Vincentians

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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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10-31-24 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders
10-31-24 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders 1200 1200 SVDP USA

BOO! I am your scariest trick-or-treater! Yes, I’ve been told that I have a face for radio.

It’s that time of year, and today’s the day that we’re going to see the little gremlins coming to our door, yelling “trick or treat.” I can’t wait for it to get started. Much like our upcoming elections, it’s exciting and scary at the same time.

We are in the midst of a chaotic, tumultuous time in our nation. We need the Society of St. Vincent de Paul more than ever. No matter what the outcome of the upcoming elections, we will be called upon to be the face of Christ amidst the exuberance of winning, the depression of defeat, celebrations, anxieties, and anger. As Vincentians, we need to be the hopeful voice and the peaceful face.

Like you, I am weary of all the focus and hype surrounding the election. The never-ending television commercials, the mudslinging in social media, and the talking heads who continue to hype the contests. In the spirit of full disclosure, I am a political junkie, but even I have reached my limit. I am ready to cast my vote and wish that Election Day would be over.

Depressed yet? Fear not! On November 6, the Vincentian mission will be needed more than ever. Regardless of the election outcome, our calling is to See the Face of Christ and Be the Face of Christ: to help our friends, neighbors and family realize a better, brighter future with God’s help. We can be that model of Faith, Hope, and Charity to feed their souls. The good news is that we are well trained, Home Visit veterans, and we are ready for this challenge. If anybody can do it, we can!

I recently attended the National Board of Directors’ retreat. The experience was inspirational, filled my heart with joy, and prepared me to go out to spread the Word as part of the St. Vincent de Paul mission. Like my fellow Vincentians, I’ve had the opportunity to visit those with corporal needs and have had the blessing to be able to provide for them. The time will soon be here when we will all have many relationship opportunities to act: calming the emotional highs and lows, toning down the rhetoric while lifting up those around us.

Remember to put on your spiritual armor. Don’t forget that we need to be centered on our own inner peace first before we can help others. Consider this Bible verse as a prayerful way to prepare:

“Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)

Lastly, I strongly encourage you to vote, but just as important, to stock up on candy treats for all those happy little monsters, princesses, and superheroes coming to our doors. Happy Halloween!

Thank you for all you do in His Name — may God bless you,
Michael

Michael Pazzaglini
National Vice President, South Central Region

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Contemplation: Our Vincentian Hearts
Contemplation: Our Vincentian Hearts 800 800 SVDP USA

By Timothy Williams, Senior Director of Formation and Leadership Development 

In his encyclical, Dilexit Nos, Pope Francis focuses on the importance of the heart to the practice of our faith; not merely the physical, biological heart, but the heart which is the core of our being, the union of body and spirit. Not surprisingly, he cites St. Vincent de Paul, who often taught that all God asks of us is our hearts. He also said that “as soon as a heart is empty of self, God fills it.” [CCD XI:281] His biographer Joseph Guichard even noted that St. Vincent began each day by crossing himself and saying, “My God, I give You my heart.”

St. Vincent’s actual heart is in the Chapel of the Miraculous Medal in Paris, but in Frédéric’s time, it was in a cathedral in Lyon, Frédéric’s childhood home, where it was an inspiration to him. Like Vincent, Frédéric recognized the centrality of the heart to our vocation, saying of our patron that he “is a life to be carried on, a heart in which one’s own heart is enkindled…” [175, to Lallier, 1838] Adding then, to Vincent’s teaching, Frédéric’s thoughts begin to define for us a Vincentian heart.

