A little about me...
My name is Patrick, and I'm from Charlotte, North Carolina. I graduated from Belmont Abbey College, North Carolina, with a double major in Theology and Philosophy. I'm 24 this February, and am looking into religious life.
Why Vincentian Volunteers ...
As I was about to graduate, I was still unsure about what vocation I wanted to pursue. I decided that I should take a gap year and go abroad doing charity work. Out of the different Catholic charities that I saw, the Vincentians stood out the most. My mother is very close with the Daughters of Charity, and I had just completed a Thesis on St. Catherine Laboure, so it seemed like the perfect fit.
My Projects ...
I am doing something different almost every day of the week. I work at a St. Gregory's Youth and Community Centre, where I work in the Breakfast Club and the Youth club, helping out watching the children, getting them breakfast and tea, and playing games. I also work at two Catholic Schools, Ss. Peter and Paul's and St. Mary's, where I am extra support for the teachers and staff. I also spend one afternoon in St. Mary's Drop-In for Boys, and one afternoon at a home for the elderly. Its an amazing range of jobs, and is very worthwhile work.
My Highlights ...
I have had the opportunity to work in both Manchester and in Liverpool this year, and so the highlight of this year is really the the enormous variety of experiences i have been able to accumulate. I have worked now with children, teenagers, troubled youth, homeless, and the elderly and vulnerable. I also have to say that before I moved to Liverpool I was especially blessed to work with the staff at Salford Loaves and Fishes who are doing amazing work with the homeless.