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05-12-2022 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders
05-12-2022 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders 1368 1387 SVDP USA

Every week, it seems we Catholics are asked for our positions of the social crisis of the day. For a religion that is so often ridiculed or ignored by the media, they sure do ask often for our opinions!

It fascinates me that our brothers and sisters in different faiths are rarely asked how they feel as a religion about the issues of the day. No, the Catholics are the standard. I choose that word intentionally.

We know that Catholics disagree with each other – just attend any Conference meeting! We also know that some Catholics are at odds with the Church on various issues including life, immigration and borders, climate, and others. We overlook sometimes that our faith is somewhat unique in that it has actual positions, derived over years – sometimes hundreds and even thousands – and that these positions are written down for everyone to see. When a Pope even suggests a departure through imprecise words from these positions, it makes worldwide news.

When some disagree strongly, they may face a crisis of conscience leading even to a departure from the Catholic faith, although many would tell you that they disagree only with the Church and not with the faith. They still believe in Christ and how He died for our sins. They just disagree with the “politics” of the Church. Which is also interesting in that using political yardstick measures, the Church is liberal in some regards and conservative in others. This is not inconsistency; in fact, the Church is remarkably consistent. Maintaining clear and consistent values can lead the Church to the right for some individual issues and to the left for others.

As a Vincentian and as a Catholic, you may be asked for your opinion of the Society’s position on the topic of the day. The Rule provides us with guiding elements to help us. The first is in Part III, Statute 29 on our Relationship with Civil Society. The Society does not identify with any political party, we are nonviolent, we bring Christian values to political matters, and those holding political offices are asked not to hold any “mission of representation” within the Society while in office. That alone covers a lot of ground these days!

The second relevant element is in the Rule, Part I, 5.3, in which the Society recognizes the right and duty of the diocesan bishop to confirm that the Society acts in accordance with Catholic faith and morals. In other words, while we are officially autonomous of the Church (see I.5.2), we maintain a close relationship with the church hierarchy and its values. Many of the political battles and policy decisions we face come down to moral decisions, don’t they?

The third relevant element is not in the Rule but in the Manual of the National Council of the United States, in Section 2.1: Speaking for the Society. It’s one simple sentence: “Only the National President may ‘speak for the Society’ on national issues. For local issues, this is delegated to the Council President.”

It is tempting, when asked for your opinion, to give it! As Americans, we enjoy freedom of speech. This freedom, however, does not extend to us speaking on behalf of most organizations to which we belong, including the Society. It can be challenging to hold one’s tongue when the issue is important and we have such brilliant commentary, but please do resist when asked about “your take” on any Society position.

Allow me to offer two alternatives. When asked for my opinion “as a Catholic” I can often respond by directing the inquirer to the local bishop or to the USCCB. When asked by media for my view as a Vincentian, I let them know that even as the national CEO I don’t speak for the Society, but often I will add a question of my own. “What are the consequences of this issue, intentional and perhaps unintentional, for the poor? Please consider them in forming your story.”

Catholics, through the formal Church and its many informed and cause-related organizations, have a voice, even if this voice is sometimes ridiculed or ignored. The poor, however, often have no voice at all. It seems that every social issue affects them more than everyone else, and usually negatively. As Vincentians we can work to free their own voice, or if not possible, work to speak on their behalf.

As noted above, the Catholic viewpoint is often used as a standard. Let our Vincentian actions speak as standards of love and care for our neighbors, humility, and everyday work to make our world a better place for all. Our own lives are testament to our Catholic faith and values. By our lives we can be the standard for Good.

Yours in Christ,
Dave Barringer
CEO

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Contemplation – Where Charity is Practiced Cheerfully
Contemplation – Where Charity is Practiced Cheerfully 940 788 SVDP USA

Commenting on Conference meetings, President-General Jules Gossin wrote that “In France, what even the best men fear most is boredom; and, in that respect, the men of every country are more or less French.” He went on, in his Circular Letter of November 1, 1847, to say that “Boredom is to a Conference what smoke is to a beehive.”

