Nods of appreciation and the shuffling of feet filled the room as hearty servings of spaghetti were ladled next to fresh-cut salad and slices of bread on multi-colored plastic trays. It was another ordinary evening at Andre House, an outreach mission that serves those in extreme poverty in downtown Phoenix, as more than 800 guests made their way through the dinner service line.
Andre House, which began in Arizona in 1984, started with two Holy Cross priests who spent their days responding to the basic needs of those experiencing poverty, and encouraging others to do the same. Over the past 40 years, it has grown into a downtown staple that annually provides more than 170,000 meals in addition to clothing, hygiene kits and other personal essentials, laundry services, showers and a friendly encounter to everyone who walks through the door.
This summer Andre House also played a crucial role in the formation of Diocese of Phoenix seminarians.
Taking place for the first time locally in Nazareth Seminary history, nine seminarians took part in a powerful poverty immersion experience – where they were given a backpack, $50 and little else – spending a month immersing themselves into the lives of those experiencing homelessness. In addition to Andre House, seminarians were also sent to a Catholic Charities operated shelter in Bullhead City, Ariz.
“This poverty immersion experience, which takes places at the end of the Spirituality Year in formation, is about two things,” said Fr. Will Schmid, director of the Spirituality Year. “It gives our seminarians a profound experience of poverty within the Diocese of Phoenix so that they might better serve the poor.
“It also helps them understand their own poverty and how the Lord can use their poverty to show His great power. All too often we think we need a lot of resources – money, programs, etc. – to proclaim the Gospel, when in reality God performs His greatest miracles when we have nothing but the power and love of the Holy Spirit, which is the gift of our Baptism.”
Three seminarians lived their immersion at Andre House, spending their days helping guests find clothing, passing out hygiene and health products, preparing and serving meals, cleaning out showers after each use and praying and interacting with guests.
“The atmosphere of Andre House is dynamic and charged,” shared Jacob Barnett, one of the seminarians who was impacted by the experience. “People are always moving from one place to another, either to assist a guest, complete chores or respond to emergencies… The experience gave me firsthand experience of the outreach and the hard, dedicated work that is needed to even begin addressing the brokenness, and it is not just the guests who are broken.
“There was scarcely a day that went by where I did not go to the chapel, kneel down in front of the tabernacle and pray something to the effect of: ‘Lord you have to love them, because I have run out of love,’” continued Barnett. “The experience was a stark reminder of how selfish I am, and how the love that I am capable of giving is very imperfect.”
Barnett found consolation in knowing that whether he was delivering food trays or cleaning bathrooms, the Lord could do great things even with the small amount of love behind these actions.
Justin Sand, another seminarian who spent time at Andre House, also shared his experience about his time with the guests.
“One thing I really took away is at Andre House we had the opportunity to minister and be ministered to, we were just being there with [the guests]. I’m someone who a lot of the time operates under the mindset of ‘I always have to be doing things to be productive or to be accomplishing things.’ It was refreshing to hear, especially from those we were with, that there is so much power just in being with people.”
The seminarians who served at Andre House were so impacted by this opportunity that they have since returned to volunteer again, bringing their families with them.
Poverty immersion allows Diocese of Phoenix seminarians to come face-to-face with their own personal poverty, while simultaneously walking with and learning from others experiencing different forms of poverty. All along, they learn the invaluable lesson which Mother Teresa expressed as she served the poorest of the poor in India: “Each one is Jesus in disguise.”
“Getting to know the guests, getting to hear their stories, getting to know their names and then just praying with them and being with them,” said Sand, “that’s a mindset I pray continues to be at the forefront of my ministry going forward. The importance of just being present to others.”
