By Rita McInerney

When John T. Edmunds retired in June, 1984, he knew he had to find something to do to "keep from falling into an abyss, into oblivion."

He went to RSVP, the Retired Senior Volunteer Program of Metropolitan Atlanta. They told him that Sister Barbara Harrington, GNSH, at Catholic Social Services, was looking for a volunteer lawyer to help with immigration cases.

"I knew administrative law, I guess I can learn immigration law," John Edmunds told himself. At the time of his retirement, he was regional counsel for the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department in Atlanta.

He started volunteering at Catholic Social Service in August, 1984, unsnarling the legal status of people who came to Sister Barbara for help in staying in the United States. The volume was not heavy compared with the flood of people that began coming in November 1986, when the new Immigration Reform and control Act went into effect.

He found himself working with illegal aliens, poor people who had been living for years with the fear of being deported. He became more and more involved with helping them "come out of the shadows." He shared their happiness, sometimes their celebrations, when they were legalized.

His service for them didn't end with legalization approval. Many of the aliens, newly aware of Catholic Social Services and the help available there, returned with legal problems.

"They would come back," he said, telling of problems with employers "who feel they can cheat their alien workers." Bosses are inclined to take advantage of such people because they don't speak the language, have no one to back them up, and because they don't understand the "free enterprise system," he said.

Volunteer Edmunds has mediated for people being charged for poor work by contractors; for men accused of misdemeanors. "I don't handle felonies. They can get a public defender for that," he said.

"I see that they get due process and a fair hearing."

"He is a real advocate for the poor," Steve Brazen, executive director of Catholic Social Services, acknowledged. "He's been an invaluable contribution to the immigration and Hispanic services over the years."

"He averages at least 20 hours a week. There is no way you could put a dollar value on that. He's like a permanent fixture," the agency head said.

A quiet man, Edmunds, an elder at Oglethorpe Presbyterian Church, downplays his own role in helping bring security to the lives of frightened people. He points to "all the great volunteers, particularly those who speak Spanish, who come from Latin America. They are educated, know how to get things done. I never knew such dedication. I don't believe any paid lawyer would have worked more devotedly than these volunteers."

Patrick Kingery, co-director of the legalization program, thinks Edmunds is special. "He has a genuine love for the poor, and a great sense of justice. He never tires of working for them. Whenever he feels there has been injustice, he will go out of his way to help the person. Many clients would not be legalized today if it wasn't for him."

His four years of service as a senior volunteer at Catholic Social Services was recognized by RSVP on Sept. 29 when he received a certificate of appreciation for his contributions and a letter of commendation from President Ronald Reagan.

When he isn't volunteering four half-days each week at CSS, he helps his wife, Jean, the daughter of a Presbyterian missionary, look after their two young grandchildren, ages two and four. The Edmunds have two sons, John, in Nashville, TN, and Thomas, in Atlanta.