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Second Chances: SVdP Hosts Senate Event on Re-entry Solutions 2560 1920 SVDP USA
  • Kristen Blacksher

Second Chances: SVdP Hosts Senate Event on Re-entry Solutions

Second Chances: SVdP Hosts Senate Event on Re-entry Solutions Phil Conley didn’t grow up expecting to speak in the halls of the U.S. Senate. Raised on the South Side of Chicago, he lost his father at a young age and saw violence, drugs, and incarceration shape nearly every aspect of life around him. “The only…

SVdP Bridges Access to Reemployment in Iowa through Back2Work Programs 2560 1936 SVDP USA
  • Kristen Blacksher

SVdP Bridges Access to Reemployment in Iowa through Back2Work Programs

SVdP Bridges Access to Reemployment in Iowa through Back2Work Programs In 2017, two years into his tenure as CEO of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) in Des Moines, Iowa, Steve Havemann had an eye-opening realization: 34% of the people being served by SVdP Des Moines had been incarcerated at some point in…

05-22-25 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders 1200 1200 SVDP USA
  • Kristen Blacksher

05-22-25 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders

Embracing the Call to Servant Leadership With just over four months left in our fiscal year, many presidents are approaching the end of their terms. Some feel relieved and are looking forward to transitioning into a mentoring role. For others, however, it brings mounting anxiety as they struggle to find someone willing to step into…

05-15-25 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders 1200 1200 SVDP USA
  • Kristen Blacksher

05-15-25 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders

I have been reading Victor Gaetan’s book ‘God’s Diplomats: Pope Francis, Vatican Diplomacy, and America’s Armageddon.’ It is a fascinating and highly readable exploration of the Catholic Church’s evolving approach to global conflict resolution and peace building, emphasizing the Church’s shift from the “just war” tradition to a “just peace” framework rooted in dialogue, impartiality,…

05-08-25 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders 1200 1200 SVDP USA
  • Kristen Blacksher

05-08-25 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders

Our Vincentian Family From East to West and North to South Minutes before this issue of Frederic’s Five was finalized, the world learned that the Holy Spirit has chosen Pope Leo XIV as our new Holy Father. We know that he will embrace our mission of serving Christ by encountering those in need and one…

Election of Pope Leo XIV: Statement from SVdP USA National President John Berry 1920 1080 SVDP USA
  • Kristen Blacksher

Election of Pope Leo XIV: Statement from SVdP USA National President John Berry

Election of Pope Leo XIV: Statement from SVdP USA National President John Berry The moment a new Pope steps onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica for the first time is always a powerful reminder that the Catholic Church endures and that the Holy Spirit is not finished with us yet. On behalf of the…

05-01-25 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders 1200 1200 SVDP USA
  • Kristen Blacksher

05-01-25 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders

Often when explaining what the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is, I use the 3-legged milk stool as an analogy. Our purpose is to grow in holiness, in service to the poor, and in friendship. Those are our essential elements. I’m woefully lacking in spirituality so that’s an area where I can improve the…

A Seat for Everyone at SVdP 2560 1920 SVDP USA
  • Kristen Blacksher

A Seat for Everyone at SVdP

A Seat for Everyone: A New Year’s Meal Served with Dignity by SVdP When Meghan McKern joined the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) in Chicago, she wasn’t sure how she could help. As a fine dining chef with years of experience in Michelin-starred restaurants, she wondered how her skills fit into the hands-on,…

04-24-25 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders 1200 1200 SVDP USA
  • Kristen Blacksher

04-24-25 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders

A Shepherd to the Poor: Remembering Pope Francis In the passing of Pope Francis, the world has lost not only the Bishop of Rome but a tireless voice for the voiceless, a prophet of mercy, and a shepherd whose heart beat in time with the most forgotten of God’s children. For those of us who…

Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA President John Berry Remembers Pope Francis 992 558 SVDP USA

Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA President John Berry Remembers Pope Francis

Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA President John Berry Remembers Pope Francis The Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA (SVdP) joins the world in grieving the passing into heaven of Pope Francis. While this is a time of great sorrow, it’s also a time to joyfully remember and honor the legacy of his…

04-17-25 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders 1200 1200 SVDP USA

04-17-25 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders

VisionSVdP Phase III In today’s Frédéric’s Five, you will find links to all the data from the VisionSVdP Listening Sessions held in 2024. There is a lot of data in there — and a lot of information to look over and read. It is fascinating to see the comments from Vincentians from all over the…

International members tour St. Vincent de Paul programs in United States 600 400 SVDP USA
  • Kristen Blacksher

International members tour St. Vincent de Paul programs in United States

International members tour St. Vincent de Paul programs in United States Published in the Catholic Review Apr 4, 2025  Majid Zaghari, left, vice president for enterprises with St. Vincent De Paul Baltimore, gives a tour of the Good Harvest Community Kitchen facility to leadership from the International Confederation of the Society of St. Vincent de…

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