Vincentian Spring 2021

A publication of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of San Mateo County

Spirit

Eighteen years ago, Sr. Marguerite Buchanan and Sr. Suzanne Toolan began visiting San Quentin to teach Centering Prayer to incarcerated men. Very quickly, the Sisters saw how difficult it was for returning citizens to integrate back into society upon release from jail or prison. They collaborated with former SVdP Executive Director Lorraine and her husband, Deacon Paul, and Catherine Center was born. Our unique faith-based Program is founded on unconditional love and the belief that each woman is precious in the eyes of God. Sr. Marguerite was our first Program Director and Sr. Suzanne brought a steady presence and crafted the rituals still used today to mark each woman’s progress at CatherineCenter. Since its founding, the Program has welcomed 154 women, and of those, 93 women were mothers/grandmothers of 180 minor children and 81 adult children.

In late May, Sr. Marguerite went home to God, surrounded by the Sisters of Mercy. She loved the women of SVdP’s Catherine Center to the end, Zooming in during the pandemic to minister to them directly, and serving as an active Ambassador, fundraiser, connector and advocate. She encouraged more than one resident to play the violin, sing in the choir, and to listen to God’s call to holiness.

Catherine Center Alum, Tiffany, shared “Sr. Marguerite will always be in my heart. She was the first person in my life who really saw me; in all my anger and pain. She saw beyond all of that and into my heart. To the real me. She was the first person who I believed, that told me I was worthy of God’s love no matter what I’d done and who I’d hurt. She helped me love myself for the first time ever just by loving me...someone so unworthy at the time. I will miss her tremendously. What a beautiful way to pass on. She was and is so very loved. I am crying tears of gratitude and humility. I feel so honored and blessed to have known and been loved by her.”

Vivacious and elegant, Sr. Marguerite inspired all associated with Catherine Center to show mercy, walk faithfully, and to live in God’s abundant love. Words cannot express how much we will miss her and how grateful we are to her and Sr. Suzanne for their guidance and vision. Thank you, Sr. Marguerite, for blessing us with your love. May you rest in peace in God’s loving embrace.

Sr. Marguerite will be honored and remembered at SVdP’s Catherine Center’s annual event held in August 2021.

Spring 2021 - Vincentian Spirit

www.svdpsm.org | 650.373.0622

Photo by __drz__

Greetings To All, Spring is a time of rejuvenation and hopefulness. Right now, as we emerge from our COVID Cocoon and begin to spread our wings it is also time to reflect on our blessings and what we have been able to sustain this past year.

Let’s also remember those whom we have lost during these challenging times.

As always, we have been able to count on the compassion and dedication of the staff, Vincentians and benefactors of St. Vincent de Paul Society of San Mateo County. As we move forward there is a need for continued focus on keeping our Conferences vital and active so they can continue to supply the necessities of life to those most vulnerable in our communities. Our Homeless Help Centers and Peninsula Family Resource Center (PFRC) continue to provide necessities to those who visit including rent, food, clothing and basic assistance.

The Restorative Justice Ministry will soon be less virtual as we once again are able to walk in-person with those needing comfort.

Thrift Store Operations are returning to normal providing affordable clothing, household goods, and job opportunities in San Mateo and South San Francisco, and at our new Clothing Closet in Menlo Park.

Thank you to our generous donors whose “treasure” allows our continuum of care to reach our neighbors in need. I am honored to be part of this Vincentian family and look forward to a successful Spring emergence.

Proud to be, District Council President,

Emergence from the “COVID Cocoon”

Danford Fisher Hannig

Foundation

FEMA

Fiverr

Hurlbut Johnson Fund

Putnam Subaru Share the Love

San Bruno Community Foundation

San Jose Mercury News Wishbook

Sequoia Health Care District

Sisters of Mercy West Midwest

Sunlight Giving

The Sobrato Family

Foundation

Y&H Soda Foundation

We thank SVdP’s Grantors from November 2020 - May 2021

Spring 2021 - Vincentian Spirit

www.svdpsm.org | 650.373.0622

Hands & Hearts Making a Difference 2021Thank you to all for making SVdP’s Hands & Hearts Making a Difference 2021online event a success! We hope you had a chance to join this informative virtual fundraiser hosted by Board Member, Gretchen Lott (left)! We heard powerful testimonies from Vincentian staff, volunteers, and clients about their experiences with SVdP. Our fund-a-need raised money for SVdP’s Children of God Community Impact Fund. This fund supports St. Vincent de Paul’s Safety Net Service Programs through our Peninsula Family Resource Center and Homeless Help Centers. Thank you for joining us and thank you to our event sponsors: Jeanne & Bill Barulich, Lia & Jim Whitehead, Carolyn & David Amaral, Alice & David Mount, Ranger Pipelines, Inc. and Putnam Subaru.

SVdP’s Annual Ozanam Litgury & Awards Brunch takes place in the Fall, around the feast day of St. Vincent de Paul. The festivities are

a great way for Vincentians to meet new friends and renew old acquaintances. We come together to promote the spiritual growth of our members at every level of the Society and encourage greater unity among all Vincentians. We pray this gathering, whether online or in person (TBD) brings us a step closer towards our goals as a Society.

The nominations for Ozanam Awards are currently open until August 2nd, 2021. If you would like a nomina-tion form, please email us at info@svdpsm.org.

We are so excited for our annual Catherine Center fundraiser in August! Twilight Gala: Re-Emergence, will be held online, and honors Sr. Marguerite Buchanan for her contribution to the Program. Catherine Center residents and alum will also share their personal stories of transformation and re-emergence into society. Stay tuned for more details about this exciting virtual event.

