Jesus, Rejected by his
own people in home town
of Nazareth Luke 4: 16-31

Today I received three rejections relating to my suspension from the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. One was from our local conference President who I asked to attend local conference meetings and make home visits during the time of my appeal to Society was being processed. She said she had orders from local staff saying I could not do that.

One rejection was from the CEO of the US Office of the St. Vincent de Paul in St. Louis. I pointed out the injustice of suspending two of us before any notice to us of any violation and without letting us know who our accuser is and what the specific accusations were. We were found guilty. I made two request of him during the time of the appeal of our conviction, without trial or hearing. I asked him if I could continue make home visits to those in need and to request a full audit of the Milwaukee Central Office budget by an independent auditor. He said no to both request.

The third rejection was from a local parish priest who agrees with us that the SVDP in Milwaukee needs structural change but now that we have been suspended, unjustly as it is, says to give up and take on another ministry.

I was thinking how people I admire, like Martin Luther King Jr. Gandhi or Dorothy Day, would take such a rejection. Would they say well I have tried to correct these injustices to the poor but now that the authorities have rejected me I will give up?

Jesus says if you have a grievance with someone bring it to the person first before taking it to higher authority. Our legal system says you are innocent until proven guilty not guilty until you make a successful appeal. Our country prides itself in freedom of speech yet I have been guilty of is speaking of injustices to the poor. The St. Vincent de Paul Rules and manuals says any individual member can speak freely but not, unless authorize to do so, for the conference, council and US or International council. All my statements have been as an individual advocate.

Catholic Social Justice and Rule of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul says we should treat each other with respect, dignity and charity, even the least amidst us.

The vice president of the local District Council has told me many times that our Society is not hierarchical. The poor, who own the money of Society according to our rule, are on top. After the poor come the members, councils and staff of the Society. I have said that is the way it should be but not the way it is.

We can respond legally or nonviolently. I am not interested in a legal challenge and do not have money or resources to make one. However, I can nonviolently respond by taking the personal pain and suffering this action has cost me but continue to stay on message: The Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Milwaukee, despite all the good people that are members, been taken over by a few and have moved the society in a direction that harms the poor and discriminate against them, especially African-American and Hispanic minorities as other powers do in Milwaukee. Call it what you want but it is racism, perhaps the new Jim Crow, but still racism. If we, weak as we may be, do not stand up for and be the voice for the voiceless, in solidarity with poor. The local powers can marginalize a few of us all they want but if our message is true it will come out.

Today I feel more in solidarity with poor as I have felt for a long while. I feel privilege to be rejected by ‘powers to be’ not that I am any kind of martyr or seek dishonor or publicity but because acting on my conscience and doing the right thing I far as I can hear and see it, I can share in the grace and blessings, God gives to the weak, poor, outcast, sick and with Mary, Mother of God, pray the Magnificat: (below)

‘’My soul magnifies the Lord
And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;
Because He has regarded the lowliness of His handmaid;
For behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed;
Because He who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is His name;
And His mercy is from generation to generation
on those who fear Him.
He has shown might with His arm,
He has scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and has exalted the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich He has sent away empty.
He has given help to Israel, his servant, mindful of His mercy’‘
Luke 1, 46–55

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