Vincentians

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A Week in Prayers July 10 – July 14
A Week in Prayers July 10 – July 14 1080 1080 SVDP USA

Monday, July 10

Lord, in Your mercy,
Lord, in Your love,
Lord, in Your infinite grace,
Forgive me my failings,
Lift me from darkness,
Into the light of Your face.
Amen

Tuesday, July 11

Lord, may my faith move mountains;
May it heal, may it soothe, may it grow.
Lord, may my hope light the pathway;
As a guide where You wish me to go.
Lord, may my love be for giving alone,
As Your love in my heart overflows.
Amen

Wednesday, July 12

Lord Jesus, You hear every whisper.
Lord Jesus, You see every tear.
Lord Jesus, You heal every wound.
Lord Jesus, You share every joy.
Lord Jesus, my comfort in sorrow.
Lord Jesus, inspiration for my works.
Amen

Thursday, July 13

O love of the Living God,
Pour down on me like rain.
Wake me up from slumber,
Wash me free of pain.
Speak with a voice like thunder.
Let Your light flash through the skies,
So I, now wide awake,
May see the world with brand new eyes.
Amen

Friday, July 14

Come to me, Lord Jesus,
Hungry, ragged, and poor.
Help me to see the suffering face
That stands outside my door.
Help me to share Your hunger,
Help me to share my bread.
Help me to share the crown of thorns
That I see upon Your head.
Amen

Daily Prayers are written by Tim Williams, National Vincentian Formation Director.
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SVdP Disaster Services Corporation Welcomes New Chairman of the Board
SVdP Disaster Services Corporation Welcomes New Chairman of the Board 787 738 SVDP USA

SVdP USA’s Disaster Services Corporation (DSC) is thrilled to announce the appointment of Brian Burgess as the new Chairman of the Board. Brian will succeed Chairman Emeritus Christopher Disney, assuming the position at the conclusion of his appointment.

With his extensive experience and dedication to the SVdP mission, Brian Burgess is well-suited to lead as Chairman of the Board. As he assumes this vital role, Brian expressed his excitement and humility, stating, “I am humbled and excited to be assuming the role of Chair of the DSC SVDP-USA Board. We have tremendous talent across our Board and core management staff. I look forward to serving with this team and our external partners to continue to grow capability for DSC to serve those impacted by disasters, helping them in times of dire need.”

Brian Burgess brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership to his position as Chairman of the Board. He currently serves as the Vice President of the National Council of the United States, Society of St. Vincent de Paul and is also a member of the SVdP Foundation Board. Brian’s commitment to the Society’s cause is exemplified by his previous roles as chair of the Strategic Planning Committees for both the SVdP National Council and DSC.

Outside of his involvement with SVdP, Brian possesses over 30 years of experience in the Information Technology (IT) domain. He has been an integral part of Praeses, a privately-owned technology company based in Shreveport, LA, since 2006. In his current position as Program Manager, Brian is primarily responsible for customer relations and project oversight for the Department of Defense-focused research project portfolio at Praeses. Prior to his current role, he served as a Project Manager, concentrating on software development activities for a major defense contractor involved in building ships for the Navy and Coast Guard.

Before joining Praeses, Brian worked in the IT department at Louisiana Downs Racetrack & Casino for 14 years. Following that, he spent two years as a regional General Manager for United Tote. In addition to his professional accomplishments, Brian serves as the President of the Red River Regional Chapter of the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA).

Brian Burgess is a native of Bossier City, LA, and holds a B.S. in Physics from LSU-Baton Rouge (1983) and an M.S. in Systems Technology from LSU-Shreveport (1990). He is not only a devoted professional but also a proud father to his daughter Kristen and a loving grandfather to Henry and Hayden.

Under the leadership of Chairman Brian Burgess, DSC is confident in its ability to continue growing its capabilities to serve those impacted by disasters. The organization looks forward to working alongside Chairman Burgess, the dedicated Board, and external partners to extend assistance to those in dire need.

Please visit www.svdpdisaster.org to learn more about how you can support our mission.

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07-13-2023 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders
07-13-2023 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders 1080 1080 SVDP USA

Dear Vincentian Friends,

Conferences and Councils are the heart of the Society. They are where we live out our spirituality, friendship, and service on a daily basis. To meet the Society’s primary purpose of helping our members grow in holiness, there is an ongoing need to strengthen, grow, revitalize and support Conferences and Councils. The National Vice Presidents responsible for our regions have a major servant leadership responsibility to help councils and conferences in fulfilling their mission. It’s a big job.

