Vincentians

  • No Comments
  • No Likes

Weekly Prayers March 7 – March 11
Weekly Prayers March 7 – March 11 940 788 SVDP USA

Monday, March 7:

Lord, I will serve You where You are
In the homeless man on the bench
In the hungry child before me
In the forgotten neighbors living alone
In those who ask for help
Lord, I will serve You where I am.
Amen

Tuesday, March 8:

Father in heaven,
Whose Word I know,
Help me to do Your will;
To serve, to love, to forgive,
For Your sake alone, not mine.
Amen

Wednesday, March 9:

Of all the gifts You have given me,
All of them to be shared,
There are none greater than love,
That gives of self,
And knows no bounds.
Lord, knowing Your great mercy,
There is nothing I cannot forgive.
Amen

Thursday, March 10:

Lord, I bring many needs before You,
Knowing You are the source of all good,
And trusting in Your Divine Providence.
Father, do not give me what I ask for.
Rather, give me what it is pleasing to You,
In accordance with Your plan for my life.
Not my will but Yours be done.
Amen

Friday, March 11:

Two coats are in my closet, Lord,
For when it’s cold outside.
Two coats I bought to keep me warm,
And one of them is mine.
So many gifts from You, O Lord,
So many ways to shine.
I have so many gifts, O Lord,
And none of them are mine.
I have one life to live, O Lord,
No practice life before.
One life to give away in love,
And all of it is Yours.
Amen
Daily Prayers are written by Tim Williams, National Vincentian Formation Director. 
  • 1 Comment
  • 1 Like

03-10-2022 A Letter from Our Servant Leaders
03-10-2022 A Letter from Our Servant Leaders 1920 2400 SVDP USA

The Gospel for the first Sunday of Lent is always the temptation of Christ in the wilderness. Immediately after His Baptism, the Holy Spirit leads the Lord into the desert, where He fasts and prays, preparing Himself for His upcoming mission of salvation. It is in that radical solitude where Satan tempts Jesus to turn aside from the Father’s will and to misuse His divine powers for His own comfort and glory. If the devil can already lead the Son of God astray at this early juncture, he will have scored a significant victory against the loving plan of the Father. Jesus rebukes Satan, refusing to even entertain the temptations, remaining true to His fundamental identity and purpose.

This experience of Christ in the desert teaches us that whenever power is not channeled in the service of love, it becomes selfish, inward-looking and even demonic. The tremendous gifts of knowledge, love, faith, time, energy, money and relationships that we have received are not meant simply for our private enjoyment or comfort. The Lord consecrates us to be servants of the Gospel, to proclaim the victory of the resurrection and to serve the needs of our brothers and sisters. Lent is a beautiful time for us to seek a deeper conversion through the ancient practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. These spiritual actions open us up to deeper relationships with God, each other and our truest self.

Being a Vincentian allows us to put into practice on a regular basis the lessons which Jesus teaches us from His time in the desert. Our greatness does not lie in the trophies which this world offers us. Power, wealth, possessions, popularity, and comfort will all slip away from us, but what we do and who we become in the Lord and for the poor and suffering will endure forever. Treasure put at the service of love blesses the Church and the world. Time given to the poor will endure in the heart of God forever. Energy spent in the proclamation of Jesus’ saving Gospel produces eternal fruit.

How blessed we are to be in the Saint Vincent de Paul Society! We are a band of disciples, gathered in the vision of Saint Vincent and Saint Louise, formed by the thought of Blessed Frederic Ozanam, led by the Holy Spirit to put the Gospel into saving action. Every time we choose to love another person, especially those in most need of our time and attention, God powerfully uses us to unleash the glory of the Paschal Mystery, the wonder of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

We may feel tempted at times to give up hope, when our charitable efforts seem to bear no fruit or are not appreciated, or when our work for justice and social transformation seems painfully slow. We bear in mind the Parable of the Sower, who lavishly casts seed even on the rough and barren ground, wanting to give every possibility for vibrant life and renewed hope. Remember that no sacrificial gift, act of charity or merciful word goes unnoticed by the Lord. It is for Him and the Kingdom of God that we set out in the service of God’s poor and suffering.  Thank you for your radiant witness to the power and love of the risen Christ, the One who turned away from comfort and glory to wash the feet of the disciples, to give Himself to us in the humility of the Eucharist and to die on the cross for our sins. We give witness to and extend all that He has done. Have a blessed Lent!