Interested in sponsoring? Email Ginny at vmarans@svdpsm.org. Thank you!

Spring 2021- Vincentian Spirit

www.svdpsm.org | 650.373.062

LUNCHMAKERS Debut at SVdP’s Cafe St. Vincent

Rylan Tse-Fong (pictured above, middle) and fellow members of the Hilldale Upper School Chapter of the Lunchmakers made their inaugural delivery to St. Vincent de Paul’s Cafe St. Vincent in South San Francisco this week. “The Lunchmakers mission is to organize and coordinate families who want to get involved in giving back to the community. We collectively pack and donate bagged lunches to St. Vincent’s homeless shelter in South San Francisco monthly.” This lovely group put together 150 lunch bags decorated on the outside with inspirational messages and filled inside with bottled water, fresh fruit, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and snacks. Thank you Lunchmakers and welcome to SVdP San Mateo County. Would you like to volunteer? Visit www.svdpsm.org for more information.

Welcome Back, Jose!

It is with great pleasure that we announce that Jose Betancourt has re-joined the SVdP SM District Council staff as our new Director of Conference Relationships and Training. Please join us in welcoming Jose back to our Vincentian Family serving San Mateo County!

In the newly created staff position of Director of Conference Relationships & Training, Jose will be keenly focused on directly assisting our 34 Conferences in several key areas such as Conference Revitalization and Growth, Leadership & Succession Planning, Parish Relationships, Spirituality and much more.

As we begin to return to regular Vincentian activities – following a very long, challenging period in our history – it is paramount that we come together and focus as one solid, strong Vincentian Family serving our neighbors in need on the Peninsula. Jose is here to help all of us achieve that goal – and more.

Jose Betancourt

SVdP’s Director of Conference Relations and Training

jbetancourt@svdpsm.org

Angela LoDuca AffinitoTony AllenCarol AllenJames AllenBill AmorosoJuanita AndersonRay AquirreServerino AratesViola & Emmet V. BartonJoseph BehFran BertrandMr. & Mrs. George BeynotiTerry Henry BlackDorothy BobergGabriello Boldocchi BorrmannGabriella BortolusFrank BrennanSara BrownAlice BrownBernadette BunnagTerry CampbellDan CapodannoJohn CarambatMichael CareyJudy CarlsonArthur ChambersRalph CharkinsDouglas ClarkDaniel CollinsCooney/Niland FamiliesMate CoricManuel & Emilia CoronaJim CotterCOVID-19 VictimsJohn CowleyFrank Joseph DeAngelis

St. Vincent de Paul remembers...We remember those who have died and in whose memory the Society of St. Vincent de Paul has received donations from October 1, 2020 to May 1, 2021. These donations give life to others. Thank you.

Gary Del CarloClaire Del GrandeRaymond DeNardiRich & Tom DickersonMarie DongNoreen DunnJoseph & Jessica EcheverriaDonald ElliottFrances EllisMel Francis FabrosJenay FanfaRose & Vince FazioLeticia FelixJ. Edgar & Margaret FennieAida FigueroaRuairi FlanaganDonald FoxJim FoxAna FraerGina Franco-CotroneoGreg GannamChristina GarveyRichard & Marlene GazzanoJohn & Mary GhiorsoS.F. GomesBertha GonzalesArt GreenSr. Vincent GuerinHector GutierrezFrank & Celine HaletRobert HarperJim HarrisLee HeiseRuss HerrleBill Honings

Hugo IsolaDr. Sesha Harihara IyerJoseph JaremczukSuzanne JohnsonThomas KeeferDorothy KilpatrickKing & Rossi FamilyJoseph & Mary Margaret KochJohn KunzWilliam KunzMary KunzRobyn KupperbergJ. KwanBarbara LabaughJoseph LambertEnrique LamountMarjorie LamphereDoris LeeVincent LefevbreGeorge & Marie LeyesDilys LindsayRobert LindtLeslie LinharesKelly LisaPaul LucidoLorraine & Connie M.Riley MaldonadoHenry MalinaBarbara MapeMary MargaretAl MartinGeraldine McConnellArthur McKayMuriel & James McLaughlinJean Marie McNabMsgr. Edward McTaggart

Lina MezzettaHenry MolinaBob MoriartyPaul MoriartyKelly MosemanFrances MurinKathy MurphyRobert NelomsPauline Marie NicoraMary O’LearyFlor & Ginny O’LearyTaimi OsterlundArmita OstowasWei-Bing OuLorraine P.Raymond PalmaAlan, Janet & Eddie PaolucciDean PapeMary PeccoloNicholas PetersPhyllis PhippsChen PingRene PlataNina PlotnikoffGary PrescoPatricia QuinnOlive RalphesDora RamazzottiJohn ReganDennis RenalNoreen RevinoRichard RileyJan RobertsonVirginia Ryan RogersGena & Alfre RomeoPeta & Lucy RossJohn Rouse

Ginny RyanJoanne RyanGuenter SagerNatividad SanchezIrving Keith SandersJack SherratCaroline SilverSteven SilvestriniTony SisnerosAnita SneathenClaro & Editha SoberanoPhil StuhrDavid SuarezRalph SuarezAnne & James SullivanMarian SweeneySusan TerryAldo TigriGerry TognettiCharles & Marie TracyMaureen UlianaBenjamin VaissadeJack & Ellen ValladaoHilda VaughnAnthony ViolantiJacqueline WalkerMaryjane WalshFather Robert WalshMargaret WaltonHelen WattJack & Florena WildermuthHelen WilhelmRobert WilsonRomano ZanFrank Zocchi

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