[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 114 (Wednesday, September 3, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1630]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO MSGR. VINCENT E. PUMA

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BILL PASCRELL, JR.

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 3, 1997

  Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call to your attention a 
true humanitarian, Msgr. Vincent E. Puma of Paterson, NJ.
  For the past 13 years, Monsignor Puma has operated Eva's Kitchen and 
Sheltering Programs, a haven for underprivileged citizens who need food 
to eat and a place to sleep. Monsignor Puma recently decided to step 
down from the helm of this worthwhile organization but will leave 
behind a legacy which has greatly enhanced the community of Passaic 
County.
  Born in Brooklyn, Monsignor Puma has lived in New Jersey his entire 
adult life. He attended Saint Mary's Seminary and Immaculate Conception 
Seminary, and was ordained in 1951. Monsignor Puma worked as a pastor 
in Clifton and Paterson before starting work at a mission in Dover, NJ. 
He returned to Paterson in 1962 to organize a network of churches for 
Spanish-speaking residents. Eventually the church gave Monsignor Puma a 
parish in Paterson, however, the stay was not long as he left his post 
as pastor to begin helping the poor and destitute.
  In 1982, Eva's Soup Kitchen was founded in the basement of a former 
convent. Today, Monsignor Puma's organization serves 160,000 meals per 
year. In addition to providing food for those in need, Eva's Kitchen 
organizes shelters for men and women, halfway houses for the drug-
addicted, and a clinic for the poor. Constant fundraising by Monsignor 
Puma has led to the tremendous growth of the organization, which 
employs a staff of 35 full-time and 30 part-time employees. Volunteers 
from more than 110 churches and organizations also help in providing 
staff for Eva's Kitchen. The ultimate tribute to Monsignor Puma's 
relentless work is the new $7 million headquarters that serves as the 
hub of Eva's operations.
  On August 1, 1997, Monsignor Puma will step down and hand over the 
reins to his successor, the Reverend John T. Catoir. Although he will 
no longer be in the forefront leading Eva's Kitchen and Sheltering 
Programs, Monsignor Puma will continue to be an integral part in the 
continued success of the Eva's Kitchen program.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join me, our colleagues, Monsignor Puma's 
family and friends, and the State of New Jersey in recognizing Msgr. 
Vincent E. Puma's outstanding and invaluable contributions to the less 
fortunate in our society.

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