Exploring the Miracles of Mercy

A St. Vincent de Paul Society Story—Miracles Around Patty

By Paul Feuerstein

I've been a member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society for about twelve years, and I am frequently asked about the nature of our work. As a "Vincentian," our number one goal is to grow in our spirituality so that we may be able to serve others better. This mission aligns with my personal goals, as I contemplated retirement several years ago. Little did I know that one of the fringe benefits was witnessing little miracles along the way.

In reflecting on some of the people we have served, I love to tell the story of one of our most memorable 'cases'—a woman I will call 'Patty'.  About 10 years ago, one of our parishioners found Patty sleeping in her car outside of his office in Media. She was in her late 50s, had lost her apartment, and was now homeless, living in her car. The parishioner contacted St. Vincent de Paul, and our journey with Patty began. Maybe this act was the first miracle in itself.

First, we searched for an affordable place for her to live and found a room in a house in Wayne. Unfortunately, the space was in deplorable condition. A few of us Vincentians spent the weekend cleaning and scrubbing every square inch of the room and, particularly, the bathroom, which was a mess. We finally got the place in good shape, and Patty was ready to move in. Everything she possessed was in her car and a small storage unit, so it didn't take long.

We got her bed set up, her clothes hung, and her other things put away when Patty asked if we could set up her TV.  I told her that it was unlikely that the cable TV service was working, as the room had not been inhabited for quite some time. However, the first issue was that she could not locate the TV's remote. Thankfully, I found an old Comcast remote covered in dust, and its batteries were still working! And somehow, I managed to find the pairing code for her brand of TV, which may be another miracle as well. I pressed the POWER button, and within a few seconds, the TV came to life, and to my amazement, none other than Sister Angelica from EWTN came into the room via screen and sound! What are the chances of that??  Right then and there, we told Patty that it was a clear sign from our Lord that she would be okay in her new home.  

We finished up a few other things and were getting ready to leave when Patty said that the only wish she had was for two small end tables: one for her bedside and one for the TV.  I assured her we would be on the lookout for some. Then, we said our goodbyes, and we left her to get comfortable in her new place. On the way home, I used the Waze driving app, as I was not overly familiar with the back roads of Wayne, to get back to Media.  I was driving along for a while when I realized that it was not taking me the way that I had come, and nothing looked familiar. I was sure I was going the wrong way, and I began to look for a safe place to turn around. 

Up ahead, I glimpsed a man leaving something by the road, and as I passed him, I saw he had just placed two small tables at the end of his driveway. I found a place to turn around and drove back to the house. In disbelief, I saw two beautiful, matching end tables that would be perfect for Patty. No one was any longer around, so I knocked on the door. A man soon arrived, and I introduced myself and asked, "Are you giving away these end tables?"  He answered, "Yes," and I said, "You are not going to believe this...," and quickly conveyed the story to him. The tables had initially belonged to his parents, and he shared a beautiful story about their origins, expressing delight that someone in need could use them—just another little miracle to help Patty.

Needless to say, I put them in the car and drove back to Patty's place (again, with the help of Waze!) and recounted to her what had just happened. She was so pleased with them and appreciated the story behind them. Since these events, Patty currently resides in a subsidized senior living facility in the area and is enjoying her life. We experienced several additional miracles along the way as we helped bring the Lord's joy and peace to her. So, I've come to look for these small but mighty 'miracles' whenever we are around her or helping others through SVDP!

You, too, can bring life-changing support to neighbors in need in our area by volunteering or supporting the work of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Like Paul, we can each be an active witness to God's mercy by helping to bring the light of charity and joy to those struggling with an emergency or an unexpected life crisis, perhaps discovering some of the little mercies and miracles on the way. To learn more about the St. Vincent de Paul Society in our area, please visit their website at svdp-phila.info or email Paul Feuerstein at paulfeuerstein@comcast.net.

---

Paul Feuerstein remains an active member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society in Delco. He is a parishioner and serves on our parish's charity board, currently as its president.