Carrying on a legacy of caring for the homeless

For 33 years, the St. Martin de Porres Residence in Lewiston has been providing a safe place to stay for men and women facing homelessness and working to get their lives back on track. You can count Russell Carter among them.

“I think the residence does very well helping people,” he says. “I would recommend it to anybody willing to take the next step and wanting to take the next step.”

After battling substance abuse issues, Carter says he ended up homeless, with no place to go. His case worker suggested the St. Martin de Porres Residence.

Carter says the residence provided him with a stable environment where he could work on his recovery, look for a job, and eventually secure a place to live.

“It gave me a place to go at the end of the day, to take a shower, unwind, review. It takes me a while to process stuff, so it gave me that time to process what I went over that day with trying to find housing, trying to get better in my recovery,” he says. “I mean, when you're homeless and you're out on the street, you don't get the time to relax because you've got to be on guard at all times.”

The St. Martin de Porres Residence includes the original 10-bed shelter, which opened in 1991, and the St. Catherine’s Residence for Women, an eight-bed home that was added in 2018 but is temporarily closed due to staffing issues. The residences strive to provide safe and comfortable atmospheres for guests, assistance in helping them connect with agencies that can help them move forward, and home-cooked meals at night. Guests may stay a few weeks or several months, depending on their need, but they must demonstrate a commitment to making the changes necessary to better their situations.

“It helped me get a structure, set up a routine type of thing, so I wasn't just thrown out in the woods and told, ‘Here you go,’” says Carter. “They were willing to work with me while I was working with them.”

The St. Martin de Porres Residence was founded by Brother Irénée Richard, OP, who was honored for his work during a Mass and reception held at the Basilica of Ss. Peter & Paul in Lewiston on November 3, the feast day of St. Martin de Porres.

“When you listen to people who have been housed by Brother, it’s just amazing,” says Terry Capuano, the executive director of the residence, who spoke at the celebration.
Brother Irénée says his inspiration for establishing the residence was a man named Alan. Brother Irénée was introduced to Alan, who was homeless, by a Dominican priest, and over a three-year-period, the two spent time visiting and talking. Brother Irénée describes it as an eye-opening experience, and, as a result, he says he felt called to help those who were unhoused. While he didn’t immediately act on that call, after leading a youth ministry retreat at the Lazarus House, a shelter in Massachusetts, he says he knew he needed to open something similar in Lewiston.

As confident as he was in his mission, Brother Irénée says he still remembers his trepidation when the first guest arrived.

“I was afraid. I have to admit it,” he says. “But you know what? When I saw him, there was no more fear. Absolutely none,” he says.

From the beginning, Brother Irénée has stressed the importance of treating all the residents with the dignity they deserve.

“I always say, ‘There is no judgment. There is no judgment. None,’” he says.

Through the years, the residence has helped hundreds of people who ended up homeless through a wide range of circumstances. Phil Leavitt, for instance, says back in April, he unexpectedly ended up on the street because of code violations found in the building where he was living.

“I no longer had a place to live, and I had 48 hours to get out,” he says. “I was going to sleep in my truck, so I could go back and forth to work, because I had a job.”

He says he didn’t meet income requirements for assistance, but as a result of contacts made through the City of Auburn, he learned of the St. Martin de Porres Residence.

“I liked it because the rules were very clear. It was clean. You had to help out, which I don't have a problem with. I'm a very S.O.P. kind of person, standard operating procedures. And I had a job, so I went to work, did my thing, came in,” says Leavitt, who is a U.S. Air Force veteran. “It was very useful and helpful to have a place like that.”

Carter says he, too, benefited from having rules and guidelines to follow, describing himself as a structured person. He also gives credit to the staff for their willingness to help.

“The staff is very friendly. As long as you’re willing to help yourself, they’re willing to help you. They’re willing to fit just as much into your journey as you are,” he says. “The staff is key to that place.”

The staff no longer includes Brother Irénée. A medical issue in 2020 forced him to take a step back from running the residence. He says his biggest fear at the time was that the doors might close as a result.

“That was my fear when I got sick. I was afraid. I said, ’Oh my God, no.’ I said, ‘No, the work has to continue.’ And God helped me. We have good people now,” he says.

Those people include Capuano, who took over as executive director in May.

“I promised Brother, and I promised God, that I would keep this legacy alive,” she says. “I’m just so in love with the mission and what he’s built.”

Capuano has a human services background. She has worked for the American Red Cross, the American Cancer Society, the United Way, and most recently, she worked in hospice care.

“Talk about a different perspective on things. When you’re on your deathbed, you’re not bringing your boat. You’re not bringing anything other than the ones who love you, and that’s really what life is about. It’s about treating people with dignity at the end of life, treating people with dignity who are homeless or may not have family. That’s what it’s about. I can’t imagine doing any other kind of work,” she says.

She says while people are sometimes fearful of those who are homeless, she says what she has found at the residences are men trying to make their lives better.

“It you talk with them, you realize they’re all God’s children. And if you take the time to talk with them, they’re delighted. And they’re so kind that you can’t help but love and nurture them,” she says.

Capuano says the challenge of finding affordable housing in Maine has made the work of the residence more important than ever, and that is why she is working hard to ensure Brother Irénée’s legacy continues. Other than some Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance with food, the residence depends on private donations to continue operating.

If you would like to help, donations can be sent to St. Martin de Porres Residence, PO Box 7227, Lewiston, ME 04243.


             
           
           
 
                       
             

 

Brother Irenee Richard, OP speaks at a reception in his honor.
Terry Capuano
People pray at the reception for Brother Irenee Richard, OP
Russell Carter and Jim Cutting
St. Martin de Porres Residence Interior
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