Greetings Sisters, Brothers, Friends!

“This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it! Alleluia!”

“’Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, ‘Woe to those who call evil good,’ but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable… We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbor’s possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from sin and set us free. Amen!”
- Rev. Billy Graham’s Prayer for our Nation

I have always had a deep respect and admiration for Rev. Billy Graham. I think Jesus is his inspiration. Rev. Graham’s prayer above sure seems to capture what some, hopefully many feel about the current situation in our nation. This Holy Season of the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus, “one like us in all things but sin,” would seem to challenge all of us to seek His forgiveness, direction, and guidance.

I know here, even as a Staff, we so often pray for guidance and direction in our ministry to troubled youth. I always offer a prayer when we gather around the table for lunch as Staff and Residents. Our nation has sure lost a sense of the spiritual. Religious liberty is being infringed upon by the government. Here in New York State some elected officials want to offer free college tuition to certain groups/classes of people who have perhaps not had to work for it or earn it, while runaway homeless youth services budgets have been slashed over the past several years. Whatever happened to the common good?

Where has St. Paul’s challenge gone: “Let him/her who would not work, not eat.” It’s almost a contradiction, while entitlements in the U.S. are rampant, yet as I said assistance for mental health issues, youth issues, and strengthening family (the absolute foundation of our society) are wiped out and forgotten. Rev. Dr. Graham surely has a pulse on our Nation. God bless him and give him health! May his prayer above call all of us to reflection, renewal, action!

Easter and Spring, bespeak NEW LIFE, NEW BEGINNING! That is what we offer here on Seneca Street to the young men who call this home for some days or months. They each are afforded respect, dignity, a warm bed, a hot shower, plenty to eat ALONG WITH “tough love,” intense case management, in depth Independent Living Skills and a staff who serve as healthy adult role models and mentors. We are proud to offer a spiritual environment, addressing their needs in Body, Mind, and Spirit. The One Who’s Resurrection we celebrate, JESUS CHRIST, says it rather clearly: “I came that they may have life, and have it to the full!”

A Blessed and Happy Easter to all!
Peace and all good!

“There is no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats it’s children.” - Nelson Mandela

Dear Members of the WNY Delegation of NYS Assembly & Senate:

Happy New Year! I write to challenge you, to call you to task, to make it a happier year for the “Hidden Homeless,” our runaway homeless youth in WNY. Having just watched a brand new CD production of that same title, it is moving, powerful, and right on target. The CD unfolded with help from the Homeless Coalition of WNY and along with the runaway homeless youth shelters of Erie County.

At our recent meeting of the Board of Empire State Coalition of Youth & Family Services, we decided we need to cry-out to you now rather than when the budget fights ensue in March. We have long-proven the appropriateness(even for Traficked Youth…the new hot button item in NYS), the cost-effectiveness, and that fact that we serve those “Hidden Homeless” of which the new production speaks. The runaway homeless youth of NYS are a population that are not popular, not sexy, not big contributors to political campaigns. The Commissioner of Office of Children & Family Services, gives lip service to her concern for the RHY population as does the Governor’s Office, but the RHYA, YDDP, and SDPP lines in the NYS budget have been slashed critically since 2008. Why? If you, as our elected officials claim you care about our youth, then you absolutely need to fight for them, and for us who very professionally, passionately, and very economically give these youth a new life off the streets. Last year as Empire Coalition visited the LOB, with a large group of sincere and hurting runaway homeless youth, we met with many of you including Savino and Paulin. Sad to say we got mere lip service. One of them said to me: “Where do I get the money to restore this RHYA funding?” I replied: “Abolish the NYS Thruway Authority and let NYS DOT or NYS Police run the Thruway with less bureaucracy.” She didn’t like my answer. The RHYA line was again cut drastically, and then an add-on came later, that was literally not enough to allow the runaway homeless youth shelters in NYS to host a pizza party. We need RHYA restored to the 2008 level, even that won’t allow for a COLA. This is urgent.

Please start looking at this issue now. Please call and come visit our facility here. As a Franciscan, I’m begging you not to let this issue of our Hidden Homeless Youth slip off your desk and off your radar. As you know I resigned last year from the Runaway Homeless Youth Advisory Committee last year, after 20 years of service, due to the absolute patronizing and un-involved attitude and leadership of NYS OCFS.

Sincerely,

Fr. Joseph Bayne, OFM Conv.
Executive Director
Board of Directors, Empire State Coalition of Youth  & Family Services

LETTERS ON THIS ISSUE TO YOUR NYS SENATOR OR ASSEMBLY PERSON WOULD BE APPRECIATED!

Fr. Joe and The Franciscan Center was mentioned in the WNY Metro, in an article titled “Humble Father Joe offers light out of the darkness“.