When our beloved Sister Peggy (Margaret Suerth) died Oct. 4, everything she had dedicated her life to lived on. Here's a story that tells you one of the wonderful things she did ... and gives you an idea of what you can do with us. For more information about her PADS project, visit www.ivpads.com. Photos above courtesy PADS.

Hank (not his real name) had been sleeping on benches at Starved Rock State Park near LaSalle/Peru, Ill., since summer. A polite and gentle man, he had graduated from college and attended a year or two of medical school before being sent to Vietnam. He had returned frightened of noise and commotion, and had taken refuge in the quiet of nature.

But nature was turning colder and less hospitable. With red and gold leaves collecting on Hank's jacket as he slept, park authorities - never thrilled about having a homeless guy lurking about - were getting vehement about their quandary. They called the police again. Thanks to a determined Benedictine Sister, the police finally had somewhere to take him.

"We had just opened a homeless shelter," homeless advocate and shelter founder Sr. Margaret Suerth said. "A couple of churches in the area would open their doors once a week. It was a lot of work, but worth it."

Work, indeed. Sr. Margaret and her volunteers had to haul mattresses, bedding, dishes and food from one church to another during those early years, as the shelter location changed every night. At first, the shelter only operated three nights a week, leaving guys like Hank on their own the other nights. Some of them, like Hank, walked the distance between locations just to have a warm and safe place to sleep. That meant a lot of walking: two of the churches were 16 miles apart.

Eventually Sr. Margaret and the other volunteers found enough churches to keep the shelter open every night of the week. With donations and grants, they also were able to buy enough mattresses and bedding to outfit every location. When the churches wanted their space back, though, the volunteers had to start over.

"Everyone seemed to be in favor of having a homeless shelter but no one wanted it in their backyard," Sr. Margaret said. "Finally, we found space that works wonderfully for everyone."

Like most shelters, occupants must be in for the night by 10 p.m. and out for the day by 7 a.m. Dinner is served at 6 p.m. and breakfast is served 12 hours later. Two sleeping rooms - one for women and one for men - adjoin a rec room that offers TV and card tables for clients that sometimes include entire families.

"In the 13 years I have worked with homeless people, I have met only one person who chose to live that way," Sr. Margaret said. "Most have problems, like Hank. Some are down on their luck. But they are all God's people and deserve our help."

Ultimately, the Veteran's Administration agreed to pay for Hank's housing and expenses. He moved into a high rise right next to the shelter, and still comes over for meals occasionally. "You've never met a nicer person," Sr. Margaret said. "You have no idea how grateful I am to have been able to help such people. It's been a real gift."

Want to learn more about what ministries we do ... and what your life would be like here? Contact me at smacdonald@smmsisters.org or (309) 283-2300!

Love,

Sister Stefanie