News

Dedicating life to serve others as a volunteer

VOLUNTEER SERVES: Dennis Brennan helps serve meals at the Place 2B in Oshkosh where he works fulltime as a volunteer. Because of his efforts, he is one of three recipients of this year's Gaudium et Spes Award from the Green Bay Diocese. (Rick Evans photo)
Honoring them What: Green Bay Diocese's 15th annual Gaudium et Spes dinner. Why: To honor this year's recipients of an award given to persons who try to live their faith in the world in the spirit of the Vatican II document, The Church in the Modern World. Who: This year's honorees are Dennis Brennan of Oshkosh, Marge Mattice of Kewaunee, and Allen Stade of Green Bay. When: Social at 5:30 p.m.; dinner at 6:30 p.m. May 9. Where: Liberty Hall, Kimberly. Reservations: (920)437-7531 or toll-free 1-877-500-3580, ext. 8234.

Last in a three-part series on the 2003 Gaudium et Spes recipients

Being compared to the first century carpenter Jesus definitely makes 21st century electrician Dennis Brennan uncomfortable. Yet that's exactly how many people in the Oshkosh area view this full-time volunteer with Fr. Carr's Place 2B ministry to the poor.

So they nominated Brennan for this year's Gaudium et Spes award as someone who personifies Vatican II's directives on the church's work in the modern world.

	Related articles ... From May 2, 2003 issue: • Man who can't say 'No,' says 'Yes' to this award From April 25, 2003 issue: • Grateful servant honored for respecting life • Stewards put faith to work From April 11, 2003 issue: • Three to receive diocesan awards

"Dennis helps the poor and vulnerable seven days a week, from before sunrise to long after the sun has set and he is on call the rest of the day," said JoAnn Kunde of Oshkosh.

For the past seven years, Brennan has volunteered as full-time maintenance person at Fr. Carr's complex, which includes a soup kitchen, homeless shelter, free medical clinic and another shelter -- Holy Family Inn -- for women and children is under construction.

Brennan, who has a degree in mechanical engineering, honed his varied skills while working at his family's business in Cato, in rural Manitowoc County. When his parents, Kenneth and Daisy, closed the business in the early 1990s, Brennan decided to put his skills to use in service to others. He had already been volunteering on weekends at Fr. Carr's shelter for about three years.

"I wanted to take some time and direct my life differently," said Brennan. "So I told Father (Marty Carr) I'd give him three months to see where it was going. Three months turned into seven years."

Fr. Carr said that, after Brennan's arrival, "Wow. Life for myself and the mission here has never been the same. Dennis is not just a pastoral team member, but a real prayer part of my life. Dennis for me is really 'Jesus with skin on.'"

Brennan works directly with the countless volunteers at Fr. Carr's mission, people he calls "some of the best friends I've ever met." His work includes wiring, carpentry, plumbing, grounds keeping, overseeing the numerous building projects and helping in the soup kitchen when extra hands are needed. Fellow volunteers describe him as "a man of all trades" and "Mr. Fix This and That." They tell of his working "over 60 hours a week" or "26 hours of 24 a day." Jean and Dennis Lennon call his work "a modern day version of the loaves and fishes miracle."

Brennan says Fr. Carr's mission attracted him because of the variety of work done, because "I like to be constantly challenged." He describes his job as being "the eyes. I make sure everything is going well. It makes good use of my talents."

Besides his work at Fr. Carr's, Brennan has volunteered at the Newman Center at UW-Oshkosh, the place where he first went to attend Mass after arriving in Oshkosh. In his free time, he enjoys the EAA aviation museum and has even earned a pilot's license.

While he describes himself more as "a hands-on person" without training in people skills, others see Brennan as bringing out the talents in others. The Lennons noted that many of the poor and homeless who come to the shelter are, under Brennan's direction, eager to help with building projects. And, "even though it slows the project, Dennis patiently teaches new techniques."

"He is a soft spoken, patient leader, a hard worker, a master of organization and above all very dependable," said Richard Schmit, another volunteer. "While he is always gentle and caring, he insists on an honest effort from everyone."

For his part, Brennan only smiles, a bit ruefully, at the praise. He'd much rather focus on all the work that is being done -- and still needs to be done. "We're always scrounging for money. There's things you'd do if you could. People are still shocked that there are poor people in Oshkosh."

But there are also people like Brennan in Oshkosh, people rich in generosity, something for which many others are extremely grateful.

"Thank God for Dennis and others like him who take care of all the little and big things that make life better," wrote Karen Binfield of Rochester, Minn., in nominating Brennan for the Guadium et Spes award. "Please consider Dennis Brennan for this award: the man who is, in so many ways, 'Christ with skin on.'"