A sacred mission via the Internet

Vincent Reyes and Donald Winslow had a dream of reaching out to those less fortunate than themselves. Reyes, pastoral director of the Capuchin Soup Kitchen in Detroit, noticed that his organization needed a new way to receive funding. Winslow, an alumnus, coordinated a project combining photojournalism with fund raising on the Internet.\nThe combination was a match made in heaven.\nThe pair created "Visions of the Sacred," a Web auction possessing photographs from journalists worldwide. Proceeds will benefit the soup kitchen, which has been serving Detroit residents for more than 70 years. The kitchen serves 2,400 hot meals a day and helps more than half a million needy people each year.\n"The experience of watching this project develop into something so creative has been very humbling," Reyes said. "The idea was to take photography, theology, social need, and then combine them into one."\nAlthough Reyes originally developed the fundamental concept of raising money on the Web, it was Winslow who suggested they transform the project into an online gallery print auction. Winslow, a senior photographer for Reuters said he feels a certain devotion to this program.\n"Some things in life we seek, some things we just notice as we pass by, and some things are thrown into our lap with a loud clap of thunder and a message: 'Do this!' 'Visions of the Sacred' falls into this particular category," Winslow explained. "It wasn't so much that I feel I was called to do this -- I was shoved."\nSteve Raymer, assistant professor of journalism, is one of the project's contributing photographers. He got involved after Winslow, his colleague through the National Press Photographers Association, asked for his help.\n"I was sort of flattered when I saw the list of other photojournalists whom he was asking," he said. "Many of them were old friends from National Geographic magazine, and I respected their work. It seemed like such a great idea."\nFor Winslow, 'Visions of the Sacred' has become more than just a simple fund-raising project. He said he is delighted to display images from around the world to people's homes, where they can enjoy and appreciate their inner beauty. \n"The reward, I feel, is three-fold," he said. "I feel like a host, or narrator, just bringing the various elements together onto one stage."\nWorking on this project has proved to be a rewarding experience, Winslow said, because it is an important cause.\n"This project applies in all aspects of life, such as distributing the message that photography, journalism and compassion can make a real different in someone's daily life," Winslow said. "Just one print sold on the Visions Web site will buy food and put meals in people's mouths. That is concrete and measurable evidence of caring ... and that is where we're headed."\nThe online auction will continue until January or February. Before its completion, a display of all the photographs will be held at a Detroit gallery, and visitors will be able to bid on numerous works in the collection. For more information visit visionsacred.org.