In order to increase the support provided by the National Vice Presidents to Councils and Conferences, we have decided to add a 9th Regional Vice President. In doing this, changes are being made to several of our regions’ coverage responsibility effective October 1 to better balance the workload across all VPs.

Key changes include:

  • Establishment of a new “Mountain” region consisting of Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana
  • The West region now comprises California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and Hawaii
  • The South Central now comprises Texas and Louisiana
  • The Midwest region now comprises Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, and Tennessee
  • The North Central region now comprises the entire state of Illinois (adding Belleville & Springfield dioceses), Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota
  • The Mideast region includes the entire state of Michigan (adding the Marquette diocese), Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky
  • The Southeast region now includes Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands
  • What was previously known as the Eastern Region, will now be called the Mid-Atlantic Region. It still comprises Virginia, West Virginia, District of Columbia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania
  • There is no change to Northeast Region. It still comprises Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Since formed almost 50 years ago, our regional structure has not been adjusted to match the shift in the demographics of our Catholic communities. The value of changing our regional structure has been a topic of discussion in the past and now at the beginning of the term for our new National Council officers it seems like the best time to make this realignment.

(See below for the map reflecting the 9 regions.)

A new Vice President will be appointed for the Mountain region.  All other elected Vice Presidents remain in their regions.

To align with the Catholic Church where we draw our members and funding, the Society is organized by diocese. Today, there are 183 dioceses in the United States. The Society has Councils in 128 dioceses. We are present with isolated Conferences in 28 dioceses, and have no presence (yet) in 27 dioceses. The demographics of our Church is changing and many dioceses are going through significant restructuring of their parishes which will impact our Conferences and District Councils.

We believe these changes position the Society for continued growth and revitalization and helps the Vice Presidents and other regional leadership to better support our Conferences. Our regions are communities of friendship and support and we realize the realignment will disrupt some long valued relationships. Hopefully, those friendships will not be lost as new structures are created to meet the challenges faced by our organization. For those who are welcoming new states or Councils to their region, please extend a hand of Vincentian friendship to them, demonstrating our cultural value of One Society.

Serviens in spe,

Ralph Middlecamp
National Council President

John Berry
National Council President-Elect

 

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Contemplation — Chosen as Friends
Contemplation — Chosen as Friends 1080 1080 SVDP USA

Childhood friends, friends from school, friends from the neighborhood, teammates, Army buddies, work friends, Facebook friends, new friends, and old friends — we all have many lists of friends, and many ways of forming friendships. But when you hear the word “friend,” whose face comes to your mind first? Is it a friend you see often, or a face from long ago whose bond of friendship has not been weakened by the time and distance that separate you?

Frédéric Ozanam once explained friendships can be strengthened by both words and actions. Words, by letters or emails, allow us to share our thoughts and share ourselves with each other even when we are far apart from our friends, but he went on, “there are bonds stronger still than words: actions.” Nothing can draw friends closer than to eat together, travel together, or work together.”

Indeed, remember that school trip, and how much closer the group became? Or studying together for a class, going out to dinner, having a backyard barbecue? Each time, we build memories of a shared experience and grow closer to our friends.

“But if purely human acts have this power, moral acts have it even more, and if two or three come together to do good, their union will be perfect.” [Letter 142, to Curnier, 1837] This is the special character of friendship that we form in the Society of St. Vincent de Paul; the friendship that we call an Essential Element of the Society — a friendship that is strengthened by the other two Essential Elements.

After all, what better moral acts could we perform together than to serve Christ in the poor, and to seek holiness together? Indeed, we are called very specifically to share our service, to visit the poor in pairs. Our Rule also reminds us that during spiritual reflections at our meetings “members are always invited to comment as a means of sharing their faith.” [Rule, Part III, St. 7] We receive by giving first of ourselves — to each other in reflection and prayer, and to the neighbor in service.

We cannot truly understand or live our Vincentian friendship apart from service and spirituality. These are the friends with whom we have walked together, seeking, and finding Jesus Christ. Sitting with Him. Listening to Him. Praying with Him. Working to ease His burdens.

It is not we who chose the neighbor, any more than it is we who chose Christ. The neighbor chose us when he made the call to our Conference help line. And when go to him, when we sit with him, two or three of us together, we also will have in our midst the greatest Friend, just as He promised.

Contemplate

In what ways have I seen my Vincentian service strengthen my friendships with fellow members?

Recommended Reading

Vincentian Meditations II

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07-06-23 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders
07-06-23 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders 1080 1080 SVDP USA

Dear Vincentian Friends,

I have a question for everyone who is a Conference President: Have you visited your pastor yet this year?

