• Search the Site

Posts By :

admin

  • admin

Does your store have a Safety Committee?
Does your store have a Safety Committee? 1200 628 admin

Does your store have a Safety Committee?

By James Conley, National Store Support Manager

The safety of not only our employees but also our customers should be top of mind for every store, every day. Safety is a culture that must be created within each individual store for it to be a priority. Does your store have a Safety Culture? Does your store have a Safety Committee? Does your store have monthly safety focuses? Does your store have safety classes?  Below we are going to discuss the importance of every component of these and by combining all of them, you too will create a safety culture within your store!

What is the importance of having a Safety Culture?

  • It creates an atmosphere of empowerment for everyone to make safety a priority.
  • It improves employee and customer well-being.
  • It allows employees to speak up about safety concerns without fear of retaliation.
  • It drives communication in your store by talking about safety issues.
  • Finally, IT HELPS TO REDUCE ACCIDENTS!!!!

What is the importance of having a Safety Committee?

  • It brings together employees and management in a safe environment where they can discuss current and potential safety issues.
  • It creates employee engagement by giving your employees a platform to discuss issues.
  • It helps to make new policies that will help reduce the issues by identifying them and then figuring out how to prevent them in the future.
  • It creates an avenue to determine what safety training you need in your store.
  • Cost reduction!!!! Less accidents = Less Cost

Does your store have monthly safety focuses?

  • Alertmedia.com/blog is a great website to find topics for your safety meetings, morning huddles, etc. Check out their most recent safety article here: https://www.alertmedia.com/blog/winter-workplace-safety-tips/
  • Talking everyday about safety helps to reinforce the culture around safety.
  • Throughout the year different months can create different safety issues. By addressing those within the month it helps to prevent accidents.
  • It will reinforce the training programs you have put into place and identify where more training is needed.

Does your store have safety Classes/Training?

  • It gives your employees the knowledge to create a safe environment for all.
  • It allows employees to see potential hazards before they become an issue.
  • It gives employees knowledge on how to operate equipment safely.

As you can see safety is an important facet in every store. We want our employees and customers to go home the same way they came in! By giving employees, a voice through safety programs, safety committees, and the monthly safety focus topics, it helps to create safety awareness every day.

REDUCING ACCIDENTS = HIGHER MORALE = HIGHER SALES = REDUCED TURNOVER

If you have questions, please email our Director of Stores Support-Jeff Beamguard at jbeamguard@svdpusa.org.

 

  • admin

1-2-25 Weekly Questions & Answers
1-2-25 Weekly Questions & Answers 1200 628 admin

Q:  Can a husband and wife belong to the same Conference?

A: Husbands and wives can indeed belong to the same Conference. This is not against the Rule. As Vincentians, we are encouraged to increase membership by extending an invitation to all of our family members to join.

 Q:  Our Conference record minutes differently than shown on the form in the Secretary Minutes’ Handbook.  We follow “Robert’s Rules.” Is it essential that I use your form?

A: It is not necessary to use the form provided in the Secretary’s Minutes Book as long as appropriate minutes are taken. Minutes can be taken in any format.

P: ¿Pueden un esposo y una esposa pertenecer a la misma Conferencia?

R: De hecho, los esposos y las esposas pueden pertenecer a la misma Conferencia. Esto no va en contra de la Regla. Como Vicentinos, se nos anima a aumentar la membresía extendiendo una invitación a todos los miembros de nuestra familia para que se unan.

 P: Nuestra Conferencia registra las actas de manera diferente a lo que se muestra en el formulario en el Manual de Actas de la Secretaria.  Seguimos las “Reglas de Robert”. ¿Es imprescindible que utilice su formulario?

R: No es necesario utilizar el formulario proporcionado en el Libro de Actas de la Secretaría, siempre y cuando se tomen las actas correspondientes. Las actas se pueden tomar en cualquier formato.