Sincerely,
Bishop Donald J. Hying
National Episcopal Advisor

  • No Comments
  • No Likes

Disaster Services Update – March 10, 2022
Disaster Services Update – March 10, 2022 2000 1501 SVDP USA

The following update was provided by Dick Reimbold, DSC Mideast Regional Disaster Representative.

Disaster Services Corporation - Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA (DSC SVDP-USA), hosted a Parish Recovery Assistance Center at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Carlisle, Kentucky this past week.   

In the Summer of 2021, the residents of Carlisle, experienced a record-breaking flooding event throughout their county.  Per Governor Andy Beshear, the flooding impacted over 80 homes and at least 29 businesses as well as the city’s wastewater treatment plant, fire station, and city garage. The estimated damage to infrastructure, along with the cost of debris removal, totals more than $3.8 million.    

One resident shared,  “I have lived in Carlisle my entire life, for 45 years, and within 43 minutes the flood waters rose and caused me to lose everything in my home, my cars, my pictures, my keepsakes, and my memories.” Another family, a single mother with three children, not only lost her belongings, but her vehicle. Due to the lack of transportation, including public transportation, she lost her job and had to take a job at the local family dollar, which doesn’t cover her monthly expenses.   

However,  for DSC to be able to witness by our presence, not only to the survivors, but to volunteers who had no knowledge of the Society, and its works was a beautiful experience. Less than ten percent of churches in the Diocese of Lexington have a St. Vincent de Paul Conference. The pastor of the church had no knowledge of the Society; but again, being able to witness by our presence, ignited him and several parishioners to start the groundwork to open a Conference and join the Vincentian family.   

The other fruits the trip bore were being able to meet and collaborate with Jim Garrett, the volunteer and donations manager with the state of Kentucky VOAD, Meg Campos, the Executive Director of Catholic Charities for the Diocese of Lexington, a representative from HOPE, Animals Assisted Crisis Response, and Rhonda Curran Koft from the Carlisle Chamber of commerce and leader of the long-term recovery group.   

We were able to assist and provide intake for over 20 plus families, conduct several Home Visits, and meet with the local Judge, who is the executive of the county, Steve Hamilton, to coordinate partners to help with remediating homes, demolition, and other manual type of assistance.   

Lastly, one of the residents shared one of the most pressing issues for the residents of Carlisle, not just the loss of homes for the survivors whose homes were flooded, but the loss of their local grocery store. The residents have to drive about 30 minutes away to buy groceries and that is problematic for some of the 2,000 residents of Carlisle. 

  • No Comments
  • No Likes

SVdP Phoenix Launches Four New Podcast Series
SVdP Phoenix Launches Four New Podcast Series 900 900 SVDP USA

With nearly 100,000 members across the United States, serving in more than 4,400 parishes across the country, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is sometimes called “the best kept secret of the Catholic Church.” One Diocesan Council in Arizona aims to change that, by launching four new podcast series that will share just some of their work serving neighbors in need.

The SVdP Phoenix Diocesan Council has over 3,000 active and associate Vincentian members, and more than 6,000 volunteers. Together, they serve thousands of neighbors in need throughout Phoenix and the larger central and northern Arizona communities via 15 flagship service programs.

One such program is the Virginia G. Piper Dental Clinic, led for 23 years by Dr. Ken Snyder, a beloved member of the SVdP community. Dr. Ken is spearheading the new podcast venture to help raising awareness for the work being done by the Society. The four new titles include:

  • Ryan, Coop and the Doc Talk Sports and Teeth. With new episodes every Tuesday, this podcast features longtime Phoenix Channel 12 sportscaster Bruce Cooper, Chief Strategy Officer Ryan Corry, and Dr. Ken himself.
  • The Chronicles of Betty. This podcast, with new episodes released every Thursday, follows the journey of Betty Contreras, who came to the U. S. on her own at just 11 years old. She’s been a Dental Assistant at at the Virginia G. Piper Dental Clinic for 20 years and has been studying and learning the entire time. Betty now needs one more class and she can apply to Dental School. 
  •  Betzy’s Journal. Dr. Betzy Leyva, who came to the Dental Clinic out of high school, where she trained as a Dental Assistant. After 11 years, taking courses while working full time, she was accepted into the Midwestern School of Dentistry. When she graduated, the faculty awarded her the “Golden Hands Award” out of 140 students. Betzy now works at at the Phoenix SVdP Dental Clinic two days a week and in private practice three days a week. New episodes will post every other Wednesday.
  • The Happiness Factor. With new episodes every Friday, Dr. Ken will  explore the God Given gifts of Humor, Laughter, and Play and how we can use them in our professional and personal lives to be happier, healthier, and more productive.

All of the podcasts invite listeners to join the Virginia G. Piper Dental Clinic’s mission of providing quality and comprehensive dental care to underserved men, women, and children.

All podcasts are currently available on Dr. Ken’s YouTube page.

 

  • No Comments
  • No Likes

Contemplation – The State of Angels
Contemplation – The State of Angels 940 788 SVDP USA

There is an old saying, perhaps originating with the Greek philosopher Heraclitus, that we should “expect the unexpected.” Practicing what St. Vincent termed holy indifference, we instead are reminded to accept the unexpected.

This word Vincent used, indifference, carries with it a connotation of apathy, or lack of interest. Certainly, our patron was not calling us to apathy! Rather, he taught that we must be willing, at all times, to accept what God gives to us, without anticipating, or running ahead of His providence.

It is difficult for our human nature to concede a lack of control. It is perhaps especially difficult for Vincentians, who seek to love God “with the strength of our arms.” We want to plan things out, to set measurable outcomes that we can use to gauge our success. These are wonderful instincts, and perfectly fitting in the context of things like business or fitness goals, whose nature is thoroughly worldly.

But God’s work is not a business plan. It is through holy indifference that we let go of the goals that are driven by our own desires so that we may accept and serve only what God wills. As always, Christ gives us the model to follow, praying to be spared His crucifixion, saying “not my will but yours be done.”

This is not to say that we should make no plans! Indeed, it was Vincent who pointed out that the people of Châtillon were “practicing great charity, but it is not well organized.” [CCD XII:383] We organize and plan to do good as God wills, but the outcome is simply not up to us. If it were, then the cloth Veronica offered to Christ would surely have spared Him the cross.

“Planning is good,” St. Vincent said, “when it is submissive to God, but it goes to excess when we are eager to avoid whatever we fear; when we trust more in our precautions than in God’s Providence.”

Our planning goes to excess, he went on, “when we hope to accomplish much while anticipating His orders with our disorder which causes us to adhere to human prudence rather than the Word of God.” [Gettemeier, L, DC, VHJ, Vol. 19]

How many times have we seen in retrospect that what we thought was bad led to a greater good? We are indifferent when God’s will becomes our own, when we accept both good and bad, when we serve for love alone. Although “nature grumbles against it”,[CCD I:212] indifference is “the state of the angels” who are “always ready to do the Will of God, either in heaven or on earth”. [CCD X:564]

Contemplate

Do I seek my own goals, or God’s?

Recommended Reading

Vincentian Meditations (especially Putting Out into the Deep)

  • No Comments
  • No Likes

News Roundup Feb 26 to March 4
News Roundup Feb 26 to March 4 1200 1200 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

Help us share the good news of the good work being done in your local Conference or Council! Email us at info@svdpusa.org with the subject line Good News.

