They came from different
states. They spanned a wide range of ages. Their backgrounds were
varied. But all who gathered for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul's
2014 national assembly in Atlanta shared one common mission: to learn
how to better serve those who most need their help. More than 750
Vincentians -- the largest turnout in more than 13 years -- attended the
annual assembly coming from as far away as Puerto Rico. The Sept. 24-27
conference featured workshops, committee meetings and national and
local keynote speakers. Bill Bolling, executive director of the Atlanta
Community Food Bank, gave the keynote speech during lunch Sept. 27.
Since Bolling founded the food bank in 1979, the organization has grown
to distribute more than 35 million pounds of food and grocery products
each year through a network of 600 local and regional partner nonprofit
organizations that feed the hungry across the state. Bolling spoke of
the importance of the table, pointing out that even in the Bible, many
of the stories of Jesus take place around a table. Feeding those in need
is about more than just food, he said. "The table was the place to be
with people. For me, more important than doing for people was to be with
people," he said. "The idea of starting a food bank was to have more of
those tables -- more of those places where we would meet to be with
each other. To listen -- to really find out more deeply what those
issues were."
Finding St Anthony Among the Lost Items
Saint Anthony of Padua, though often associated with finding lost articles, was primarily known in his lifetime as a powerful and eloquent preacher. Originally a Canon Regular of St. Augustine, he was inspired to join the newly formed Franciscan order after witnessing the martyrdom of the first Franciscan missionaries in Morocco. His conversion to the mendicant life under St. Francis of Assisi transformed him, deepening his commitment to poverty, humility, and evangelical preaching. Gifted with profound theological knowledge and a captivating speaking style, he traveled across Italy and France, drawing immense crowds with his clear and passionate sermons, converting many and combating heresy with his unwavering faith and intellectual rigor. Beyond his public ministry, St. Anthony was a mystic who enjoyed profound spiritual experiences, most notably a vision of the Infant Jesus. This intimate connection with the Christ Child is a hallmark of his iconography, often depicting him c...