 

  • admin

Contemplation: In Hope
Contemplation: In Hope 800 800 admin

By Timothy Williams, Senior Director of Formation and Leadership Development 

Serviens in spe, the Society’s motto declares, “serving in hope.” In our contemporary society, and in our human nature, we tend to take the short view of things. We hope for good weather for the weekend, a raise or promotion at work, or a positive result from a medical exam; in short, we hope our plans work out for the best. But these hopes, even when they involve more serious things, are really just wishes for good fortune; they pass quickly, and are soon forgotten, whether they come to fruition or not.

The hope in which we are called to serve as Vincentians is the same hope in which our faith calls us to live as Christians. It is not a passing feeling, or simply a positive outlook, it is one of the three Cardinal Virtues given to us by Saint Paul, who also teaches us that love (charity) is the greatest among them. Indeed, our Rule reminds us to serve the neighbor for love alone. Love is the motive for our actions. Yet, while serving for love, we serve in hope.

Just as the love for which we serve is not a romantic or brotherly love, but a divine and self-giving love, the hope in which we serve is not a temporal or worldly hope. This can be difficult to remember during struggles in our own lives, and it can be far more difficult to remember when we are faced with the struggles of our neighbors, who often face much more serious challenges than our own. What is the hope that we offer to a family facing eviction, or a homeless man whose car just died, especially when our Conference may not even have the money to address these needs?

It’s easy to see that our hopes for weekend weather are not so important; it is much harder to dismiss a hope for food and shelter as merely wishful thinking, yet this is exactly what Christ calls upon us to see when He says “do not worry about your life, what you will eat [or drink], or about your body, what you will wear.” Indeed, it is hope, not money or worldly comfort, that gives us the strength to run and not grow weary, to soar on eagle’s wings, to walk and not grow faint.

Neither our hope nor the neighbor’s hope lie in the things of this earth, for if that were the limit of our hope it would lead only to despair. This does not mean we do not work to ease material needs. On the contrary, it is the small relief – and sometimes large relief – that we offer which opens the door to the true hope that is offered to all.

To serve in hope does not mean to ignore the worldly, but to keep our eyes upon, and share, the true hope. As Blessed Frédéric put it, “this detachment from the world must not be turned into discouragement about our duties. In that consists the whole secret and the whole difficulty of the Christian life. We must think as if we were to quit the earth tomorrow, and we must work as if we were never to leave it.” [Baunard, 423]

Contemplate

Do I sometimes begin to despair when we cannot resolve every need for the neighbor?

Recommended Reading

The Book of the Sick

 

Contemplación : En Esperanza

Traducción de Sandra Joya

“Serviens in spe” el lema de la Sociedad declara “” sirviendo en esperanza.””

En nuestra Sociedad contemporánea. y en nuestra naturaleza humana  tendemos a tener una visión  a corto plazo de las cosas. Esperamos buen tiempo para el fin de semana, un aumento o un ascenso en el trabajo, o un resultado positivo de un exámen  médico; en resumen, esperamos que nuestros planes salgan bien. Pero éstas  esperanzas, incluso cuando involucran cosas más  serias, son en realidad sólo  deseos de buena fortuna; pasan rápidamente y pronto se olvidan,ya sea que se hayan realizado o no.

La esperanza con la que estamos llamados a servir como Vicentinos es la misma esperanza con la que nuestra fe nos llama a vivir como cristianos. No es un sentimiento pasajero, ni simplemente una visión  positiva es una de las tres virtudes cardinales que nos dio San Pablo, quién  también  nos enseña que el amor ( caridad) es el más  grande ellos. De hecho nuestra Regla nos recuerda servir al prójimo  sólo  por amor. El amor es el motivo de nuestras acciones. Sin embargo, mientras servimos por amor, servimos en esperanza.

Así  como el amor por el que servimos no es un amor romántico o fraternal, sino en amor divino y de entrega, la esperanza con la que servimos, no es una esperanza temporal o mundana. Esto puede ser difícil  de recordar durante las luchas en nuestras propias vidas y puede ser aún  más  difícil  recordarlo cuando nos enfrentamos a las luchas de nuestros vecinos, quienes a menudo efrentan desafíos mucho más  serios que los nuestros. ¿ Cuál es la esperanza que ofrecemos a una familia que enfrenta un desalojo o un hombre sin hogar cuyo auto acaba de dejar de funcionar, especialmente cuando nuestra Conferencia ni siquiera tiene el dinero para abordar éstas  necesidades?

