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Contemplation — Our Long-Term Vision
Contemplation — Our Long-Term Vision 1080 1080 SVDP USA

Our Manual explains that Vincentians “trust in Providence” in our works and in our lives. [Manual, p. 63] We understand this to mean, as Christ taught in the Sermon on the Mount, that we should not worry about tomorrow, that we should let the day’s own troubles be enough. [Matthew 6:25-34] But how do we live this belief in our Conferences?

In one sense, it would seem that trust in Providence is a call to passivity – just sit back and let God take care of it! Yet neither Jesus, St. Vincent, nor Bl. Frédéric suggest anything of the kind. While assuring us that God knows of our needs and will provide, Jesus reminds us to “seek first the Kingdom”, which he contrasts to the flowers God cares for, though “they do not work nor spin.” [Ibid]

St. Vincent was a man of action, who famously called his followers to love God with the strength of their arms and the sweat of their brows! [CCD XI:32] We begin with discerning the will of God, then acting upon it, trusting in Him to provide us with what we need. We already know that serving the poor is the direct, expressed will of Jesus Christ. Waiting to act on that, when you think about it is, at least to a degree, a failure of trust.

Similarly, writing extensive and detailed assistance guidelines meant to cover all circumstances is an example of “treading on the heels of Providence” to use one of Vincent’s often-used phrases. Rather, we should be guided by Frédéric’s teaching, that in works of charity “it is necessary to give yourself up to the inspirations of the heart rather than the calculations of the mind. Providence gives its own counsel through the circumstances around you, and the ideas it bestows on you. I believe you would do well to follow them freely and not tie yourselves down with rules and formulas.” [Letter 82, to Curnier, 1834]

Trusting in Providence means trusting that when we seek to do God’s will, the outcome of our works also will be His will. God provides, but he also knows what we need, even when we do not. We can and should plan ahead – fundraising is part of that – but God calls us first to provide for the neighbor before us, for the troubles of their day, not for our treasury balance tomorrow.

Trust in Providence presents us with one of the ironies of our vocation. Letting today’s troubles suffice, without a thought to tomorrow, would seem to be very short-sighted. Yet by doing this, we fulfill God’s will, seeking His eternal kingdom, which is the longest-term vision we can possibly have.

Contemplate

Do I sometimes let my worries for the future drown out the cry of the poor today?

Recommended Reading

Vincentian Meditations II

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SVdP News Roundup November 12 – November 18
SVdP News Roundup November 12 – November 18 3600 3600 SVDP USA

With 100,000 Vincentians across the United States and nearly 800,000 around the world, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul provides person-to-person service to those who are needy and suffering. Read some of their stories here:

INTERNATIONAL

NATIONAL

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A Week in Prayers November 14 – November 18
A Week in Prayers November 14 – November 18 1080 1080 SVDP USA

Monday, November 14

Lord Jesus,
You are the light of the world.
Lead me from darkness,
Fill me with the light of Your love
Let it shine forth from me
In all that I do in Your name.
Amen

Tuesday, November 15

Light of the World, fall upon me,
Awaken me from my slumber.
As sure as the flowers
Unfold in the sun
My heart is turned toward You
Amen

Wednesday, November 16

O Lord these gifts You have given me,
My time, my talents, myself,
And even my worldly possessions,
Remain mine and even grow
Only as I give them away,
In Your name and for Your sake.
Amen

Thursday, November 17

O God, Creator of all,
I seek to do Your will.
Speak to me, Lord,
Through the people I meet,
Through events before me,
Through a tiny whisper in the storm.
Your servant is listening
With an open heart.
Amen

Friday, November 18

How will I love the neighbor, Lord?
With the same love I give to You.
From the depths of my soul,
With all of my heart,
And with all the work that I do.
Amen

Daily Prayers are written by Tim Williams, National Vincentian Formation Director.
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Contemplation — Practice Makes Perfect
Contemplation — Practice Makes Perfect 1080 1080 SVDP USA

When we become Vincentians, whether as active or associate members, one of the things we promise is to live our Rule. This is, of course, a promise we should make only after reading it! Although our Rule is relatively brief, it’s still a little long to memorize. So, in order to live it, we need to reread it from time to time, by ourselves and with our Conferences. It seems like a tall order to live by some lengthy set of instructions, and few people are naturally inclined to try to do that. But the Rule, in its essence, is not a lengthy set of instructions at all. There are some specific instructions, such as how to elect a president, and how long the term of office is, but the Rule is primarily a spiritual document.

