Cleveland Ignatian Volunteer, Al Dant and his wife, Marilyn have always been avid volunteers. “The volunteer project I was with had to close,” says Al. “One Sunday, there was an article in the St. Bernadette Parish bulletin about IVC. I am an Ignatius guy and have been around Jesuits all my life. Everyone in my family attended St. Ignatius, including my five sons. I knew what the Jesuits stood for, so I checked it out.”
Through IVC, Al found his way to Procop House, part of the Community Service Alliance (CSA), a non-profit organization that works with men in transition out of homelessness in the areas of training, jobs and housing. CSA helps form relationships between men and those who work with them such as employers, landlords, and other service organizations.
CSA strives to meet men where they are in life and walk alongside each man as long as necessary. CSA seeks to foster a family-like environment where homeless persons gain a deeper sense of their own worth. The residents are primary recovering alcoholics and/or drug users. Living in the home environment, there are strict rules that they must maintain. They are taught how to be good renters, citizens and employees.
“I intermingle with the guys at Procop House all the time,” says Al. “I meet with them frequently on Thursdays to discuss resident concerns, rule issues, etc. I get involved in all kinds of things there. If they need me to scrub a toilet, I will do it! I am there every Tuesday and Thursday. I even stay through the summer.”
The other aspect of the IVC program is spiritual reflection. Al explains that his Spiritual Reflector, Robert Welsh, SJ, has taught him a deeper form of silent prayer and has led him to learn more about Ignatian spirituality - “He has taught me to find what level of God is in you and to expand. God is in all of us and we need to learn to take that Love and expand it in every part of our lives.”
What does Al feel about his IVC experience? “It’s wonderful, it’s inspirational!”