Leadership

05-22-25 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders

05-22-25 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders 1200 1200 SVDP USA

Embracing the Call to Servant Leadership

With just over four months left in our fiscal year, many presidents are approaching the end of their terms. Some feel relieved and are looking forward to transitioning into a mentoring role. For others, however, it brings mounting anxiety as they struggle to find someone willing to step into the role. My sense is that many fall into the latter group.

So, what exactly is a Servant Leader, and why is it often so difficult to find Vincentians willing to embrace this role?

When we think of the ultimate Servant Leader, we naturally look to Jesus. His entire ministry was centered around serving others. He led not by authority or position, but through humility and compassion. His words in Mark 10:45 remind us:
“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

In more recent times we first find the term servant leadership in an essay, titled “The Servant as Leader,” first published in 1970 by Robert K. Greenleaf. Greenleaf emphasized that the core of true leadership is a commitment to serve first—and lead second.

By that definition, every Vincentian is a servant leader. Our very mission is to serve those in need with love, respect, and humility. And yet when it comes to taking on leadership roles—especially as president—there is often hesitation. Why is that? Why does the idea of leadership feel intimidating or burdensome, rather than an extension of our Vincentian calling?

Here are some common reasons Vincentians give for not stepping into leadership roles:

  • “I don’t have the time.”
  • “I don’t have the skills to be president.”
  • “I can’t add another meeting to my schedule.”

These concerns are understandable—but they don’t tell the whole story. Many Vincentians already manage busy schedules, attend various meetings, and juggle other commitments. What’s truly needed in a Servant Leader is not a résumé full of technical skills, but a caring heart, a love for the Society, and the ability to inspire and support others.

You don’t have to be an accountant or a corporate executive to serve as president. What you do need is the wisdom to recognize and empower the gifts of others within your conference or council. A good Servant Leader builds a team, draws on the talents of members, and fosters spiritual growth.

Reflecting on my own journey, I’ve been shaped and encouraged by other Vincentians who saw leadership potential in me long before I recognized it in myself. When I had an idea, they encouraged me to pursue it. When I initially declined a council board position due to my work schedule—before the days of Zoom—a leader found another way for me to serve, using my teaching skills to benefit member formation. That encouragement and guidance eventually led me to embrace my own role in Servant Leadership for the West Region.

Here’s what I’ve learned: A Servant Leader doesn’t need to have all the answers or do everything alone. They simply need to be willing to see others—to listen, to guide, to invite, and to trust. Much like our home visits with neighbors in need, the president’s role is rooted in relationship and empathy. Just as we leave those neighbor visits with full hearts, so too does the Servant Leader find deep fulfillment in watching fellow Vincentians grow and thrive in their vocation.

As a leader, I stay connected with members through calls, emails, Zoom, and in-person meetings. These moments aren’t obligations—they are opportunities. I am consistently filled with gratitude for the love and dedication of our members. In sharing what I’ve learned and listening to their challenges, I see God’s hand at work in our Society.

And I never walk this path alone—none of us do. Every conference and council president has support: from their fellow officers, from regional and national leaders, and from the wider Vincentian family. We are One Society. Just as we serve the poor together, we also support one another.

Servant Leadership has been a blessing in my life—deepening my faith, broadening my perspective, and bringing countless moments of grace. My prayer is that you will see this role not as a burden, but as a calling. If you’re asked to serve, take it to prayer. Trust that God sees something in you that you may not yet see in yourself.

Will you consider saying “yes”?

Let your answer be guided by the Holy Spirit, grounded in love for the Society, and open to the joy that comes from serving others.

Judy Dietlein
National Vice President, West Region

05-15-25 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders

05-15-25 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders 1200 1200 SVDP USA

I have been reading Victor Gaetan’s book ‘God’s Diplomats: Pope Francis, Vatican Diplomacy, and America’s Armageddon.’ It is a fascinating and highly readable exploration of the Catholic Church’s evolving approach to global conflict resolution and peace building, emphasizing the Church’s shift from the “just war” tradition to a “just peace” framework rooted in dialogue, impartiality, and long-term relational engagement. Central to this transformation is the Church’s commitment to advocacy as a proactive, faith-driven pursuit of justice that transcends partisan politics and prioritizes the marginalized.

The book tells the story of how the Vatican’s diplomatic corps operates on principles that defy convention. Unlike nations that leverage military or economic power, the Church’s advocacy is grounded in neutrality, humility, and grassroots engagement. Key rules include avoiding “winners and losers,” remaining impartial, and “walking the talk” through charitable acts. For instance, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, Pope John XXIII’s discreet diplomacy helped de-escalate tensions by appealing to shared humanity rather than partisan interests. Similarly, in Colombia, local Catholic peacebuilders demonstrated how sustained, community-driven advocacy can counter cycles of violence.

