Pope's words 'beacon of hope' for walkers

CRANSTON, R.I. — Pope Francis' influence was inescapable at the Society of St. Vincent de Paul's annual Friends of the Poor Walk Sunday.

Organizers and walkers invoked his words of compassion as added motivation to turn out at Garden City Center and raise money for the 202-year-old anti-poverty organization. 

And beside the Garden City gazebo, a cardboard cutout of Francis himself smiled out at the walkers, inviting hearty laughs and photo opportunities.

"The pope stirred us all up," said Eleanor McGrath of Charlestown minutes after getting her picture taken with the cardboard Francis.

"It is inspirational to see him reaching out to everyone," said Laurie Roy, a confirmation teacher at St. Joseph Parish in West Warwick. "This walk symbolizes the same thing he is talking about."

A Catholic lay organization with 35 local conferences in Rhode Island, the St. Vincent de Paul Society moved its annual fundraising Friends of the Poor Walk to Garden City for the first time this year to draw more attention to the cause.

In previous years the walk had taken place in parks — such as Colt State Park in Bristol and Governor John Notte Memorial Park in North Providence — but Executive Director Renee Brissette said the more central and commercial location was drawing more attention and people.

Organizers estimated 353 walkers at Sunday's event, which had a fundraising goal of $55,000, $5,000 more than last year.

"The parks were beautiful, but only people coming for the walk would see us and we wanted to make people aware of poverty," Brissette said. "Here there is more visibility, advocacy and we are bringing more attention to poverty."

Even before the annual fundraising walk, its been an exciting time for St. Vincent de Paul in Rhode Island.

In August, Rhode Island hosted 800 people from the national organization and now, this week, Francis has been in the country, drawing more attention to the fight against poverty than usual.

"The pope being here only helps what we do to begin with," Brissette said. "Pope Francis is a beacon of hope. He is that shot of adrenaline that says 'you can do it.'"

The Society is known for collecting food, clothing and possessions for those in need while also having volunteers get involved personally in the lives of those they are trying to help.

"We go out to the people personally and we see the blessing we have been given compared to those who don't have as much," said Paul Fisette, a retiree from Smithfield. Francis "is the face of it. He really relishes being among the people who have nothing."

Like many charities, St. Vincent de Paul is trying get more young people involved and has started a "Next Generation" group of high school and college students, who turned out Sunday in special blue T-shirts.

"It is all about kids changing the world," said Francis Brisette, 17, of Cranston, who was walking with teenage friends Brendan Lawrence of Warwick and Ryan Farrell of North Kingstown. "A lot of people say you have to be older, but we say we can contribute."

—panderson@providencejournal.com

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On Twitter: @PatrickAnderso_