Es difícil  ver que nuestras esperanzas por el clima del fin de semana no son tan importantes; es mucho más  difícil  descartar una esperanza por comida y refugio como sólo  un pensamiento de deseo, sin embargo, esto es exactamente lo que Cristo nos llama a ver cuando dice “” no se preocupen por su vida, que  comerán o (beberan) ni por su cuerpo, que se pondrán. En efecto, es la esperanza, no el dinero ni el confort mundano, lo que nos da la fuerza para correr y no cansarnos, para volar con alas de águila, para caminar y no desfallecer.

Ni nuestra esperanza ni la esperanza del prójimo están en las cosas de la tierra, porque si ese fuera el límite  de nuestra esperanza,conduciría  sólo  a la desesperación. Esto no significa que no trabajemos para aliviar las necesidades materiales. Al contrario, es el pequeño alivio- y a veces el gran alivio que ofrecemos lo que abre la puerta a la verdadera esperanza que se ofrece a todos.

Servir en esperanza no significa ignorar lo mundano, sino mantener nuestros ojos puestos en, y compartir, la verdadera esperanza. Como dijo el Beato Frédéric  “” Este desapego del mundo no debe convertirse en desaliento acerca de nuestros deberes. En eso consiste todo el secreto y toda la dificultad de la vida cristiana. Debemos pensar como si fuéramos  a avandonar la tierra mañana, y debemos travajar como si nunca fuéramos  a dejarla””  ( Baunard 423)

Contemplar 

¿ A veces comienzo a desesperarme cuándo  no podemos resolver todas las necesidades del prójimo?

  • admin

Contemplation: Light and Courage
Contemplation: Light and Courage 800 800 admin

By Timothy Williams, Senior Director of Formation and Leadership Development 

One of the central tenets of our Vincentian spirituality is trust in Divine Providence, which calls us to place God’s will always above our own. St. Vincent went so far as to say that this alone was the way to sainthood, telling St. Louise, “Oh, how little it takes to be very holy: to do the Will of God in all things.” [CCD II:47] This leads us to an obvious question: how can I know God’s will?

The reason that we, like Bl. Frédéric, struggle with this question is that we are aware of its great importance, not only in the works of the Society, but in our personal lives. Our process of discernment seeks not to simply find an answer, but to discover the answer; God’s answer. As a young man, Frédéric struggled with his choice of vocations, feeling an obligation to his father’s wish for him to be a lawyer, his own wish to pursue an academic career in letters, and the tug he felt in his heart towards the priesthood. At the same time, he was swayed by the encouragement of many people in his life to become a voice in defense of the church; a leader in its revival and growth.

Describing his discernment to a friend, Frédéric said he’d “had a hard apprenticeship in a virtue which was unfamiliar to me-the abandonment of myself to the divine will.” [182, to Lallier, 1838] So often, his plans seemed dashed, but rather than immerse himself in discouragement, he continually sought God’s will in the people and events in his life, asking, in the wake of some early disappointments, “might not that combination of circumstances be in itself a sign of the divine will?” [Baunard, 80]

Discernment of God’s will, then, is not a single event; a flash of insight that tells us every step to take for the rest of our lives. “It is not enough to take a superficial glance,” Frédéric explained. “You need repeated reflection.” [34, to Falconnet, 1831] We discover God’s will most often in small glimpses, revealed in the events around us, and in the people who know us. Through our reflections – apostolic reflections – on our Home Visits and other works during our Conference meetings, we seek God’s will, so that we can grow in the holiness that Vincent tells us is to be found in His will.

Finding God’s will, if only for the moment, we then must “go in simplicity where merciful Providence leads us, content to see the stone on which we should step without wanting to discover all at once and completely the windings of the road.” [136, to Lallier, 1836] And this brings us to the second, and perhaps greater challenge of discerning God’s will: acting on it.

The late General Norman Schwarzkopf once said that “the fact of the matter is, you almost always know the right thing to do. The hard part is doing it.” In a similar way, Bl. Frédéric’s prayers to see God’s will continued in a new way once he believed he understood it.

