Tom Scheuring, Co-Founder, and Director
Where are you from? Bronx for the last 39 years. Originally from Minnesota.
What’s your favorite thing about LAMP? Its service of helping those in need know they are loved by God, and its emphasis on holiness.
What have you learned as a LAMP Missionary? God’s faithfulness and providence through the intercession of St. Joseph, and how much those in need evangelize me.
What restores you? Being with the LAMP Missionaries weekly to pray, and to share how the Holy Spirit has worked in our ministries during the past week.
Lyn Scheuring, Co-Founder, and former Co-Director
(Entered eternal life September 20, 2018)
Where are you from? Born and raised in Astoria, Queens.
What’s your favorite thing about LAMP? Its evolving ministries of evangelization among the materially poor.
What have you learned as a LAMP Missionary? How the poor evangelize me.
What restores you? Reaching out to someone with God’s love.
Who are your favorite Saints? St. Therese the Little Flower, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Clare, St. John of the Cross
Marybeth Mutmansky Greene, Pastoral Co-Director
Where are you from? Southwest Pennsylvania
What led you to apply to LAMP Catholic Ministries? When Tom & Lyn were beginning LAMP, I was a campus minister at Manhattan College, but had served with them in various ministries over 10 years, and knew they were close to the Lord’s Heart. I asked if I could join them in 1981 just as they were beginning to implement this mission of evangelization with the materially poor. God had put in my heart a love for the poor, especially children, and I found that LAMP is the avenue God gives me to express and grow in love of His beating Heart, the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and others.
What’s your favorite thing about LAMP? Monday gatherings, LAMP’s vision of moving with the Holy Heartbeat of Jesus.
What have you learned as a LAMP Missionary? How amazing and personal God’s love is for every person on this earth.
What restores you? Prayer, writing poetry, appreciating nature.
Ed Greene, Pastoral Director
Where are you from? I am from the Bronx, NY.
What led you to apply to LAMP Catholic Ministries? I was led to apply to LAMP 38 years ago after volunteering in an impoverished neighborhood in New York City for a while. I was so taken by the courage, strength, and even the generosity of the people who lived in such difficult circumstances. I felt the presence of Jesus so profoundly among them. After hearing Co-Founder Tom talk at a Catholic Conference and later meeting his wife Lyn, co-founder, and the Associate director Marybeth with their humility and love for the Church, I took the step of applying and later left my job to serve as I have remained til this day.
What’s your favorite thing about LAMP? I thank the Lord for LAMP every day. No matter how long one serves with LAMP, it is a wonderful way to respond to God’s wonderful personal love.
What have you learned as a LAMP missionary? I have learned by the example of Tom, Lyn, and Marybeth, the grace of being one in Jesus and His Mission through the Church. Also their love for Jesus, Our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Church, has lifted my aspiration to live the Gospel much more fully.
What restores you? I am restored by LAMP’s direction of daily personal prayer,the Holy Eucharist, and also the witness of the selfless love of each LAMP Missionary for Jesus in His beloved poor.
Raul Salgado
Where are you from? I was born in Puerto Rico and have lived in the Bronx, NY since 1955.
What led you to apply to LAMP Catholic Ministries? In 1985, my wife, Jennie, became a part-time LAMP Missionary. One
evening after helping at a homeless shelter for men in Holy Cross church in the Bronx, she shared stories of some of the men who told how they had become homeless. We both agreed how easy that could happen to anyone. Later after thinking about what we could do to help the poor, I thought of buying a canteen truck to feed them on the streets of impoverished areas in the Bronx. Jennie presented the idea to the Directors of LAMP Ministries who became enthused about the idea. After much planning on their part, together with the Archdiocese of NY, the idea became a reality. The LAMPcafé (formerly Manna) was born. After retiring I became a part-time Missionary.
What’s your favorite thing about LAMP? Working at the LAMPcafé where I share God’s love with the poor from many places, as many are transient and from all walks of life. The simple act of giving them food to eat and food for the soul through prayer and being a loving presence comforts me knowing I am pleasing God in answering His call.
What have you learned as a LAMP missionary? I have learned the importance of the work we do to share Jesus with the poor. We may feel we are not capable to do this work but God will give us what we need if our hearts have a desire to serve Him.
What restores you? Our gatherings on Mondays, daily Mass, praying, movies and time spent with family.
Jennie Salgado
Where are you from? I am from the Bronx, NY
What led you to apply to LAMP Catholic Ministries? In 1978, I had a spiritual awakening which led me to surrender my life to Jesus. I became active in the prayer group and other ministries in our parish, St. John Vianney, in the Bronx. My love for Jesus was immense and my desire to serve Him was endless. I knew that He wanted more from me. In 1984, my husband Raul and I attended a Charismatic retreat in Scranton, Pennsylvania. After a priest had finished speaking, I spoke to him about my desire to serve Jesus further. He told me to get in touch with LAMP Ministries. One afternoon I attended a retreat in a park in the Bronx and who had a table there? LAMP Ministries! I knew this was an answer from God. I spoke with Tom and Lyn+, whom I miss dearly, and shortly afterwards I became their first part-time LAMP Missionary.