Right about now you are probably saying “OK, John, that’s nice, but this isn’t a book club. What’s your point and why should I care?”

Fair question!

I think that we learn every day from observing others. And the insights and lessons in this book are things that relate to our work as Vincentians. They help us understand that we are not just transactional check writers and one-off suppliers of aid and support to people in need.

The approach that underlies the Vatican’s diplomatic work reflects a broader theological vision that we should understand and seek to mirror: the Church’s role as a “field hospital” (a metaphor often used by Pope Francis) that heals wounds without judgment. By prioritizing relationships over transactional victories, Vatican diplomats model a form of advocacy that aligns with Christ’s call to “love your enemies” (Matthew 5:44) and seek peace through understanding.

The Church’s diplomatic ethos finds practical expression in Catholic nonprofits like St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) and others who blend direct service with systemic advocacy. Our work in advocacy must be as integral a part of who and what we are as our direct service to the people in need who come to us.

Further, our focus on advocacy must be to “Influence decision-making to promote justice and solidarity, emphasizing policy changes that address root causes of poverty.” This mirrors the Vatican’s long-term, dialogue-focused strategies.

An area where SVdP has always advocated and continues to advocate locally and nationally is economic justice. This includes affordable housing and just wages, reflecting Pope Leo XIII’s defense of workers’ rights in Rerum Novarum (1891), which condemned exploitation and called for equitable labor practices. And he further insisted that governments must prioritize the vulnerable, asserting that “the rich must religiously refrain from cutting down the workmen’s earnings” through unfair policies.

Advocacy for the poor is not optional in Catholic teaching; it is a requirement of faith. Jesus’s proclamation to “bring good news to the poor” (Luke 4:18) and His identification with the marginalized (“Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for me,” Matthew 25:40) form the bedrock of this mission.

The teachings of our faith have continued from Luke through the ages and is reflected in many of the recent Papal teachings from Pope Leo the XIII to Pope Francis (and I am sure will continue under Pope Leo XIV). Pope Francis, in Evangelii Gaudium, said “There is an inseparable bond between our faith and the poor.” He condemned an “economy of exclusion” and urged believers to “lend a ready hand” to dismantle systemic injustice.

Pope St. John Paul II highlighted the “preferential option for the poor” as non-negotiable, urging Catholics to “discern the justice of the poor’s requests and help satisfy them.”

In the book, Gaetan acknowledges that Church diplomacy is not without failures, such as divisions in Kenya where ethnic rivalries fractured local Catholic communities. Similarly, nonprofits like SVDP face hurdles like political polarization and resource constraints. Yet, the Church’s emphasis on patient dialogue and grassroots empowerment offers a model that rejects short-term, partisan solutions. So too, must we focus our advocacy efforts on experience-based, story-driven, real-world examples about the people we serve so as to help drive change through dialogue.

It is vital that we, both nationally and locally, increase our involvement in advocacy for the poor and marginalized because, as the Church’s diplomatic model demonstrates, real, lasting change for the vulnerable comes through sustained, humble engagement and a “culture of encounter.” Vatican diplomacy is effective precisely because it avoids partisanship, seeks common ground, and prioritizes the dignity, power, and resources of those most affected by conflict and poverty. This approach is not only a diplomatic strategy but a moral imperative that should inspire us to move beyond charity alone and engage in advocacy that addresses systemic injustices.

God’s Diplomats provides a guide to how the Church and SVdP USA can use advocacy not as a political tactic but as a sacrament of solidarity. By marrying spiritual principles with pragmatic action, the Vatican and Catholic nonprofits like us embody a vision of justice that transcends borders. As Pope Francis reminded us, “Mere condemnation is not enough; we must act.” In a world fractured by inequality and conflict, this call to advocacy, rooted in the Gospel and refined by centuries of social teaching, remains as urgent as ever.

The synergy between Vatican diplomacy and grassroots nonprofits underscores a timeless truth: defending the marginalized is not just a policy preference but a divine mandate. Whether brokering peace between superpowers or lobbying for affordable housing, the Church’s mission remains the same: to “do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).

 

Peace and God’s blessings,

John

05-08-25 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders

05-08-25 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders 1200 1200 SVDP USA

Our Vincentian Family From East to West and North to South

Minutes before this issue of Frederic’s Five was finalized, the world learned that the Holy Spirit has chosen Pope Leo XIV as our new Holy Father. We know that he will embrace our mission of serving Christ by encountering those in need and one another as we live our Vincentian Virtues in a world that desperately needs the love and action of our Society!