If not, this is a good time to make an appointment for a meeting. Summer can be a little slower around the parish, and if you have a new pastor, you’ll certainly want to meet him before he gets busy with all the activities of the parish after Labor Day.

Some Conferences misunderstand the need to stay in touch with the parish because of the independence of the Society from the Church. From the earliest days of our Society, however, our founders kept in touch with the pastor of their parish. Frédéric Ozanam’s roommate, Armand Chaurand, would meet the pastor of St. Etienne du Mont after Mass every Tuesday morning to report the activity of the young Conference and take the pastor’s concerns to the meeting that evening. There are pastors who overstep the bounds of their relationship with the Society and try to take control, but if that is a problem, maybe regular communication will help them understand us better.

You might not think it is necessary to meet every year. You may assume your priest knows what you are doing, but I think most pastors would benefit not just from a report on what you did last year, but also by discussing your future plans, what you are doing to attract new members, and how your members strengthen their spiritual lives. Thank the pastor for his support and ask if he has any suggestions or concerns. I hope a pastor would want to know that the poor in his neighborhood were being cared for by his parishioners. Let me share a few best practices I have heard about for this visit.

When you make the appointment, be clear that you want to update him about the work of the Conference and that you welcome his advice on how the Conference is working. He should know that there is no other agenda for this meeting. We need to be clear with pastors that we are not a parish ministry — meaning that we choose our own leaders and control our activity and finances. This does not mean, however, that we should avoid consulting the pastor about what we are doing and asking for his advice. After all, we are usually meeting in parish space, often get some funds from the parish, hope to publish Conference information in the bulletin, and are always looking for new members from the parish. The pastor can be a big help in all these matters.

I suggest getting your pastor a copy of the Member Handbook before the meeting, if you have not already done that. It is a great summary of who we are. He might take the time to read it and have a better understanding of us in advance of the appointment. Give him copies in English and Spanish so he can understand that we will welcome all parishioners as members and that our resources support that effort. There are other materials that could be offered, such as a copy of one of the Serving in Hope modules. Don’t bring more than a couple of items at any one time, however. Too much material at once tends to overwhelm and risks nothing being read.

Of course, bring a report to share statistics summarizing the work of the conference, and be sure to tell a few meaningful stories — making sure to keep identities confidential. I would also suggest emphasizing that the principal purpose of the Society is the spiritual growth of our members. Your pastor may think we are just another nonprofit service organization, but we hope he will be delighted that his parishioners are part of a well-organized Society that emphasizes the spiritual formation of its members as they put their faith into action.

Finally, take time to listen. Ask for advice. Ask if he knows any good prospects for membership. Ask if he will come to a future meeting or celebrate a special Mass for the conference. If criticism is offered, don’t be defensive, but say you will seriously consider his suggestions. In the days after the meeting, send your pastor a thank you letter, which could summarize intended follow-up on any issues raised.

We are not a parish ministry, but we are members of parishes. We owe our pastors respect, and we are strongest where this relationship is nurtured with regular communications. The priests in Paris knew our founders; so did the archbishop. Even the Holy Father, Pius IX, knew Frédéric Ozanam and the Society. We need the support of the Church, and — honestly — the Church needs us, Catholics who have a strong faith and who are living out the Gospel call to see Christ in the faces of our neighbors in need in the parishes where we live.

Serviens in spe,
Ralph Middlecamp
National Council President

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Contemplation — United in Works and Prayers
Contemplation — United in Works and Prayers 1080 1080 SVDP USA

In letters to friends and family, Frédéric Ozanam always assured them of his prayers, and frequently closed by asking for their prayers in return. Sometimes, this was a simple and sincere sign-off of “pray for me,” but often he asked for very specific prayers.

“Pray for me to be wise,” he asked his mother; “pray to God for me so that I may get through so important and unusual an event…” he asked a friend; “pray, pray for us who begin to man the barricades…” he asked his cousin, Ernest Falconnet; and “pray for me who does not yet know where I am bound” he asks his friend Léonce Curnier. [Letters 207, 398, 44, 107]

Always in his prayers and his requests for prayers is Frédéric’s deep sense that prayer is the most essential bond of love and friendship, the bond that unites friends with each other and with God. For Frédéric it was the shared prayers of the Conferences scattered across France, offered in unison on feast days and other celebrations, that kept them “intertwined despite distances.” [Letter 113] Indeed, he defined our cultural belief in One Society when he said that “united in works and prayers and the strength of this union would be very great.” [Letter 135]

Prayer is at the center of Vincentian friendship, and neither ceases upon death. As our 1835 Rule pointed out, ours is even “a friendship stronger than death for we will often remember in our prayers to God the brethren whom we have lost.” [1835 Rule] Our Rule today continues to confirm for us that prayer is “the basis of friendship.” [Rule, Part I, 2.2]