  • No Comments
  • No Likes

Weekly Prayers February 28 – March 4
Weekly Prayers February 28 – March 4 940 788 SVDP USA

Monday, February 28:

Heavenly Father, hear my voice
Raised up to you in prayer;
My words of thanks,
My song of praise,
My cry for help,
My silence.
Help me, Lord to hear the poor,
Their words, their songs,
Their cries, their silence,
And answer them with love.
Amen

Tuesday, March 1:

Lord, in Your hands
I place my burdens
In Your will
I place my trust
In Your name
I place my very self
In Your Kingdom
I place my hope
Amen

Wednesday, March 2:

Lord, I cry out from the depths of my soul,
From the depths of my soul, to You.
From my pride, help me find humility,
May my works be done for Your sake
From my heart help me offer my very self
For the love of my Father in heaven
Amen

Thursday, March 3:

My Lord and My God,
Help me to let go
Of the things that will not last;
To instead seek Your kingdom;
To serve what is not fleeting,
My brothers and sisters,
My neighbors,
And You.
Amen

Friday, March 4:

Lord Jesus, fill me up
With the love that welcomes,
The love that gives,
The love that sacrifices;
The love that can be poured out
Without being depleted,
Shared without being divided,
Received by being given.
Amen
Daily Prayers are written by Tim Williams, National Vincentian Formation Director. 
  • No Comments
  • No Likes

03-03-2022 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders
03-03-2022 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders 1367 1520 SVDP USA

Dear Vincentian Friends,

Right now, you should be reading a Lenten message from Bishop Hying, our National Episcopal Advisor. The events in Ukraine, however, have gripped all of us, and many have asked if our Society has been preparing to provide aid to refugees and other victims of the war. Please look for the bishop’s message next week, and allow me to tell you what I know about the Society’s response to the situation in and around Ukraine.

It may seem inadequate, but let’s not forget to pray for peace and the people of Ukraine. The Vincentian Family had a worldwide prayer call yesterday. You can still view that call here: youtube.com/watch?v=_fNGEm8ZGQM&t=168s.

As Vice President for Solidarity and Special Projects for the Council General International, I am engaged in our international twinning relationships and our disaster relief efforts through the Society’s Commission for International Aid and Development (CIAD). We are currently making inquiries of the Councils in the countries receiving thousands of refugees. There is clearly an immediate need in the countries that border Ukraine. What I can tell you is that the Society does not have a strong presence in this area of Europe. At the end of this letter, I have shared some detailed information about the Society in some of the countries near Ukraine.

Please do not plan to make donations until we have a clear purpose for your contributions. You may recall that when we made our annual disaster appeal last summer, a portion of those contributions were designated for international use. Our Councils and Conferences were very generous then, and we will therefore be able to provide help as soon as we receive more information. If we need more assistance, we will certainly let you know. I remind you that our Councils and Conferences cannot donate to any organization outside the Vincentian Family.

We are investigating our options for providing help, and those may include directing assistance through other member organizations of the Vincentian Family. We have funds from the U.S. already in place at our CIAD office in Paris; we just need to have appropriate proposals from the countries closest to the situation. Designated funds provided without plans for their appropriate use have left literally hundreds of thousands of dollars in accounts that can remain unused for many years. We must be sure we have the capacity to deliver the aid in the areas with the need. We also must be able to ensure accountability for the proper use of any funds sent.

Allow me to share some observations about our ability to help people suffering in these situations. First, I see that our members are very generous. If we lack an active presence and the mobilization capacity to put a generous response to work, however, our Society is not able to serve those in need. In the future we must also devote resources to building the Society’s presence throughout our country and throughout the world. Building the network of charity Frederic Ozanam envisioned is still a work in progress. There is no national Council in the world that is more generous in providing disaster relief than our U.S. National Council. We can do better, however, in our Twinning efforts to provide effective support for new and struggling Conferences in countries with limited resources. Let’s renew those efforts.

Even here in the United States, where the Society is strong, we have realized a need to strengthen our capacity to respond to disasters. That is why we have formed and supported our Disaster Services Corporation, which brings excellent know-how to our Councils when they are called upon to respond to unpredictable events that strike their communities. We are fortunate here to be able to draw upon DSC expertise.

I also observe how we tend to be moved to help people whose stories are part of major events covered for multiple days in the news. In my role, I see how our Society helps many suffering in the aftermath of disasters that may barely make world news. In the last several months, we provided assistance to our members in Brazil, where there was a major landslide that killed several hundred people. In the last few months, we have aided victims of disasters you probably don’t remember or maybe never heard about. With funds we provided through the Society’s office in Paris, we have helped address disaster-induced suffering in the Philippines, Madagascar, Tonga, Burundi, Malawi, and Mozambique.