My article shares how we are committed to our Church’s call to grow in holiness as we seek and find the forgotten, suffering, and deprived so that we may bring them Christ’s love.

“And people will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the kingdom of God. For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” Luke 13:29-30

We have Vincentians from the east to west and north to south – all over the country – that have accepted Christ’s invitation to enter the narrow door of the kingdom of God. They have done so by living our Society’s five virtues of Simplicity, Humility, Gentleness, Selflessness, and Zeal.

That is why I absolutely love being able to visit with our Vincentian membership throughout the country.

The first regional meeting I recently attended was for the North Central Region. When I entered the meeting and was greeted by Regional Vice President, Bat Seymour and all the members of this Region, I felt the Holy Spirit in that room! I met extraordinary people committed to our Society in a remarkable way. What a fantastic start to my regional visits!

Two weeks ago, I was blessed to be with Paul “Korky” Korkemaz, Mid-Atlantic Regional Vice President, and Vincentians from throughout the region. The first night of this meeting was so special. After gathering for a simple meal at the retreat center, the night ended with a musical meditation to begin our meeting with the Holy Spirit at its center.

It was so beautiful that at the end of the performance, all Vincentians were asked to look at one another and to tell everybody that they loved each other. In a world where love is not so easily expressed, and that seems to be filled with hate, the act of expressing our Vincentian love for one another was so effortlessly done. What a gift to be with so many Vincentians living their faith through the Society of St. Vincent de Paul!

Last week, I was blessed again being with Judy Dietlein, West Regional Vice President, and the members of the region. Again, I had the joy to visit and spend time with Vincentians embracing our mission and virtues as they expressed their commitment to their faith journeys.

In this meeting, I felt the Vincentian energy of friendship in a way that was overwhelming. They exuded our passion for one another in our Vincentian family.

Whether it is east, west, north, or south, our members are living the Gospel values in such a phenomenal way. Each Vincentian I had the honor of meeting expressed their faith through their Vincentian charism in a way that only they could. Vincentians give the gift that only they can give – the priceless gift of themselves!

I could fill pages and pages of encounters I had with my fellow brother and sister Vincentians at these regional meetings. I have four more meetings to attend, and I cannot wait to go!

In my last article, I briefly mentioned the importance of our Vincentian encounters. Often, we focus on our priceless encounters with those in need, and we do not spend enough time focusing on those equally priceless encounters with one another. These encounters are our Vincentian friendship in action that help us to grow together spiritually.

Take a minute today to think about all those Vincentians that have touched your life spiritually. Think about the wisdom they shared with you and how it enriches your spiritual journey. How can you share that wisdom with all your Vincentian friends at your Conference, Council, Region, or the National Council? Your wisdom will be a gift that will last a lifetime!

And today, let’s not only share this wisdom, but most importantly, Christ’s love, as we join our entire Vincentian Family in celebrating the new pontificate of Pope Leo XIV!

Best wishes in Christ,

Michael J. Acaldo

Election of Pope Leo XIV: Statement from SVdP USA National President John Berry

Election of Pope Leo XIV: Statement from SVdP USA National President John Berry 1920 1080 SVDP USA

Election of Pope Leo XIV: Statement from SVdP USA National President John Berry

The moment a new Pope steps onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica for the first time is always a powerful reminder that the Catholic Church endures and that the Holy Spirit is not finished with us yet. On behalf of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA, I offer heartfelt congratulations to the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV. We assure him of our prayers, our support, and our continued service to those in need as we are called to do by the Gospel.

Pope Leo XIV’s election is a moment of profound hope for the Church and the world, as he is entrusted with leading the faithful into a new era of grace, mercy, and renewal. As with Pope Francis, the papacy of Pope Leo XIV offers us an opportunity to further unity, deepen compassion, and strengthen our shared call to serve our neighbors—values that lie at the heart of the Vincentian mission.

The Society has always followed the Gospel path of encounter — walking with the poor, the suffering, and the forgotten. As the largest lay Catholic organization in the world, we are the hands and feet of Christ in our communities — in the homes we visit, in the meals we serve, and in the listening ear we offer. Pope Leo XIV’s witness to humility, simplicity, and care for the poor resonates deeply with our Vincentian spirit. We see in this new papacy an invitation to continue to grow and deepen our commitment to works of mercy, solidarity with the vulnerable, and the living out of Catholic social teaching — not only in words, but in deeds.

In the coming days and years, we are eager to listen, to learn, and to labor for the Kingdom of God — side by side with Pope Leo XIV, the clergy, religious, and laypeople across the globe.

May God bless our new Holy Father; may his papacy bring light to a searching world; and may we all be renewed in faith, in mission, and in love.