What’s your favorite thing about LAMP? Serving God’s poor. How I love them! When I look into their faces I see beauty. They are beautiful in all of their suffering and brokenness. I look into their eyes and I tell them, “You were made in God’s image!” They are taken aback and look at me with confusion. I assume no one has ever told them that. I feel privileged to serve them. It is an honor. The other thing about LAMP is that I am blessed to serve with my husband, Raul.
What have you learned as a LAMP missionary? I have learned many valuable, life changing lessons. The most important lesson I have learned is that it is very important to give God permission to form us so that we can become His servants, servants to serve the poor. We are all capable of loving and evangelizing the poor if our hearts are open and we thirst for God’s guidance. LAMP Missionaries are immensely blessed to have holy Directors whom we can count on every step of the way during our call. They inspire me.
What restores you? Reading scripture, praying, reading, book clubs, writing, puzzles, scrapbooking, movies and time spent with family and friends.
Stephen Patterson
Where are you from? Pittsburgh, PA
What led you to apply to LAMP Catholic Ministries? The richness of the deposit of faith and tradition within the Catholic Church absolutely intrigued me. Also, my desire to serve the materially poor. A friend emailed me a list of 10 Catholic service outreaches. I noticed on LAMP’s website that I could get to share the faith with folks in need, I was immediately attracted! And my family and friends in Pittsburgh were glad as well, with me being in NYC they wouldn’t have to hear me go “on and on” about faith stuff, haha. I’m grateful LAMP allows me to do what I love.
What’s your favorite thing about LAMP? That I’m in a Catholic community where folks are growing, serving and loving God and the materially poor together. It is a unique and powerful dynamic.
What have you learned as a LAMP Missionary? How to better be with other folks and be mindful of how each of my words and actions can potentially have a huge impact on others and that prudence and selflessness are very important and something I want and need to continue to cultivate in my heart.
What restores you? Spiritual progress, interior healing, and God’s mysterious and loving ways that are offered to me not as I want them to be, but what I need them to be. I am restored when stagnation is removed by growth and by God’s constant pruning and teaching that He offers!
Maggie Kelly
Outreach Coordinator
Where are you from? I grew up outside of Boston, MA, but I moved to NY from Boulder, CO where I had been living for the past 6 years.
What led you to apply to LAMP Catholic Ministries? After a 8 day St. Ignatius silent retreat, I heard the call in prayer to move to NYC and work with the materially poor. After researching Catholic ministries online, I came upon LAMP and decided to apply.
What’s your favorite thing about LAMP? I love sharing the powerful love of Jesus with others. I’m continually renewed in my conviction of God’s grace by the encounters we have in our ministries. The faith of the people we serve evangelizes my own heart. I’m inspired by their surrender and trust in God to provide for their needs.
What have you learned as a LAMP missionary? The importance of quieting my mind and listening to the Holy Spirit as well as cultivating a humbling recognition of my own spiritual poverty.
What restores you? Dance, long walks, contemplative prayer, holy naps, listening to music, and cooking.
Erin K. McAtee, LAMP Associate
Where are you from? Lafayette, Indiana
What led me to apply to LAMP? Back in January of this year I was discerning where God was leading me, in the midst of an increased desire to continue my art ministry to the poor here in New York City. When I first moved to the city, I was initially given the space and encouragement to begin finding ways to incorporate beauty and art-related activities in impoverished communities through a 5-month artist residency at the Sheen Center. From there, I began to collaborate and work alongside the Missionaries of Charity, Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, and the Sisters of Life, contributing my artistic gifts to the various needs of each of these communities. Once my residency came to an end, I knew God was calling me to continue the mission work I had begun last September. Through LAMP, God opened a door wide open for me to continue serving His people here in the city. Thanks to the directors and my fellow LAMP missionaries I am now able to continue following my call to use art and beauty as a pathway to deeper encounter with the poor, and ultimately as a catalyst for encounter with Christ.
What’s your favorite thing about LAMP? My favorite thing about LAMP is the friendship I enjoy with those in the LAMP community. Anytime I feel alone or need words of encouragement, personally or in relation to ministry experiences, I know I can reach out to any of the female missionaries at the Annunciation house or the male missionaries at the St. Joseph residence. I’m always so grateful for the times we all get together for dinner or casual time to catch up or play music. Hailey knows how to liven up any setting with her musical gifts!
What have you learned from LAMP? I haven’t been with LAMP for very long, but so far one of the most important threads of continued growth has been perseverance during periods of hardship in ministry. Sometimes I find myself in an initial awkward encounter with someone I’ve met in ministry, or find that a conversation with someone didn’t go as smoothly as I would have liked. Yet, I’ve found a tremendous amount of joy in the experience of staying committed to challenging experiences and relationships, which more often than not prove to be sources of grace and opportunities for interior conversion. It is in authentic faithfulness and humility that we experience these fruits and ultimately find a deeper love for Christ in the poor.
What restores you? I am restored by prayer, quality time with friends, and working with my favorite art mediums (drawing, printmaking, or painting). I get to combine all three of these restorative activities when someone sits for a portrait drawing, which is one of my favorite ministry activities. Photos and reflections from encounters I have had through portrait drawing in ministry can be found on my website: erinkmcatee.com
LAMP CATHOLIC MINISTRIES 