News Briefs: St. Marys' nurses recognized for excellence MADISON -- St. Marys Hospital Medical Center nurses are the first in Madison to earn the prestigious Magnet Recognition for Excellence from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) of the American Nurses Association. This national designation is the highest level of recognition that can be given to nursing organizations in health care. St. Marys is one of only four medical centers in the Midwest, and the only one in southcentral Wisconsin, to have achieved this level of recognition. Less than one percent of hospitals in the nation share this honor. According to Joan Beglinger, St. Marys' vice president for patient services, "Our nursing vacancy rate runs about three percent, compared to the Midwest average of nine percent. In 2001 our turnover rate was 9.4 percent compared to a national turnover rate of 21 percent." Support groups: Offered for divorced, separated persons MADISON -- New Directions is a peer support group providing support to those hurting from separation, divorce, or loss of a significant relationship. The next meeting will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, July 11, at St. Dennis Parish Center, 505 Dempsey Rd., top floor. It is open to all ages and faith. For more information, call Ron at 609-835-2907. Friends on a Journey is a peer support group for those hurting from separation, divorce, or loss of a significant relationship. The next meeting will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, July 18, at Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish Center, 401 S. Owen Dr. It is open to all ages and faith. For more information, call Paul at 608-862-3613. Wisconsin Private College Week July 8 to 13 MADISON -- Selecting a college is a big decision for students of all ages. Wisconsin Private College Week, scheduled for Monday, July 8, through Saturday, July 13, is designed to make the job a little easier. For the seventh straight year, Wisconsin's 20 private colleges and universities will offer guided campus tours throughout the week-long event. Students and their families will have a chance to meet with staff from the admissions and financial aid departments and to visit classrooms, residence halls, and other facilities. And there is an added benefit for students - a waiver of application fees at each campus they visit. To learn more about Wisconsin Private College Week, call 1-800-4-DEGREE or check out www.wisconsinmentor.org for access to college homepages.

(See also front page photo.)

Society of St. Vincent de Paul: Finding Christ in the poor

By Mary C. Uhler
CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

MADISON -- An icon depicts St. Vincent de Paul giving a piece of bread to a barefoot beggar. When we look closely at the beggar, we find that he is Christ.

Those who continue the work of St. Vincent de Paul today often find Christ in the poor. They follow Vincent's example, "In serving the poor, you serve Christ."

But members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul often find that serving the poor is not easy, noted Sr. Kieran Kneaves, national director of education and spiritual formation for the society. She was one of the speakers at the North Central regional meeting of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP) held June 20-22 at the Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center in Madison.

Serving poor not easy

"Serving the poor is not easy or exciting," said Kneaves, who works in the SVDP national office in St. Louis, Mo. "It's often overwhelming. At times the poor can be very demanding. You can feel anger or frustration rising in you."

But, St. Vincent de Paul says "to look deeper and see Jesus the Lord broken, hurt, and standing before us. We see the Lord and so our hearts are moved beyond pity and anger to compassion. So we go to the poor with kindness and respect."

Kneaves gave a presentation on "Spirituality of Finding Christ in the Poor." She emphasized that Vincentians must serve the poor with gentleness. "They look on you as people sent by God," she reminded them. "You represent the goodness of God to the poor. It's amazing! The poor transform us into Jesus."

Finding Jesus in poor

She listed five ways that Vincentians find Jesus in the poor:

• Compassion. Loving and serving the poor is found in mutual giving and receiving. "Our pain, fear, hopes, and joys are shared," said Kneaves. "The poor often give us more than we give them."

She encouraged Vincentians to ask if they allow the ones they serve to respond to them. "Or do we close the door to service by the poor to us? Sometimes we keep the poor from loving us, keep them at a distance."

Blessed Frederic Ozanam, founded the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Paris, France, in 1833 when he was 20 years old. Kneaves said Frederic believed that with compassion, helping the poor becomes honorable because it becomes mutual. "The hand that you clasp clasps you in return," she quoted him as saying.

• Humility. Kneaves noted that St. Vincent de Paul himself had some deformities and considered himself "the poorest person he met." The more "we're aware of our own pain, the more we go to the poor with humility," she said. "We need to look first to the Lord, knowing the Lord will empower us."

She said Vincentians may have the tendency to want to solve all the problems of the poor. "But we don't need to solve everything, but to console, love, and forgive."

• Simplicity. Kneaves said "simplicity is Vincent's gospel." Simplicity "keeps our lives centered on God," she added. She observed that the poor often need just a simple smile, a handshake, or to be called by their name.

• Charity. The poor are often marginalized and invisible. "We bring love and charity," said Kneaves. "Often we may fail; the results aren't measurable. But we must keep trying. We know we have to trust in God's providence."

• Prayer. "In prayer we will find God loves us," said Kneaves. "That's why Vincentians must pray. Do we find time to pray, or are we so busy we don't find time to know God loves us and others love us, too? Do we stand alone or do we stand with others?"

That is the gift of SVDP conferences - gathering of members. "We pray, share, and walk out together to help the poor," she said.

Vincentian Spirit

Fr. Michael Boland, Chicago, regional SVDP spiritual advisor, also discussed "The Vincentian Spirit" in his keynote address. Boland is administrator of Catholic Charities for the Archdiocese of Chicago.

He noted that today everything is less personal. Voice mail and e-mail "separate us from the person," he said. "Vincent and Frederic remind us how important it is to be present, to look into the eyes of the poor, to go out, be present with people, and encounter Christ."

St. Vincent de Paul exhorts his followers to meet the poor. "Every time we don't visit, we don't encounter Christ," Boland quoted Vincent as saying.

Boland emphasized the importance of Vincentians' spending time each day in prayer; participating in the sacraments; spending time at meetings in prayer, reflecting on Scripture, and studying the teachings of the church; taking time for retreats and pilgrimages to "enhance our own spiritual journey"; and studying the lives of Vincent and Frederic.

One of the society's greatest challenges, said Boland, is to involve more people, including youth, in the society's work. "Frederic drew people to follow because he followed the example of the Lord," said Boland.

Strategic Plan

Vincentians at the regional meeting discussed their National Strategic Plan, which includes plans for education and training of members, leaders, and spiritual advisors. The society is also hoping to enhance its image in society, to "be a more visible sign of Christ," said Ralph Middlecamp of Madison. "We're one of the best kept secrets in the church."

The society is developing a Web site and plans to enhance the layout, content, and frequency of its national magazine, Ozanam News.

Bishop William H. Bullock of Madison presided and preached at a Mass at the conference (see his column for excerpts from his homily).