December 16, 2025 // Diocese

Vincentian Mass Honors Those Who Serve the Needy

Tim Johnson

As members of the Fort Wayne chapter of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul gathered for their annual Vincentian Mass and breakfast on Saturday, December 13, at St. Therese Church in Fort Wayne, the focus was less on another year coming to a close and more on the people whose quiet service continues to sustain neighbors in need.

With Bishop Rhoades celebrating Mass, about 200 Vincentians from across the region came together to give thanks, honor outstanding volunteers, and reflect on how faith-driven service has met rising needs in the community over the past year.

During his homily at the Vincentian Mass, Bishop Rhoades placed that work of charity within the broader mission of the Church, particularly as the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend prepares for its first diocesan synod in 100 years. Drawing on the biblical image of fire – from the prophet Elijah to Pentecost – Bishop Rhoades reminded the faithful that all Christians are called to carry the fire of the Holy Spirit into the world.

Bishop Rhoades said, “I also chose as the theme of the synod ‘Spreading the fire of God’s love’ because this is our mission as Christ’s Church: to spread the truth, beauty, and joy of the Gospel.”

“I see the St. Vincent de Paul Society as an integral part of the diocesan synod,” Bishop Rhoades said. “The fifth synod priority – serving the poor, the suffering, and the vulnerable – is actually at the heart of your mission as Vincentians.”

In quiet, often unseen ways, Bishop Rhoades added, Vincentians are already “spreading the fire of God’s love” through their service.

Lara Schreck, executive director of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul – Fort Wayne, said the need in the community continues to grow.

“There is just so much need in the community right now,” she said. “We are seeing more people than ever calling the Society of St. Vincent de Paul asking for help.”

Photo by Tim Johnson
Leaders at the Society of St. Vincent de Paul – Fort Wayne announced the 2025 recipients of the Top Hat Awards, which honors Vincentians whose faithful service reflects the society’s long tradition of quietly “tipping one’s hat” in gratitude for Christ-centered charity offered with humility and love. Pictured during the society’s breakfast at St. Therese Parish in Fort Wayne on Saturday, December 13, from left, are Sam Schenkel, district council president; John O’Boyle from the St. Gaspar del Bufalo Conference in Rome City; Peter Walters from the St. Francis of Assisi Conference at St. Anthony Parish in Angola; Bishop Rhoades; Bob Felicichia from the St. Therese Conference; Tom Ryan from the St. Vincent de Paul Parish Conference in Fort Wayne; and Lara Schreck, executive director of the St. Vincent de Paul Society – Fort Wayne. Not pictured is Top Hat Award recipient Mary Ann Welling of the St. Charles Conference.

At the breakfast, Schreck shared highlights from the society’s work over the past year. The society provided more than $500,000 in rent and utility assistance to help families remain housed, while food and nutrition assistance was provided more than 70,000 times across the district – a 27 percent increase from the previous year.

“We’re hearing heartbreaking stories,” Schreck added. “People living in their cars, people having their utilities shut off in cold weather, working families who simply can’t keep up with the cost of living.”

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul operates 12 food pantries in the region.

“We provide rent and utility assistance, free clothing and furniture vouchers, and we’ve launched a Build-to-Work carpentry program to help people find better-paying jobs,” Schreck said.

Beyond emergency assistance, the society’s ministries address long-term needs with dignity. Its Caravan program provided free medical transportation to more than 500 individuals last year, while volunteers in the district’s jail ministry supplied warm clothing to more than 1,400 inmates at the Allen County Jail.

With a staff of just 20 and more than 900 volunteers in 23 conferences, “our volunteers make everything possible,” Schreck said. “What inspires me is the way our people serve. Because we are faith-based, we are truly seeing Christ in the people we serve, and that’s why I’m part of this organization.”

Shreck noted at the breakfast: “It’s heartbreaking to realize that some of the people we serve are so used to being overlooked, to being treated unfairly or made to feel like they don’t matter. They are often genuinely surprised when they receive care and kindness. Your gentleness, humility, and zeal help them feel seen and loved as children of God.”

Schreck shared a story with Today’s Catholic of a single mother with two children who was getting by delivering food when her car broke down, leaving her suddenly without income.

“One of our parish conferences stepped in,” she said. Volunteers helped with food, assisted her move to a more affordable apartment, connected her with furniture and clothing, and someone even donated a car. “It was a family coming together to help in every way,” Schreck said. “It changed her life and the lives of her children, giving them hope and a new start.”

Schreck told the volunteers at the breakfast: “You are spreading the fire of God’s love through your service. You’re changing hearts. You’re changing lives. And never forget the impact you make on each person you serve, and how that, in turn, helps you grow in holiness.”

The breakfast also included the presentation of the society’s annual Top Hat Awards, which honor Vincentians whose service reflects the spirit of St. Vincent de Paul Society founder Blessed Frédéric Ozanam. Several recipients were recognized for decades of quiet leadership – from organizing emergency food supplies at parish churches to accompanying individuals leaving jail as they sought housing and employment.

As the celebration concluded, Bishop Rhoades offered an Advent blessing, praying that the light of Christ would continue to shine through the work of the society. In a season that calls Christians to prepare room for the coming of Christ, the Vincentians gathered at St. Therese were reminded that they encounter Him daily in the faces of neighbors who need hope, help, and human presence.