Our works, he believed, should be guided not by cold reason, nor bureaucratic rules, nor even solely by the model of other Conferences. Instead, as he advised one new Conference, “It is better for you to raise your work by your own strength, under the inspirations of your heart, under the influence of local circumstances…” [90, to Curnier, 1835]

For Frédéric, the heart was the center of both faith and charity, for “the human heart easily allows itself to be captured by love and there is always much love there where there is much faith.” [145, to Velay, 1837] This love of God, charity, arises in our hearts through “God’s design… to implant religion in the mind through reason, and in the heart through grace.” [Baunard, 213]

Yet there is another vital aspect of the Vincentian heart: its union with other Vincentian hearts. Frédéric went so far as to say that “The principal goal of our association was to do everything with one heart and one soul...” [1457, Report on the Works, 1834] You can’t be a Vincentian without other Vincentians; our friendship is first “a union of hearts in Jesus Christ, our Lord.” [Bailly, Circ. Ltr. 14 Jul 1841] That friendship we share with one another, we extend also to the neighbor, serving for love alone; a love that arises from the light of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, and that seeks to unite us in communion with one another and with Jesus Christ.

This flame in our hearts inspires us to love God, as St. Vincent taught, “with the strength of our arms and the sweat of our brows.” [CCD XI:32] In our works, in our faith, and in our friendship, Vincentian hearts are united, and as Frédéric said, “When the heart and the hand are at work, how can we stop them?” [40, to his father, 1831]

Contemplate

How can I better allow myself to be led by the inspirations of my heart, in union with fellow Vincentians?

Recommended Reading

Dilexit Nos

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SVDP Council Spotlight: Baltimore
SVDP Council Spotlight: Baltimore 1078 720 SVDP USA

As a single mother to a grown, autistic son, Sarah faced a heartbreaking reality.

Sarah had been commuting all the way across town for work. But then, she got divorced and that commute was no longer feasible. Her son couldn’t be left alone that long, so she had to choose between her job and caring for her son.

Unemployed and unable to pay the bills, Sarah and her son were evicted. Suddenly homeless and without support for her son, Sarah was living her worst nightmare.

When a friend told Sarah about St. Vincent de Paul Baltimore, everything changed. SVdP helped them find a new place to live and helped Sarah get a job close to home.

Sarah and her son are just a few of the thousands of people served by SVdP Baltimore each year.

More than 2,500 people are experiencing homelessness in the Baltimore region.

Families and individuals lose their homes for a variety of reasons, from unemployment to illness or soaring utility bills. That is why the Baltimore Council of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul offers a wide range of homelessness prevention programs and shelter services. Last year, SVdP Baltimore:

• Operated over 10 programs focused on housing and homeless prevention
• Provided 71,175 emergency shelter nights
• Helped hundreds of families with rapid rehousing, and supportive housing programs

St. Vincent de Paul has a national reach that extends from local Conferences to regional Councils, supported by SVdP USA’s overarching programming. Thanks to the generosity of donors who support our outreach at every level, we provide more than just basic shelter to families in need. Most importantly, through our work, these families are shown the abundant love of Christ.

SVDP USA PROVIDES SUPPORT TO REGIONAL SVDP COUNCILS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, ENSURING LOCAL COMMUNITIES ARE EQUIPPED TO CARE FOR THOSE IN NEED. THROUGH CREATIVE PROGRAMMING AND CARING OUTREACH, COUNCILS LIKE SVDP BALTIMORE ARE FIGHTING BACK AGAINST HOMELESSNESS ONE FAMILY AT A TIME.

Helping families on the brink of homelessness saint vincent de paul 2
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What does the Grants Pass decision mean for SVdP USA?
What does the Grants Pass decision mean for SVdP USA? 1080 720 SVDP USA

Helping families on the brink of homelessness saint vincent de paul 2THE RECENT GRANTS PASS U.S. SUPREME COURT DECISION ALLOWS LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO MAKE IT A CRIME FOR SOMEONE TO LIVE OUTSIDE AND UNSHELTERED IF THEY HAVE NO HOME.

This is concerning because criminal laws do not address the actual problem of homelessness — which has more to do with skyrocketing housing costs and inflation than regulating homeless encampments.

