Vincentians

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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?

Recommended Reading

Faces of Holiness

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11-14-24 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders
11-14-24 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders 1200 1200 SVDP USA

Thankful for You!

As Thanksgiving approaches, our Vincentian family has so much to be thankful for. This time of thankfulness is a wonderful opportunity for all of us to do an inventory of the blessings in our lives. Recognizing all of our blessings assures us of God’s love for ourselves and the important work we do in serving those in need.

As your new CEO, I have been blessed with the opportunity to witness our Vincentian family in action around the country. I have seen our members putting their faith and love into action in an extraordinary way.

This week, Vincentians from around the nation gathered in St. Louis for our Invitation for Renewal leadership retreat. When the retreat kicked off, I visited with attendees and saw the Vincentian spirit of friendship with a rich desire to grow and spread the charism of the Society throughout our great country.

In last week’s e-Gazette, John Berry reminded all of us of the importance of everyone taking part in Vision SVdP. Again, this year his invitation to us has been to participate in a “A conversation guided by, blessed by, and driven by God through the Holy Spirit.”

Next year, we will celebrate the 180th anniversary of our Society in the United States. The ongoing national conversation will fuel our adaptation to the ever-changing world we live in.

In 20 years, at our 200th anniversary celebration, it is our hope that our Society’s leaders will look back at 2025 as the year we ignited our organizational rocket engines and propelled our Vincentian efforts to a whole new level, built on all the wisdom you have shared with our National Council through Vision SVdP.

As Thanksgiving draws near, Vincentians around the country are responding to need in many ways that prevent homelessness and unnecessary suffering. We are bringing food boxes filled with Thanksgiving meals to those who suffer from food insecurity, serving hot meals to those in need, making Home Visits to those who may be facing eviction, and providing countless other services. Last year, our Society responded to need by providing over $1.7 billion in services to those who desperately needed to feel God’s love through us.

We continue to see the need growing throughout the country, and we expect the higher demand to continue in 2025.

Those we serve need the bright light of hope and compassion, and that is what we are giving every time we have the blessing of an encounter where we provide food, clothing, rent, prescription assistance, or other critical help. We are showing that everyone we serve is important to us, and we care about them.

Every time you help someone in need, you are following your heart, and we are so thankful for every Vincentian and supporter of our Society.

During these tough economic times, we appreciate your support more than ever. Please accept our heartfelt thanks for all you do. May God bless you and your family this Thanksgiving and may the blessings you share with others come back to you a thousand times over.

At this special time of year, we should remember we are One Society, and together pray for the continued success of your Conference, your local Council, and our National Council!

Best wishes in Christ,
Michael J. Acaldo
National CEO

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Contemplation: To Be Vincentian
Contemplation: To Be Vincentian 800 800 SVDP USA

By Timothy Williams, Senior Director of Formation and Leadership Development 

“A Conference meeting” the Rule instructs, “shall incorporate Spirituality, Friendship, [and] Service” [Rule, Part II, Statute 7]. These three, of course, are the Essential Elements of the Society, and importantly, we are expected not to incorporate or highlight only one of them, but all three. Why is that?

The Essential Elements have been included in the Rule for only about twenty years, but they have been known to us, in different words, since the beginning. The Essential Elements – all of them – unite us. Blessed Frédéric once said that the “distances that stand between the most loyal of friends do not separate the Christian spirits or wills that come together to love one another, to pray, and to act…” [1367, to the Assembly, 1837]

Each element is important by itself, of course, but unlike the theological virtues, of which the greatest is love (charity), our Essential Elements are equal and inseparable; each one informs, motivates, and enriches the other two. We have all experienced a strengthening of a friendship when we share a meal, work on a project, or perhaps take a trip with somebody. Frédéric noted this also but went on to explain that “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.” [142, to Curnier, 1837] The special character of Vincentian friendship is the bond formed by our charitable works, our service to Jesus Christ. Again, emphasizing this link between service and friendship, he explained that “the strongest tie, the principle of a true friendship, is charity … and good works are the food of charity.” [82, to Curnier, 1834]

Our service, of course, has never been about the bread, or the firewood, or the financial assistance. The challenge our founders hoped to meet was how to translate their faith into deeds. It isn’t about the firewood, it is about the faith. “We must do,” Frédéric said, “what Our Lord Jesus Christ did when preaching the Gospel. Let us go to the poor.” [Baunard, 65] Our service, then, is a pure expression of our spirituality, it is our special way of living our faith, and of following the greatest commandment.

It is because of this unity between the essential elements that the friendship we share with one another we share also with the neighbor, welcoming him or her into our community of faith, and inviting him, along with us, to union with Jesus Christ.

Esse, the Latin root of essential, means “to be.” Essence is the very nature of our being; that which is essential is what makes us who we are. Ours is more than the friendship that shares a meal or a drink, more than the spirituality that joins hands to pray around the table, and more than the service that enhances a resumé. Each element is important by itself. Together, they are the essence of the Society.

Contemplate

Does friendship build my spirituality, spirituality motivate my service, and service enrich my friendship?

Recommended Reading

Serving in Hope, Module I

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11-07-24 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders
11-07-24 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders 1200 1200 SVDP USA

The other day, I was speaking to one of our Vincentians and she asked me, “Hey, what ever happened to VisionSVdP?” I must say I was a little taken aback by the question, and I asked her why she was asking. I told her that VisionSVdP was going full speed ahead and that we were in the final two months of Phase I, with many local Conferences and Councils holding listening sessions (as a matter of fact, my own Conference just held our listening session at the end of October). She said, “OK, but you haven’t been saying much about it lately. Maybe it’s time for an update?” Great idea! So, here we are.

