Martha, Marya and The St. Vincent de Paul Society
It was not until after the lead characters in my book, Who Am I To Judge?, had taken on their personalities and back stories that I realized their relationship had been very much informed by an organization I have been involved in for many years, the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Vincentians are called to visit the poor in their homes, to call them friends and neighbors and not clients, to listen, respect, not judge, and to answer their needs as they present them. We seek to become “friends to the poor”. As Rev. Aidan R. Rooney CM described it in a recent “Vincentian Minute”, we learn their names, let them know who we are, and build a relationship.
I had made one of the sleuths a Vice President of a St. Vincent de Paul Society conference just because I knew about the organization, having been a member of it for a long time, but I had not realized how “Vincentian” the book was. The whole book could be viewed through a Vincentian lens. A poor woman in a wealthy community, ignored or made fun of. Ignored, that is, until she gathers the rich and powerful suspects together to reveal which one of them is the murderer!
The developing and frequently awkward relationship between my two amateur sleuths mirrors the central theme of the Vincentian mission – entering into a relationship with the poor. Marya Cook, the Bible-quoting, lavender-clad octogenarian, known to locals as the Purple Pest, lives in the community’s only public housing. Martha Collins, the respectable church lady, is uncomfortable being associated with the odd, old woman except as a recipient of Martha’s charitable intentions. I realized that Martha who found herself at times embarrassed, confused, and frustrated by her new acquaintance, reminded me of my own struggles with my Vincentian ministry as I try to enter into a relationship while helping my new friends.
But be kind and love, for love is your first gift to the poor. They will appreciate your kindness and your love more than all else you bring them. - Blessed Rosalie Rendu
In my life I want to become better and do a little good. - Blessed Frédéric Ozanam
