By Deacon Tom Picciano
Sun contributing writer


ENDICOTT — Marine Boot Camp was a scary place for a 19-year-old draftee named Bill Matts. “As soon as you get off the bus, it’s abuse upon abuse,” he remembered. After an early morning induction in Syracuse, he was among those being processed early the next morning. He got sick and kept going for several more hours before he was allowed to sleep.

“I remember that second night. I can remember praying to God, asking for his help to get through this,” Matts said. “Something happened, because beginning the next day, my life changed there in boot camp. I became the guide, the top guy out of 80-85 guys.”

Matts attended Protestant services throughout boot camp, where he finished first in his class. Then he came out first in music school and “Of course then, never  went to church again,” he added.

By Katherine Long
Sun associate editor

Bill. Subscription expiration. Assorted junk. Bill. The usual pile of mail greeted Father Joe O’Connor when he came into his office at the Chancery in Syracuse one morning in November. But one piece of mail in the stack stood out — a handwritten greeting card.

Inside the envelope was a note and photo from Olivia Guy, a 10-year-old altar server at St. Mary’s/St. Peter’s Parish in Rome. The note explained that, as part of a program organized by her church, she was going to spend Advent praying for Father O’Connor and his vocation.

“I thought, ‘How awesome is this?’” Father O’Connor said. “Advent is such a busy time for priests. It can be draining. To pick up the mail and see a note from someone saying, ‘I’m praying for you,’ that’s really powerful.” He was especially impressed that someone as young as Olivia had “really committed” to this exercise in faith.

Many other St. Mary’s/St. Peter’s parishioners had committed as well, and though most of them didn’t know it at the time, the priests, deacons and seminarians of the diocese had partners in prayer this Advent season.

A conversation with the diocesan director of Catholic Charities Joe Slavik

Q How important is HOPE Appeal support to Catholic Charities?

A Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Syracuse has been a recipient of  Diocesan HOPE Appeal since its inception (33 years). We are one  of the many ministries funded by the Diocesan HOPE Appeal. The money we receive from the HOPE Appeal is allocated to the six area offices in the counties that make up our diocese. The allocation received by the regional offices helps fund programs and services for the elderly, rural initiatives, counseling, emergency services, youth and children, emergency shelter, pantries, mental health counseling and refugee resettlement.
Catholic Charities in the Diocese receives approximately 14% of the total funds allocated by the HOPE Appeal. Three things identify the importance that the HOPE Appeal has for our ministry in Catholic Charities: it commits our Diocesan church to serve the poor and disadvantaged of our communities, it allows Catholic Charities as the social arm of our church the opportunity to serve the poor and disenfranchised across our diocese, and it provides us the opportunity to match other grants and program contracts that allow us to enhance our resources, which in turn allows us to do more for the populations we serve.

Q HOPE Appeal also supports grants for emergency assistance. Can you describe what qualifies as “emergency assistance”?