I’ve always felt that, as Catholics, we need to
have both an inner spiritual life and an outward life of Christian action in
the world. We have to have be
prayerful and contemplative, spending time establishing a relationship with God
and making the teachings of the Bible part of our lives. But, we also have to act on those
teachings, bringing God’s love to others.
However, I have to admit, my inclination is more toward the action-in-the-world aspect of my religion.
A couple weeks ago my wife, Pat, and I attended a
retirement party for a priest friend who is a great example of bringing God’s
love to others. Fr. Brian
McCormick lived and worked in the Wilbur section of Trenton, NJ, for 42 years
as a living sign of the love of God in this world. Initially, the home where he lived and welcomed others into
was called The Martin House. Over
the time he lived and worked there, it developed into The Martin HouseFoundation: A Community for Justice.
The programs sponsored by MHFCJ include rehabbing and building homes,
Boy Scout and Girl Scout programs, an early learning center, a homeless
shelter, a used clothing/thrift store, a summer camp program, and more.
A major part of the Martin House Foundation is
Better Community Housing of Trenton. Over the past 42 years, BCHT has renovated
or built a total of 167 homes. Its
process is similar to Habitat for Humanity, in that it relies on volunteers to
help renovate and build the homes, the prospective homeowners have to put
sweat equity into the home and homeowners receive a low-cost mortgage that is
interest-free. But it goes beyond
that, in that it is a job-training program for young people who live in the
neighborhood. Working alongside
skilled craftsmen, they learn marketable skills that will help them improve
their lives and their employment prospects.
There were about 300 guests at Fr. Brian’s
retirement party. They included
family, friends, BCHT home owners, people from the Wilbur section and
employees and volunteers of The
Martin House family of programs.
While there were tributes and declarations from city and state
politicians, the most moving words came from individuals who had been helped by
the Martin House programs. There
were women who had been involved in the drill team as teenagers, who are now
working as social workers.
Homeowners who talked about how home ownership had changed their
lives. And volunteers who talked
about how helping renovate and build the homes had made such a big difference
in their lives. But most of all,
they talked about Fr. Brian and how much they admired him for all he had done
for their community. More than one
person said that he had saved their lives.
Fr. Brian’s ministry at Martin House was different
from most parish priests. Although
many parishes have some ministries to focus on the poor and the needy, it
frequently seems like a small slice of the pie. For Fr. Brian, it was most of the pie, if not the whole
pie. Thinking about Fr. Brian’s
work in Trenton brings to mind Jesus being criticized for spending so much time
with the poor, the sick, the leprous, the sinners. I think of Him saying that at the end of time he will
welcome into his kingdom those who fed the hungry, gave drink to the thirsty,
clothed the naked, welcomed the stranger and cared for the sick.
Now, Fr. Brian is retired. His ministry to the people of the
Wilbur section is done. But his
vision lives on in the organization he founded and nurtured over the last 42
years. Throughout those years, he
created, cultivated and reinforced a culture that will continue to have a very
positive influence on the Wilbur section.
And we are all better off because of it. Thank God for Fr. Brian McCormick!
Here’s a picture of Pat and me with Fr. Brian on
the day of the party.