“Up to the present I asked for light to know His will; I ask now for the courage to do it.” [Baunard, 184]

Contemplate

Do I seek to discern His will in the people and events of my life?

Recommended Reading

Apostolic Reflection with Rosalie Rendu

 

Contemplación : Luz y Valentía

Traducción de Sandra Joya

Uno de los principios centrales de nuestra espiritualidad Vicentina es la confianza en la Divina Providencia, que nos llama a poner siempre la voluntad de Dios por encima de la nuestra. San Vicente llegó  a decir que esto era lo único  que conducía  a la Santidad, diciendole a Santa Lucía  “” Oh, que poco se necesita para ser muy santo”” hacer la Voluntad de Dios en todas las cosas. ( CCD II 47)

Esto nos lleva a una pregunta obvia ¿ Cómo  puedo conocer la Voluntad de Dios?

La razón por la cual nosotros, como el veato Frédéric  luchamos con esta pregunta es que somos conscientes de su gran importancia, no sólo  en las obras de la Sociedad,sino en nuestras vidas personales. Nuestro proceso de discernimiento no busca simplemente encontrar una respuesta, sino descubrir la respuesta, la respuesta de Dios. Como joven Frédéric  luchaba, con su elección  de vocación  sintiendo una obligación con el deseo de su padre de que fuera abogado, su propio deseo de seguir una carrera académica  en letras, y el tirón que sentía  en su corazon hacia el sacerdocio. Al mismo tiempo se veía  influenciado por el aliento de muchas personas en su vida para convertirse en una voz en defenza de la Iglesia, un líder  en su renovación y crecimiento.

Describiendo su discernimiento a un amigo, Frédéric  dijo que había  ” pasado un dificil aprendizaje en una virtud que me era desconocida, el avandono de mi misma a la voluntad divina ( 182, a Lallier, 1838)

Con frecuencia sus planes parecían  desmoronarse, pero en lugar de sumirse en el desaliento,él  buscaba constantemente la voluntad de Dios en las personas y los acontecimiento de su vida, preguntándose,  a raíz  de algunas primeras decepciobes ” ¿ No será  esa combinación de circunstancias en si misma una señal de la Voluntad Divina? ( Baunard, 80).

El discernimiento de la voluntad de Dios, entonces, no es un sólo  acontecimiento, un destello de sabiduría que nos diga cada paso que debemos dar por el resto de nuestras vidas. ” No basta con echar un vistazo superficial” explicó Frédéric. ” Es necesario reflexionar repetidamente” ( 34, a Falconnet,1731) Descubrimos la voluntad de Dios más  a menudo en pequeños destellos revelados en los acontecimientos que nos rodean, y en.las personas que nos conocen. A través  de nuestras reflexiones reflexiones apostólicas- en nuestras visitas a los hogares y otras obras durante las reuniones de la Conferencia, buscamos la voluntad de Dios, para que podamos crecer en la santidad que Vicente nos dice que se encuentra en su voluntad.

Al encontrar la voluntad de Dios, aunque sólo  sea por el momento, debemos luego ” ir con simplicidad donde la Providencia Misericordiosa nos lleva contentos con ver la piedra en la que debemos pisar  sin querer descubrir todo de una vez y por completo los vaivenes del camino. ( 136, a Lallier, 1736) Y esto nos lleva al segundo y quizás mayor desafío  de discernir la voluntad de Dios: Actuar según  ella.

El fallecido General Norman Schwarzkopf dijo una vez que ” el hecho es que casi siempre sabes lo que debes hacer. La parte difícil  es hacerlo. De manera similar las oraciones del veato Frédéric  para conocer la voluntad de Dios continuaron de una nueca manera una vez que creyó  entenderla.

Hasta ahora pedía  luz para conocer su Voluntad, ahora pido valentía  para hacerla ” ( Baunard,184)

Contemplar 

¿ Busco discernir Su Voluntad en las personas y los acontecimientos  de mi vida?

