November 12, 2012         John W        John W's previous articles

         Good news story:   A "homeless bishop" experience

Last night's weekly gathering for ex-inmates and poor people needed 70 rice boxes...a record

We had the usual warm-up exercises (some PE), 15 minutes of Scripture reading and sharing, rice boxes, "big circle sharing" and songs.

Then we asked "How many friends will be sleeping in the park tonight?"
Five hands went up

So, at the end of the evening, the five plus two members of local St Vincent de Paul and I headed for a nearby guesthouse where the five were booked in for the night...make that the next 2-8(?) nights....until more permanent accommodation can be found (which the St VdP and another organization will arrange)

During all of which I was conscious of a book I'm one third through: The Homeless Bishop (2011) by Joseph Girzone....the story of an Italian archbishop who becomes a beggar to better understand the life of the poor, and in the process more deeply understands the dignity and closeness to God of the poor...a powerful book

Similar thing happened last Saturday afternoon. I came across a drug addict I've known for several years....on his last legs, literally....barely able to shuffle along...just out of hospital yet again....soon be in for maybe a final time. Offered to buy him a lunch box, but he said he couldn't eat it...stomach in pain. So I bought him some soft bread, but he couldn't eat that either

So I asked him was he able to drink anything, and he requested a bottle (not can) of coke, which I bought. As I gave it to him he stopped me in my tracks by saying a most beautiful prayer for what seemed like 2-3 minutes...thanking God for his goodness and asking God's help etc.

I didn't know he knew how to pray.  A real "Homeless bishop" experience....discovering how the poor are much, much closer to God that one would ever imagine just looking at their grubby features.

"Homeless bishop" is not as well-written as Girzone's earlier works (..give him a break, he's 85 years old!)...but it has the same powerful effect as previous books: makes one much kinder, more compassionate etc

No photos of last night's gathering, but photos of previous gatherings