As with all disasters, the need coming out of Ukraine will go on for many years. In Ukraine, we have a small Vincentian presence of just three Conferences. Last I had heard, we have not had any communication from them. Let us continue to pray for them and for all those suffering in and near Ukraine, as well as for those in our country and throughout the world coping with disaster and conflict. Let us pray for peace.

Serviens in spe,
Ralph Middlecamp
National Council President

P.S. Here is some of specific information that has been shared with me:
Poland – The Society has only a handful of Conferences here. As far as I know, there is no structured National Council and little tradition of lay Catholic organizations in Poland. This is probably the place most in need of our assistance, but information on the location and activity of Polish Conferences is lacking.

Romania – The Society does have a properly constituted National Council here. That Council’s twinning officer is in constant communication with Society twinning partners in England and Wales. The report is that Conferences from Turt and Oradea are working with refugees in Sighet, near the border with Ukraine in northwest Romania. At Traian in northeast Romania, members are providing food and clothing at a retreat center that has turned itself into accommodations for refugees. Within the Society, Romania also has twinning links with Italian South Tyrol & Austria and has received donations from Germany.

Hungary — There is a small National Council in Hungary, twinned with Scotland. Hungary has only a relatively short border with Ukraine.

Slovakia — There is a National Council here, but I have no detail about Slovakian members’ capacity to assist.

Moldova – Although there is no national structure here, a group from Romania did go to Chisinau (Moldova’s capital) and set up at least one Conference a few years ago.

  • 1 Comment
  • No Likes

Contemplation – Those Irritating Questions
Contemplation – Those Irritating Questions 940 788 SVDP USA

The introduction to the original Rule in 1835 reminded members, following the model of St. Vincent, to “banish political discussions forever from our meetings” avoiding “those irritating questions which divide mankind” so that we can remain united in the ministry of charity. The Society, it declared, “is all charity; politics are wholly foreign to it.” [Rule, Intro, 20-22]

It is a reassuring reminder that however we may feel politics divides people today, it has always been so, but the example of our forebears in the Vincentian family shows us the way to be uniters, not only within our Conferences, but in our society at large.

In Frédéric and Rosalie’s time, “divisiveness” in politics meant a great deal more than memes, podcasts, and insults. Often, politics meant taking up arms, manning the barricades, and overthrowing the government. In the midst of revolution, it was perhaps easier for them to see how picking a side could only shut them off from caring for people in great need.

Bl. Rosalie made this clear, declaring, on threat of arrest for aiding the wrong side of the revolution, “I am a Daughter of Charity. I do not have a flag. I go to the aid of the unfortunate wherever I encounter them … I promise you, if ever you, yourself, are being pursued and you ask me for help, it would not be refused you.” [Sr. Rosalie, Sullivan, 168]

To be sure, both our church and our Rule encourage us as individuals to be involved in politics, and to “bring Christian values to political matters.” Indeed, Frédéric himself served in the National Guard and once ran for a seat in the legislature. But the Society itself does not identify with any political party, nor discriminate among those in need based on political opinions. [Rule, Part I, 7.8 & 2.4]

As a “voice for the voiceless,” we advocate not for a party, but for justice; as Vincentians, we seek “to make charity accomplish what justice alone cannot do.” [Letter 136, to Lallier, 1836]

Our commitment to an apolitical approach to works of charity requires both courage and humility; the acceptance that no matter how strong our personal feelings may be, we are called first to render unto God what belongs to God.

Contemplate

Are there “irritating questions” I need to let go in my Vincentian relationships and works?

Recommended Reading

The Frédéric Ozanam Story

  • No Comments
  • No Likes

News Roundup 2-19 to 2-25
News Roundup 2-19 to 2-25 1200 1200 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

Help us share the good news of the good work being done in your local Conference or Council! Email us at info@svdpusa.org with the subject line Good News.

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

ABOUT SVDP USA

The National Council of the United States, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Inc. is a non-profit organization under section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code. Donations to the National Council are deductible. The Council’s tax identification number is 13-5562362.

CONNECT WITH US

© 2024 National Council of the U.S., Society of St. Vincent de Paul | Privacy Policy

Enter your
text here
Skip to content