  • admin

12-19-24 Weekly Questions & Answers
12-19-24 Weekly Questions & Answers 1200 628 admin

Q: If you have a pantry in your Conference, are you allowed to change the shopping list, for example, in the past a family of 6+ could receive 10 canned goods and then reduced to eight; plus, other items were also reduced on the sheet?

A:  This is a local issue and should be addressed to local leaders.  However, the reality is that, when you are providing food to individuals, you want the meals to be nutritious and well-balanced; and it doesn’t hurt to customize the manner in which food is given to families in need.

 Q: The President has appointed an assistant pantry manager who is not Catholic.  This manager has virtually become the main person in this operation which is, by far, the biggest activity of the Conference.  Is it okay for an associate member to take such a position?

A: It is not a problem for an associate member to become a pantry manager.  An associate member can do a lot in Conferences, but it does not give them extra authority for Conference decision making.  Decision making is done by active Conference members only.  Also, keep in mind that associate members do not vote as do full members who must be Catholic.

P: Si tiene un almacén de alimentos en su Conferencia, ¿les es permitido cambiar la lista de compras?, por ejemplo, en el pasado una familia de 6+ podía recibir 10 productos enlatados y luego reducirlos a ocho; Además, ¿también se redujeron otros elementos en la hoja?

R: Este es un problema local y debe ser dirigido a los líderes locales.  Sin embargo, la realidad es que, cuando se proporciona comida a las personas, se quiere que las comidas sean nutritivas y bien equilibradas; Y no está de más personalizar la forma en que se da la comida a las familias con necesidades.

P: El Presidente ha nombrado a una persona que no es católico, como asistente del administrador del almacén de alimentos.  Esta persona se ha convertido prácticamente en la persona principal de esta operación que es, con mucho, la mayor actividad de la Conferencia.  ¿Está bien que un miembro asociado ocupe esa posición?

R: No es un problema que un miembro asociado se convierta en administrador de despensa.  Un miembro asociado puede hacer mucho en las Conferencias, pero eso no le da autoridad adicional para la toma de decisiones de la Conferencia.  La toma de decisiones la realizan únicamente los miembros activos de la Conferencia.  Además, tenga en cuenta que los miembros asociados no votan como lo hacen los miembros de pleno derecho que deben ser católicos.

 

  • admin

Contemplation: Stop Talking, Start Doing
Contemplation: Stop Talking, Start Doing 800 800 admin

By Timothy Williams, Senior Director of Formation and Leadership Development 

In his encyclical, Fratelli Tutti, Pope Francis discusses the example of the Good Samaritan, who most importantly is the one who stops, who bends down to help. The Holy Father exhorts us to “not remain mired in theoretical discussions, but touch the wounded flesh of the victims.” [FT, 261] Yet in our Conferences as in our lives, we do sometimes allow ourselves to spend a great deal of time discussing and identifying problems; time that often could be better spent actually doing something about them.

Emmanuel Bailly, the President of the first Conference, and the first President-General of the Society, warned of this very danger in an 1842 Circular Letter, calling it a “great danger” if we were to carry on long discussions “upon charity instead of being satisfied with doing its deeds… our Society is one of action, it should do much and talk little…” [Bailly, Circ. Ltr. Dec 1842] To be sure, Bailly acknowledged that there is a place for discussion, but is in acting that we maintain the primitive spirit of the Society to which Frédéric so urgently calls us.

“Only one thing,” he wrote, “could hinder and destroy us: the adulteration of our primitive spirit … a verbose philanthropy more eager to talk than to act, or again bureaucracies which impede our march by multiplying our machinery.” [310, to Amélie, 1841] Instead of getting mired in debates and bureaucracy, Frédéric taught, we are called to “do all the good we can, and trust to God for the rest.” [Baunard, 81]

We become by doing, Aristotle taught. It is our works of charity, not our elaborate plans for it, that move us along our pathway towards holiness. Frédéric points out not only the perils of discussion that delays action, but discussion that praises our actions, or seeks publicity for them, what he called “the pharisaism that sounds the trumpet before it…” [Ibid] He calls out “the expansive zeal of certain new colleagues who go about singing everywhere the praises of our infant work,” explaining that “their inflated reports render us suspect to the ones and ridiculous in the eyes of the others. It has been prophesied that publicity will be the death of us.” [160 To Lallier, 1837]