Through prayer we are connected to one another and to the whole Communion of Saints, among whom we count our own dearly departed. “Let us consider,” Frédéric consoled his friend Perrière, “that our beloved dead do not forget us any more than we forget them, that they think of us, love us, pray for us, that perhaps they walk with us as invisible guardians.” [Letter 1353]

Like every aspect of our friendship, our prayers also extend to the neighbor. We pray before Home Visits for the Holy Spirit to guide us in our acts of mercy, we offer up the neighbor’s needs in prayer during the visit, and in “every Conference throughout the world and in their personal lives, Vincentians raise their prayers to God, united with the prayer of Christ, on behalf of one another and their masters the poor, whose suffering they wish to share.” [Rule, Part I, 2.3]

To ask for prayer is a prayer itself, through the intercession of our friends. Let us never cease praying for and asking for prayers of one another and the poor constantly, bearing witness to Vincentian friendship, united in Christ’s love.

Contemplate

What Vincentian friend or neighbor can I pray for today?

Recommended Reading

15 Days of Prayer with Blessed Frédéric Ozanam

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Stores Corner — “Bringing Hope Home” Program
Stores Corner — “Bringing Hope Home” Program 1080 1080 SVDP USA

Written by: Mike McClanahan — Director of Retail Operations, Diocesan Council of Phoenix

Our ‘Bringing Hope Home’ BHH Program in Phoenix, AZ, aims to provide furniture and household items to families in need.

The program was started two years ago and we are so proud to say that we have been able to rescue and help hundreds of families.

These families may be transitioning out of homelessness, moving after a disaster like a fire or flood, relocating after an eviction, or escaping domestic violence. Even families currently living in a home but in need of furniture may be eligible for our program, depending on their circumstances. We receive funding from various sources, such as conference referrals, restricted funds for move-outs of our shelter residents, and our general SVdP fund for families and individuals housed by our Social Work team. We also solicit donations from potential donors and share family stories as part of our fundraising strategy. Referrals are placed on a waitlist and contacted in the order they were received. Deliveries are scheduled based on location and availability of items, usually within the same or following week.

We are grateful to be able to share stories like Veronica’s one of our BHH program:

Veronica Rios has struggled for the last 18-months with both homelessness and health issues. She is in need of two knee replacements because of severe arthritis, while also trying to raise and control her four-year-old autistic son; “my little one is ADHD with autism. It is hard for us to find someplace to stay and settle because other people don’t approve of how he acts,” she said.

But thanks to a new medication, her son’s demeanor has improved and is under control. And so is her mental outlook. She now has a place to call her own, thanks to St. Vincent de Paul. “Within two weeks of reaching out to St. Vincent de Paul, I got a place to live. St. Vincent de Paul also helped me with my move-in and now I get to shop for furniture,” she added.

Needless to say, Veronica and her daughter, Augustina, were excited to shop for furniture at a Phoenix St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store for their apartment. “We have nothing in the apartment right now,” Veronica offered. “Nothing at all, just our own clothes” she added. “It is exciting,” Augustina chimed in. “We get to choose everything and have an actual home. It will feel like a real home and we can continue to grow and build and move forward,“ she continued.

A day after shopping, a St. Vincent de Paul crew delivered and set up her furniture in her apartment. A tearful Veronica was overwhelmed with emotion: “I’m happy. I’m grateful. Grateful to lay our heads on a bed. Be able to sit down on a couch and watch tv and sit as a family and talk,” she said as her voice cracked fighting through the tears. “I’m just happy my kids will be okay. We’re going to be okay and I’ll have an opportunity to get back on my feet.”

Your store may have a similar program like the one described above. If you don’t, perhaps you could consider serving your neighbors in need in a different fashion.

Sometimes we help our neighbors with the specific need they have requested, but as we ask more questions, we uncover additional needs that we likely could also help them. This gives them a leg up out of their current situation and sets them up for a more successful situation.

Opportunities for us to “think outside the box” in how we serve.

The National Assembly is fast approaching in September. If you haven’t made plans to attend, we hope you sign up for the daylong Stores Meeting on September 6, 2023 in St. Louis, MO.  You will leave this meeting with valuable information to take back to your store.

The morning will start with a motivational message from Dr. Snyder-Director of the Phoenix Dental Clinic. This will be followed by important information about the National Training Store’s growth and success in Phoenix during the last three years. You will hear valuable information that could help your store grow just like the National Store has grown. You will hear two testimonials from Rick Bologna & Bryan Engle about their experience either visiting the National Training Store or who requested Jeff Beamguard to visit their store to do an assessment.

