Ever since I was young, I have felt a calling to help the homeless.
It started with my mom, who always carried bottles of water in the car so we could share them with people we drove by. We also packed bags of hygiene supplies and food for my dad to hand out as he drove his concrete truck through the streets of Charlotte.
In elementary school, instead of birthday gifts, I would ask my family to give me Bibles to donate to the homeless shelter.
Fast forward several years, while I was discerning seminary in high school, and I learned that Matthew Hennessey, a seminarian and one of my high school friends, had started a homeless ministry called The Prayer Walk. It struck my heart, and I asked if I go on one.
My first walk was scheduled for a freezing Friday evening, when the forecast called for relentless rain. I texted Matthew, “Are we still doing the prayer walk because it’s raining?” His response was something along the lines of, “Yes, because they are out there, so we will be out there with them.”
We bundled up and started our walk, passing out handwarmers, food, water and some raincoats Matthew had received. The people in my group were getting cold and tired, so when we realized our charitable hearts were fading a little, we prayed a decade of the rosary for the homeless and for the grace to keep pushing through.
I left that walk with a deeper appreciation of the comforts I took for granted, including a warm, dry bed to sleep in.
The ministry grows
Four years have passed, and our volunteers have increased.
It started out as two groups, on average, of three people walking down Tryon Street with sandwiches, water and various clothing items. Thanks to volunteers from the seminary, the Daughters of the Virgin Mother and several of our priests, we now average about four to five groups of three people, splitting up to bring food, hygiene packs and sleeping bags to people at bus stops and in nearby parks.
We have also received donations. Our two largest and most frequent donors are St. Gabriel Parish, which provides funding for the supplies we need each month, and Knights of Columbus Council 770, which donates coats every year and provides financial support. Soon we will have a donation drop-off box at the Diocese Pastoral Center, where people can leave non-cash donations, such as old clothes or backpacks, hygiene supplies, or non-perishable food like bars and chips. (Look for details in an upcoming issue of the Catholic News Herald.)
Beyond the material goods we bring, one of the most important parts of the walk is simply getting to know the people we meet. We collect their names so we can add each person to our prayer list, keeping them in our prayers long after the walk has ended. It is a small way of reminding them, and ourselves, that they are known and loved by name.
Diocese of Charlotte seminarians and friends reach out to people living on Charlotte’s streets with food, clothing and prayers. (Troy C. Hull | Catholic News Herald)
Walking into the future
Now that Matthew has graduated from St. Joseph College Seminary and will be moving on to his next stage in formation for the priesthood, Pierre Westhoff and I have taken over the prayer walks.
This has given us a chance to think seriously about where we want to take the ministry next. Our biggest goal moving forward is growth, not just in the number of volunteers, but in the number of parishes standing behind this work. Right now, our support comes from a small, faithful group, and we would love nothing more than to see that circle widen. The more parishes that get involved, the more hands we have on the street each week and the more people in our diocese who come to see this ministry as their own.
Getting more people involved means more than just showing up for a walk. We are hoping to build a pipeline of volunteers who can commit to this on a recurring basis, along with parishioners who are willing to organize donation drives, prepare hygiene packs or simply spread the word. Every sandwich made, every pair of socks donated, and every person who shows up on a cold night allows this ministry to keep reaching people who are so often overlooked. You can also take part by praying for the safety of the people who are out on those streets every day.
We are in the process of building a website for The Prayer Walk so potential volunteers can learn how to get involved, parishes can find out how to partner with us, and donors can see what is needed and where to drop things off. It will also let us tell the story of this ministry to people who may not have heard of it, and invite them to be part of it.
What began as two small groups walking down Tryon Street has become something much bigger than Matthew, Pierre or I ever expected. As we step into this next chapter, our hope is that
The Prayer Walk continues to grow, not for its own sake, but because every new volunteer and every new parish means more people on the streets of Charlotte who know they have not been forgotten.
Micah Burgess is a seminarian at St. Joseph College Seminary in Mount Holly from St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte. To volunteer or donate to The Prayer Walk, email him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..