This is not a call to secrecy, but to humility. Our good works will become known by their goodness, not by our boasting. At the same time, while “warning against habitual publicity,” Bailly wrote, “we carefully except all projects, attempts and methods for affording our suffering brethren more rapid, certain and abundant relief.” In other words, “to show many methods of assisting the indigent” must not be publicity for our benefit or credit but can be another way to serve the poor. [Bailly, Circ. Ltr. Dec 1842]

When the seventy-two returned from the mission on which Christ had sent them, he warned them not to rejoice at their works, but at their salvation. Similarly, we are called to act, but to act in humility, and to reflect not on our great accomplishments, but on our growth in holiness through our works.

Contemplate

Do I sometimes spend more time discussing problems than I spend doing something about them?

Recommended Reading

Mystic of Charity

 

Contemplación : Deja de Hablar Comienza a Hacer 

Traducción de Sandra Joya

En su encíclica Fratelli Tutti, el Papa Francisco discute el ejemplo del Buen Samaritano, quién lo más importante es el que se detiene.el que se agacha para ayudar. El Santo Padre nos exhorta a “”no quedarnos atrapados en discusiones teóricas, sino a tocar la carne herida de las victimas”” ( FT, 261) Sin embargo en nuestras Conferencias y en nuestras vidas, a veces permitimos que se nos pase mucho tiempo discutiendo e identificando problemas, tiempo que a menudo podría aprovecharse mejor haciendo algo al respecto.

Emmanuel Bailly, el Presidente de la Primera Conferencia y el primer Presidente General de la Sociedad, advirtió sobre este peligro en una Carta Circular de 1842, calificandolo de “” gran peligro “” si nos dedicaramos a largas discusiones “” sobre la caridad en lugar de contentarnos en hacer sus obras….nuestra Sociedad es una de acción, debe de hacer mucho y hablar poco”” ….( Bailly, circ.Ltr. Dic.1842) Sin duda, Bailly reconoció que hay lugar para la discusión, pero es en la acción donde mantenemos el espíritu primitivo de la Sociedad al que Frédéric nos llama con urgencia.

“”Sólo una cosa”” escribió, “” podría impedirnos y destruirnos la adulteración de nuestro espiritu primitivo…una filantropía verbosa más ansiosa de hablar que de actuar,o bien burocracias que obstaculizan nuestra marcha, multiplicando nuestras maquinarias”” ( 310 a Amelie, 1741) En lugar de quedar atrapados en debates y burocracia, enseñó Frédéric, estamos llamados a “” hacer todo el bien que podamos y confiar en Dios por lo demás “” ( Baunard, 71)

Aristóteles enseñó que nos convertimos actuando. Son nuestras obras de caridad,no nuestros planes elaborados para ella, las que nos mueven a lo largo de nuestro camino hacia la santidad. Frédéric señala no sólo los peligros de la discusión, que retraza la acción, sino también la discusión que alaba nuestras acciones,o busca publicidad para ellas,, lo que él llamó “” el fariseismo que suena la trompeta antes de ella.. “” (lbid) Llama la atención sobre “” el celo expansivo de ciertos nuevos compañeros, que van por todas partes cantando las alabanzas de nuestra obra naciente””, explicando que “” sus informes inflados nos hacen sospechosos ante unos y ridículos ante otros. Se ha profetizado qye la publicidad será nuestra perdición ( 160 A Lallier, 1837)

Esto no es un llamado al secreto sino a la humildad. Nuestras buenas serán conocidas por su bondad no por nuestra jactancia. Al mismo tiempo, mientras “” advertía contra la publicidad habitual”” escribió Bailly, “” excepcionalmente,exceptuamos todos los proyectos,intentos, y métodos para ofrecer a nuestros hermanos sufrientes un alivio más rápido, cierto y abundante”” En otras palabras, “” mostrar muchos métodos para asistir a los indigentes”” no debe ser publicidad para nuestro beneficio o crédito, sino una forma más de servir a los pobres. ( Bailly, Circ.Ltr. Dic.1842)

Cuando los setenta y dos regresaron de la misión en la que Cristo los había enviado, él les advirtió que no se alegrarán de sus obras, sino de su salvación. De manera similar. estamos llamados a actuar, pero a actuar con humildad, y a reflexionar no sobre nuestros grandes logros, sino sobre nuestro crecimiento en santidad a través de nuestras obras.