Thanks to our generous supporters, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul spends over $60 million each year on homelessness prevention programs. Our Vincentians make Home Visits, engaging with landlords and developing personalized assistance plans to help those at risk of losing their homes.

These temporary assistance programs work, and they reduce the economic and social strain of homelessness on our communities.

Most importantly, our programs save lives and restore dignity.

Households that receive just $2,000 in emergency financial assistance are 81% less likely to become homeless. In the wake of the Grants Pass decision, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul will continue working to address the root causes of homelessness with positive solutions.

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Vincentian Spotlight: Jim Dodd
Vincentian Spotlight: Jim Dodd 1200 1200 SVDP USA

FEW WEEKS BEFORE HIS RETIREMENT, JIM DODD SAW AN INTERVIEW ON TV THAT CHANGED HIS LIFE. It was the executive director of St. Vincent de Paul Cincinnati discussing hunger and poverty at Thanksgiving.

His eyes still well up as he recounts the moment he comprehended the suffering of people within his own community. “When you encounter situational poverty, you learn quickly that but for the grace of God it could be me in their shoes,” he says. “The loss of a job . . . a health emergency . . . things like that happen all the time.”

Jim made a gift and started working in the food pantry. Shortly thereafter he became a Vincentian.

Seventeen years later, his understanding of the ministry has changed. “Like many Vincentians, I started out just wanting to help people,” he says. “But soon I figured out that it was actually helping me grow spiritually.”

That spiritual growth stems from loving one’s neighbor. “As a Vincentian, we strive to see the face of Christ in those we visit. Well, sometimes that’s a hard thing to do!” Jim says. But the encounter must not become “transactional.” Jim recounts stories of helping a woman re-draw her mortgage to stave off foreclosure, and of working with a mother who’d become homeless with her three daughters to find stable housing and support.

The problem of poverty isn’t going away, Jim admits. But by supporting SVdP’s future efforts through legacy giving, Vincentians can ensure that struggling neighbors will receive the personal support they need.

IN RECENT YEARS, DODD HAS SERVED AS TREASURER OF THE NATIONAL FOUNDATION, PUTTING HIS PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE INTO HELPING SVDP BUILD A CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITY PROGRAM — A WAY FOR VINCENTIANS TO INCREASE THEIR RETIREMENT INCOMES AND LEAVE A LEGACY GIFT THAT SUSTAINS AND GROWS THE MINISTRY OF SVDP.

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10-24-24 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders
10-24-24 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders 1200 1200 SVDP USA

My Vincentian Journey: Finding My Place in the Plan

God has a plan for all of us. He knows how we fit into His plan long before we do. Sometimes our own plans for life might not go the way we expect, and we may even feel confused or alone. I have learned that if we trust God and look for ways to be of service to Him, He will guide us. I never thought my life would look the way it does today, but I am grateful! When I was lost, I turned to God, tried to act with love, and found my purpose and direction by serving others. Each challenge in my life prepared me in some unique and important way for my calling as a Vincentian, illuminating a part of the path God laid out for me.

Growing up, my parents were very involved in church and set good examples of service. My mother brought me along when she took food to families going through hard times. We shared support and friendship with them while visiting their homes, casually but in a way very similar to the Home Visits that Vincentians do. I remember bringing toys to poor communities as a part of my time in the Girl Scouts. When we needed help, our neighbors and friends were there for us as well. These early memories remain with me as guiding examples of Christian charity and neighborly love. God prepared me to become a Vincentian from the start!

When I left my little island, Puerto Rico, to attend college in California, I felt alone for the first time. I was in the big city of LA, surrounded by strangers who only spoke English. I was looking for friends and saw an opportunity to meet people at community service projects on campus. I got involved by joining a group that needed Spanish speaker to help students seeking political asylum at my university. Some of the students I served there are still very close friends to this day! I learned much about the needs of those seeking political safety in the USA. I also gained experience in case management and helping others navigate complicated government processes. When I thought I was alone, God was there guiding me towards new lifelong friendships. I connected with clients and God opened my eyes to the immense blessing of growing up in the sheltered safety and stability of a loving family in Puerto Rico. No longer naïve, I became an activist for the poor and powerless.