Like the rules of various religious orders, it is meant less to prescribe a long list of actions and behaviors, but to describe what a Vincentian looks like. For example, the Rule tells us that Conferences meet “in a spirit of fraternity, simplicity, and Christian joy.” [Rule, Part III, St. 8] That’s it. One sentence. It doesn’t go on to describe the specific steps we must take to live this part of the Rule, so how do we know if we are living it? One way to measure this is to ask ourselves whether a visitor to our Conference write the words above to describe our meetings. Would we describe our own Conference meetings with these words?

To live our Rule means not only to do the things, such as our home visits and other person to person service, but to truly internalize our spirituality, our traditions, and our virtues. If I have to remind myself from time to time, to be patient, gentle, kind, and understanding, that’s okay. At some point, I will no longer just be acting gently, but I will be gentle; I will no longer be doing Vincentian things, I will be Vincentian.

We promise to live our Rule, and Vincentians keep their promises! We can only do this fully by reviewing that Rule from time to time, and asking ourselves, “Do these words describe the way I act as a Vincentian? Do they describe my Conference?”

Do I “serve the poor cheerfully”? Do I “form relationships based on trust and friendship”? Do I help the neighbor “to feel and recover their own dignity”? Do I “never forget the many blessings I receive from those I visit”? [Rule, Part I, 1.8ff] We reread to remind ourselves, so that we can practice, and become better.

To be a Vincentian is to have a particular way of living our faith, and to pursue our primary calling as Christians, as Catholics, and as Vincentians: to be perfect, just as our heavenly Father is perfect. And we all know the old saying: practice makes perfect.

Contemplate

What parts of the Rule describe me and my Conference? What parts do not?

Recommended Reading

The Rule (especially Part I)

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SVdP News Roundup Nov. 5 – Nov. 11
SVdP News Roundup Nov. 5 – Nov. 11 3600 3600 SVDP USA

With 100,000 Vincentians across the United States and nearly 800,000 around the world, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul provides person-to-person service to those who are needy and suffering. Read some of their stories here:

INTERNATIONAL

NATIONAL

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A Week in Prayers November 7 – November 11
A Week in Prayers November 7 – November 11 1080 1080 SVDP USA

Monday, November 7

This is the day You have made, O Lord,
No greater joy could I have!
All that I see, each person I meet,
Is a gift from Your loving hands.
Amen

Tuesday, November 8

My Lord and my God,
Creator of all,
Thank you all Your gifts:
My talents, my successes,
My possessions,
My frailties, my faults,
And my weaknesses.
To serve You and the neighbor,
All these are enough.
Amen

Wednesday, November 9

O Lord, grant Your blessings
On all whom I serve,
Whose troubles have brought them to me.
Give me ears that hear them,
Eyes that see them,
Hands that serve them,
And a heart that loves them.
Let them know Your love
And Your promise
Through my works.
Amen

Thursday, November 10

Lord Jesus, the vine,
From Whom I shall grow,
As a one of many branches,
Through the strength of my arms,
And the light of the Spirit,
May my works bring forth
Your fruit.
Amen

Friday, November 11

Lord God, animate me,
Open me up to Your will.
Fill my heart with the Holy Spirit,
Give me the mind of Jesus.
Your servant is listening, Lord,
And seeks only to serve You.
Amen

Daily Prayers are written by Tim Williams, National Vincentian Formation Director.
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2022 World Day of the Poor
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“May this 2022 World Day of the Poor be for us a moment of grace. May it enable us to make a personal and communal examination of conscience and to ask ourselves whether the poverty of Jesus Christ is our faithful companion in life.” – Pope Francis

This Sunday, November 13, 2022, the Catholic Church marks the Sixth World Day of the Poor. This year’s theme is “For your sakes Christ became poor.”

World Day of the Poor was established by Pope Francis in 2017 and has been celebrated each year on the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time.

The aim of World Day of the Poor is to encourage Catholics to go into the streets and encounter poverty in its different forms. As Vincentians, we are called to help those in need, no matter where they are. The Home Visit, as many know, is the hallmark of the Society’s work. Vincentians go out and meet their neighbors in need wherever they may be. Sometimes that is in a home, but not always. We do not judge or discriminate based on someone’s living situation. During Home Visits, Vincentians strive to make their neighbors in need as comfortable as possible. They bring hope, empathy, and compassion, in addition to financial support, food, clothes, and other forms of support.

