2022 national assembly

Vincentians Gather in Baltimore for 2022 SVdP National Assembly

Vincentians Gather in Baltimore for 2022 SVdP National Assembly 1171 862 SVDP USA

Last week, the halls of the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront were abuzz with Vincentian camaraderie. More than 700 attendees gathered in Baltimore for the 2022 SVdP National Assembly. It was a wonderful four days full of shared knowledge, experience, and the Vincentian charism.

“Hosting the National Assembly for over 700+ Vincentians was wonderful and inspiring working with a team of generous Vincentians and volunteers, and welcoming so many joyful Vincentians from across the nation,” said Pauline Manalo, Baltimore Council President. “It was uplifting to receive expressions of gratitude from countless assembly participants. an indication that the National Assembly in Baltimore was a blessed and graced experience for Vincentians coming to the Water. Praise the Lord!”

The meeting officially began on Wednesday with exhibits opening, and a preparedness workshop hosted by Disaster Services Corporation. Several National committees, including Stores and Governance, held meetings, and the National Board of Directors met. Attendees had the unique opportunity to participate in one of three special tours to see Baltimore! These tours included religious sites, the Baltimore Council’s Family and Housing Services, and the Council’s Hunger Services. Vincentians loved seeing the work of their fellow Vincentians, up close and personal.

On Thursday, things really ramped up and National Committees met in-person to discuss business. Workshops also began on Thursday covering a plethora of topics including fundraising, Conference Revitalization, and Spirituality.

The first keynote address of the Assembly was given by Alexia Kelley of FADICA. Her address was about “Catholic Philanthropy: Inspiration, Impact, and Next Generation Engagement.”

Former SVdP National Episcopal Advisor, Bishop John Quinn was awarded the SVdP National Foundation’s Inaugural Founder’s Award. He was recognized for his exceptional service to the National Council, Society of St. Vincent de Paul. To learn more about this special recognition, click here.

The afternoon featured more workshops, including one specifically for the youth and young adult attendees. It was given by John Paul Brissette, a member of the National Youth Committee, and discussed how youth can run a successful project called “Do Güd Day,” in their local Conference or Council. “My favorite was the Do Güd Workshop because it was a direct way for us to serve our neighbors in Maryland,” said one youth attendee. “I enjoyed meeting other youth and young adults in the U.S. who also care about serving our brothers and sisters in need.”

That evening, attendees spend an evening under the sea at the Host City Event which was held at the National Aquarium. There, attendees were treated to delicious food, a variety of sea life, and a special meet and greet with the four nominees for SVdP National President.

First thing Friday morning, Vincentians gathered for the Spiritual Retreat. This year’s retreat was lead by Dan Schutte and was titled, “Here I am Lord — Feeding the Hearts of a Servant.” The Spiritual Retreat is one of the things that attendees look forward to most that the National Assembly, and this year’s did not disappoint! It was a beautiful time for Vincentians to come together and celebrate the Society’s essential elements of Friendship, Spirituality, and Service.

After more workshops, daily Mass, and the General Session hosted by Kerry Robinson of Leadership Roundtable titled “The Path to a Better Future: Co-Responsibility and a New Culture of Leadership in the Church,” Vincentians had the chance to catch a Baltimore Orioles baseball game at Camden Yards. They must’ve brought the city some good mojo, because the Orioles brought home a winner!

The final day of the National Assembly is always a little bittersweet, but that didn’t slow anyone down. We were blessed by the attendance of International President General Renato Lima de Oliveira, who addressed attendees on Saturday morning.

In a beautiful moment near the end of his presentation, President Renato led the entire room in song. We were all one voice in that moment. “The energy in the rooms in Baltimore really made it feel as if we were finally leaving our pandemic ‘shell shock’ behind, and that a real re-founding and revitalization is beginning to dawn across the whole Society,” said Tim Williams, National Vincentian Formation Director.

Youth and Young Adult attendees spent time Saturday doing an off-site service project. They worked at the Baltimore Council’s Beans and Bread Program, packing bags with essentials for neighbors in need. “I really enjoyed the Beans and Bread service project. It was useful to see how an organized service event is run and get ideas for incorporating it in the young adult groups I am a part of. I wish I could have attended everything!” said Andrea Behler, youth attendee.

Saturday marked the National Business Meeting and signified the next step in the National Presidential Election when the nominee field was narrowed down to two candidates, John Berry and Brian Burgess. To learn more about the election process, see Ralph Middlecamp’s column here.

After the final round of workshops, Vincentians gathered for the final celebration of the Liturgy together at the Vigil Mass, which was celebrated by Most Reverend William E. Lori, Archbishop of Baltimore.

Mass was followed by the closing banquet. There, Brandon Davis and Mia Humphrey were named co-winners of the first-ever Alice Garvey Excellence in Youth Award for their exceptional work with their local SVdP Councils to help their neighbors in need. Before officially ending the evening, leadership recognized key players that helped make this year’s National Assembly happen and the host Council passed the baton to the St. Louis Council who will host next year’s National Assembly.

“The St. Louis Archdiocesan Council looks forward to hosting the 2023 National Assembly, September 6-9, in St. Louis, MO,” said the St. Louis Council. “Because the first Conference of the Society of the U.S.A. began in St. Louis in 1845, we are blessed to say this is ‘Where it All Began.’  Our Board of Directors, Assembly Committee members, Council staff, and 3,400 Vincentians look forward to welcoming you and meeting you in St Louis next year!”

