"It is your work; we Brothers are only the
Dispensers of your Charity."
Brother Mathias Barrett spoke the above
words fifty years ago when speaking about the many friends and benefactors of Good
Shepherd Refuge, as it was known back then. To continue with our Jubilee theme,
the focus of this newsletter is on Good Shepherd Center, the first, the
original, the bedrock of many facilities for the homeless that he and his
Little Brothers of the Good Shepherd opened.
What better way than to start with words
written about the first "happening" in a 1955 Anniversary Edition of
the Shepherd's Call:
"In a spare squat building on the
property of Sacred Heart Parish in Albuquerque, with the permission of
His Excellency,
the Most Reverend Edwin V. Byrne, Archbishop of Santa Fe, and the Right
Reverend Msgr. Jose A. Garcia, Vicar General, and Pastor of
the parish,
Brother Mathias banded together his first Little Brothers and started serving
the poor men. There the Brothers welcomed the outcasts and destitute men ‑
some people called them "bums"; the Little Brothers called them
"God's poor men". The Brothers scrubbed, cooked meals for their
transient guests, begged yesterday's bread from bakeries and grocery stores,
and leftovers from housewives, patched and cleaned old suits to give the poor
fresh outfits . .... But the important service wasn't clothes or food, Brother
Mathias told his Brothers; it was sympathy and understanding. No one was turned
away; no man left without some bit of courage and hope."
The Center's method, as established by
Brother Mathias, is very simple in dealing with their "guests”, as they
want them to be called. They come, sign their name, and are assigned a bed;
they are served dinner at 3:30pm and breakfast the next morning at 6:OOam.
Bathroom and shower facilities are available, as are the necessary
accoutrements. Should they need clean clothes, these are provided in exchange
for their dirty clothes. The Brothers' goal is to do everything in their power
to help the guest get back into society and stand on his own two feet again. It
is a certainty that the gentleman guest is someone's Father, or someone's Son,
or someone's Brother.
In the words of Brother Mathias, “Oh, do
not crush people; rather help them to rise; help others to walk and be brave.
Be to all people what you would be to Christ Himself. I am convinced that the
results obtained from our appeal to our people of Albuquerque will be for all
the source of great consolation and encouragement. The perfect harmony that
exists between all who have come to our aid is a fine example of that real
charity that exists in our great country."
These words, spoken in the past, ring true
today. The success of our ministry is due to the wonderful Providence of God;
the untiring efforts of the Brothers, staff and volunteers: and YOU! THANK YOU ‑
ONE AND ALL!!