Frederic Ozanam,
college student &
founder of the
St. Vincent De
Paul Society

This is the season of dying and new life. On one hand, I have heard of many deaths of loved ones, and yet we approach the celebration of God becoming a human being in Jesus. While this is season of joy there seems to be a lot of depression going around. Maybe it is the long cold winter days and maybe it is just the anticipation and desire we have approaching the Christmas giving and receiving season. During this time the garden outside remains much the same, just covered with snow. The garden inside remains growing slowly. The growing lights help but do not make up for the sunlight. A lot seems to be changing as we approach the end of this year but much remains unchanged. The poor remain poor without much, even a bed to rest on, as my wife and I have experienced in our St. Vincent De Paul calls today. And most, but not all, of us can buy food and drink for the holiday, as my son and I experienced today in our grocery shopping.

On one of the St. Vincent De Paul calls we met a woman who carried herself with real dignity and respect. She was seeking beds for her children to sleep on so her children can join her in a new residence. The house did not have much furniture but it was well kept. She had received from members of her Church a computer, which she had covered on a desk. The computer was for her children when they returned home at Christmas. We joked about young kids on the Internet and I told her about the www.nonviolentworm.org web site. She wrote down the name and said she would check it out as soon as her children showed her how to use the computer and it was connected to the Internet. There were other calls today that parents were seeking beds for their children. At our parish conference we have so many calls for so many poor, but having limited resources we need to limit what we can give and limit people in need to one call in every six months. So when you are limited to what you can ask for, beds for children to sleep on becomes a priority.

Today on the news I heard the Secretary of Defense complain about the 70 billion dollars the Congress has appropriated for the war in Iraq. He said that money would only last a few months and how it is not good for the military to have to keep on asking for more. The President had wanted 140 billion dollars for the next six months for the war. The President and Secretary can, and will, go back to congress and ask for another 70 billion, so they can have enough, 140 billion for six months. They do not need to wait six months, and already begun the requesting process days after the 70 billion dollars was given.

My guess is that 140 billion dollars would provide beds, food, clothing and shelter for every child in need in American for six months, if not much longer. This 140 billion given to families in need would have gone to building a stronger America. The 140 billion given to the war will means more war, more threats against the USA, and more violence, since violence begets violence.

“When will they ever learn, when will they ever learn?” We need more beds, not more guns.

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