Timing Is Everything

(From left) Sisters Pat Wittberg, Joyce Richter, Mary Ann Humbert and Cj Willie offered their assistance to the Holy Family St. Vincent de Paul Society, moving furnishings from the fourth floor of Seton Hall to be given to grateful families on the west side of Cincinnati.

The saying “Timing is everything” most certainly applies to recent outreach of the Holy Family St. Vincent de Paul Society and the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati. One year ago Father Len Wenke, pastor of Holy Family parish in Price Hill (Cincinnati), had encouraged parishioners to reestablish the parish chapter of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. The timing could not have been more needed. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, a rise in unemployment and nine immigrant parishioner families losing all their furnishings in an apartment fire, members were ready to respond. With the stars aligned, the Sisters of Charity were looking for groups in need of home furnishings, especially beds, mattresses and bed linens which Goodwill (and similar stores) are not able to offer through vouchers. Thanks to the ready response of Sisters Mary Ann Humbert, Joyce Richter, Cj Willie and Pat Wittberg, and the help of D & R Movers, Holy Family St. Vincent de Paul members and a small Sisters of Charity grant, many families and individuals are now sleeping on a bed each night. According to S. Pat’s recordkeeping: 28 bed frames, mattresses and bedding, 17 desks, 16 lamps and 32 chairs from the fourth floor of Seton Hall are now in use in the homes of grateful families on the west side of Cincinnati. Mary Magdalene House residents downtown have the joy of fresh bars of soap and clean towels. It is all in the connecting; linking the need with the available supply. One recipient remarked: “See what good you are doing.” Another said, “Thank you. How happy life is going to be because we have a bed.” Yes, the stars were aligned! Thank you to all involved in this effort.