Gateway Vincentian Volunteers: Our Lives

The 2009-2010 Gateway Vincentian Volunteers arrived on August 9th to begin their year of serving the poor and marginalized.

Mallori Allen is from St. Louis. She graduated from Truman State University with a degree in History. Mallori is working at the Metropolitan St. Louis Equal Housing Opportunity Council.

Christine Bentz is from Scio, Oregon. She graduated from St. John’s University with a degree in Childhood Education and a minor in Theology. Christine is serving at St. Louis Catholic Academy.

Elizabeth Chan is from Arlington, Texas. She graduated from St. Louis University with a degree in Urban Affairs and a minor in Political Science. Elizabeth is working at the Franciscan Connection’s Stone-by-Stone Project.

Shannon Duffy is from Somers, Connecticut. She graduated from Xavier University with a degree in Nursing. Shannon is serving at the Institute for Family Medicine.

Steven Falk is from Robinson, Kansas. He graduated from Pittsburg State University with a degree in Wood Technology and a minor in Business Administration. Steven is serving with Elizabeth at the Franciscan Connection’s Stone-by-Stone Project.

Maria Martinez Hernandez is from Denver, Colorado. She graduated from Colorado College with a degree in Religion and minors in Spanish and Art History. Maria is working at two sites—St. Frances Cabrini Academy and Guardian Angel Settlement Association.

Alexa Previti is from Absecon, New Jersey. She graduated from Loyola College with a degree in Biology. Alexa is serving at St. John’s Mercy Neighborhood Ministry.

Brady Sones is from Waco, Texas. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Arts/History. After graduation, Brady completed a year of service at Samaritan Inns in Washington, D.C. Brady’s GVV work site is Community Alternatives.

Patrick Zerkel is from St. Louis. He graduated from Missouri University of Science and Technology with a degree in Nuclear Engineering. After graduation, Pat worked as an engineer in Charleston, South Carolina. Pat’s GVV work site is Places for People.

The 2009-2010 Gateway Vincentian Volunteers were welcomed to their new home on Arsenal Street on Sunday, August 9th. Orientation began with the Opening Mass celebrated by
Fr. Perry Henry, C.M., the Incoming Vincentian Provincial. After mass, the new volunteers enjoyed dinner with the Vincentians who reside at the Arsenal Street Residence.

Throughout Orientation Week, the volunteers participated in sessions about forming community, praying as community, Vincentian spirituality, the Gospel call to serve the poor, Vincentian virtues, and creating a covenant. Presenters and facilitators included Sara McGinnis Lee,
Fr. Jim Cormack, C,M., Jeremy Dixon, C.M.(GVV 03-04), GVV Program Directors, and Jenny Mohan (GVV 07-08).

The volunteers were also treated to first-hand accounts of living in poverty shared by three women from the Let’s Start program at St. Vincent DePaul Parish. During the week, the volunteers also had the chance to visit each worksite. At the end of the week, GVVs enjoyed teambuilding activities in the park.

The Gateway Vincentian Volunteers of 2009-2010 reported to work on Monday, August 17th, ready and willing to serve in the spirit of St. Vincent!

On Saturday, September 12, 2009, Jeremy Dixon, C.M., (GVV 03-04) was ordained a deacon at the hands of Most Reverend Francis J. Kane, Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago. The ordination took place at St. Vincent DePaul Parish in Chicago.

Jeremy was joined by his family, friends and former volunteers, and many Vincentians and Daughters of Charity for the occasion. After the ordination, the Vincentians hosted a celebratory luncheon on the DePaul University campus.

On Tuesday, September 14, the GVVs of 2009-2010 met with their work site supervisors for a beginning-of-the-year luncheon.

The meeting was held to allow all the supervisors and volunteers to meet one another, but more importantly, to talk about a process for reflection on service and community life to be used during the year.

Fr. Jeff Vomund led a discussion about how essential regular reflection is for the volunteers—especially with their work site supervisor—a role that is very important in helping the volunteer grow from the many experiences during a year of Vincentian service to those who are poor.

We thank our work site supervisors and Gateway Vincentian Volunteers for all that they do!