Declaración de John Berry sobre la elección del Papa León XIV

En el momento en que un nuevo Papa pisa el balcón de la Basílica de San Pedro por primera vez, siempre es un poderoso recordatorio de que la Iglesia Católica perdura y que el Espíritu Santo aún no ha terminado con nosotros. En nombre de la Sociedad de San Vicente de Paúl de los Estados Unidos, felicito de corazón al Santo Padre, al Papa León XIV. Le aseguramos nuestras oraciones, nuestro apoyo y nuestro servicio continuo a las personas en necesidad, así como estamos llamados a hacerlo por el Evangelio.

La elección del Papa León XIV es un momento de profunda esperanza para la Iglesia y el mundo, ya que se le ha confiado la tarea de guiar a los fieles hacia una nueva era de gracia, misericordia y renovación. Al igual que con el Papa Francisco, el papado del Papa León XIV nos ofrece una oportunidad para promover la unidad, profundizar la compasión y fortalecer nuestro llamado compartido para servir a nuestro prójimo, valores que se encuentran en el corazón de la Misión Vicentina.

La Sociedad siempre ha seguido el camino evangélico del encuentro: caminar con las personas que viven en la pobreza, los que sufren y los olvidados. Como la organización católica laica más grande, somos las manos y los pies de Cristo en nuestras comunidades: en los hogares que visitamos, en las comidas que servimos y en el oído atento que ofrecemos. El testimonio del Papa León XIV sobre la humildad, la sencillez y el cuidado de las personas que viven en la pobreza resuena profundamente en nuestro espíritu Vicentino.

Vemos en este nuevo papado, una invitación a seguir creciendo y profundizando nuestro compromiso con las obras de misericordia, la solidaridad con los vulnerables y la vivencia de la doctrina Social Católica, no solo en palabras, sino con hechos.

En los próximos días y años, estaremos ansiosos por escuchar, aprender y trabajar por el Reino de Dios, codo a codo con el Papa León XIV, el clero, los religiosos y los laicos de todo el mundo.

Que Dios bendiga a nuestro nuevo Santo Padre; Que su papado lleve la luz a un mundo que la busca; Que todos seamos renovados en la Fe, en la Misión y en el Amor.

 John Berry, Presidente Nacional

05-01-25 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders

05-01-25 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders 1200 1200 SVDP USA

Often when explaining what the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is, I use the 3-legged milk stool as an analogy. Our purpose is to grow in holiness, in service to the poor, and in friendship. Those are our essential elements.

I’m woefully lacking in spirituality so that’s an area where I can improve the most.  Friendship is where I am most comfortable. Servant Leaders spend much of their time with other Vincentians. We have the opportunity to offer a smile, to be welcoming, and to listen to and value their opinions.

One of the things I learned at Invitation for Renewal (a very powerful experience that I suggest every Vincentian consider) is that our founder Blessed Frederic, guided by Sr. Rosalie, organized a discussion club that became a Society of Charity! Today, other clubs use the term “fellowship” to refer to mutually supportive gatherings and friendship building activities.

In my Conference, Vincentians and their spouses have dinner and a cocktail hour twice a year to socialize with no other agenda. When I was Council President, we would host these dinners after the holidays to share our decorations and again on the patio in the summer. My wife Susan was called the “hostess with the mostest” because she picked a theme (think Italian, Mexican, Greek) and the food would reflect it. I did what was allowed — greeter and bartender!

I’m also reminded of friends who became Vincentians because I invited them. Friendship is so powerful. Don’t we gravitate toward those who have values, interests, religion, and locations that are similar to ours? My friends wouldn’t invite me to a hockey or soccer game, but they ALL know I’m a Dodgers fan.

Jesus shows us how: “greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” As I work on growing in holiness and service, I quote our friend Joe: “Friendship is the glue that keeps the other two elements together so that we are cohesive.” In the coming months, may we each go out of our way to spread friendship, and increase our service and grow in holiness!

In God’s plan, we all have strengths. I think one of mine is friendship. Have you thought about yours?

Don Kany

National Vice President, Mountain Region

04-24-25 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders

04-24-25 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders 1200 1200 SVDP USA

A Shepherd to the Poor: Remembering Pope Francis

In the passing of Pope Francis, the world has lost not only the Bishop of Rome but a tireless voice for the voiceless, a prophet of mercy, and a shepherd whose heart beat in time with the most forgotten of God’s children. For those of us who have dedicated our lives to serving the poor and marginalized through our vocation to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, his life was a living gospel—both a challenge and a consolation.