Much of the responsibility for avoiding boring meetings rests on the Conference President and other leaders. Indeed, the Manual stresses that “meetings should not be lengthy” and goes on to suggest ways in which leaders can keep the meetings short, but meaningful. While a tight agenda is important, though, the Manual also explains that “the Conference meets less to conduct business than to celebrate and deepen its unity for essentially spiritual reasons.” [Manual, Ch. 2]

Indeed, this drift towards pure business meetings became a problem in the very first Conference, of which Bl. Frédéric wrote “the session is nearly always concerned with business, it seems long.” [Letter 90, to Curnier, 1835] As a result, he said, they were losing their enthusiasm, not growing in friendship, and many were becoming discouraged.

In almost all cases, the meetings, the works, and the Conference itself can be rejuvenated with a renewed focus on keeping the Spirit at the center of our meetings, bringing to them once again what our Rule describes as “a spirit of fraternity, simplicity and Christian joy.” [Rule, Part I, 3.4]

As St. Vincent reminds us: “Be quite cheerful, I beg you. Oh, what great reason people of good will have to be cheerful!” [CCD I:84] Our laughter not only erases tensions between Members and alleviates boredom, but makes our meetings more welcoming for new and potential Members!

In that 1847 letter, Jules Gossin observed the importance of laughter in Conference meetings, noting that although you don’t go in in hopes of “provoking occasions of hilarity” it is nevertheless the “Conferences that afford the most generous relief to the poor are those in which charity is practiced cheerfully.”

Contemplate

Is there joy and laughter in my Conference meetings? Do I help to foster it?

Recommended Reading

Instead of reading this week, let’s pray together.

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News Roundup May 7 – May 13
News Roundup May 7 – May 13 1200 1200 SVDP USA

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

INTERNATIONAL

NATIONAL

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

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Daily Prayers May 2 – May 6
Daily Prayers May 2 – May 6 940 788 SVDP USA

Monday, May 2

Lord, in my anger calm me
With the peace of knowing Your love
In my impatience reassure me
With the peace of trusting Your will
In my suffering comfort me
With the peace of Your kingdom above
Amen

Tuesday, May 3:

Lord Jesus, I thank You for Your sacrifice
That greatest act of love
Help me to give my life for You
Repaying to heaven
All that I have received
One prayer, one act, one day at a time
Amen

Thursday, May 5:

Lord Jesus You are
My one and my all
My light and my hope
My way and my truth
My death and my life
My Lord and my God
Amen

Friday, May 6:

Lord, like the morning sun
That begins to glimmer
At the edge of darkness,
Like the parting rainclouds,
Your kingdom comes.
When darkness falls,
When rain rolls in,
When flowers fold at night
Your kingdom remains
On earth as in heaven.
Help me to do Your will.
Amen
Daily Prayers are written by Tim Williams, National Vincentian Formation Director. 
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05-05-2022 A Letter From Your Servant Leaders
05-05-2022 A Letter From Your Servant Leaders 1367 1520 SVDP USA

Dear Vincentian Friends,

Last weekend the National Football League held its annual draft of college players. It has become a major sports-media event as team managers take their turns identifying the new talent their teams need to complement their current rosters. Fans are interested in these picks and speculate on the contribution of new players for the future of their teams. Are you a talent scout? Do you work to build the Society of St. Vincent de Paul team by identifying the people in your community who might have the talent your Conference needs?

Who is your replacement? That was a frequent question my friend Mary Steppe would raise in talks when she was the vice president for the North Central Region. None of us can forecast how long we will be in a position to do our Vincentian service. Do you have a roster of talent ready to grow and strengthen our organization?

I encourage each of you, regardless of your position in the Society, to be a talent scout and recruiter. Unfortunately, some Conferences are satisfied with their current roster and don’t feel the need to actively look for new members. If there are enough members to do the work, then why look for additional people? Adding new people might rock the boat. Eventually, however, a once-thriving Conference with that sort of perspective will struggle to maintain a healthy membership.

Too often I have seen Conferences just rely on people to “sign up” at a parish talent day. That is not scouting and recruiting. Instead, try identifying people you think would make good Vincentians, and then talk with them about what the Society means to you. If we value what we do, each of us ought to be recruiting our replacements. For that purpose, nothing beats personal invitation.

