In this episode of Desert Wanderers, we sit down with Ralph, an inspiring figure in the Boise diocese, to explore his remarkable journey from farming to serving the poor through his work with St. Vincent de Paul. Ralph shares his deep-rooted Catholic faith and how it has guided him in advocating for social justice and community building. He discusses his transformative experiences in Tijuana and Peru, where he witnessed the power of compassion and action. Join us as we delve into the importance of serving the marginalized and how we can all contribute to building a better community.

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St. Vincent De Paul: https://www.svdpid.org/

Chapters:

(00:00) Desert Wanderers intro
(01:09) Ralph's faith background includes growing up in a Catholic family
(30:54) Catholic Action for Development worked in the poorest parts of Peru
(37:34) We lived in the jungle for four years, running a dairy farm (42:03) Paul went to Peru to help develop innovative dairy farming methods
(43:30) Moving back to the states
(49:05) St. Vincent de Paul has reentry services in Southwest Idaho (53:09) The Society of St. Vincent de Paul was founded by college students in France
(57:10) St. Vincent conferences focus on helping the poor through home visits
(01:04:39) What should we do when we see people panhandling on street corners
(01:10:27) What can we learn from Scripture when it comes to charity
(01:16:19) The debate over social programs vs Christen charity
(01:25:12) We disconnect from our people around us because our prosperity insulates us
(01:28:41) One of the greatest scourges in our society is loneliness (01:35:52) Money is a way to give talent and treasure to benefit others
(01:40:02) Do you think there is any challenge that we could encourage our listeners to get involved?