Mini-Vinnie volunteers from St. Catherine of Alexandria and St. Joan of Arc serve meals to local residents at Hope Center in Waukesha. (Submitted photo)
The St. Vincent de Paul Society is an active ministry in Catholic parishes throughout the Archdiocese of Milwaukee showing kindness, compassion and service to others. Their role includes supporting local charities, organizing food collections and raising awareness of important social issues.
Its website communicates its clear mission: “On a person-to-person basis, members offer help, hope, and encouragement to people in need — an ear to listen, a hand in a time of crisis.”
The society is defined as “a network of friends, inspired by the gospel values, growing in holiness and building a more just world through personal relationships with and service to people in need.”
Most St. Vincent de Paul volunteers are adults. But in 2018, Confirmation catechist Janis Parker organized three young people from the cluster parish of St. Joan of Arc in Nashotah and St. Catherine of Alexandria in Mapleton to do the kind works of the Vincentians. Those young people, Lucy Blackmore, Katherine Skumatz and Anthony Witt, made goodie bags for Christmas and Valentine’s Day for the youth at Lad Lake in Dousman.
Calling themselves “Mini-Vinnies,” in alignment with the international nomenclature of youthful SVP volunteers, the local group experienced a revival in 2025. A parish school mom from St. Catherine and St. Joan, connected with another church leader at St. Jerome to form a group that was empowered to create an unforgettable experience for their parish teens.
Angie Bruno from St Catherine/St. Joan, connected with Jon Steiber, SVdP Conference Director, to connect a group of teens who wanted to volunteer to serve the poor. Each conference of SVdP serves a meal at Hope Center in Waukesha on Monday nights. Thus, they picked a Monday in December to prepare and serve meals to the poor and homeless.
None of the teens expected what they saw: humanity in all ages, races and ethnicities all in one place.
Motivated by Proverbs 19:17, which reads: “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done,” the five teens who accompanied Mrs. Bruno talked about what it was like to serve those in need.
When asked what this experience did for their faith, the Mini-Vinnies spoke with passion about their night at Hope Center.
“It was humbling,” said Leo Zell, a junior at Arrowhead High School and presently an altar server. “I saw people with disabilities, in wheelchairs and I just wanted to help them with their food.”
His junior counterpart at Arrowhead, Greylyn Goelz, said, “I didn’t realize how many people needed food. It showed me another side of life.”
Sophomore Madeleine Abitz had been to Hope Center before and served with her grandparents. “I saw how in helping people we were doing Corporal Works of Mercy. It was fulfilling,” she said.
Sixth grade altar server Gia Kemen said it was an interesting experience; one that made her sad. “It strengthened my faith,” she said. “We need to help those who are hurting and don’t have much.”
Goelz added, “I want to spread the word around my high school that this is a good thing to do.”
Abitz continued, “It allowed me to see how Mother Teresa worked,” she said. “I saw Jesus in people. Everyone deserves dignity. It’s a way to show Jesus that you love him and to give glory to God.”
Zell spoke of the work as a humbling experience. “This gave me an open and broader perspective,” he said. “These people were sharing their lives with us, even though we don’t know how they got to this point.”
Freshman Morgan DeByl said it was “eye opening.” She said, “As we have grown up, we don’t see this (poverty) as much. This helped me ground myself and hone what I need to do.”
When asked how other teens could help, the answers were enlightening.
Zell said, “I think everyone our age should have a chance to do this. This is so much more impactful than any other service project. It’s one thing to clean up trash and not come in contact with other people. This is such a different experience out of our comfort zone. Do something humbling. Take the time to do something challenging like this.”
Abitz called it “a great way to show your faith and values.” She continued, “It’s a good opportunity to live your faith in a service focused program.”
Goelz shared that it is “a great experience every teen should have, to show the Gospel to those who are at the lowest point, to bring them back up, (to) show Jesus is there with them.”
DeByl said, “Other teens should do this with people their age. You meet people from all walks of life … and we are all equal.”
Kemen spoke of that fact that this volunteer opportunity “shows by getting involved you can improve things in our society.”
Her mom, Angie Bruno, the group coordinator, said she saw how kind and open with everyone that these teens were. “They were willing to make conversation and say hi to these strangers in need,” she said.