When I graduated, I entered the world of financial planning. I quickly threw myself completely into the financial world. It was challenging to be a Latina woman on Wall Street, but it became my plan to rise up and become a financial planning superstar. I felt independent, invincible, and unstoppable. Then an accident left me paralyzed from the neck down. I went from running towards my career goals to having to learn how to walk again. But God sends us angels in challenging times. My “roommate” at the hospital prayed, cried, and laughed with me. Her Christian devotion helped me learn to love and believe in God again. We still share a deep relationship founded on God’s love, and support each other through the hard times. The man who helped me learn to walk again would eventually become my husband. Without knowing it, I met the best example of Vincentian values ever: supportive, loving, accepting, compassionate, and free of judgement. When I felt most lost and thrown off course, God put angels in my life that exemplified faith, love, devotion, and compassion.

Being a mother is not always easy. I traded the hustle and bustle of my Wall Street career for the challenge of juggling the demands of motherhood, community service, and my neck and my lingering back condition. Back in 2010, I again found myself very scared and lost. One son was fighting in the war in Iraq, the other was about to move away for college, and I had lost both my parents and my brother in rapid succession. While praying after Mass one morning, our parish pastor noticed me grieving alone. Father John sat with me for a while, then told me to follow him. We walked into the parish offices, and I found myself in a small room with files and supplies strewn about. I met a Vincentian who said they could use some help. I didn’t know at the time how much of an influence that Vincentian would have on my life and my spiritual journey.

I began my (volunteer) Vincentian service by translating for clients and supporting the casework of other Vincentians. I initially struggled and was not good at conducting interviews at all. My financial planning background caused me to instruct and command clients rather than listen and support them. They “fired” me from case management, leaving me very heartbroken and quite sad. I was very good at organizing the messy office, and a few weeks later Father John called me and insisted I go back to the offices and lend a hand. Some of the long-term Vincentians grumbled after I filed away their forms and organized all the file cabinets. Soon those that had grumbled began appreciating the increases in efficiency and process improvements, they asked me to stay and get more involved. Being “fired” taught me to use my strengths, and I helped improve the finances of the counsel as a whole and organized the offices to help case managers accomplish more. When I lost my family and my home was empty, God provided a new family and a new home in need of love and guidance.

Father John called to insist I represent my conference at the National Assembly meeting. There I saw examples of Vincentians “embracing the world in a network of charity and friendship. These examples of leadership and service drove me across the border from volunteer to Vincentian. My unique experiences as a Latina, a woman in finance, a mother, and a woman with disabilities all aligned to prepare me to be a unique voice for those in the community who lacked one. God helped me overcome all those challenges to prepare me for my role as a Vincentian.

Meditating on this journey has helped me appreciate God’s loving guidance and increased my gratitude for the angels He has sent to help me along this path. The challenges I’ve faced have not only shaped who I am but have also deepened my understanding of Christian love and compassion. Each step of the way, God placed the right people, the right experiences, and the right opportunities in my path, reminding me that we are never alone in our service or our struggles.

Every Vincentian has their own unique journey, marked by moments of grace, growth, and faith. Whether it’s organizing, visiting homes, or offering counsel, each one of us plays a vital role in this beautiful network of charity. Countless small humble acts of service combine to make meaningful impact in the world.

As we continue this path together, I encourage each of you to take a moment and reflect on your own Vincentian journey. What challenges or blessings have brought you closer to your mission? Let’s share these experiences, learn from each other, and deepen our commitment to serving those in need.

Please continue the conversation!

Yours in Christ,
Isabel Darcy
National Vice President, Southeast Region

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