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Vincentians Gather in Baltimore for 2022 SVdP National Assembly
Vincentians Gather in Baltimore for 2022 SVdP National Assembly 1171 862 SVDP USA

Last week, the halls of the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront were abuzz with Vincentian camaraderie. More than 700 attendees gathered in Baltimore for the 2022 SVdP National Assembly. It was a wonderful four days full of shared knowledge, experience, and the Vincentian charism.

“Hosting the National Assembly for over 700+ Vincentians was wonderful and inspiring working with a team of generous Vincentians and volunteers, and welcoming so many joyful Vincentians from across the nation,” said Pauline Manalo, Baltimore Council President. “It was uplifting to receive expressions of gratitude from countless assembly participants. an indication that the National Assembly in Baltimore was a blessed and graced experience for Vincentians coming to the Water. Praise the Lord!”

The meeting officially began on Wednesday with exhibits opening, and a preparedness workshop hosted by Disaster Services Corporation. Several National committees, including Stores and Governance, held meetings, and the National Board of Directors met. Attendees had the unique opportunity to participate in one of three special tours to see Baltimore! These tours included religious sites, the Baltimore Council’s Family and Housing Services, and the Council’s Hunger Services. Vincentians loved seeing the work of their fellow Vincentians, up close and personal.

On Thursday, things really ramped up and National Committees met in-person to discuss business. Workshops also began on Thursday covering a plethora of topics including fundraising, Conference Revitalization, and Spirituality.

The first keynote address of the Assembly was given by Alexia Kelley of FADICA. Her address was about “Catholic Philanthropy: Inspiration, Impact, and Next Generation Engagement.”

Former SVdP National Episcopal Advisor, Bishop John Quinn was awarded the SVdP National Foundation’s Inaugural Founder’s Award. He was recognized for his exceptional service to the National Council, Society of St. Vincent de Paul. To learn more about this special recognition, click here.

The afternoon featured more workshops, including one specifically for the youth and young adult attendees. It was given by John Paul Brissette, a member of the National Youth Committee, and discussed how youth can run a successful project called “Do Güd Day,” in their local Conference or Council. “My favorite was the Do Güd Workshop because it was a direct way for us to serve our neighbors in Maryland,” said one youth attendee. “I enjoyed meeting other youth and young adults in the U.S. who also care about serving our brothers and sisters in need.”

That evening, attendees spend an evening under the sea at the Host City Event which was held at the National Aquarium. There, attendees were treated to delicious food, a variety of sea life, and a special meet and greet with the four nominees for SVdP National President.

First thing Friday morning, Vincentians gathered for the Spiritual Retreat. This year’s retreat was lead by Dan Schutte and was titled, “Here I am Lord — Feeding the Hearts of a Servant.” The Spiritual Retreat is one of the things that attendees look forward to most that the National Assembly, and this year’s did not disappoint! It was a beautiful time for Vincentians to come together and celebrate the Society’s essential elements of Friendship, Spirituality, and Service.

After more workshops, daily Mass, and the General Session hosted by Kerry Robinson of Leadership Roundtable titled “The Path to a Better Future: Co-Responsibility and a New Culture of Leadership in the Church,” Vincentians had the chance to catch a Baltimore Orioles baseball game at Camden Yards. They must’ve brought the city some good mojo, because the Orioles brought home a winner!

The final day of the National Assembly is always a little bittersweet, but that didn’t slow anyone down. We were blessed by the attendance of International President General Renato Lima de Oliveira, who addressed attendees on Saturday morning.

In a beautiful moment near the end of his presentation, President Renato led the entire room in song. We were all one voice in that moment. “The energy in the rooms in Baltimore really made it feel as if we were finally leaving our pandemic ‘shell shock’ behind, and that a real re-founding and revitalization is beginning to dawn across the whole Society,” said Tim Williams, National Vincentian Formation Director.

