By Robert R. SchwarzAt her kitchen table, Marybeth muffled a sob when she read a simple note that had been left for her at the parish office by a client. Scribbled on the back of an envelope was: “Thank you for helping us when no one else would.”
In the early l9th Century, a Frenchman's prophetic vision about charity quickly resounded throughout the world, eventually inflaming the hearts of 900, 00 people. Among them today are Marybeth and Mike Schoenwald who spearhead the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of the St. James Catholic parish in Arlington Heights, Illinois.
This husband and wife team provide leadership for 50 volunteers who, since 2005, have been motivated by words of that French visionary, Frederic Ozanam: "Order in society is founded on two virtues, justice and charity. But justice already presupposes a lot of love, for one must love a person a lot if one is to respect his rights which border one's own rights, and his freedom which limits one's own freedom. “Ozanam wished for "charity to do what justice cannot do on its own.” Beatified on Aug. 23, l997, by Pope John Paul II, Ozanam poignantly expressed the ideal of the Society's founding patron, St. Vincent de Paul, when he said: “There are many people who have too much, and who want still more. There are very many more who do not have sufficient, who have nothing and who want to take if people won't give".
Responding to the needs of nearly 100 families each year, Marybeth and Mike have been changing lives of single mothers and other people—some St. James members, some not—troubled with unpaid bills, divorce, addictions, and inability to pay for medical treatment. Members of their team have also been knocking on front doors with a bag of groceries in hand.
As the Schoenwalds and their volunteers move single moms out of sleazy motels and into apartments (which the Society sometimes furnishes), they take joy in knowing that what they do "unto the least of them [Matthew 25:40], " they do for Jesus Christ. One husband whom Marybeth and Mike help reunite with his family told them: “We know that with your prayers and blessings, we will succeed and be able to give back to society one day everything that has been given to us in our time of need.”
No money is ever loaned to clients; a typical aid amount is from $400 to $800. Last year the Society’s $36, 000 in aid money almost tripled that spent in 2005, its first operational year. The current ill economy has increased cash needs of the Society's clients; for the first time, more clients need help with mortgage rather than rent payments. Most of the aid money comes from small donations and the parish itself. In turn, the Society donates regularly to their partners, the Dominican Republic Conference and the St. Clare/St. Rita Conference in Chicago.
The Schoenwalds conduct a monthly Bible study in their modest home a few blocks from their church. Then there is their Rosary network of 163 friends to whom Mike and his wife relay prayer intentions each l3th of the month at 7 p.m. The ministries of PADS (for the homeless) and Respect Life also benefit from these two seniors’ labors. For the past five years the couple, along with other Christians, have spent an hour praying each Thursday morning at 9:30 in front of a Chicago abortion clinic. Marybeth smiled when she mentioned their annual “Truly Garage Sale”, which was held on their own driveway on north Hickory Street last year and which raised $2, 000 for five charities.
Married 33 years, Mike and Marybeth obviously demonstrate what St. Vincent de Paul proclaimed soon after he and six Paris university students established the Society in 1833: that faith and work should harmonize in service to neighbor.
The tonnage of paperwork which keeps the couple busy full-time is done on the Schoenwald’s kitchen table. While organizing notebook after notebook one afternoon, Mike shook his head and said: “All this required record-keeping was beyond what we expected.” He and his wife share at least one item on their "wish" list: more free time just to talk about things like friends and family. They have two recreations: One is Marybeth's organic garden of fruits and vegetables which, she said, "we're still eating in January." Their other fun time, Mike said, "is finding a good restaurant with a good chef.”
At the table, Mike started to tell about the early years of his marriage to Marybeth, those days when they had little money. Then, pausing to exchange a glance with his wife, he reflected: “I’ve walked those miles in other people's shoes and know that there, but for the grace of God..." And then Marybeth handed him another notebook.
