The Bishop Writes

(From the June 8, 2000 edition of the Inland Register)

We have had a long and outstanding history in the Diocese of Spokane of providing housing for the elderly, the homeless, and those in great need. That effort has come from a broad-based support of parishes through Catholic Charities, Religious communities, various community organizations, and Catholic health care facilities. More recently Catholic Charities has embarked upon the Shelter 2000 project to replace the House of Charity and St. Margaret Home. The new House of Charity will be completed later on this summer. Last week the new St. Margaret shelter was dedicated. The successful fund-raising effort for Shelter 2000 was accomplished through much hard work, good planning, great generosity, and broad community support.

The original St. Margaret Shelter was opened by Bishop Bernard Topel in 1961 at 707 S. McClellan, next to Sacred Heart Medical Center, as a halfway house for homeless, destitute women. The mission has changed somewhat over the years. In 1980, St. Margaret became a residence for developmentally impaired adult women.

As needs continued to increase in the community, the shelter began offering emergency housing for homeless women and children in 1992. In 1996, with a waiting list and an inadequate facility, it was clear that a new facility was needed.

A fund-raising effort was initiated to address both the needs of St. Margaret and the House of Charity. The relocation effort for both facilities has gone well. Like the original, the new St. Margaret Shelter is also located near Sacred Heart Medical Center, at 101 E. Hartson.

The cost for St. Margaret Shelter alone is about $2.25 million. The new facility consists of 18 units for 3-5 family members with private baths. It will accommodate three times the families as the previous site. Special services will include mentoring, education, and assistance for future relocation and employment opportunities. The length of stay will be four to six weeks for the newborn program and three months to two years for the shelter program.

The mission of the new facility is to offer emergency and transitional shelter for homeless women with their children and mothers with high-risk newborns needing assistance after the birth of their child. With the sad increase of domestic violence and the vulnerability of mothers with their children who may have little or no resources for support, something like St. Margaret Shelter can address not only an immediate, urgent need but, we hope, also can offer assistance to these families so they can become independent. People of all faiths are served since, in our Catholic tradition, every person is considered a brother and sister in the Lord Jesus.

In the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 25, Jesus shares in story a scene of the last judgement:

“Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or away from home and not attend to your needs?”

“I assure you, as often as you neglected to do it to one of these least ones, you neglected to do it to me.”

The Church in recent decades through her social teaching has called not only herself but all of society to be concerned about those who are vulnerable and who need assistance. Projects like Shelter 2000 in a very real and generous way live out the gospel mandate to love neighbor.

The mission of providing shelter and assistance for the homeless continues. If anything, the needs are on the increase. A few weeks ago while walking on a downtown Spokane street, I was asked if I had any change in my pocket. The request came from a young lady probably no more than 17 or 18. In my brief conversation with her, I found out that she was homeless. The pocketful of change seemed to be a pitiful response to a person whose life was in disarray for whatever reason.

The message of Jesus is clear: We are our brother’s and sister’s keeper. In this responsibility we have the opportunity to help others become more the gift God calls them to be. They have the right to be respected and to be self sufficient, productive members of society. Opportunities for learning responsibility, appreciating the goodness of themselves and developing their gifts need to be provided.

My deep gratitude and appreciation go to all who have made the new St. Margaret Shelter possible. May this effort be a leaven in our Church and in the community of continued attempts to be sensitive to the poor and those who are vulnerable. As we continue to address this good work, we shall reflect in an even more vibrant way the Gospel which we preach and in which we believe. In addition, our faith journey together will be enriched.

Much peace and many blessings to all of you.

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