Charity - Training Day

On Saturday night the Bay Area Jesuit Volunteers were invited to the Jesuit residence in Berkeley for a meal together and drinks and socializing afterwards. A number of the Jesuits are support people for the JV communities so they thought it would be nice to get everyone together. It was a great time. A couple of the Jesuits cooked us up a fine dinner of chicken and sausage gumbo and wine was on the house. We had great conversation varying from Catholic dogma to fixing carburators (actually I don't think we talked about that, someone might have, but we did talk about lots of things). It was interesting spending time with men who are so devout in their faith yet also learned in so many different areas of academia. I spent 20 minutes talking with a Jesuit who is a lawyer and he filled me in on information regarding international law, which is becoming more and more important with the dawn of globalization. I had another conversation with one of my support persons about receiving communion in good conscience (as opposed to receiving communion without going to confession, or something like that). We discussed how even within Catholicism different areas of the world practice confession and communion to a different extent (even comparing different parishes - priests really do have a big impact on their communities). Also, what does it mean to be in good conscience to receive communion? Do we have to go to confession? Can someone who is divorced and remarried receive communion? These are important matters, and as far as I am concerned up to interpretation and individual discretion. Anyways, we had a good time, good food, good drinks, good converstions, and all that good stuff. I am eternally thankful to the Jesuits and the program that I am a part of for their support and for the opportunities they provide.
On Saturday my house had dinner with two former Jesuit Volunteer women from two years ago. We see them when we go to Theology of Tap and they extended us an invitation. Once again I was thankful for the charity we receive as Jesuit Volunteers. They cooked up another fine dinner and afterwards we played games and had dessert. I could not have asked for more on a Sunday night. I look forward to keeping a relationship, not because it provides good food, but because it is a joy to meet new people, get to know them, and nurture the created bond.
Today, Wednesday, we had a training meeting at the Center for the men who come in on a day to day basis. It was originally planned only for the interns, but we opened our doors to everyone because of the rainy weather. It basically turned into an open forum in which the men were able to voice their opinions about the Center. We heard good things and bad things and I liked the fact that people were able to share their ideas, but I am most satisfied because people were given a voice in itself. The men (and the workers, staff, interns) need to have a voice. It engenders a feeling a importance and autonomy. It makes people responsible for their ideas and words, which should lead to an ownership of actions. The Center is a place where we all should be heard and respected, where we are given a chance to have responsibility. I think the day went well and believe that we will keep moving forward in our desire to empower the men in their movement from homelessness to independence.