Each year, Pope Francis releases a letter in honor of World Day of the Poor. In this year’s message, Pope Francis reminds us that helping those in need has been central to the Catholic faith. He cites St. Paul in his letter to the Corinthians. In that letter, St. Paul asks the local Christian community to hold a special collection for those that are hungry. This year, Pope Francis unveiled a new sculpture entitled, “Sheltering,” in St. Peter’s Square that highlights the plight of the homeless. The statue was created by Canadian sculptor, Timothy Schmalz, and seeks to promote the Vincentian Family’s “13 Houses Campaign” to provide material and spiritual help to people suffering from homelessness.

Prayer for World Day of the Poor
By: Tim Williams, National Vincentian Formation Director

Lord, give me eyes that see the poor;
Especially the strangers… the invisible.

Give me ears that hear their cries of need;
Of hunger, thirst, or loneliness.

Give me a heart that will love them
In word and in deed, as You have loved me.

Give me hands that are willing to work
To feed the hungry, to shelter the homeless,
To welcome the stranger.

Amen

“Sheltering” by Timothy Schmalz

 

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11-10-2022 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders
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On occasion we will be asked by the media, or by Catholic interest groups, to show the impact of the Society on the community and how we measure our success.  I love to be asked about this, but I also hate it.

How do we measure our success as the Society? This is more difficult than you might first think.

For example, our mission states that we are a network of friends, growing in holiness and building a more just world. We do this through personal relationships with, and services to, people in need. No doubt, these are very good intentions! How, though, do we put a yardstick to “growing in holiness?” This is a lifetime journey, and the graduation certificate is earned when you are called Home. Our, ahem, graduates never write back with their alumni experiences!

We can measure services, but here we see a bit of Vincentian Paradox. We can grow, for example, the number of families that come to our food pantries. We can feel good that more people therefore receive some emergency help, and perhaps we can measure what percentage of those in need are helped. (That’s the impact study so much in vogue.) But hold on, our goal should not be to serve more people; in fact, a systemic change goal might be to serve fewer people! If we can help someone to take care of themselves and not need a food pantry, that’s a better result, right? We can instead aim to serve all who need us, but also work to reduce the number who need such emergency help. Don’t fret with how that makes our “numbers” appear – just do the right thing for that family.

When asked what the Society does to combat homelessness, there is an expectation that our answers reflect the numbers of houses we build and people we place into more permanent housing. Yet the larger service the Society provides is in homelessness prevention, by helping people to stay in their home with rent assistance. Even this is an incomplete number. When we help someone with a utility or food bill, this frees funds that can now be spent for their rent bill (and vice versa). Any wonder now why we drive the statisticians crazy?

Outsiders also find it perplexing when we tell them “We don’t count that number” for some of their usual statistics. This reflects our Rule in not being judgmental. Because most Vincentians also have a natural aversion to paperwork, preferring to serve rather than to count services, we count only the most need-to-know numbers. Often this is because a funder or food bank demands it.

We really appreciate that nearly all Councils and Conferences provide some common measurements such as those in our annual national reporting process. This counting tells the story of the Society to the rest of the nation, and most especially our Bishops, which in turn provides us with even more support. We try to keep the requested measures to a minimum, and they do tell a wonderful story of how the Society helps our neighbors in need across the United States. Thank you for completing these annual requests!

What can we reasonably do to measure our success? I propose that first, it is entirely legitimate in our case to measure intent. In an organization that serves people, one at a time, aggregations don’t always work but our individual intentions are charitable and even Holy. We can’t measure how many times someone in need sees the Face of Christ in our Home Visits. We pray that we provide that outcome in every encounter through our smile, our relationship, our prayers. Let’s therefore measure these encounters as outcomes, not just process, with intent in mind.

Further, we may not always measure outcomes, but we can measure excellence. We can work to provide more with less, ensuring that donated funds are spent wisely. Make no mistake, our goal is not to serve the poor efficiently! That thinking leads to impersonal interactions and one-size-fits-all services that often don’t work for the real, live people coming to us not just for material assistance but for prayerful empathy and God’s love. The decisions we make and services we provide through our Home Visits and Conference meetings may not be efficient, but we can assess and work to have truly helpful results for those we serve.