From the moment he stepped out onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica in 2013 and simply bowed his head, asking the people for their blessing before offering his own, it was clear we had a different kind of pope. He took the name “Francis,” after the humble saint of Assisi, and like that saint, he walked a path of radical simplicity, compassion, and solidarity with the poor.

He reminded us time and again that the Christian faith is not an abstraction. It is not a comfortable theory. It is a call to action — a call to love. And not the easy kind of love that stays within the boundaries of polite society, but the kind of love that stoops down to wash the feet of the homeless, that listens to the cries of the refugee, that welcomes the addict, the broken, the excluded.

In his World Day of the Poor messages, Pope Francis poured out his heart to those on the margins, and to those who serve them. In 2021, he wrote, “The poor, always and everywhere, evangelize us, because they enable us to discover in new ways the true face of the Father.” For those of us in this mission, we know the truth of those words. We have encountered Christ in the trembling hands of the hungry, in the eyes of a woman fleeing abuse, in the fragile hope of someone who has lost everything but still believes in grace.

Pope Francis was not content to merely speak about the poor — he went to them. He visited hospitals, refugee camps, prisons, and homeless shelters. He embraced lepers, kissed the feet of migrants, dined with the homeless. His actions said loudly what his words reinforced: “We are called to discover Christ in them, to lend our voice to their causes, but also to be their friends, to listen to them, to speak for them and to embrace the mysterious wisdom which God wishes to share with us through them.” (World Day of the Poor, 2017)

Francis taught that charity is not simply about giving — it is about relationship. About drawing near. About breaking down the barriers that divide “us” and “them.” He wrote, “The poor are not people ‘outside’ our communities, but brothers and sisters whose sufferings we should share, in an effort to alleviate their difficulties and marginalization.” (World Day of the Poor, 2020) That vision transformed the Church. It transformed each of us.

Many of us who serve, in our encounters at people’s homes, at shelters, at food pantries, and at recovery programs, saw in Pope Francis the embodiment of what we hope to be. His humility did not diminish his authority — it deepened it. His tenderness did not weaken his leadership — it defined it. He reminded us that the Church is most fully herself not when she stands in splendor, but when she kneels beside the wounded.

We loved Pope Francis not because he made our work easier, but because he made it holier. He called us to more. To see our volunteerism not as a duty, but as a Eucharistic act—a way of becoming bread broken and shared for others. He saw the poor not as a problem to solve, but as people to love. And he called on the whole Church to “go out to the peripheries,” where, he reminded us, Christ Himself is waiting.

In 2023, he wrote: “Where the poor are concerned, it is not talk that matters; what matters is rolling up our sleeves and putting our faith into practice through a direct involvement, one that cannot be delegated.” He never let us off the hook. And thank God he didn’t. Because of him, countless hearts were lit with a fire of compassion, and many who once looked away from the poor began to look into their eyes—and see Christ.

Now, as we mourn him, we also thank God for the gift of his life. We thank God for the man who reminded us that the smell of the sheep is a sweet fragrance to the Good Shepherd. That mercy is the greatest expression of justice. That to serve the poor is not just a noble option—it is the heart of the Gospel.

1 John says, “Let us love, not with words but with deeds.” And oh how he lived that love every day of his papacy. He loved with his presence, with his simplicity, with his unwavering focus on those the world forgets.

For those of us in the trenches of mercy, in the homes of those in need, in the food lines and the shelter dormitories, in the hospital rooms and dining rooms, we carry his legacy forward. We will go on loving, not with words, but with deeds. We will go on seeing Christ in the poor, and we will go on knowing that Pope Francis is still praying for us — from the heavenly peripheries — still urging us to keep walking, keep loving, keep serving.

May his memory bless the Church. May his vision animate our mission. And may we, like him, choose every day to live a faith that comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable — until every tear is wiped away, and the poor are poor no more.

Peace and God’s blessings,

John

Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA President John Berry Remembers Pope Francis

Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA President John Berry Remembers Pope Francis 992 558 SVDP USA

Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA President John Berry Remembers Pope Francis

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA (SVdP) joins the world in grieving the passing into heaven of Pope Francis. While this is a time of great sorrow, it’s also a time to joyfully remember and honor the legacy of his holy and historic papacy and a life devoted to serving both Christ and humanity with a loving and generous spirit.

From the minute he first emerged onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica as Pope that night in 2013, the Holy Father had a singular mission – to remind us of Christ’s command to love the poor. In a world beset with hatred, war and poverty, he gave voice to the poor, the migrant and the disenfranchised in a way that dared not be ignored. Then he challenged us, in God’s name, to something about it. With the love of a father, he commanded us to go into the peripheries to meet the poor where they are, and with the teaching authority of a humble priest, he reminded us that the path to heaven requires us to love and protect the most vulnerable among us.

