Vincentians

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12-12-24 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders
12-12-24 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders 1200 1200 SVDP USA

“Christmas came without ribbons!

It came without tags! It came without packages, boxes or bags!” These words, from Dr. Seuss’s classic tale How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, place the upcoming Christmas Season into proper perspective.

As Vincentians, we all know that it is not the decorations, the gifts, or the glitz that are essential for Christmas. Jesus’ birth is the reason for the season and the time to celebrate the beginning of our faith!

Who would ever want to be a Grinch during this most wonderful time of the year? Well, many of the general public might be shocked that St. Vincent de Paul had a temper and anger that would have made the Grinch proud!

Deacon Omar Gutierrez wrote this about our beloved saint, “Chesterton once said that the difference between a sinner and saint is not that the saint doesn’t sin. The difference is that the saint knows they’re a sinner. This is what strikes me with St. Vincent de Paul. You might expect, and certainly you will get to some degree, a listing of all the amazing charitable works this grand saint of seventeenth century France undertook. However, what is seldom mentioned in the popular accounts about St. Vincent is his bad temper.”

He goes on to write, “St. Vincent de Paul, the irritable saint, was not driven by anger at the injustices of the world…Rather, he was driven by his deep love for Christ, who taught him how to get over himself and his anger.”

St. Vincent de Paul realized that what Christ asks of all of us is these important questions: What are we going to do with our priceless gift of faith? How are we going to put it into action? How are we going to see the face of Christ and be the face of Christ?

Everyone should love the Advent and Christmas Seasons! Christmas is truly a Vincentian celebration because we are the gift givers of love to those in need.

Every day of the year, Vincentians share the Christmas Spirit of love with those who need it most. St. Vincent de Paul Conferences and Councils throughout our country do so much to ensure those experiencing poverty feel Christ’s loving touch.

Together, we will provide food baskets so those we serve have a Christmas meal, distribute coats and gloves to keep people warm, fill prescriptions that save lives, and provide a myriad of services to help people avoid homelessness.

This time of year allows us to focus on what is really important in our lives. For us, it is our spiritual journey as Vincentians. Where has Christ led us thus far and where is He going to lead us next?

This week, Tim Williams and I had the great honor of visiting Father Ron Ramson, CM, at the National Shrine of the Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. Wow, what a blessing for Tim and me to spend time with this extraordinary priest!

At 92, Father Ron will amaze you with his energy and knowledge of our beloved Blessed Frédéric Ozanam. As many of you know, he published a book entitled, I, Frederic…In His Own Words, and he is working on getting it made into a movie. More information on the book and movie can be found here.

I have known Father Ron for decades, and he called me right after I was blessed to be named the incoming National CEO. Father Ron has impacted my spiritual journey and continues to do so. He is an example of our Vincentian virtues of Simplicity, Humility, Gentleness, Selflessness, and Zeal.

St. Vincent was not perfect, like all of us, but like the classic Christmas cartoon, his spiritual journey led his heart and soul to grow, but much more than the “three sizes” in the classic.

As Vincentians, every day is an opportunity for us to grow spiritually in the tradition of our patron St. Vincent de Paul and our founder Blessed Frédéric Ozanam. As One Society, what a wonderful time to grow together in our Conferences, Councils, and National Council.

I hope on that this day of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, you feel our Blessed Mother’s loving hand in your spiritual journey.

May you and your family feel the Christmas Spirit of love and hope during Advent and our upcoming Christmas Season. With deep appreciation for your support, we wish you and your loved ones a blessed and wonderful Christmas and a new year filled with blessings.

Merry Christmas,
Michael J. Acaldo
National CEO

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A Homelessness Agenda for the Incoming Administration
A Homelessness Agenda for the Incoming Administration 1080 1080 SVDP USA

By John Berry, President of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA

America is facing a homelessness crisis. In some respects, the issue is politicized (and thus vulnerable to partisan gridlock) — particularly regarding law and order, drug policies, and how best to address inequalities. But here’s the good news: This is a crisis we can solve together.

Recent polling suggests Americans fundamentally agree on both the nature of the crisis and solutions to it. And homelessness prevention policies show great promise in helping those among us who are living on the edge. During the election, there was a great deal of focus on the economy and those who continue to struggle to pay their bills each month. Now, in the spirit of fresh starts with a new administration, here is an agenda offering a unique approach that reflects consensus thinking among the public and can go far towards ending homelessness in America.

Broad Agreement 

The National Alliance to End Homelessness conducted a national public opinion poll through Morning Consult at the beginning of June. It found that Americans see eye-to-eye in key respects concerning the causes of homelessness and how it ought to be treated. Survey respondents agreed that:

  • Homelessness today is driven by economic factors as much as personal ones. In a marked shift from previous polls, about as many people attributed homelessness to economic factors like inflation and rising housing costs as to drug and alcohol abuse or mental illness.
  • The problem cannot be solved by increased law enforcement or government programs. Over 80% of respondents agreed that more policing will not solve the homelessness crisis; approximately half of those polled also doubted the effectiveness of governmental or federal efforts.
  • Homelessness is best addressed at the local level. Almost three quarters of those surveyed expressed confidence in the efforts of the homelessness services sector, nonprofits, and faith-based organizations to solve homelessness. And 68% of respondents were confident in local efforts — a number that drops to 62% and 55% at the state and national levels, respectively.

