As a high school senior living in Boston, Madeline Kavanagh appeared to have it all. She was a good student, she had many friends, and like most young women, she had a boyfriend.
But all of that changed quite suddenly the day a Daughter of Charity visited her classroom and talked about working with the poor.
"We live in a society with so much wealth all around us," said Sister Madeline, a Daughter of Charity now for the past 24 years. "I absolutely fell in love with the idea of giving myself completely to God by serving the poor and that changed my entire life," she added.
Today Sister Madeline is the director of a mobile soup kitchen serving the poor in Brooklyn, New York. "We serve the immediate need of food and connect them with services, information, and referral," says Sister Madelilne. "We also try to connect people who are mentally ill, are chemically dependent, and need a job by providing an environment that is comfortable, and through it we are able to help them move ahead in their lives," she said. Many of the people who are served by the mobile soup kitchen are homeless and in need of other services. In fact, a lawyer joins Sister Madeline at one mobile soup kitchen stop every Wednesday to offer legal help.
"My advice to anyone considering religious life is to first connect with a community; do volunteer work, observe them and ask questions," said Sister Madeline. "Also take advantage of discernment retreats which can help one get a clearer idea of what God wants of you. And above all, look for a community that will best fit you," she said.