Contemplar 

¿ A veces paso más tiempo discutiendo problemas que haciendo algo al respecto?

  • admin

Haiti Daughters of Charity Thank You
Haiti Daughters of Charity Thank You 289 269 admin

Dear Benefactor Friends,

We are entering a new liturgical year, inviting us to reflect on the great mystery of God, who leans toward humanity by sending His Son, Jesus, made man, to give us the fullness of true life. Pope Francis is proposing a year of prayer and a journey of hope for the Holy Year 2025. The Advent season is a time of Hope, grounded in faith in God, who is love. The most beautiful proof of this love is the Father sending Jesus and Jesus’ self-gift on the cross for the salvation of humanity. Let us be pilgrims of hope, following in Christ’s footsteps and, in imitation of Him, proclaim to our brothers and sisters the boundless love of His heart.

This past year has brought many blessings and challenges to our land of Haiti, where we are witnessing the exodus of a people sinking deeper into social instability. Yet, this people lives in hope, believing that one day the light will shine brightly!

Let us pray for all the children, youth, adults, and elderly who live in suffering and uncertainty. Our presence among them is a sign of hope, supporting their daily efforts. Let us be attentive to our brothers and sisters around us, offering them a word, a gesture of closeness, or material aid. For them, these are manifestations of God’s tenderness, bending to hear the cries of the afflicted.

Your timely contributions in aid of Haiti are not in vain. On the contrary, they are drops of water that increase the sea of solidarity with this people.

Dear Benefactor Friends, be assured of our prayers for you and for all your loved ones. Receive the best wishes of our brothers and sisters living in poverty for the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

May God fill you with grace and blessings forever.

The Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul

https://members.ssvpusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Haiti-Thank-You-Images.docx

COMPAGNIE

Chers Amis bienfaiteurs.

Nous voici à une nouvelle année liturgique qui nous invite à réfléchir sur le grand mystère de Dieu qui se penche sur l`humanité en envoyant son Fils Jésus fait homme pour nous donner la plénitude de la vraie vie. Le Pape François nous propose une année de prière et un parcours d`espérance pour l`année sainte 2025. Le temps de l`Avent est le temps de l’Espérance fondée dans la foi en Dieu qui est amour. La preuve la plus belle de cet amour est l`envoi de Jésus par le Père et le don de Jésus sur la croix pour le salut des hommes. Soyons pèlerins d`espérance, mettons nos pas dans ceux du Christ et à son imitation, annonçons à nos frères et sœurs tout l`amour de son cœur.

Cette année qui s’achève, nous a porté pas mal de choses bonnes et moins bonnes dans notre terre d`Haïti où nous sommes en train de vivre un exode d’un peuple qui va de mal en pire dans une instabilité sociale ; et pourtant ce peuple vit dans l’espérance qu’un jour on verra briller la lumière !

Prions pour tous les enfants, les jeunes, adultes et personnes âgées qui vivent dans la souffrance et l`incertitude de vie. Notre présence au milieu d`eux est un signe d’espérance les soutenant dans leurs efforts quotidiens disant nos frères et sœurs qui vivent autour de nous. Leur offrir une parole, un geste de proximité, une aide matérielle est pour eux la tendresse de Dieu qui se penche aux cris des malheureux.

Votre apport ponctuel d’aide en faveur d`Haïti n`est pas vain, au contraire ce sont des gouttes d’eau qui font augmenter le volume de la mer de solidarité avec ce peuple.

Chers Amis bienfaiteurs, soyez assurés de nos prières pour vous et pour tous ceux qui vous sont chers ; Recevez les souhaits les meilleurs de nos frères et sœurs les pauvres pour les festivités de Noel et du nouvel An.