More than three-quarters of respondents also agreed with the statement, “homelessness is solvable, but it requires a level of leadership and investments that elected officials are hesitant to make.” The public broadly agrees, in short, that homelessness is a complex crisis demanding coordinated effort—and that the surest way forward is to empower initiatives and services at the local level.

Prevention Is Worth a Pound of Cure 

These findings align closely with something my organization, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, has encountered in working with unhoused populations around the country: The people most in need of assistance are often the most reluctant to seek out or accept government assistance. Just consider: How many times have they been marginalized, disqualified, or pushed into some position of humiliating dependence on their way to the street? Little wonder that people who have lost everything might carry skepticism about authorities or be disinclined to jump through bureaucratic hoops!

Instead, effective programs for helping the currently unhoused or the at-risk can only be built on relationships. The state is fundamentally ill-equipped for that sort of person-to-person encounter, which is why nonprofits and voluntary organizations must lead the way.

This is where homelessness prevention programs come in. Prevention programs are flexible and personalized, so they can help to cover rent and pay utilities, procure food or childcare, help with employment searches, and negotiate with landlords. According to a recent study conducted by Notre Dame’s Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO), persons who received an average of $2,000 in emergency financial assistance were “81 percent less likely to become homeless within six months of enrollment and 73 percent less likely within 12 months.” Support goes a long way in fighting homelessness, in other words, when it is individually tailored and personally delivered.

The Way Forward 

So, what is to be done? To start, we ask the Trump Administration to include homelessness prevention as part of its economic agenda to improve the lives of Americans who are often forgotten. This includes supporting initiatives at the state and local levels, and using the bully pulpit to show the benefits of working together to addressing the causes of homelessness before it starts.

This is not a plea to turn on a firehose of federal money. Homelessness prevention programs are highly cost effective, particularly in comparison to the status quo. (Just think: the state of California alone has spent $24 billion on homelessness in the past 5 years. That would have covered $2,000 emergency prevention grants to 12 million at-risk people, or about 20 times the number of people currently homeless nationwide!)

But the truth is, we do need many more resources to fight homelessness at the local level, and Americans agree: 71% of survey respondents said that local homelessness prevention lacks resources to make the needed impact. The federal government can help with funding, of course, but it can also encourage giving and facilitate local initiatives among the vast network of private, nonprofit and public organizations that help so many Americans each day. It’s time, in short, to rediscover the great American principle of federalism: the idea that problems can and should be solved at the local level.

John Berry

President, Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA

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Contemplation: A Fine Soul
Contemplation: A Fine Soul 800 800 SVDP USA

By Timothy Williams, Senior Director of Formation and Leadership Development 

Blessed Frédéric, who is for us a model of lay holiness, fully lived his faith in every part of his life. He served the poor as a lifelong member of the Society he founded. He believed the time spent with friends was “all in order to love God” [55, to his mother, 1833]. He fulfilled his role as a professor “in a Christian manner and [served] God in serving wholesome teaching.” [516, to Foisset, 1843] And he expressed his view of the vocation of marriage by saying “In your wife you will first love God…you will be her guardian angel, she will be yours.” [107, to Curnier, 1835] In return, he was blessed with a wife of great holiness, who loved, comforted, and complemented him fully.

By the time she met Frédéric on November 13, 1840, the twenty-year-old Amélie Soulacroix had already turned down two marriage proposals, in part because she wished to provide care for her ailing brother Théophile. By contrast, as she would later write to Frédéric, from the moment she met the young professor “I prayed for you to be my fiancé and for our eternal love before God and the Holy Virgin. From that moment on that is how I described you in my prayers.” [Amélie, p.35] The feeling was mutual, and they were married only six months later.

Frédéric, though seven years her senior, was still establishing himself in his career; he did not offer her a life of wealth, and she barely knew him, yet she reassured him that “I am not afraid. I have faith in God, my father, my mother, and in you.” She later recalled that “from that moment I felt that God was bestowing a great blessing upon me, far more than I deserved.” [Amélie, p. 36] Amélie saw and felt God’s special grace in Frédéric, and her reassurances would continue to buoy him in times of difficulty throughout his life.