Let’s review annually what we measure and ask if it’s required by outside sources, meaningful to our goals, or just “nice to know,” and then revise to have confidence not only in how we measure but why we measure.

By the way, Vincentians also see the Face of Christ when we serve others. We hear this all the time from Vincentians, who often say that they get so much more out of their Society effort than they put into it. This aggregate result is something I would not dare try to measure. Let us be confident and satisfied that God sees this outcome in each one of us personally, and that He is well pleased.

Yours in Christ,
Dave Barringer
CEO

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SVdP National Council Welcomes National Director of Poverty Programs
SVdP National Council Welcomes National Director of Poverty Programs 1080 1080 SVDP USA

The National Council of the United States Society of St. Vincent de Paul is excited to welcome the new National Director of Poverty Programs, Steve Uram.

Steve will be work as the Society’s representative among Catholic groups including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and other national nonprofit groups regarding public policy. He will serve as the national staff support person for national committees including Systemic Change, Voice of the Poor, Housing, Immersion / Reentry, Back2Work / Workforce Development, Bridges Out of Poverty, and others.

“As a life-long Catholic, I am truly excited to join the National Council where I can live my faith and make a difference each and every day,” said Steve.

Prior to joining the National Council, Steve spent 15 years in the Washington, D.C. area serving as a Senior Advisor for Grassroots Advocacy for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). He also served as a legislative aide to Illinois Congressman, John Shimkus. Upon his return to the St. Louis area in 2014, Steve served as the manager for Grassroots Advocacy and Leadership Programs for the National Corn Growers Associate.

Steve has his master’s degree in Communications from the University of Illinois and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Southern Illinois University.

Steve is part of a big, Catholic family and is a die-hard St. Louis Cardinals fan!

If you would like to contact Steve, he can be reached at (314) 576-3993 ext. 215 or by email at suram@svdpusa.org.

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Contemplation — He’s Right Over There
Contemplation — He’s Right Over There 1080 1080 SVDP USA

Vincentians are people of prayer – it is central to our vocation. Equal to it, though, is our commitment to go out and do. In the doing, we receive God’s transformational grace; we grow closer to perfect union with Christ by serving Him exactly as he has asked us to do, in the person of the poor.

St. Vincent once offered an interesting analogy for the balance between contemplation and action, likening it to the dove that eats its fill, then chews more food only in order to feed it to the little birds. In the same way, he said, we “gather light and strength for our soul in meditation, reading, and solitude on the one hand, and then to go out and share this spiritual nourishment with others.” [CCD XI:33]

Yet we also acknowledge the truth that it is really we who receive. And so, our person-to-person service becomes mutual, as Frédéric taught that it must be. From us, the neighbor receives not only some material relief, but the assurance that God has not abandoned or forgotten them; that He loves them so much he sends us to listen and to pray with them. We, in turn, receive a true revelation and a conversion of our hearts.

In the life of St. Vincent, we note several important moments of conversion, transforming him from the young, ambitious priest seeking benefices and connections, to the humble servant of the poor. In 1617 especially, when he received the confession of the poor farmer in Gannes, and later that year encountering the poor farming family in Châtillon. Like most of us, he was not converted in a blinding flash on the road to Damascus. Instead, through a series of experiences, some of which he may not have even noticed at the time, his heart was turned fully towards Christ.

Spiritually, he had been influenced strongly by the teaching of several mystics, especially Benet of Canfield, whose Rule of Perfection would be echoed fifty years later in the Common Rules of the Congregation of the Mission. Yet he could be somewhat dismissive, at times, of mystic visions of God.

What Vincent came to understand viscerally through his own encounters with the poor is that if you wish to have a vision of Christ, well, he’s right over there! He is asking for food, or shelter. He is begging to be seen. If you want a revelation of His will, listen; listen with your ears, your eyes, and your heart to the cry of the poor.

We give our time, our talents, our possessions, and ourselves; we serve the will of God and of the poor in providing material assistance and prayer. When we do so, two or three of us together, the Christ who sent us is, as He promised, there with us, making every encounter a moment of revelation and conversion if we seek it.

Contemplate

When did I last see Christ, and what did He reveal to me?

Recommended Reading

Mystic of Charity

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