The afternoon will be dedicated to hearing information about store staffing, increasing donations, profitability, Point-of-Sale (POS), sharing of innovative ideas to think of new ways to serve and information about a future National Training Store in Fairview, IL.

For those attending the Stores Meeting in its entirety on Wednesday, September 6, 2023, they will be eligible for door prizes to include:

  • $250 Amazon Gift Card
  • Trip for one to attend the 2024 National Assembly in Phoenix (Restrictions Apply),
  • Trip for one to attend training at the National Training Store in Avondale, AZ (Restrictions Apply)
  • Dinner for 2 ($200 value) — Executive Director group only.

You don’t want to miss out!!

Please encourage your store personnel to subscribe to the to the e-Gazette, by emailing mboyer@svdpusa.org.

If you have a topic that you would like addressed in a future Stores Corner article, please e-mail our Jeff Beamguard, National Director of Stores Support at jbeamguard@svdpusa.org.

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SVdP News Roundup June 24 – June 30
SVdP News Roundup June 24 – June 30 1080 1080 SVDP USA

With 100,000 Vincentians across the United States and nearly 800,000 around the world, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul provides person-to-person service to those who are needy and suffering. Read some of their stories here:

INTERNATIONAL

NATIONAL

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A Week in Prayers June 26 – June 30
A Week in Prayers June 26 – June 30 1080 1080 SVDP USA

Monday, June 26

Give me patience, Lord,
Calm my heart and my mind
Toward the things of this world.
Walk with me in peace.
Amen

Tuesday, June 27

My restless heart seeks rest, O Lord,
A peace from worldly cares.
Grant me the peace of Your presence,
The love that can only be shared.
Enter my heart, Lord Jesus,
For I have made room for You there.
Amen

Wednesday, June 28

I love You, Lord, with all my heart,
My soul, my mind, my life.
May people know me, Lord,
By the fruits of Your spirit,
And the fire You have lit in my heart.
Amen

Thursday, June 29

With faith, Lord, I look to heaven,
Offering praise and gratitude
For all I have received.

With hope, Lord, I look all around me,
At the beauty of Your creation,
Knowing all trials will pass.

With love, Lord, I look at my neighbor,
I see the face of Your Son,
And serve, my heart filled with joy.
Amen

Friday, June 30

Heavenly Father,
You see me and You know me.
You heal me despite myself.
Make me Your instrument
Of healing and mercy
For all those that suffer.
Amen

Daily Prayers are written by Tim Williams, National Vincentian Formation Director.
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Vincentians Gather for North Central Region Meeting in Mundelein, IL
Vincentians Gather for North Central Region Meeting in Mundelein, IL 2048 1536 SVDP USA

On June 15-17, 2023, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Chicago Council welcomed just under 400 Vincentians to the North Central Region’s annual meeting at the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Illinois. The USML campus occupies over 600 acres of beautifully wooded property, a lake, wildlife, and peacefulness. Its buildings are centered around the chapel dedicated to Mary, mother of Jesus, under the title of her Immaculate Conception, the patroness of the seminary.

Retreats, meditation, personal prayer time, and keynote speakers were just part of the educational and spiritual components of the event. There were 24 workshops offered that included topics such as: Revitalization of Conferences and Members; What to Do When Parishes Close or Merge?, Home Visits to Hispanics/Latinos (in Spanish), Recruiting New Members, and so many more provided much insight and an opportunity for great discussion to improve our service to the poor, while growing in friendship and spirituality.

On Thursday, June 15, Host City events offered Vincentians an opportunity to relax, laugh, share stories, make new friends, and bond with old friends. Activities included a bags tournament, improv show, a visit to Marytown Shrine and a walking tour around the beautiful grounds of St. Mary of the Lake. Everyone had a great time.

In addition to a basket raffle, a daily Split the Pot on Thursday, Friday,and Saturday was held. SVdP Chicago is very excited to say that we were able to donate $1600 from the Split the Pot proceeds to the National Friends of the Poor Campaign.

On Friday, June 16, an early evening Mass was held at the Immaculate Conception Chapel. This glorious piece of architecture has tall columns within the church, beautiful marble floors and white pews, along with a choir loft that let each note echo beautifully throughout the church. After Mass, a social was held followed by dinner. Cathy Crisp, President of the Sioux Falls, South Dakota Council encouraged everyone to come to next year’s NCR meeting in Sioux Falls, June 20-22, 2024. Congratulations were also given to Susan Wiland, from the Rockford Diocesan Council, the incoming National Vice President for the North Central Region, beginning October 1.

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