Through Amélie’s encouragement and love, Frédéric became more holy. And, although women could not become members of the Society at the time, Amélie grew to have a truly Vincentian heart, and participated in its works. On Sundays, they “went to Mass and then to visit Fréd’s poor” where they distributed food tickets from the Society and their own firewood. ”It is very sad,” she explained, “but we feel happier if we can give a little relief to these wretched people.” [Amélie, p. 48]

We are called as Vincentians to grow in holiness together. Frédéric grew in holiness throughout his life together with his family, with his friends, with his Vincentian confères, and most especially with his wife. Amélie was truly the answer to the prayer he had offered for a future fiancé years before they met: “I pray especially that she will come with a fine soul, that she brings great virtue, that she is a great deal better than I am, that she lifts me up and not drags me down, that she be courageous, because I am often timid, that she be fervent, because I am often lukewarm in the things of God…” [107, to Curnier, 1835]

Contemplate

Who in my life encourages me to be better? Who in my life do I encourage to have a Vincentian heart?

Recommended Reading

Amélie Ozanam, A Heart with Much Love to Give

 

Contemplación : Un Alma fina

El bendecido Frédéric quién  es para nosotros un modelo de santidad laica, vivió plenamente su fe en cada parte de su vida. Sirvió  a los pobres como miembro de por vida de la Sociedad que fundó. Creía  que el tiempo pasado con amigos era ” todo para amar a Dios” ( 55 a su madre, 1833) Cumplió su rol como profesor ” de una manera cristiana y sirvió a Dios, al servir una enseñanza provechosa ( 516, a Foisset, 1843) Y expresó  su visión  sobre la vocación  del matrimonio al decir ” En tú  esposa amarás  primero a Dios….. serás  su angel guardián  ella será  la tuya ( 107 a Curnier, 1835) A cambio, fue bendecido con una esposa de gran santidad, que lo amó, conforto y complementó  plenamente.

Cuando conoció a Frédéric el 13 de noviembre de 1740, Amelie Soulacroix de veinte años ya había  rechazado dos propuestas de matrimonio, en parte porque deseava cuidar a su hermano enfermo Theophile. En contraste, como más  tarde escribiría a Frédéric, desde el momento en que conoció  al joven profesor ” oré para que fueras mi prometido y por nuestro amor eterno ante Dios y la Santa Virgen. Desde ese momento así  te describí  en mis oraciones( Amelie, p, 35) El sentimiento era mutuo y se casaron sólo  seis meses después.

Frédéric, aunque siete años mayor que ella, aún  se estaba estableciendo en su carrera, no le ofreció una vida de riqueza, y apenas lo conocía, sin embargo, ella le aseguró  que ” no tengo miedo”. Tengo fe en Dios, mi padre mi madre y en ti. Más  tarde recordó  que desde ese momento sentí  que Dios me estaba otorgando una gran bendición, mucho más de lo que merecía  ( Amelie. P. 36)  Amelie vio y sintió  la gracia especial de Dios en Frédéric, y sus palabras de aliento continuaron apoyándolo en tiempos de dificultad a lo largo de su vida.

A través  del aliento  y amor de Amelie Frédéric se volvió más  santo. Y aunque las mujeres no podían  convertirse en miembros de la Sociedad en ese momento Amelie desarrolló  un verdadero corazón vicentino y participó  en sus obras. Los domingos iban a misa y luego a visitar a los pobres de Frédéric donde distribuían boletos de comida  de la Sociedad y su propia leña. “Es muy triste”, explicó,  “pero nos sentimos más  felices si podemos dar un poco de alivio a estas personas desdichadas. ( Amelie, p, 48)

Estamos llamados como vicentinos a crecer en santidad juntos. Frédéric  creció  en santidad a lo largo de su vida junto a su familia,  sus amigos,sus compañeros vicentinos y especialmente con su esposa Amelie fue realmente la respuesta a la oración  que había  ofrecido por una futura prometida años antes de conocerse. ” Oró  especialmente para que venga con un alma fina, que traiga gran virtud, que sea mucho mejor que yo, que me eleve y no me hunda. que sea valiente,porque a menudo soy tímido, que sea ferviente porque a menudo soy tibio en las cosas de Dios.” ( 107, a  Curnier, 1835)

Contemplar 

¿ Quién en mi vida me anima a ser mejor?
¿ A quién en mi vida animo a tener un corazón vicentino?

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CEO Michael Acaldo featured on Yes Catholic podcast
CEO Michael Acaldo featured on Yes Catholic podcast 1440 1440 SVDP USA

Embracing Faith and Service: Michael Acaldo’s Journey with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA’s CEO Michael Acaldo was recently featured on the weekly podcast Yes Catholic.

“During my 34 years of being a Vincentian in the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, I have met so many good people and had the opportunity to witness ordinary people doing extraordinary things…I have been surrounded by people that have put their faith into action by sharing Christ’s love to the most vulnerable. This has shaped me in a remarkable way…”

Listen to the full episode as he shares about his inspiring journey of faith and service:

Yes Catholic S2, E46: Michael Acaldo on Apple Podcast

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12-05-24 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders
12-05-24 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders 1200 1200 SVDP USA

My dear Vincentian Brothers and Sisters,

As we enter this sacred season of Advent and prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ, we are reminded that this is a time of joy, love, and celebration. Yet, for many among us, the holiday season can also be a time of profound difficulty and pain. It is a season that magnifies the joy of the lights and the gifts in the eyes of little children, but it also magnifies the burdens of poverty, loneliness, and sickness in those who suffer. As followers of Christ, we are called to recognize those who struggle and to respond with compassion, love, and action.