Over the last year, you have heard and read about VisionSVdP, our “family conversation” that we are using to answer the call in our Rule to ‘Adapt to a Changing World.’ I first spoke about this after my Installation as National President in St. Louis in October 2023, and I have written about it often in the e-Gazette Servant Leader column and other places. We officially kicked off VisionSVdP at the 2024 Midyear Meeting, and since that time, we have held literally hundreds of listening sessions at Regional meetings, Council meetings, Conference meetings, and the National Assembly in Phoenix.

In case you are new to the Society, or you’ve been hiding under a rock for the last year (only kidding), you might be asking, “What is this VisionSVdP he is talking about?” Let me start by telling you what it is NOT: It’s not a program, it’s not a strategic planning process, it’s not a reorganization, it’s not a fundraising campaign, it’s not a make-work effort for already burdened Vincentians trying to serve people in need.

Well then, WHAT IS IT? you ask. Well, it’s a conversation. A Synodal (from the Greek for “journeying together”) conversation about the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. What’s good about it? What’s not so good about it? What are we doing right? What might we be doing better? What are we doing that we don’t need to be doing? What aren’t we doing that we should be doing? What’s enriching your spiritual life as a Vincentian? What’s stressing your spiritual life as a Vincentian? Why are we getting older and greyer, even though we are trying to bring young people into our membership? Why can’t we move the needle on increasing diversity despite years of trying? Why are we still using pen and paper to complete casework forms when our grandkids are using tablets to do their homework in first grade?

Get it? A conversation guided by, blessed by, and driven by God through the Holy Spirit.

The next question on your mind is probably, “Why are we doing this?”

There are a lot of reasons! As I mentioned above, The Rule, written in 1836, call us to periodically ‘Adapt to a Changing World.’ In Part I, 1.6 The Rule says: “Faithful to the spirit of its founders, the Society constantly strives for renewal, adapting to changing world conditions. It seeks to be aware of the changes that occur in human society and the new types of poverty that may be identified or anticipated. It gives priority to the poorest of the poor and to those who are most rejected by society.”

The last few decades have brought changing conditions in the U.S. and around the world that demand we look at how we must adapt and renew. Those changes were accelerated and exacerbated by the pandemic and the economic challenges faced here and abroad. We must look at the Society in the light of the realities of today and tomorrow, and we must change where change is called for.

So, for the last eight months we have been talking, listening, and through it all, respecting every person’s views. That is Phase I, which will end December 31. If your Conference or Council has NOT held a Listening Session yet — you need to. Because EVERY VOICE MATTERS and we want to hear from you!

If you need help getting started, contact Jill Pioter at the National Council and she’ll get you everything you need.

Phase II begins next year. It’s the hardest and most complicated part. Because that’s when we start going through the thousands of comments we’ve received, then work on planning how we move forward. We are going to talk for a LONG TIME. We are going to talk about that planning for another year at least at every level in the Society — because EVERY VOICE MATTERS.

And then we’re going to assimilate it and put together an Action Plan.

We’re gonna talk together! A lot!

Because EVERY VOICE MATTERS!

Peace and God’s blessings,
John

John Berry
National President

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Contemplation: A Boundless Reserve
Contemplation: A Boundless Reserve 800 800 SVDP USA

By Timothy Williams, Senior Director of Formation and Leadership Development 

“Money,” our Rule tells us, “must not be hoarded.” [Rule, Part I, 3.14] Members of the Society have always understood this to mean that every dollar we have is meant to serve the needs before us today; we do not save up for a rainy day, because, for the neighbor in need, it is raining right now, and the “funds donated to the Conference belong to the poor.” [Manual, 23]

As our original Rule explained, our charitable works are entirely optional; they are not bills to be paid or budgeted in advance, and so they should be paid with all the generosity our current balance can afford. When we have little, we give a little; when we have much, we give abundantly. It’s okay to run out of money, for “nothing is more Christian than to trust one’s self to Providence,” while having “a disposable capital which we never touch, to lay out beforehand a budget as in a relief association, are proceedings essentially contrary to the spirit of our Society.” [Rule, Art. 19 note, 1835]

In practice, we often find that when we offer everything we have to the poor, a new donation arrives unexpectedly, or the number of calls for help drop off for a while. Blessed Frédéric, reflecting on lessons learned over the Society’s first few years, recalled that they had hardly any money at the beginning, and it seemed to him “a great folly” but God provided, and he was now “very much convinced that to do works of charity, it is never necessary to worry about pecuniary resources, they always come.” [121, to his mother, 1836]

It is always well for us to remember that money and other material assistance are not the most important things we give. It is our friendship, our understanding, our presence, and our love that are most needed. Yet there are times, perhaps especially when we do not have material resources enough to meet the needs of a neighbor, that we can become reluctant to offer our presence and our hearts.

We naturally “rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep” and we would much rather rejoice! After all, sharing the sorrows and pain of another can bring sorrow and pain to ourselves. Yet it is that very tear we fear to shed, the shared tear, that St. Vincent tells us is itself “an act of love, causing people to enter one another’s hearts and to feel what they feel…” [CCD XII:221] If we truly seek, then, to serve for love alone, we can never budget our tears or our presence to be offered only along with material assistance.

Our treasuries and food banks may dwindle, but just as Providence so often makes itself known through generous donations, our Divine Donor provides us with a boundless reserve of love that is given to us only to be shared.

Contemplate

Do I sometimes “hoard” myself? Do I sometimes “hoard” my love?

Recommended Reading

15 Days of Prayer with Blessed Frédéric Ozanam

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