Priest speaks out for homeless and voiceless

Misconceptions
“The first misconception is that it’s their fault,” he stated. “There is a whole range of reasons why people are homeless and one should never assume or judge. The reason for the homelessness is not important. What matters is that each human being needs help of a compassionate nature.

“The second misconception is that, if you are homeless, you need only seek help and all of the resources you need will be there. The fact is that the problem of homelessness is growing and there are far more homeless people in the Diocese than there are beds for them to sleep in.

“In the warm weather, many homeless individuals sleep on sidewalks and on park benches, but from early November until the end of April, I’m involved in [serving] an overflow shelter at the First Lutheran Church in Albany.”

Calling his “a ministry of presence,” Father Brennan visits area homeless shelters during the holidays as well as popping in on a regular basis.

“I don’t go into the shelters to preach, but rather to listen, to console, to brainstorm about ways to make things better,” he remarked. “Sometimes when you’re going through a tough time, it’s enough just to know that someone cares about you. Wonderful things happen when people start to believe in themselves again.”

This was his chief objective when coordinating “Footprints of Christmas,” a 2007 dinner theater fundraising project in Albany, Menands and Voor-heesville.

“Homeless and formerly homeless individuals were actively involved, because we wanted it to be a ministry with the homeless, rather than just for the homeless,” the priest remembered.

It wasn’t the first time he’d seen persons who seem to have little, sharing much. After a homeless man in the final stages of a terminal illness confided in Father Brennan that he wished to die, the priest experienced an epiphany of sorts.

“This man had initially expressed fear of dying in a shelter, but it soon became clear that he was surrounded by a lot of love in the midst of sadness in what was the only place he could call home,” recalled Father Brennan. “That same love was even more obvious when staff and fellow residents gathered for a memorial service. Many spoke of how he had inspired them to go on living.

“Who would have thought that a person dying in a shelter could bring so much life to others? Then again, who would have thought a baby born in a stable would eventually bring new life to the whole world?

“Maybe it doesn’t matter all that much where you’ve been in your life or where you spend your final days. Perhaps what matters most is that you love the people you meet along the way and treat them as neighbors. Seeing homeless people caring for one another has been a real gift to me. I have been deeply touched by those I have been called to serve.”

However, Father Brennan has also experienced many “times when my heart breaks for the homeless. I won’t pretend it doesn’t get to me at times, because it does.”

No room at inn
He recalled helping a homeless family that was being transferred from one shelter to another on a bitterly cold night: “There was an infant who was crying and the few worldly possessions the parents and children owned were packed in garbage bags. I was profoundly moved by their plight.”

Thomas Coates, director of operations for the diocesan Housing Office (under the auspices of DePaul Housing Man-agement), told The Evangelist his own experience witnessing Father Brennan’s work.

“We had a man who knew Father [Brennan] from his many hours spent visiting this man’s home” at a Catholic Charities residence, Mr. Coates remembered. “The client was doing quite well and had achieved many goals including getting a job, his driver license, a car, and ultimately his own apartment.”

When the man was nominated for an award recognizing his accomplishments, “he became extremely anxious,” Mr. Coates said. “He couldn’t understand what he had done that warranted recognition. So he called Father Brennan, who spent some time explaining to the client how far he had come and how many obstacles he had beaten, and ultimately convinced the client to accept the recognition as he was an inspiration for others.”

The priest escorted the client to a banquet, where the client spoke “and was the hit of the night,” Mr. Coates added. “He later said he couldn’t have done it if Father Brennan hadn’t been there with and for him.”

Other voices
In addition to his work with the homeless, Father Brennan recently participated in a rally to draw attention to social justice issues involving farmworkers.

“Giving a voice to those who don’t have a voice is what I feel called to do; this was just another opportunity to lend a voice where it was needed,” the priest noted.

But he hopes to see more Catholics in the Diocese lend their voices to the struggles of those most in need. Father Brennan asked those who are able to donate food, bedding, clothing or funds to the diocesan Housing Office.

Mr. Coates praised Father Brennan “for seeing the humanity in the homeless” and for striving to lessen the suffering “of God’s neediest.”

To help the homeless, contact DePaul Housing Management at 459-0183.[[In-content Ad]]