The holiday season, marked by abundance and generosity for many, often highlights the stark contrast of scarcity for the poor. The material demands of this time — gifts, decorations, festive meals — can become a source of stress and sorrow for those who can barely make ends meet and provide the essentials for their families. As Proverbs reminds us, “Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him” (Proverbs 14:31). The poor are not forgotten by God, and neither should they be forgotten by us.

Jesus came into the world in poverty, born in a humble stable, laid in a manger because there was no room for His family in the inn. His very birth teaches us that God identifies with the lowly and the marginalized. In Matthew 25:40, Jesus says, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” This is our mandate: to see Christ in the poor and to extend to them the love and care that we would offer to Christ Himself.

For those who are lonely, the holiday season can be particularly painful. This is a time when families gather, friends reconnect, and communities celebrate together. But for those who are isolated — whether through the loss of loved ones, estrangement, or circumstances beyond their control — this season can deepen their sense of separation and despair.

In Psalm 68:7, we read that “God sets the lonely in families; he leads out the prisoners with singing.” God’s heart is for the lonely, and as His hands and feet on earth, we are called to reach out to those who are alone. A visit, a phone call, an invitation to join in a meal or celebration can transform someone’s holiday experience. These small acts of kindness remind them — and us — that they are not forgotten, that they are loved.

For those who are sick, the holiday season can be a reminder of what they cannot do or participate in. While others celebrate, they may be confined to hospital rooms or homebound by illness. The physical and emotional toll of sickness can feel even heavier in a season meant to bring joy.

Jesus was a healer, both of bodies and souls. He was moved with compassion for the sick, as seen in Matthew 14:14: “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.” While we may not have the power to heal as Jesus did, we do have the power to bring comfort. A visit, a prayer, or simply sitting with someone in their suffering are a profound expression of God’s love.

During this season, it is easy to focus solely on monetary giving. Financial contributions are essential and deeply appreciated. But as followers of Christ, we are called to go beyond writing a check or dropping off a bag of food. We are called to personal encounters with those in need.

In the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), Jesus emphasizes that love for our neighbor is not abstract; it is active and personal. The Samaritan did not merely feel pity; he stopped, bandaged wounds, and provided care. He entered into the suffering of the injured man. This is the kind of love we are called to show, especially during this holy season.

There is a transformative power in giving ourselves — our time, our attention, our presence. In Acts 20:35, Paul reminds us of Jesus’ words: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” When we take the time to truly see and serve those in need, we are blessed in return. We find Christ in these encounters, and our hearts are enriched by the love we share.

Let us not forget that Jesus Himself modeled this for us. He dined with sinners, touched lepers, and spoke with outcasts. His ministry was one of personal connection and compassion. As we celebrate His birth, let us imitate His example.

How then can we respond to the needs of the poor, the lonely, and the sick this season? First, we can pray for God to open our eyes to those in need around us. Second, we can take action. Visit someone who is homebound. Volunteer at a shelter. Invite a neighbor to share in your holiday meal. Offer a word of encouragement to a struggling parent or a grieving friend. These acts of love are the true spirit of Christmas.

As we await the coming of Christ, let’s remember that He comes to us in the guise of the poor, the lonely, and the sick. When we serve them, we serve Him. May we be His light in this dark world, His hands to the weary, and His heart to the broken. And may we find joy, not just in receiving, but in giving ourselves to others. Not just in the holiday season, but always.

Peace and God’s blessings,
John

John Berry
National President

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Contemplation: Be Quite Cheerful
Contemplation: Be Quite Cheerful 800 800 SVDP USA

By Timothy Williams, Senior Director of Formation and Leadership Development 

The Lord loves a cheerful giver, we are taught, and yet, when a friend needs a favor that seems inconvenient, when a call to the Conference helpline disrupts our plans for the evening, or whenever the needs of others call us to give not only our time, but to give the time we had reserved for something else, our good cheer can sometimes fade a little bit. Not that we would fail to help, but perhaps we do so at times with more of a grim determination borne of our sense of duty, rather than cheerful gratitude for having been called.

St. Vincent reminds us that it is not the poor whom we serve, but Christ Himself who holds out His hand for food, for comfort, and for understanding. We “are serving Jesus Christ in the person of the poor.  And that is as true as that we are here…Go to visit a chain gang, you’ll find God there. Look after those little children, you’ll find God there. How delightful…! You go into poor homes, but you find God there.  Again…how delightful!” [CCD IX:199]

It should be a delight, shouldn’t it? Since everything we have belongs to God, including our time, our works of charity can never truly be interruptions. If this is, as we believe, truly a vocation – a calling – then we have the great joy to be directly called by Christ Himself time and time again!