In his final message to commemorate the World Day of the Poor last November, Pope Francis reminded us that the “poor hold a privileged place in God’s heart” and that “God is impatient until he has rendered justice to them.” This is a call that our 90,000 Vincentian volunteers heed each and every day in ways that bring us directly into contact with the lost and forsaken sheep of the Lord, and it’s why we grieve in a special way today. While the world has become dimmer with the passing of Pope Francis, his life serves as a a light of faith, fidelity and service that will always burn bright.

We also pray that the College of Cardinals will be filled with the Holy Spirit as they assemble and begin the process of selecting the next Pope. May the Lord’s example of love and compassion be instilled into them, and may they be ever mindful of Matthew 22:37-39: “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

-By John Berry, National President of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA


Presidente de San Vicente de Paul en Estados Unidos John Berry Recuerda al Papa Francisco

La Sociedad de San Vicente de Paúl en Estados Unidos se une al mundo en el duelo sobre la partida al cielo del Papa Francisco. Aunque sea un momento de gran tristeza, también es un tiempo para recordar y honrar el legado de su santo e histórico pontificado y una vida dedicada a servir a Cristo y a la humanidad con un espíritu amoroso y generoso.

Desde el momento en que emergió por primera vez como Papa en el balcón de la Basílica de San Pedro en el 2013, el Santo Padre tuvo una misión singular – recordarnos el mandamiento de Cristo de que amemos al pobre. En un mundo acosado por el odio, la guerra, y la pobreza, él le dió voz al pobre, al inmigrante, y a los desfavorecidos de una manera que no se podía ignorar. Después, nos retó, en nombre de Dios, a que respondiéramos. Con el amor de un padre, nos mandó a ir a las periferias a encontrar a los pobres donde ellos se encuentran, y con la autoridad de enseñanza de un sacerdote humilde, nos recordó que el camino al cielo nos requiere que amemos y protejamos a los más vulnerables entre nosotros.

En su mensaje final conmemorando el Día Mundial de los Pobres el noviembre pasado, el Papa Francisco nos recordó que “los pobres tienen un lugar privilegiado en el corazón de Dios” y que “Dios está ‘impaciente’ hasta no haberles hecho justicia.” Este es un llamado que nuestros 90,000 voluntarios Vicentinos escuchan todos los días en una manera que nos pone en contacto directo con las ovejas perdidas y abandonadas del Señor, y es la razón por la cual nos entristecemos hoy de una manera especial. Aunque el mundo se ha vuelto más sombrío con el fallecimiento del Papa Francisco, su vida sirve como luz de fe, fidelidad, y servicio que siempre brillará.

También oramos para que el Colegio Cardenalicio se llene del Espíritu Santo mientras se reúnen y comienzan el proceso de elegir al próximo papa. Que el ejemplo del amor y la compasión del Señor se infunda en ellos, y siempre tengan presente a Mateo 22:37-39: “Amarás al Señor tu Dios con todo tu corazón, con toda tu alma y con toda tu mente. Este es el gran mandamiento, el primero. Pero hay otro muy parecido: Amarás a tu prójimo como a ti mismo.”

Escrito por John Berry – Presidente Nacional de la Sociedad de San Vicente de Paul en Estados Unidos

04-17-25 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders

04-17-25 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders 1200 1200 SVDP USA

VisionSVdP Phase III

In today’s Frédéric’s Five, you will find links to all the data from the VisionSVdP Listening Sessions held in 2024. There is a lot of data in there — and a lot of information to look over and read. It is fascinating to see the comments from Vincentians from all over the country about their thoughts, feelings, and ideas regarding the future of SVdP USA! I urge you to jump in and look through the comments of your brother and sister Vincentians.

As we have begun a preliminary analysis of the comments, there have been some emerging themes that have been identified.  These include:

  • Advocacy & Social Justice
  • Collaboration & Partnership
  • Communication & Outreach
  • Home Visit & Service Delivery
  • Membership & Recruitment
  • Organizational Structure & Governance
  • Resource Allocation & Fundraising
  • Special Works
  • Spirituality & Core Values
  • Technology Adoption
  • Training & Formation

Of these Emerging themes, the Top 5 that had comments associated with them were:

  • Home Visit & Service Delivery
  • Spirituality & Core Values
  • Membership & Recruitment
  • Organizational Structure & Governance
  • Communication & Outreach

We will be addressing these five areas in Phase III of VisionSVdP. However, there are many themes not in the top five that can easily be considered ‘subcategories’ of those five. For example, Technology Adoption is a prime candidate as a subcategory of both Organizational Structure & Governance and of Communication & Outreach. So all of the common themes are going to be addressed, as well as all other comments, in one way or another.

