From Don Fornoff, Bishop’s Task Force on Homelessness:
Paul Carlson wrote an excellent piece about homelessness for the Seattle Times this past Sunday. I hope many of you, dear readers, read it. Carlson is retired, formerly serving as regional coordinator for the US Interagency Council on Homelessness. In his piece, Carlson cites his own frustrating experience of trying to work with Grants Pass, Oregon, the petitioner in the Supreme Court case. He writes about what-ifs, as the conversation revolves around positive solutions in the face of negative experiences as homelessness continues to be a massive problem for all jurisdictions. He is thoughtful in asking, “Can we take the high road and creatively address the issue of encampments, with all local towns shouldering the responsibility to find both short-term shelter and housing solutions?”
Carlson’s practical approach is housing first, which allows for delivering appropriate services to individuals suffering the ill effects of being unhoused. For the task force, the practical approach of small and large parishes is to see where we fit in with what is needed. The greater aim is to create community. Look at the different kinds of gatherings of unhoused peoples, official and unofficial shelters, tiny house villages, tent cities, sponsored parking encampments – all are communal. All people want community – safe places that can be relied upon for support.
I like Carlson’s use of the word responsibility, which, for our parishes, means answering Jesus’ call to serve the poor, the hungry, and the unsheltered. It is our individual call, yet it works best by fulfilling it with collective responsibility.
Carlson’s article is a great example of ideas and comments I find in print and online so our task force can share an expanded understanding of the task at hand. That task is to join in wholeheartedly in outreach to the unhoused.
Be well, do good works, love one another.
Don Fornoff,
On behalf of the Bishop’s Taskforce on Homelessness