We do not visit the poor in order to earn God’s grace, which is always unmerited and freely given. But we do receive His grace, and one very important dimension of it is joy. Imagine a small child who has just cleaned his room without being asked, and he cannot wait to run to tell his parents what he has done. He is bursting with joy, because he knows that he has pleased them! In a similar way, when we serve for love alone, knowing that we serve is our Lord and Savior, knowing that He considers all we have done as done to Himself, we, like that small child, feel a deep joy within our hearts, a joy that we cannot help but share.

Perhaps the most common advice St. Vincent gave, which appears hundreds of times in his letters, is to “be quite cheerful” in the face of difficulties, when suffering illness, when doing unpleasant work, when in need, and especially when serving the poor. “Be quite cheerful, I beg you,” he said, “Oh, what great reason people of good will have to be cheerful!” [CCD I:145]

We can’t but be cheerful givers when we let the joy of God enter our hearts along with His will, and in return, our joy and our cheer will only grow. As Blessed Frédéric once put it: “He who brings a loaf of bread to the home of a poor man often brings back a joyful and comforted heart. Thus, in this sweet business of charity, the expenses are low, but the returns are high.” [1361, to the Society, 1837]

Contemplate

Do I perform my works of charity as an obligation, or an occasion for joy?

Recommended Reading

500 More Little Prayers for Vincentians

 

Contemplación : Sé muy alegre

Se nos enseña que El Señor ama al que da con alegría, y sin embargo, cuando un amigo necesita un favor que parece inconveniente, cuando una llamada a la línea de ayuda de la Conferencia interrumpe nuestros planes para la noche. o cuando las necesidades de los demás nos llaman a dar no solo nuestro tiempo, sino también el tiempo que habiamos reservado para otra cosa, nuestro buen ánimo a veces puede desvanecerse un poco. No es que dejemos de ayudar, pero quizás lo hacemos en ocaciones con una determinación seria nacida de nuestro sentido del deber, en lugar de una gratitud alegre por haber sido llamados.

San Vicente nos recuerda que no son a  los pobres  a quienes servimos, sino a Cristo mismo, quién extiende su mano para pedir comida, consuelo y comprensión.  Estamos sirviendo a Jesucristo en la persona de los pobres.  Y eso es tan cierto como que estamos aquí…. Ve a visitar a un grupo de prisioneros, encontrarás a Dios allí. Mira a esos niños pequeños, encontrarás a Dios allí ¡ Que delicia! Vas a casas pobres, pero encuentras a Dios allí de nuevo. ¡ Que delicia! ( CCD IX 199)

Debe ser una delicia ¿ verdad? Dado que todo lo que tenemos pertenece a Dios incluido nuestro tiempo, nuestras obras de caridad nunca pueden ser realmente interrupciones. Si esto es, como creemos verdaderamente una vocación, una llamada ¡ entonces tenemos la gran alegría de ser llamados directamente por Cristo mismo una y otra vez!

No visitamos a  los pobres para ganar  la gracia de Dios, que siempre es inmerecida y dada libremente. Pero sí  recibimos su gracia, y una de las dimensiones más importantes de ella es la alegría. Imagina a un niño pequeño que acaba de limpiar su cuarto sin que se lo pidan, y no puede esperar para correr a contarles a sus padres lo que ha hecho. Está  lleno de alegria ¡ porque sabe que los ha complacido! De manera similar, cuando servimos sólo  por amor, sabiendo que servimos a nuestro Señor y Salvador, sabiendo que él  considera todo lo que hemos hecho como hecho a El mismo. Nosotros como ese niño pequeño, sentimos una profunda alegría en nuestro corazón, una alegría  que no podemos evitar compartir.

Tal vez el consejo más  común  que San Vicente dio, que aparece cientos de veces en sus cartas, es “” ser bastante alegre””  ante las dificultades, cuando sufrimos enfermedades, cuando hacemos trabajos desagradables, cuando estamos necesitados y especialmente cuando servimos a los pobres. “” Sé  bastante alegre te lo suplico dijo “” Oh, que gran razón tienen las personas de buena voluntad, para estar alegres ( CCD 1: 145)

No podemos evitar ser dadores alegres cuando dejamos que la alegría  de Dios entre en nuestros corazones junto con su voluntad, y a cambio, nuestra alegría  y nuestro ánimo solo crecerían. Como lo expresó  el beato Frederic”” El que lleva un pan a la casa de un hombre pobre a menudo regresa con un corazón  alegre y consolado. Así,  en éste  dulce oficio de la caridad, los gastos son bajos, pero los beneficios son altos.(1361, a la Sociedad, 1837)

Contemplar 

¿ Realizo mis obras de caridad como una obligación, o como una ocasión  de alegría?