So, where do we go from here?

Beginning June 1, Working Groups will form at the Conference and/or Council level to begin discussion, developing suggested actions and recommendations for a specific subject. Each Working Group will focus on ONE THEME from the five above.

Instructions and materials for the Working Groups will be sent out in mid-May.

Approximately September 1, all Working Group recommendations will be sent to the highest-level Council (the Council represented by a National Council Member [NCM]).

The Council will create a Working Group that will take up all submitted recommendations and create one Council Report of Recommendations and Actions for each of the five themes above. This needs to be completed by December 1, 2025.

The Council will then elect two Delegates to the National VisionSVdP Congress, to be held in the first Quarter of 2026. These Delegates cannot be the NCM, and one Delegate should hold no Office at the Council or Conference level if possible.

All expenses for the Congress will be paid by the National Council. The Congress is anticipated to be three days of intensive work and will develop a final set of recommendations and actions.

Have a Blessed Easter.

Peace and God’s blessings,
John

John Berry
National President

International members tour St. Vincent de Paul programs in United States

International members tour St. Vincent de Paul programs in United States 600 400 SVDP USA

International members tour St. Vincent de Paul programs in United States

Published in the Catholic Review Apr 4, 2025 

Majid Zaghari, left, vice president for enterprises with St. Vincent De Paul Baltimore, gives a tour of the Good Harvest Community Kitchen facility to leadership from the International Confederation of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul April 3 off Moravia Road. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

Majid Zaghari, vice president for enterprises with St. Vincent De Paul Baltimore, right, gives an April 3 tour of the Good Harvest Community Kitchen to leadership from the International Confederation of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul April 3 off Moravia Road. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

For the first time in its history, the International Council General Society of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (CGI), met in the United States the week of March 31. Hailing from Europe, Australia, Africa and South America, the group of 12 international chapter presidents were hosted by John Berry, the national president of the United States of America, who took them on a tour from Atlanta to Washington, D.C., to Baltimore April 3.

“I think It is very important to meet in different cities and see what everybody is doing,” Berry said, as the group enjoyed lunch at Beans & Bread in Fells Point, one of St. Vincent de Paul Baltimore’s oldest programs. “I have learned from every place we’ve gone.”

The group was greeted by John Schiavone, president and CEO of St. Vincent de Paul Baltimore, who provided a brief history on the beginnings of Beans & Bread in 1977 by a former Benedictine priest who served free meals in a row house.

“He created a home-like atmosphere,” Schiavone said. “He would greet each person and play the piano.”

By 1986, more than 200 people a day were being served and the program was taken under St. Vincent de Paul’s wings. New programs about health, mental health and recovery were added. The center now also helps clients find housing and keeps in touch with clients to ensure they don’t become homeless again. A career center, where clients can receive help with résumés and applying for jobs, is in the beginning stages.

“It’s a work in progress,” Schiavone said, as he led the tour through the facility, which moved to its current location on Bond Street in 1992 and has gone through several expansions and renovations.

“We are similar in terms of the issues involved,” said Mark Gaetani, the national president of the Australian chapter of St. Vincent de Paul Society. “What I particularly like about it is the follow up.”

“I think this is fantastic,” said Elaine Heyworth, third vice-president general deputy of SSVP and national president of the United Kingdom, who appreciated how all the resources were under one roof.

Juan Manuel Buergo Gómez, president general of the international confederation of the St. Vincent de Society board, of Spain, who spoke through his interpreter Isabel Garzo, executive assistant to the president, also was impressed with the programs at Beans & Bread and at Good Harvest, which the group visited prior to Beans & Bread.

“It is a very professional organization,” Gómez said. “It is working more as a company.”

Gómez, according to Garzo, thinks it would be even better “if the spiritual line was stronger,” suggesting that religious images such as crucifixes or of the founder of the St. Vincent de Paul Society might be added to walls of Baltimore outreach centers.

Gómez found the involvement of students – earlier Schiavone had spoken about a partnership with students and staff from Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore – interesting, noting the importance of good training and formation for both employees and volunteers “to establish a good relationship” to serve others better.

After lunch, the group had a tour of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Baltimore and met with Archbishop William E. Lori. They visited Sarah’s Hope Family Shelter in Baltimore and then had dinner at the Rusty Scupper before returning to Bethesda.

Founded in Paris in 1833, the society is the largest Catholic organization in the world, with 800,000 members in more than 150 countries with 1.5 million volunteers. On the group’s final day, they celebrated the grand opening of the St. Vincent de Paul USA Washington, D.C., office with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“I am very proud of what we do,” Berry said.