The Society’s Rule tells us that our leaders “provide an encouraging atmosphere in which the talents, capacities and spiritual charism of the members are identified, developed and put to the service of the poor and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.”

Mary Steppe was good at providing that encouraging atmosphere and inviting people to take jobs. That is how you can position people to take leadership positions in the future. She pulled me into participating in the Society beyond my own Council by putting me on the National Stores Committee. When I became an Executive Director, she assigned me the task of presenting a workshop on the spirituality of St. Vincent de Paul. That first talk I gave was pretty awful, but it set me on a path that would lead me now to being on the International Council’s Historical Commission. This willingness to invite people to take on tasks big and small is necessary if we want to grow the leadership for our network of charity.

Take the opportunities available to grow the leadership of the future. A good team builds on the talent it has recruited. Provide good training, give new members responsibility and invest in their development. I encourage you to send members to your Regional Meeting, to the Invitation for Renewal leadership-formation program, and to our National Assembly. Soon, registration will open for our National Assembly in Baltimore. If you can send some of your members to that meeting, I guarantee they will come back with new ideas and the motivation to see our Society thrive.

Your efforts to build our Society may not be as high-profile as the NFL draft weekend, but I think what you do to scout and recruit our future leaders is far more important for the good of our communities.

Serviens in spe,
Ralph Middlecamp
SVdP National President

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Young Catholic Professionals: Thy Will be Done
Young Catholic Professionals: Thy Will be Done 1421 1421 SVDP USA

Last week, a delegation of Young Adult Vincentians from across the country met with other Young Adult Catholics at the Young Catholic Professionals annual conference in Dallas, Texas. This year’s theme, Thy Will Be Done, focused on guiding attendees in finding the right path through life’s peaks and valleys to align themselves with God’s will.

“The quote that stood out to me the most this week was actually the theme of the weekend, “Thy Will Be Done.” It’s more than just a prayer it’s a call to action. Our entire life should be dedicated to doing God’s will,” said Francis Brissette, Vincentian with NextGen in Rhode Island and co-chair of the Communications Committee. “SVdP already does so much in answering that call to action and I was inspired by that quote to do as much as I can with SVdP in their mission because no organization truly lives by that quote “Thy Will Be Done” like SVdP.”

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul was proud to be a sponsor of the conference’s break out session, “The Making of a Saint.” SVdP CEO, Dave Barringer, served as a mentor for the breakout where attendees and mentors broke into small groups, listened to the speaker, and then had time to evaluate a case study within their groups. With about 500 Young Adults Catholics in attendance, the National Council was blessed to send a delegation of 16 Young Adult Vincentians to represent the Society.

“Learning and hearing from other on how they are able to balance their work and spiritual life is instrumental in professional atmospheres we were taught to be Catholic Youth Adults not Young adult that are Catholic!” Said John Paul Brissette, Vincentian with NextGen in Rhode Island and chair of the SVdP Youth Committee.

Throughout their time at YCP, SVdP’s delegation worked to teach the other attendees about the unique opportunities that being a part of the Society can offer a young adult throughout their spiritual growth journey. They gathered contact information from attendees that were interested in learning more about SVdP.

“It was refreshing, inspiring, and motivating talking with other young Catholic people, exploring ways that we can connect and help each other put our faith into action,” said Kat Brissette, National Board Member and Chairwomen of the Young Adult Committee.

At YCP, we were excited to introduce a new SVdP promotional item, SOCKS! The socks feature the Society’s Essential Elements: Spirituality, Friendship, and Service. And they were available in both English and Spanish. The socks were a huge hit, and people loved showing off their newest fashion accessory, especially at the closing gala!


YCP offered SVdP’s delegates such a great opportunity to explore their faith and rededicate themselves to their Vincentian work.

“The energy to engage people in a spiritual way is something I think will reinvigorate my Conference and possibly bring new Vincentians to the table to help our neighbors in need,” said Jonathan Field, a Vincentian with the Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Conference in Attleboro, MA.

