoever is on the corner. On this day, I saw a man who said he was veteran, according to his sign. As the light changed he saluted me. I wanted to give him a couple dollars but I couldn’t get to my holy cards in time. I have a small rule. I will give anyone a couple dollars, but I have to be able to give them a card of mine to plant a seed in a time of need. As I was driving away I realized my cards were within reach. Despite needing to get to my farmers market, I made the U-turn and went back. This was due to two cards I had on me. St. Vincent, patron of the poor, and St. Martin de Tours, another French saint we visited. He is patron of beggars and veterans. It was a providential moment I couldn’t miss. I went back and gave the man a 20, again something I rarely do, but I knew God wanted me to give a little more in all respects that morning. It was all a pleasant surprise to the man, and humbling moment for myself. In the spirit of St. Vincent de Paul today, consider doing something you are reluctant to do, in humility of helping another. You never know how it may grow something even within yourself in the dots connecting. Most of all you will be trusting God to make straight any crooked lines. Continued Blessings, share them.

This first picture is the tomb of St. Catherine Laboure, the second is the shrine in Philadelphia I would visit regularly.