Michael Mastromatteo –
If the walls at a cluster of old homes at the south end of Berkeley Street could talk, they probably wouldn’t have much high drama or prurient gossip to tell. However, over the last 42 years these walls have witnessed countless scenes of gentle care and compassion toward some of society’s most vulnerable people.
These four buildings, stately and creaking, house Poverello Charities, a Christian community serving people with mental illness. The name Poverello, meaning little poor one, honours St. Francis of Assisi, the 18th-century founder of the Franciscan religious order – and whose name the late Pope Francis adopted.
The four houses represent the legacy of founder Father Joe McDonald (1933–2018), a Capuchin-Franciscan priest who devoted his ministry to serving the poor, the homeless and the mentally ill.
A one-time chaplain to seafarers, McDonald went on to operate drop-in shelters for the mentally ill in downtown Toronto. A master organizer and fundraiser, he purchased the first Berkeley Street house in 1983 for a then-pricey $100,000. Within a few years, the charity acquired the three others.
Today Poverello is home to 16 residents, many of whom have resided there for decades. Rose has called Poverello home for 42 years. Filled to capacity, Poverello Charities can accommodate 18 people.
The community includes St. Clare house for women, and the St. Elizabeth, St. Raphael and St. Joseph houses for men. The St. Joseph house at 203 Berkeley Street also serves as Poverello’s administrative centre.
Although Poverello is a Christian-based charity, religious affiliation is not its dominant feature. As Fr. McDonald said, a sense of community was top of mind in Poverello’s work.
“A loving community is the most healing factor in our lives,” he once said. “The most needed thing is love. We need to know that we belong, that we have a place; that people will miss us if we’re not around.”
Poverello residents form a community of mutual support – working, eating, recreating and praying together. Residents and supporters are dedicated to a life of simplicity and poverty – foregoing material things and adopting but rather as a “poor in spirit” attitude that fosters togetherness and mutual support.
Poverello offers private rooms and partial board for long-term consumers/survivors of the mental health system. Although most residents are unable to find paid work, they are encouraged to help in day-to-day operations such as food preparation, tidying and minor maintenance work.
Irene has lived at Poverello’s St. Clare house since 1992. A native of east-end Toronto, Irene eventually linked up with Fr. McDonald, who encouraged her to try Poverello.
“Poverello has become a real home for me and the rest of the residents,” Irene said. “Everybody seems to get along, but we respect everyone’s privacy. If you want to be alone for a while, there are always opportunities for that. It’s a great place for everybody. We’re all doing pretty well here.”
Brother Peter Poel of the Capuchin Franciscan religious community serves as Poverello’s chaplain. “As important as our houses are, it is the people themselves that are most important,” he said.
As any Cabbagetown home owner can attest, maintaining century-old buildings doesn’t come cheap. Poverello is raising funds to upgrade the kitchen, the electrical system and the flooring at St. Clare house. There are also plans to repair the four-plot wide sundeck and solarium, which has become a quiet haven for residents to relax, converse, play cards or just spend time together.
Stephen Sobol has served as managing director for the last 17 years. While Poverello maintains a low profile in the community, he said, it remains important for the charity to celebrate its work and in turn, get to know its Cabbagetown neighbours.
“It’s key that we continue to provide proper housing and a sense of community to people with mental health issues,” Sobol said. “As our founder often said, a caring community plays an important role in bringing healing to our residents.”
Poverello is a registered charity with a four-person board of directors. Rather than engaging in a high-pressure fundraising campaign, the Poverello team’s immediate objective is to reach out to neighbours in Cabbagetown and beyond.
For more information about Poverello Charities Ontario, visit www.poverello.ca