“Pray, ask, advertise: I realized I need to pray more for our efforts and ideas on how to better serve. I liked how it was stressed that SVdP empowers anyone to find local needs and will help carry out solutions,” Said Kayla Palacios, Vincentian with the St. Philip Neri Conference in Midwest City, OK. “I plan to ask others if they receive any common requests/themes in my area that are not addressed and see how we can help. Lastly, always letting others know about our organization to get the word out.”

It was an exciting opportunity and we look forward to continuing to encourage the involvement of Young Adults in the work of SVdP to helping those in need. We hope that through connections made at YCP, we will welcome new SVdP members and hopefully see some of our new friends at the SVdP National Assembly in Baltimore!

“YCP was truly life changing where I was able to experience community and the Vincentian Spirituality,” said Tina Tacati, Vincentian with the St. Eugene Conference in Brownsville, TX. 

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Daily Prayers April 25 – April 29
Daily Prayers April 25 – April 29 940 788 SVDP USA

Monday, April 25:

Lord Jesus, Savior,
Let my life
And my works
Be my prayer
In Your name,
For Your sake,
And not mine.
Amen

Tuesday, April 26:

Help me to act with mercy, Lord,
To see You in the suffering
Of the least of us
To offer my presence
In Your name
To give with love
For the love of God
To always serve in hope
Amen

Wednesday, April 27:

Lord let me serve You humbly,
Nameless, and small,
But doing Your works in the light
For Your glory, not mine
Drawing all people to Your light
To Your works
And to Your love
Amen

Thursday, April 28:

Lord, grant me the virtue of gentleness:
A kindness that never tires,
A patience that never wears thin,
Good will that is offered to all.
May my gentleness be visible
In my smile,
In my words,
And in my actions.
Amen

Friday, April 29:

Lord, fill me with Your love
So that I can pour it out;
A love that grows as it is shared,
That multiplies as it is divided,
That never diminishes,
That is enough to fill,
And to connect every heart.
Amen
Daily Prayers are written by Tim Williams, National Vincentian Formation Director. 
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4-28-2022 Disaster Services Update
4-28-2022 Disaster Services Update 783 735 SVDP USA

Disaster Services Corporation is responding to the recent flooding and storm damage throughout Middle Tennessee. At least 22 people were killed, including many children. Up to 17 inches of rain fell in Humphreys County in less than 24 hours, shattering the Tennessee record for one-day rainfall. In a community used to tornadoes and seeking shelter in their basements, this flooding left them completely unprepared. They were forced to seek refuge in attics, on rooftops, and in their cars.

The flooding in rural areas took out roads, bridges, and telephone phone lines. “Many of the missing and dead lived in the neighborhoods where the water rose the fastest,” said Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis, who confirmed the 22 fatalities in his county. The dead included twin babies who were swept from their father’s arms, according to surviving family members, and a foreman at county music star Loretta Lynn’s ranch.

Due to the dedication of St. Vincent de Pauls’ Conference at St. Patricks’ Church, lead by Barbara Hooper, Disaster Service Corp. and the amazing Vincentians with the “St. Louis Sluggers,” they have been able to rehab many homes.

According to local estimates there are another 200 homes on the waiting list for assistance. DSC will be posting the needs of this community and ways you can help on our website and social media this coming week.

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Stores Corner: Staying in Contact With Your Customers is Critical
Stores Corner: Staying in Contact With Your Customers is Critical 738 416 SVDP USA

Customer loyalty and gift cards can be a positive add-on for a store. Having a Point of Sale (POS) system allows for ease in these types of special add-on programs in daily store operations. These programs create customer excitement and additional income opportunities, while capturing data at a granular level for deeper insights into the business.

Customers who believe in the mission of the store and enjoy shopping at the SVdP Thrift Store can share the store’s presence within their own circle of influence: family, friends, and loved ones. Additional visibility for the store is always great!

Loyalty cards allow your store to capture customer data points, which can be leveraged into marketing opportunities. Ask yourself, how can we stay in contact with customers and make decisions on marketing and advertising campaigns?

From the data points captured through loyalty cards, stores can send out email blasts or text blasts, to the customer base for any special sales or promotions. Customer retention is much cheaper than customer acquisition!