Cardinal Christophe Pierre, papal nuncio to the United States, was set to bless the Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA’s new Washington office on April 4.

The office will be led by Ingrid Delgado, the society’s first national director of Public Policy and Advocacy and former associate director of Government Relations at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The society hopes that establishing a permanent presence in Washington will strengthen its efforts to highlight key issues related to homelessness and advocate for those affected by poverty to policymakers.

04-10-25 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders

04-10-25 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders 1200 1200 SVDP USA

A Spiritual Lyft

Do you ever feel like you need a spiritual lift?

Last week, I started my journey of much needed spiritual lifts by spending a phenomenal day with over 300 Vincentians at St. Vincent de Paul Georgia’s Annual Spring to Life Assembly. It was so inspiring to see so many Vincentians coming together to grow closer together in spiritual friendship.

I got a priceless spiritual “lyft” by the method I used to get to the Georgia gathering. I was staying at a nearby Atlanta hotel and got a Lyft ride to the event. When I entered the rideshare vehicle, I said good morning and hello to my driver Linda. I complimented her about her warm welcome, and we started a wonderful conversation.

I asked her if she was from Georgia, and she told me  she and her family moved to Atlanta decades ago from up north, and they stayed because they loved it. As our conversation continued, she shared with me that her husband had passed away recently, and that she was driving to make ends meet.

She asked me where I was from, and I told her about Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She asked, “What brings you to our big city?”

I told her I was going to speak at a St. Vincent de Paul meeting, and the entire environment in the car changed with those simple words — a good conversation turned into a priceless encounter. It felt like the Holy Spirit entered the car with us.

Her face lit up with a smile, which served as an incredible testimony of how much our Society had touched her life. She shared that when her family moved to Atlanta many decades ago, times were tough, and the Society was there for her family when they could not pay all the rent.

As our encounter continued, she shared that when she lost her husband, the Society was there again to help her with some expenses that could have put her out on the street. She talked about St. Vincent de Paul and Catholics being phenomenal Christians. She added that St. Vincent de Paul is one group that has a long and distinguished history of service and an organization you can always count on.

Linda then shared with me her faith journey. She was an elder in her Protestant Church and loved to do prison ministry.

I asked her if she would like me to share her story, and what message she would want me to give to those members of the Society at the gathering.

She said, “Yes, please let them know that there is no other charity like St. Vincent de Paul, because of its members. Let them know how they touched my family, and kept hope alive for us during difficult times! Express to them that in our time of need, we knew they were Christians by their love.”

As Vincentians, we live for the blessing of having encounters with our neighbors in need. We all experience these priceless encounters during Home Visits, serving at special works, providing clothing and essentials through our thrift stores, and even Lyft rides.

My week was full of so many special spiritual lifts. After the Georgia assembly, I was blessed to meet and be with the Society’s International Board. It was a spiritual lift to hear how our Society is so active spreading our Vincentian Charism throughout the entire world.

Yes, members of the International Board spoke different languages, but their message was all the same – how we can serve Christ and transform the lives of those we are blessed to serve throughout the world. Many exciting international initiatives were discussed, and some will be led by our National President John Berry.

The week really got exciting with the opening of our National Office in Washington, D.C.. How blessed we were to have His Eminence Cardinal Christophe Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States of America; our National Spiritual Advisor, Archbishop Andrew E. Bellisario, C.M.; National President John Berry; National Director of Advocacy and Policy, Ingrid Delgado, along with several other leaders, to cut the ribbon to officially open our new D.C. Office!

In my recent visits around the country, so many Vincentians have expressed their excitement to share our millions of encounters with our national leaders through our D.C. office. Encounters that allowed us to respond and see the true state of the less fortunate in our country.

We have always been a voice for the poor. We bring a special voice that no one else can offer. A voice of the priceless impact we make, the needs we see, and how everything our country does should embrace Christ’s call to “love one another…”

The week concluded with me being blessed to be with our Society’s Richmond Virginia Council. Over 100 Vincentians gathered for a day full of growing together spiritually  — an uplifting way to end my journey!

As Lent begins to wind down during Holy Week, we all have an opportunity to reflect on all the blessings in our lives. Think about all the “love one another” encounters we have had with those in need and the encounters we have had with our fellow Vincentians — all spiritual lifts that are blessings beyond measure.

I want to tell each one of you who live our Vincentian way of life, thank you for lifting me up and for being a blessing in my life.

There are 52 weeks in the year, but only one is called Holy Week. I pray that you and your family feel Christ’s love this coming week and throughout the entire Easter Season.

Sincerely yours in Christ’s Love,
Michael J. Acaldo
National CEO