Youth and Young Adult attendees spent time Saturday doing an off-site service project. They worked at the Baltimore Council’s Beans and Bread Program, packing bags with essentials for neighbors in need. “I really enjoyed the Beans and Bread service project. It was useful to see how an organized service event is run and get ideas for incorporating it in the young adult groups I am a part of. I wish I could have attended everything!” said Andrea Behler, youth attendee.

Saturday marked the National Business Meeting and signified the next step in the National Presidential Election when the nominee field was narrowed down to two candidates, John Berry and Brian Burgess. To learn more about the election process, see Ralph Middlecamp’s column here.

After the final round of workshops, Vincentians gathered for the final celebration of the Liturgy together at the Vigil Mass, which was celebrated by Most Reverend William E. Lori, Archbishop of Baltimore.

Mass was followed by the closing banquet. There, Brandon Davis and Mia Humphrey were named co-winners of the first-ever Alice Garvey Excellence in Youth Award for their exceptional work with their local SVdP Councils to help their neighbors in need. Before officially ending the evening, leadership recognized key players that helped make this year’s National Assembly happen and the host Council passed the baton to the St. Louis Council who will host next year’s National Assembly.

“The St. Louis Archdiocesan Council looks forward to hosting the 2023 National Assembly, September 6-9, in St. Louis, MO,” said the St. Louis Council. “Because the first Conference of the Society of the U.S.A. began in St. Louis in 1845, we are blessed to say this is ‘Where it All Began.’  Our Board of Directors, Assembly Committee members, Council staff, and 3,400 Vincentians look forward to welcoming you and meeting you in St Louis next year!”

Overall, it was a lovely few days spent with brother and sister Vincentians focusing on all things SVdP. Thank you all who helped make it possible! We cannot wait to see everyone in STL next year!

“Participating in the National Assembly is such a blessing for me. I love being with other Vincentians and sharing joy, friendship and our spirituality. With over 700 attendees I get to meet new Vincentians from diverse communities and that makes me happy,” said Katherine Ramirez, Vincentian from New York. “This year I was especially glad so many youth and young adults were there. And so many Latinos too!”

 

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2021 Vincentian Pilgrimage: In the Footsteps of Our Founders and Patrons
2021 Vincentian Pilgrimage: In the Footsteps of Our Founders and Patrons 2560 1920 SVDP USA

Speaking of pilgrimages, Pope Benedict XVI once said:

“To go on pilgrimage is not simply to visit a place to admire its treasures of nature, art or history. To go on pilgrimage really means to step out of ourselves in order to encounter God where he has revealed himself, where his grace has shone with particular splendor and produced rich fruits of conversion and holiness among those who believe.”

For members of the Society, it is especially in Paris that God’s “grace has shown with particular splendor” on our patrons and founders. Twenty-three Vincentian Pilgrims recently returned from Paris, where together, they walked in the footsteps of those holy people. National Director of Formation Tim Williams generously shared these photos and captions with us, so that we can all share a part of the pilgrims’ journey.

History and Artifacts

The offices of the Council General International (CGI) of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul include a museum that is home to important historical artifacts, many of them donated by the family of Blessed Frédéric. Seen here are Ozanam’s academic robes, which he would have worn while teaching at the Sorbonne, and a portrait painted by Frédéric’s brother-in-law, Charles Soulacroix. This portrait was the basis for the Ozanam Mosaic installed at the National Basilica in 2020.

The CGI staff was very warm and welcoming. Pictured is Gonzague de Raulin, special advisor to the President General, showing us the museum.

Bust of Frederic Ozanam

 

 

 

 

 

During his short 40 years on this earth, Frédéric managed to travel quite extensively; including trips to Italy, Spain, Germany, England, and all around France, often visiting existing Conferences, and working to begin new ones, as he continued to do in Italy right up until weeks before his death. It was in this trunk that he packed for all of those journeys.

