Vincentians

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SVdP News Roundup July 15 – July 21
SVdP News Roundup July 15 – July 21 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 July 17 – July 21
A Week in Prayers July 17 – July 21 1080 1080 SVDP USA

Monday, July 17

Hear my prayers, Lord,
Not for myself,
But for all those in need
Of Your grace.
My friends and my foes,
The rich and the poor,
In each of whom
I see Your face.
Amen

Tuesday, July 18

Light of the world
Dawn of the day
Hope of the kingdom to come
Remain in my heart
Shine out through my love
Let me be Your beacon, O Lord
Amen

Wednesday, July 19

Oh Father, my Father, my Lord, and my God!
You have made me, You have known me.
Here I am.
You have called me, You have loved me.
Here I am.
I seek to do Your will.
Here I am.
Amen

Thursday, July 20

My God, I give You my heart;
A heart Your love can fill,
A heart that does Your will,
A heart that time will still
On earth.
And though it beat no more,
May it open heaven’s doors,
This heart, already Yours.
Amen

Friday, July 21

Lord Jesus, my Savior,
Through You I have seen
The model for my own humanity.
With You I will go
And knock on the door of the poor.
In You is life everlasting,
Broken, poured out, and shared.
Amen

Daily Prayers are written by Tim Williams, National Vincentian Formation Director.
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7-20-23 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders
7-20-23 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders 1080 1080 SVDP USA

My wife and I spread our charitable giving over the year, giving to a different charity or two each month. We annually add one here and there, and sometimes we subtract a charity too — usually because of how they have listened to us, or increasingly, changed their mission or activities away from our reasons for supporting them. How much we give is personal, of course, but this year more than most we feel, well, challenged.

A recent report from Giving USA shows that Americans gave less than last year — a lot less. We have not seen such a decrease since the Depression years. Rising inflation reported in conflicting but always high amounts, and consumer prices up nearly 16% last year, created insecurity and less disposable income for everyone. Families are pulling back to give only to what they feel is most important.

Meanwhile, charities have rising costs, too, so many U.S. nonprofits are feeling more than a little squeezed. Some now focus more on megadonor gifts, ignoring the perennial fact that most American giving is through the smaller gifts that add up. Sure, million-dollar gifts get media attention and feel like a good result, but the reality is that these gifts are difficult to maintain annually, often come with significant strings attached, and create feelings of have- or have-not inequity among supporters, often leading to small donor defection.

Fortunately, one trend continues. People are more likely to give, and maintain giving, to religious charities. This may be helpful to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, but only if we focus on our mission. It is easy to report on people served, meals delivered, rent dollars paid, and the like, but our true mission is the spiritual development of our members. This is more difficult to report. We don’t have meters on Vincentians to measure how holy they are from year to year, though I’m sure someone is working on this app!

We often hear that the Society is the face of the Church, when the Church is asked about its works of mercy and/or neighborhood support. Many Bishops and Pastors also recognize this. Our Vincentian charitable spirit and kindness to others are appreciated! That said, there might be a disconnect between how we operate and how we represent ourselves in our fundraising messaging. We sometimes choose, perhaps unwisely, to compete in the crowded social services space with program numbers and focus, rather than embrace our Catholic identity and to communicate numbers as expressions of our faith.

We often learn more about why people do things only when they stop doing them. So, why do people stop or reduce giving? Personal economy factors, certainly. The lower impact of charitable giving tax incentives? Yes, though more relevant for major gift donors. The rest may come down to branding, in the sense of the personal experience for the donor. Does the donor receive the personal outcomes they “pay for” with their gift, such as feeling they have contributed to a worthy cause? Have they not only been thanked in a timely manner, but told how their gift has been used? Or conversely, have most communications only been about the need to give more, the “critical needs” of the charity, or even a shaming that the donor isn’t doing enough?

Giving to the Society is not just through direct mail and large special events. Much of our support still comes from the pews through poor boxes, special collections, and other vehicles. Our own members provide a good deal of our funds, too. These donors deserve our frequent and kind communications. We need to explain what we are doing with their gifts, how the neighborhood’s families are being served, and how we fulfill our mission daily by growing ourselves in holiness. Among the faithful, this is a powerful reason for giving! The parish bulletin is a good place to start.

The Society is so unique among nonprofits, and our requests can reflect this unique, faith-filled cause. Even if prospective donors don’t attend church services as frequently, there is still an appreciation of what the Catholic faith does and how Vincentians are the Face of Christ in our communities. Our “why you are asked to give” messages, whether asked in person, through the mail or online, have the opportunity not only to attract funds but to advertise and demonstrate our faith.

My wife and I will likely give to fewer charities this year, but with larger gifts that we feel can make an impact in line with our passions and intentions. Many families will face similar charitable giving decisions. People give through their wallets but give from their hearts. How will your Council and Conference appeal to their hearts, and their faith, in your requests for support?

Yours in Christ,
Dave Barringer
National CEO

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Contemplation — Our Most Earnest Study
Contemplation — Our Most Earnest Study 1080 1080 SVDP USA

As Christians, we are called to perfection, which we seek to attain through formation. We are formed in mind, body, and spirit in a lifelong process of attaining the fullness of our humanity, revealed to us in the incarnation of Jesus Christ. In the Society, we recognize four different dimensions of formation: human, spiritual, intellectual, and ministerial. These four overlap with each other, of course, but the one that can be easiest to neglect is our intellectual formation.

Intellectual formation encompasses training and skills development, such as poverty research and servant leadership training, but at its core, intellectual formation has to do with our efforts to understand our faith traditions and our church’s teachings. We do this through reading our Rule, Holy Scripture, and the writings of our own saints and founders, just as they did before us, but above all to focus on the life and words of Jesus as our model for a life of holiness.

Indeed, one of the books held dear by Vincent, Louise, and Frédéric was The Imitation of Christ written by Thomas à Kempis in the 1420s. St. Vincent recommended the use of this book in personal retreats, suggesting taking short readings from it and “stopping to reflect a short time on each sentence.” [CCD I:373] In offering spiritual direction to one of the priests of the mission, he advised him especially to “read Chapter XV of the third book of the Imitation of Christ. You will see there that not every desire, however good, is always from the Holy Spirit and that you are far from the indifference or resignation that it teaches.” [CCD VI:146] Much of this letter, and other writings of Vincent, reflects the thoughts of Kempis.

For her part, St. Louise considered the Imitation, along with St. Francis de Sales’ Introduction to the Devout Life and their Rule to be “the books necessary for the Daughters of Charity” which should be read monthly. [SWLM, L.383]

And in the early days of the Society, the Imitation remained a central text for study and reflection in conference meetings, and for personal reflection. As he noted once, he “had taken the precaution of reading a certain chapter in the Imitation” in order to guard against putting too much stock in compliments, even from greatly respected people; to remind him of his humility. [Baunard, 87] In 1838, the conference began reading, “in place of the Imitation, the Life of St. Vincent de Paul, so as to better imbue ourselves with his examples and traditions.” [Letter 175, to Lallier, 1838]

Today we have, in addition to Vincent, the life and words of Bl. Frédéric to read and to imitate, but even 600 years after they were written, the words of Thomas à Kempis have as much to offer us as they had for Vincent, Louise, and Frédéric. “Let it be our most earnest study,” wrote Kempis, “to dwell upon the life of Jesus Christ.” [Imitation, I, I, 1]

Contemplate

What great Christian books can I incorporate into my intellectual formation?

Recommended Reading

The Imitation of Christ

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SVdP News Roundup July 8 – July 14
SVdP News Roundup July 8 – July 14 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 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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