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Contemplation: Keep Your Heart Ready
Contemplation: Keep Your Heart Ready 800 800 SVDP USA

By Timothy Williams, Senior Director of Formation and Leadership Development 

When driving on a long trip, we can easily let our minds become distracted by the radio, a phone call, or just our own thoughts and worries, causing us to miss a turn or an exit. We suddenly find ourselves in an unfamiliar place, wondering where we are, and how we got there. It can be easily agreed that when this happens, the worst thing to do would be to simply keep driving, rather than pulling over to figure out how we got here, and where to go next.

Yet how often, in the spiritual journey of our lives, do we simply keep driving, without pausing to reflect on where we are and how we got here? What are the graces we’ve received, to what is God calling us? In our Vincentian Spirituality, we are taught that God speaks His will to us through the people and events of our lives. To fully discern His will then, requires that we not only be attentive to each moment and person we encounter, but that we take the time to reflect later about where they have led us, and with the knowledge we’ve gained since then, whether they can guide further on our journey.

“When you make these reflections on your interior state,” St Vincent wrote, “you must raise your mind to the consideration of His Adorable Goodness… keep your heart ready to receive the peace and joy of the Holy Spirit.” [CCD V:166] When we miss a turn, or fail to read a sign, our God waits patiently to point it out to us again, if only we take the time to look for Him.

All the many gifts we receive are meant to be shared, and so St. Elizabeth Ann Seton calls us “alone in the secret of your heart [to] reflect … what use have I made of the grace of my God?” [CW 3, 262] When Frédéric considered his many gifts – his parents, his education, his many friends – he saw that “often I am led to reflect that it wishes from me something more than common virtue…” [97, to Curnier, 1835]

Guiding each other through the wilderness, we close our eyes from time to time, recalling each turn, each landmark, each indication of our progress and our destination. “It is not enough to take a superficial glance,” Frédéric said, “you need repeated reflection.” [34, to Falconnet, 1834] And so, while our individual reflection is vital, we also reflect together in our Conference meetings, not only on the readings we may share, but on our personal journeys towards God. We share our path, our direction, and our progress with one another in the hopes that we may all arrive together at the Kingdom to which we are called.

It is not our own will we seek to discern, but God’s will for us. To do that, we must “pull over” from time to time. As St Louise said, “The time has surely come for me to reflect on myself in the sight of God.” [SWLM, L.110]

Contemplate

Do I “pull over” often enough to reflect on where I have been, and where I am going?

Recommended Reading

Praying With Vincent de Paul

 

Contemplación. Ten tú  corazón  listo.

Cuando conducimos en un viaje largo, podemos fácilmente dejar que nuestra mente se distraiga con la radio,una llamada telefónica o simplemente con nuestros propios pensamientos y preocupaciones, lo que nos hace perder un giro o una salida. De repente nos encontramos en un lugar desconocido y nos preguntamos donde estamos y cómo  llegamos allí.  Se puede fácilmente acordar que cuando esto sucede, lo peor  que se puede hacer sería  simplemente seguir conduciendo, en lugar de detenerse para descubrir cómo  llegamos aquí y adonde ir a continuación.

Sin embargo ¿Con qué  frecuencia, en el viaje espiritual de nuestras vidas, simplemente seguimos conduciendo, sin detenernos a reflexionar sobre donde estamos y cómo  llegamos hasta aquí? ¿Cuáles  son las gracias que hemos recibido, a qué  nos llama Dios? En nuestra espiritualidad  Vicentina, se nos enseña que Dios nos dice su voluntad a través  de las personas y los acontecimientos de nuestras vidas. Entonces, discernir plenamente su voluntad requiere que no sólo  estemos atentos a cada monento y a cada persona con la que nos encontramos,  sino que nos tomemos el tiempo para reflexionar más  tarde sobre hacia donde nos ha llevado, y con el conocimiento que hemos adquirido desde entonces, si ellos pueden guiarnos más  en nuestro viaje.

“Cuando hagas estas reflexiones sobre tu estado interior,” escribió  San Vicente, “debes elevar tú  mente a la consideración de su Adorable Bondad, manten tú  corazón dispuesto a recibir la paz y la alegría  del Espíritu  Santo.” (CCD V:166) Cuando perdemos un giro, o no leemos una señal, Nuestro Dios espera pacientemente para indicarnoslo nuevamente, si tan sólo  nos tomamos el tiempo para buscarlo.

Todos los muchos regalos que recibimos están destinados a ser compartidos, y por eso Santa Isabel Ann Seton, nos llama “solos en el secreto de su corazón (para) reflexionar ¿qué  uso he hecho de la gracia de mi Dios?” (CW 3, 262) Cuándo Frederic consideró sus muchos dones, sus padres, su educación, sus muchos amigos – vio que a menudo, me veo llevado a reflexionar que desea de mí  algo más que la virtud común.

Guiándonos unos a otros a través  de la naturaleza, cerramos los ojos de ves en cuando, recordando cada giro, cada punto de referencia, cada indicación de nuestro progreso y nuestro destino.” No basta con echar una mirada superficial” Frederic dijo: “es necesario reflexionar repetidamente” (34, a Falconnet, 1834 ) y así, si bien nuestra reflexión individual es vital, también  reflexionamos juntos en nuestras reuniones de la Conferencia. no sólo  sobre las lecturas que podemos compartir, sino también sobre nuestro camino. nuestra dirección y nuestro progreso unos con otros con la esperanza de que todos podamos llegar juntos al Reino, al que estamos llamados.