Left to right, front to back: GVV Alexa Previti and her supervisor, Sharon Neumeister from St. John’s Mercy Neighborhood Ministry; GVV Shannon Duffy and Dr. David Campbell from the Institute for Family Medicine; GVV Brady Sones and Diane Maguire (in back row) from Community Alternatives; GVV Pat Zerkel and Mark Brennan from Places for People; GVV Christine Bentz and
Fr. Jeff Vomund from St. Louis Catholic Academy; GVV Mallori Allen and Mira Tanna from Metropolitan St. Louis Equal Housing Opportunity Council; GVVs Steven Falk and Elizabeth Chan with Br. Donald Lachowicz, OFM, from The Franciscan Connection’s Stone-by-Stone Project; and GVV Maria Martinez Hernandez with Maureen DePriest from St. Frances Cabrini Academy and Rachael Edelen from Guardian Angel Settlement at Hosea House.

We are pleased to welcome Metropolitan St. Louis Equal Housing Opportunity Council (EHOC) as a new Gateway Vincentian Volunteers work site for 2009-2010. The EHOC seeks to ensure equal access to housing for all people through education, counseling, investigation, and enforcement. The EHOC is the only private, not-for-profit fair housing enforcement agency working to end illegal housing discrimination in Metropolitan St. Louis.

Our GVV volunteer serves as a Tenant Advocate, working with tenants experiencing a housing crisis.

The names listed below are those donors who have made contributions after the mailing of our June newsletter. Thank you for helping us spread the mission of St. Vincent DePaul to young adults. This program would not be possible without you!

An Anonymous Donor
Delbert & Agnes Bohnert
Rev. Jerome Fortenberry, C.M.
Paul Heidemann
Rev. Miles Heinen, C.M.
Martha Lane
Rev. Jack Melito, C.M,.
Rev. Richard O’Brien, C.M.
Rev. John Richardson, C.M.
Al Weilbaecher
Grace Whalen

The marriage of Kelly Dodson (GVV 00-01) & Jason Shoup
from the following:
Robert F. Dodson, Jr.
Bruce & Kathleen Higley
Suzanne Wehner
D.R. Hoover
Mary Gen Davies

The marriage of Calli Grimes (GVV 08-09) & Ben Rollins
from Mary McBride (GVV 08-09)

We also sincerely thank our donors who have asked to remain anonymous. If we have inadvertently omitted your name from our donor list, please accept our sincere apology AND let us know so that we can correct the error!

True charity knows not how to remain idle or shut up within
itself. The property of fire is to give forth light and heat, so also the property

of love is to communicate itself. We should love God and serve our neighbor

It is with much sadness that we tell you that our good friend and Gateway Vincentian Volunteers Board Member, Sr. Mary Patrice Murray, D.C., died unexpectedly on June 14th.

Sr. Patrice served as a Daughter of Charity for more than forty years. She was a teacher, an assistant principal, a principal, and most recently, worked in the Provincial Archives of the Daughters of Charity.

We are so grateful to have had the time we did with Sr. Patrice on the GVV Board of Directors. She was helpful, witty, and caring. Always ready with a supportive comment, she never missed an opportunity to be positive. Encouragement was a way of life for her!

We have begun the 10th year of the
Gateway Vincentian Volunteers Program!

To celebrate ten years of Vincentian service to those who are poor and marginalized, we are planning a special gathering. We hope that each and every volunteer that has completed the program will attend!

Saturday, September 18, 2010
Mass at 5:45 at St. Vincent’s Church in St. Louis.
Dinner and PARTY to follow.
More details coming soon!

Fr. Ed Murphy, C.M., President
Mr. Rich LaPlume, Vice-President
Ms. Tricia Thiel, Treasurer
Mr. John Capellupo
Fr. Jim Cormack, C.M.
Janel Esker
Martha Lane
Fr. David Nations, C.M.
Sr. Kathy Overman, D.C.
Nichole Purvis, GVVA
Jim and Geri Ryan, Directors

Gateway Vincentian Volunteers
2912 Arsenal Street
St. Louis, MO 63118
(314) - 771-1474
Toll free: (888)-771-7220
Fax: (314) - 771-2410
email: gatevol@aol.com

Working, Praying, and Living in the Spirit of Vincent DePaul