Overall, it was a lovely few days spent with brother and sister Vincentians focusing on all things SVdP. Thank you all who helped make it possible! We cannot wait to see everyone in STL next year!

“Participating in the National Assembly is such a blessing for me. I love being with other Vincentians and sharing joy, friendship and our spirituality. With over 700 attendees I get to meet new Vincentians from diverse communities and that makes me happy,” said Katherine Ramirez, Vincentian from New York. “This year I was especially glad so many youth and young adults were there. And so many Latinos too!”

 

09-08-2022 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders

09-08-2022 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders 1367 1520 SVDP USA

A wonderful Annual Assembly of the National Council of the St. Vincent de Paul Society wrapped up last Saturday evening in Baltimore. I want to warn our members who did not attend that we who were there are returning home with many new ideas and zeal for the renewal of our Society. I hope you catch some of that enthusiasm. I am back home writing this column with the intent of featuring the highlights, and I am having trouble – not because of my aging memory but because there were so many of them.

It was not the National Assembly’s most important moment, but for me the most-moving highlight took place during our Friday-morning retreat. With fervor, nearly 800 Vincentians sang “Here I Am Lord” with musician and composer Dan Schutte. They sang “I will go Lord, if you need me, I will hold your people in my heart,” and there was no doubt they meant it.

A close-second highlight also came in song. At the end of an informative and passion-filled speech by Renato Lima de Oliveira, the President General of the Society’s International Council, he led us in Matt Maher’s powerful song, “I Need You Lord.” A song fervently sung and meant by the overflowing crowd of Vincentians made tangible the bonds of friendship we forge as we journey together toward holiness.

The most-important thing that happened at the Assembly was the choice made during Saturday’s Business Meeting, when your delegates chose the two candidates for whom you will vote in the months ahead to be your next National Council President. After listening to talks by the four candidates, delegates chose John Berry and Brian Burgess to advance as the final nominees. I want to thank all four highly qualified nominees for their willingness to serve. More will be shared with you about the voting process in the weeks ahead.

One of the specific initiatives we kicked off at the Assembly was promotion of a revised version of an evaluation of our organization at all levels. Started back in 2009, this evaluation framework is called our Standards of Excellence. We will be asking every level of our organization to engage in this self-evaluation process to ensure our Councils and Conferences are prepared structurally to meet the challenges we are facing in the years ahead. Please take this process to heart and use it to assess your current activity and structure and then to create the plans that will make us a stronger, better Society.

The talks, workshops, and liturgies at the Assembly were excellent. The workshops, especially, gave us much to take home and work on in the months ahead. At the meeting, we also celebrated our accomplishments and challenged ourselves to meet the needs of the changing world in which we serve our neighbors in need. We featured the 20th anniversary of the highly successful Invitation for Renewal Program. We also recognized the work of our Disaster Services Corporation, which has significantly grown its capacity and credibility since we established it five years ago. Thank you to all the organizers and presenters who made this an exceptionally great meeting.

Music always moves me and enriches my prayer life. That may be why hearing hundreds of voices singing “Here I am Lord” together in Baltimore was so powerful for me. I hope you, too, can say, “Here I Am,” and make that commitment to serve, to be a leader and to grow our organization. It is not easy work we do. Our need for being spiritually grounded in that commitment could not have been more powerfully communicated to us than it was by having our very own President General choose to sing, “Lord, I need You, oh, I need You. Every hour, I need You.”

I left the meeting in Baltimore with a desire to work for this Society with a renewed commitment in this last year of my presidency. That’s a commitment to serve all of you as we grow in holiness and live out our Vincentian mission together. Even though you may not have been with us at the National Assembly, I hope you choose to renew your passion for that mission with me.

Serviens in spe,
Ralph Middlecamp
National Council President

P.S. This Friday, September 9, is the Feast of Blessed Frederic Ozanam. Please take time to pray for his canonization, which we hope will occur in the near future.

SVdP National Foundation Honors Bishop John Quinn With Founder’s Award

SVdP National Foundation Honors Bishop John Quinn With Founder’s Award 1694 1125 SVDP USA

At the Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s recent National Assembly in Baltimore, the SVdP National Foundation honored recently retired Bishop John Quinn with its Inaugural Founder’s Award.

The award recognizes Bishop Quinn’s exceptional service and outstanding contributions to the National Council of the United States, Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Bishop Quinn was enthusiastically chosen as the inaugural recipient of the award, which will be given by the National Foundation annually going forward.

“Like the Society’s original founders, Frédéric Ozanam and his friends, Bishop Quinn’s contributions have had a lasting impact on SVdP, and he has left a legacy of faith and service,” said Chief Advancement Officer Ryan Carney.

Bishop Quinn served the Society of St. Vincent de Paul as its National Episcopal Advisor for 12 years, helping to advance the Society and champion its mission to his brother Bishops. A beloved figure within the Society, he also spiritually fed and guided the Society’s leaders and Vincentian volunteers during that time.

More recently, he has served as Spiritual Advisor to the National Foundation, which works to support the work of the National Council and strengthens the Vincentian network of charity through financial support and other endeavors.

Bishop Quinn recently retired as Bishop of Winona-Rochester, but will continue to advise and support the work of the National Foundation.

Congratulations, Bishop Quinn! We thank you for your service and devotion to the Society.

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