No es nuestra propia voluntad lo que buscamos discernir; sino la voluntad de Dios para nosotros. Para ello, debemos “detenernos” de ves en cuando. Como dijo Santa Luisa “seguramente ha llegado el momento de reflexionar sobre mi misma ante los ojos de Dios” (SWLM, L 110)

Contemplar

¿Me “”detengo”” con suficiente frecuencia para reflexionar sobre dónde he estado y hacia donde voy?

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11-27-24 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders
11-27-24 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders 1200 1200 SVDP USA

The Beautiful Exchange

In early 1997, I was in the final stages of my reconciliation with the Catholic Church, a process that had begun in earnest eight years earlier and which would be consummated at the Easter Vigil that year. During those months, I had a spiritual director, a Carmelite hermit named Fr. John of the Trinity, whose hermitage was the third story of a tenement in a rough area of New Bedford, Massachusetts.

One day, I visited Fr. John and he agreed to hear my confession. I had not yet received First Communion, but my baptism had been recognized by the Church and I was permitted to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. On this day I made a long and intense confession to Fr. John. When I finished he looked at me, sighed, and said, “You are so arrogant.” (He actually used stronger language that I’ll spare you.)

Naturally, I was taken aback. “What do you mean, Father? I think that was a pretty good confession!”

“Oh, yes,” he said. “The confession was very good, but it’s the way you deliver it, as if you’re saying ‘Father, you won’t believe it, but I actually did this! Me! Isn’t that crazy?’” He continued, “When are you going to realize that you love sin. We all love sin. That’s what’s wrong with us. We love sin more than we love God or one another.”

He went on to give me absolution, of course, but we talked a long while about my intellectual and spiritual arrogance, the besetting sin that has always been a part of my life, both before this encounter and right up to this writing. And having diagnosed my problem, Fr. John gave me a directive that changed my life. He said, “For your penance, you are to find a way to provide sustained, intimate service to the poor.”

I was stunned by this command, and had no idea how I would fulfill it. I didn’t even know where to start looking. Then, a couple of weeks after the Easter Vigil, an announcement appeared in our parish bulletin that a Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, a lay ministry dedicated to serving the poor, was being formed at the parish. I joined — and 27 years later, I’m still a member, still trying to serve my brothers and sisters in need, still trying to grow in holiness and humility. I still struggle with my besetting sin, but after all these years it feels like I’ve gotten a little better.

If that is true — and please, God, let it be so! — it is because at the heart of the Vincentian vocation is what I call the “Beautiful Exchange.” In becoming Christ to the person who cries out in need, we discover, often to our surprise, that they have become Christ to us. After all, Jesus said, “Whatever you do for one of these, the least of my brothers and sisters, you do for me.” The great privilege of being a Vincentian is that we get to minister to Jesus in what Mother Teresa called “his most distressing disguise.” And in the economy of the Beautiful Exchange, we receive far more in terms of consolation and spiritual succor than those we serve.

My favorite definition of a Christian, which I first heard years ago from an old friend, the author Gil Bailie, is this: A Christian is a beggar who just told another beggar where he got his last meal. We are all beggars. Some of us beg for utility bill payments and a bag of food. Others of us beg for grace and forgiveness. All of us beg for simple human dignity. Different “asks,” but all beggars just the same, and positionally indistinct from one another. In Romans, Chapter 5, St. Paul writes, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

It is essential that those of us who share the Vincentian vocation always remember that we serve others because we were first served on the Cross. In fact, our service to our brothers and sisters is nothing less than our grateful response to Him who loved and saved us before we even knew we needed saving.

Naturally, St. Vincent de Paul himself put it best when he wrote, “Let us, my sisters and brothers, cherish the poor as our masters, since Our Lord is in them, and they are in Our Lord.”

Yours in Christ,
Mark Gordon
National Vice President, Northeast Region

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11-21-24 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders
11-21-24 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders 1200 1200 SVDP USA

“God knows the sufferings of his children because he is an attentive and caring father. As a father, he takes care of those who are most in need: the poor, the marginalized, the suffering and the forgotten. No one is excluded from his heart, for in his eyes, we are all poor and needy.”
– World Day of the Poor Message, 2024

On Sunday, November 17, Pope Francis declared the 2024 World Day of the Poor. It was the eighth declaration of a World Day of the Poor, something that began under the Pontificate of Francis. In his message for 2024, the Pope declared the World Day of the Poor with the theme “The prayer of the poor rises up to God.” The expression that gives the 2024 World Day of the Poor its theme is taken from the Book of Sirach (21:5), which Pope Francis says is not sufficiently known and deserves to be discovered for the richness of its themes.

