Julien Gustinelli was among volunteers walking in Midtown Manhattan the other night seeking out homeless people to give them bags of sandwiches, hygiene essentials, and prayer cards as part of the Monthly Homeless Outreach program of the archdiocesan Office of Young Adult Outreach.     

“Homelessness is a big issue in New York. I see it everywhere,” Gustinelli told The Good Newsroom as he walked down Lexington Avenue from St. Patrick’s Cathedral to Grand Central Terminal. “I moved here about eight months ago from South Florida. When I saw this Catholic group, and that they were doing this, I wanted to join.”              

“I have never been homeless on the streets, but I’ve been, like, living out of hostels before, not having money and worrying about that. So I empathize highly with people who are in that situation but worse. This is one of the biggest ministries you can help out with; it is important volunteer work. People are in desperate situations and they need help; they need understanding and empathy,” Gustinelli, 33, who works as a copywriter, added.        

The Archdiocese of New York offers a number of ways for young people to be more involved in the mission of the Church through its Young Adult Outreach office. The office coordinates service and social gatherings, as well as formation that can help guide them in their spiritual journeys. (In recent months, the Office of Young Adult Outreach has been co-sponsoring the monthly Homeless Outreach nights with the archdiocesan Order of Malta, which offers the service project (Malta Walks) to members of all ages).  

The evening meeting place is usually St. Patrick’s Cathedral. From there, the participating group, typically around 15 people, venture on mission walks into several parts of Midtown Manhattan, seeking brotherly encounters with the homeless for 60 to 90 minutes. 

“It is a volunteer opportunity for young adults; they are invited to bring socks or toiletries, something they can offer people,” said Kaitlyn Colgan, assistant director at Young Adult Outreach. “So we do offer physical, tangible things. But mostly, the mission is a ministry of presence – being present to somebody and listening to them.”      

One of the homeless persons on East 42nd Street that evening was a woman who gave her name as Jance (pronounced Jancee), who told The Good Newsroom that she was grateful for the bag of sandwiches, prayer cards, and other items she received. “I think it was very nice; it was very nice that they gave this to me. And I like the religious cards. Thank you, God, very much,”  Jance, who soon turns 37, said as she sat on the sidewalk by the wall of the Hyatt Grand Central New York.

“Our hope is to realize their human dignity and talk to them…We do have packets of resources; it has things like (info on) shelters, showers, clothing, and food. It’s been a really powerful experience for a lot of the young adults,” Colgan said.

Dr. Guadalupe Jimenez, a parishioner of St. Anthony of Padua in the Bronx, was also among the Homeless Outreach volunteers on the night of May 24.    

“I love the idea of meeting people where they are; this is an opportunity for us to show them that we love them as brothers and sisters in Christ,” Jimenez, an emergency room physician, said as she walked on East 42nd Street toward Grand Central Terminal. “I think that oftentimes they feel unseen; and I want to let them know that we are seeing them, that we want to give of ourselves to them, to pray with them, even if it’s just for a few moments.” 

“The young adults are encouraged to ask for the first names of the people who they meet because there are people who offer to pray for them specifically by name, and the young adults offer their own first name,” Colgan said,   

The YAO’s monthly Young Adult Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral is preceded by a Holy Hour, with music provided by faithful musicians. Young Adult Outreach is open to people ages 21 to 39. For more information: www.catholicnyc.com.