In the former motherhouse of the Congregation of the Mission, the pilgrims celebrated Mass in the Chapelle Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, in the presence of Vincent’s body. Also in this building is a small museum containing is a number of artifacts from Saints Vincent, Louise, and Catherine Labouré. Our guide in the museum was Father Andrés Motto, CM, who serves as spiritual advisor to the Council General International (CGI,) and pilgrim Bob Loew acted as his translator for us.

Churches and Chapels

At the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, St. Catherine Labouré had her visions of Mary and the Miraculous Medal in 1830. When St. Vincent’s remains were translated to Paris in April 1830, St. Catherine reported having a vision of his heart on three successive nights in the convent chapel, which she took to mean that the Vincentian communities would prosper. His heart is in the Miraculous Medal Chapel today. The pilgrims celebrated Mass here and had time for individual prayer and meditation in the chapel. Outside the chapel, Sr. Paule Freeburg, DC, shares stories of the motherhouse, St. Louise, and St Catherine.

The inside of Saint-Joseph-des-Carmes Church. It is beneath this church where Bl. Frédéric is buried, and the pilgrims celebrated Mass in the crypt.

In the courtyard outside, National President Ralph Middlecamp shares some of the history.

In the middle of the 17th century, the Saint-Laurent was the parish of St. Vincent and of St. Louise. Years later, during the sack of Saint-Lazare (home of the Congregation of the Mission) in the French Revolution, several revolutionaries who had found a reliquary of St. Vincent de Paul there brought it reverently to Saint-Laurent for safekeeping — then returned to their looting and pillaging. 

 

Famous for its stained glass, Sainte-Chappelle was originally built as a chapel for Louis IX and was consecrated in 1248.

The famous Sacré-Coeur Basilica sits on the highest point in Paris, Montmartre. It was built in no small part due to the work of the leaders of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, who promoted the “national vow” to build this church in the wake of the Franco-Prussian War.

First built in 1758, the Panthéon is and was a very distinctive landmark in Paris. Through France’s many revolutions, it has served alternately a Catholic Church or a civic monument, which it is today. 

 

Across from the Panthéon stands the Church of St. Étienne du Mont. While attending the nearby Sorbonne School of Law, this was Blessed Frédéric’s parish, and it was also home to the first Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

Interior of the Church of St Étienne du Mont.

In nearly every church, there is at least one painting or statue of St. Vincent de Paul, who is beloved throughout France. Here, pilgrim Silvia Vargas lights a candle in the Church of Saint-Sulpice, which was the Ozanam family parish. Frédéric’s funeral was here, and his daughter Maire would later marry in this church.

All Around Paris

Rue Mouffetard remains the same narrow street that it was in Frédéric and Rosalie’s day. Once a place of great poverty, it is today lined with shops and cafes, and filled with locals and tourists. The pilgrims walked with Blessed Rosalie’s words in our hearts: “Never have a I prayed so well as in the streets.”

Fifty thousand Parisians followed Blessed Rosalie Rendu’s funeral procession from St. Médard Church to this cemetery in 1856. To this day, fresh flowers are always placed upon her grave, and our pilgrims added a bouquet and prayed together on their visit. Known as “The Good Mother of All,” the inscription on her monument reads: “To Sister Rosalie from her friends, both rich and poor.”

The garden at the motherhouse of the Daughters of Charity.

The French government installed a small marker on the side of the building where the first Conference meeting took place on April 23, 1833. 

Currently a fire station, this building was the Motherhouse of the Daughters of Charity when Blessed Rosalie arrived in Paris.

This sign on the wall in the crypt reads (in Latin): “A.F. Ozanam, unselfish herald of truth and love. He lived 40 years, 4 months, and 16 days. Dedicated by Amélie to her husband with whom she lived for twelve years and by Marie to her father. Live in God and pray for our salvation.”

Parisian Views

A view of Paris from the steps of Sacré-Coeur.

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