Instead of reading my words this week, I think it is more important that you read Pope Francis’s words on the poor, our obligation to the poor, and our way forward. These are excerpts from his Homily on Sunday and his message leading up to World Day of the Poor. I encourage you to go the Vatican website and read more from this year and prior years World Day of the Poor messages.

In his message for this World Day of the Poor, the Holy Father reiterates that “the poor hold a privileged place in God’s heart” and invites everyone to learn to pray for the poor and to pray together with the poor, with humility and trust. Let’s listen to his words.

The World Day of the Poor has now become a fixture for every ecclesial community. It is a pastoral opportunity not to be underestimated, for it challenges every believer to listen to the prayer of the poor, becoming aware of their presence and needs. It is an opportune occasion to implement initiatives that concretely help the poor and to recognize and support the many volunteers who dedicate themselves passionately to those most in need. We must thank the Lord for the people who make themselves available to listen to and support the poorest among us. They are priests, consecrated persons, lay men and women who, by their testimony, give voice to God’s response to the prayer of those who turn to him. This silence, therefore, is broken every time a person in need is welcomed and embraced. The poor still have much to teach us because in a culture that has placed wealth at the forefront and often sacrifices the dignity of people on the altar of material goods, they swim against the tide, highlighting that what is essential for life is something else entirely.

Prayer, then, is verified by authentic charity that manifests itself as encounter and proximity. If prayer does not translate into concrete action, it is in vain; indeed, “faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead” (Jas 2:17). However, charity without prayer risks becoming philanthropy that soon exhausts itself. “Without daily prayer lived with fidelity, our acts are empty, they lose their profound soul and are reduced to being mere activism” (BENEDICT XVI, Catechesis, April 25, 2012). We must avoid this temptation and always be vigilant with the strength and perseverance that comes from the Holy Spirit, who is the giver of life.

As we journey towards the Holy Year, I urge everyone to become pilgrims of hope, setting tangible goals for a better future. Let us not forget to keep “the little details of love” (Gaudete et Exultate, 145): stopping, drawing near, giving a little attention, a smile, a caress, a word of comfort. These gestures are not automatic; they require a daily commitment and are often hidden and silent, but strengthened by prayer. In this time, when the song of hope seems to give way to the clamor of arms, to the cry of many innocent wounded, and the silence of the countless victims of wars, we turn to God with our plea for peace. We stretch out our hands to receive peace as a precious gift for we are “poor” in this regard, while at the same time committing ourselves to weave it back into daily life.

 We are called in every circumstance to be friends of the poor, following in the footsteps of Jesus who always began by showing solidarity when dealing with the least among us.

Peace and God’s blessings,
John

John Berry
National President

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Contemplation: When Will That Day Come?
Contemplation: When Will That Day Come? 800 800 SVDP USA

By Timothy Williams, Senior Director of Formation and Leadership Development 

“When I am formed,” a teenaged Frédéric lamented, having been assured by his spiritual director that his many doubts would be eased at that time, “When will that day come?” [13, to Materne, 1830] He might as well have asked when the Grand Canyon would be fully formed, shaped as it is, slowly and over time by the gentle influence of water and wind.

Yet rocks in canyons are simple things whose formation is only physical. Unlike rocks and canyons, our formation cannot be completed by a passive reaction to external, physical forces. We are not bodies with a spirit, nor spirits trapped in bodies. Instead, we are created as whole and unitary beings, endowed with the capacity for faith and reason, able to seek and perceive the transcendent, “created in the image of God… at once corporeal and spiritual.” [CCC, 362-368]

Indeed, our Greatest Commandment instructs us not to love God only spiritually, but “with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength” – with our whole person. We are called as Christians to union with our Creator. It is our purpose. Formation, then, is not a single thing that we do in order to check off a task so that we can move on to another. Instead, formation is a lifelong process of becoming as God intends us to be.

For Vincentians, our vocation is the pathway towards this formation. As our Foundation Document on formation explains, this encompasses four different dimensions: human, spiritual, intellectual, and ministerial. So while our formation includes training, primarily within the intellectual dimension, it can’t be limited only to our minds. Unlike the rocks of the canyon, we are actively involved in our own formation and in each other’s formation. We form and are formed within our community of faith, and in our Vincentian friendship.

We love God, as Jesus commanded, and St. Vincent taught, with the strength our arms and the sweat of our brows through our person-to-person service of the poor. By itself, that service forms us only in part. It is in the prayer, reflection, and sharing with each other that surrounds our service that it begins to form our whole persons. With the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, in our works and in our prayers, we form ourselves and each other, for “no one is saved alone.” [FT, 32]

The Grand Canyon, we may say, is in its great beauty and according to its nature, perfect. It is fully formed. Our nature and our faith call us to be formed for more than beauty, but rather so that we might be “perfect, just as [our] heavenly Father is perfect.”

When will that day come?

Contemplate

Do I seek to grow closer to God in heart, mind, body, and spirit in this Vincentian vocation?

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