Connect with a Region Rep to learn more about what is happening in your area – the list of committee members can be found under the Resources drop down at https://www.svdpusa-thriftstore.org/.

By: Rick Bologna
SVdP Stores Director / Central Texas

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4-28-2022 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders
4-28-2022 A Letter From Our Servant Leaders 1363 1363 SVDP USA

It surprises many people to learn that the function of advertising is not to create sales, but to build or drive traffic. Sure, that Buy One, Get One offer or sales price advertisement gets you into the store, but from there you still make a purchase decision on your user experience. In marketing terms, Promotion gets you in the door, but Place, Price, and Product close the sale.

I mention this because the same principles apply to recruiting volunteers, and in our case Vincentians. That pulpit talk or yard signs or parish bulletin announcements all have their place to get people into the recruiting space, usually a Conference meeting or a phone call from a member asking one to join. Personal invitations are often the magic key to a new member, however they come to you.

We suffer sometimes from great advertising but less than great first impressions and other follow-up with prospective members. How many times have a dozen parishioners come to an introductory meeting but are never seen again? Did we fail at genuinely welcoming them, giving them something meaningful to do, listening to their questions, or even simply describing who we are and what we can offer them in our Essential Elements of Spirituality, Service, and Friendship? Don’t shoot the messenger of advertising and promotion; instead improve our product introduction and its benefits!

Product in our case is the set of local Society activities including service to the poor, spiritual formation and the friendships we build through Society membership. Place is the distribution models we use to deliver our services in neighborhoods, provided once again post-pandemic face to face, which is so unique and allows us to see the Face of Christ. The Price is the commitment to meet and to pray regularly, and to serve others as one is able. Since we often hear that Vincentians receive so much more than we give, our “price” of membership is quite reasonable!

Most of this member marketing process is local. After all, that’s where we hold our Conference meetings and where we conduct our works.  Yet the larger Councils, including the National Council, have supportive roles to play. These larger groups can “advertise’ through media on a larger scale than your neighborhood, and build relationships with people and groups in large numbers. This is especially true when we seek out greater diversity in our members, whether it be through age, ethnicity, skill sets, or other distinguishing characteristics.

As this week’s e-Gazette is published, the National Council is promoting the Society at two national Catholic events. The first is Raices Y Alas, a convening built upon the strengths of the recent V Encuentro process for Hispanic Catholics. The second is the annual gathering of Young Catholic Professionals, designed for adults up to 40 years of age. Both groups are important as recruiting opportunities for the Society, and so we will sponsor, provide scholarships, have an exhibition booth, and most importantly, send current Society members to talk up our works and our sincere invitation to join with us.

But none of this activity or expense will recruit one single new member.

No, this week’s work is an investment on behalf of our local Councils and Conferences to start the ball rolling toward local recruitment – that selfsame Product, Price, and Place discussed above. These national events may result in some specific names of people interested in joining, which will be sent to the local Council where they reside. The greater benefit, we pray, is that the events add to the Society’s favorable exposure for participants to learn more about us over time and inquire about joining on their own terms and timetables.

Such marketing investment should not be limited to a few times a year, or only through national event participation. It needs to be consistent (in other words, our branding) and continuous, too, because people are ready to listen to our message on their schedule, not ours. The truth is that we all need to be recruiting at the national, Council and Conference levels all the time, creating a pipeline for new members. Again, however, all those sales leads end up at your local door where they can be turned into members – or just turned away.

There has never been a time in our Society’s history, locally or globally, when we had enough members. Even Conferences that have hundreds of members (yes, these do exist!) should welcome more members seeking their way to greater holiness! Too many members for our parish boundaries? Twinning isn’t just about money; share your membership wealth with more needy neighborhoods. Expand your programs – often our limitations aren’t about funds, they are about people capacity. The needs will always be greater than our membership.

It’s funny how memberships evolve. Every year, we all tend to get one year older! Therefore, we have a constant need to replenish our member ranks, even if those new members are in their retirement years. What are we doing – today – to market and build our ranks of faithful servants trying to get to Heaven?

Yours in Christ,
Dave Barringer
CEO

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