(left to right) Joe Rocha, past SVdP president; Fr. Carl McCarthy, previous pastor; Madisonville mayor Kevin Cotton; Janice Hatler, president; Fr. Steve Hohman, current pastor. COURTESY OF CHRIST THE KING
Half a century of service celebrated by Madisonville St. Vincent de Paul
BY JANICE HATLER, SPECIAL TO THE WESTERN KENTUCKY CATHOLIC
Christ the King Parish in Madisonville recently celebrated its St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) thrift store’s faithful service to both Hopkins and Webster Counties for the past 50 years. It all began in 1971, when this faith community established a St. Vincent de Paul conference led by Fr. Jerry Glahn, and three parishioners Eva Markham, Eileen Ainsworth, and Louise Renfro. Three years later, they opened the thrift store. Over the years the store resided in various locations throughout the city of Madisonville until its permanent residence at 109 East Arch Street.
It is a great achievement and a blessing that this store has been open for half a century. The store has stayed viable these past five decades due to its staff of resolute volunteers. Though these volunteers are from different occupations, backgrounds, and varied denominations, they are one Christian family united together in the purpose of the St. Vincent de Paul mission. The volunteers who are Vincentians also strive to live out the tenets shaped by the Society’s founder, Frederick Ozanam, and its patron, St. Vincent de Paul.
To commemorate this milestone, a weeklong celebration was held the first week of September. Events were held on each day, like giving away customer appreciation bags; providing children with one stuff animal, books, and toy of their choosing; and store merchandise discounts. On the last day, the morning began with a prayer service led by Fr. Steve Hohman, pastor of Christ the King. Madisonville mayor Kevin Cotton thanked the store and its volunteers for serving the community so well. As he stated, “For half a century, St. Vincent de Paul has been a pillar of compassion and charity in our community providing to those in need. The store has been more than just a place for affordable goods – it has been a lifeline for many families, offering not only material assistance, but also hope and dignity. Based on their work, we are reminded that when we care for one another, we lift up the entire community. St. Vincent de Paul has been lifting up others for 50 years, and we look ahead to their accomplishments in the next 50 years.”
Following the prayer service, the store was open for a few hours offering storewide sales. Upon the store closing, lunch was provided to the community while Pat Ballard and Scott Heltsley provided beautiful music.
Though our Society and conference founders are all now deceased, their faith and legacy live on in those of us who strive to continue to bring Christ’s love and mercy to our vulnerable and marginalized neighbors recognizing Jesus in each one of them.
Janice Hatler is the president of Christ the King St. Vincent de Paul Conference in Madisonville, Ky.
Originally printed in the October 2024 issue of The Western Kentucky Catholic.
