A Place to Turn: Finding Hope and Stability at Saint John’s Hospice

Six months ago, Patrick was facing the difficult task of rebuilding his life.

After a period of incarceration, he was without stable housing and struggling to find work. He lived in a city shelter with no amenities or suitable support. His commercial driver’s license had lapsed, closing the door, at least temporarily, on the work he had done for 20 years as a truck driver. He even contemplated taking his own life.

Then, Patrick found Saint John’s Hospice (SJH).

Over the next six months, he began putting the pieces back together. With support from SJH and the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO), an organization that helps people returning from incarceration find employment, Patrick secured a full-time job at ShopRite. He also found a place of his own.

On August 14, Patrick was one of nine men recognized for successfully completing the Saint John’s Hospice residential program, marking the largest number of graduates in recent years to complete the program. A ministry of Catholic Charities of Philadelphia, SJH has served Philadelphia since 1963, providing residential and day services that help individuals experiencing homelessness meet immediate needs while working toward greater stability and independent living.

Patrick is candid about what led him to Saint John’s. Addiction contributed to choices that ultimately resulted in his incarceration. After his release, he discovered just how difficult starting over could be.

“You get out of jail, you’ve got a record, you need a job,” he said.

Through CEO – a program he introduced to SJH – Patrick found an opportunity to work. At Saint John’s, he found something equally important: people he knew he could turn to.

“Most people have a mom or dad or an aunt and uncle they could call in a pinch,” Patrick said. “My dad died, and [SJH case management] kind of stepped in my dad’s place. If I have a problem and I need help, I have a place to go.”

These days, Patrick still stops by SJH occasionally for a meal and knows that he can always reply on the Saint John’s staff for any  future challenge he may face or support he might need.

Now, however, he is focused on what comes next.

He hopes to continue building stability and, perhaps most importantly, reestablish relationships with his four adult children. He also talks openly about someday finding a “special someone” with whom he can share this new chapter of his life.

Patrick credits faith, employment assistance and the community he found at Saint John’s with helping him get there.

Stories like Patrick’s reflect the mission of Catholic Charities of Philadelphia and the Church which calls us to recognize and uphold the God-given dignity of every person, especially those facing hardship. By providing shelter, support, and opportunities for a fresh start, Saint John’s Hospice helps individuals move beyond crisis toward lives of stability, self-sufficiency, and hope.

“This place saved my life,” he said. “It’s awesome.”