Que Dieu vous comble de grâce et de bénédictions à jamais.

Les Filles de la Charité de St Vincent de Paul

 

  • admin

12-12-24 Weekly Questions & Answers
12-12-24 Weekly Questions & Answers 1200 628 admin

Q: Some of our Conferences receive donations in the form of gift cards to supermarkets and places like Target which they then distribute to friends in need during Christmas. These gift cards have cash value, and so I am thinking the Conference treats them as such. Should they be reported under 5E: Other-Misc. Receipts?

A: No. The gifts cards received as donations would be treated as in-kind. When they are distributed, they have a specific value for the purpose for which you give them (food, clothing, etc.). They are not cash so they would not be treated as 5E. They cannot be deposited to your account and show up in the balancing of your accounts.

 Q:  Can a person be registered in one parish and belong to a SVDP conference of another parish?

A: Yes, a person can be registered in one parish and belong to a SVdP Conference at another. The Rule does not require Vincentian members to belong to the parish in which they worship.

P: Algunas de nuestras Conferencias reciben donaciones en forma de tarjetas de regalo para supermercados y lugares como Target, que después las distribuyen a los prójimos en necesidad durante la Navidad. Estas tarjetas de regalo tienen un valor en efectivo, por lo que creo que la Conferencia las trata como tales. Se deberían de reportar bajo la sección 5E: Otros-Misceláneos. ¿Ingresos?

R: No. Las tarjetas de regalo recibidas como donaciones se tratarán como en especie. Cuando se distribuyen, tienen un valor específico para el uso que usted lo entrega (comida, ropa, etc.). No son en efectivo, por lo que no se tratarían como 5E. No se pueden depositar en su cuenta y no aparecen en el saldo de sus cuentas.

P: ¿Puede una persona estar registrada en una parroquia y pertenecer a una Conferencia SVDP de otra parroquia?

R: Sí, una persona puede estar inscrita en una parroquia y pertenecer a una Conferencia de SVdP en otra. La Regla no exige que los miembros Vicentinos pertenezcan a la parroquia en la que practican su culto.

Helping Others Serve the Poor
Helping Others Serve the Poor 1198 1198 admin

Helping Others Serve the Poor

Excerpted from Vincentian Life: Conference

When someone considers reaching out to help the poor and calls the parish office for a contact person or organization, the name given is usually someone involved in the St. Vincent de Paul Conference.  Why?  It is because they are active, visible and available.  They are the ones to contact who will channel the desire to serve or volunteer in the right direction.  For it is by our visibility within the parish community, not our anonymity, that we help others come to serve the poor.

AT THE CONFERENCE LEVEL

BEING ACTIVE

Active Members of the Society are actively involved in the works of the Conference, and at least knowledgeable if not involved in the work of the District and Diocesan Councils.  We’ve all heard the phrase, “If you want something done, ask a busy person.”  That busy person may not be able to help, but he or she usually will know where to send someone to get help.

BEING VISIBLE

Each of us, regardless of the talents God has given us, can be a leader.  We lead by example.  Even the most introverted among us can lead by doing – doing the Conference food and clothing drives, bundle Sundays, Christmas programs and all the other activities that the parish Conference is involved with.

Through the parish bulletin let your fellow parishioners know what you are doing and how you are serving the poor.  This gives others’ ideas on how they can help.  Monthly news items in the parish bulletin about Conference activities are recommended.  Monthly news items, consistently appearing over several years, begin to make a lasting impression.

Give the people in your parish a name (a person to contact) or a telephone number (office or Conference number – not a member’s personal number) and repeat that often.  If you have a good thing going (and we do), tell the world.  People like to join an organization that is active, with lots of things happening.

You also need to make known the needs of the Society as well as the Conference, along with the opportunity to help the poor.  We have a message of hope for the poor.  We also have a way to help, for those who aren’t poor.

BEING AVAILABLE

To be available is to make a great gift – the gift of your time.  The work of the Society is, according to the Rule, subordinate to your commitments within your family and job.  So, your “available” time comes out of your recreation or “fun” time, and that’s the sacrifice.

Many Conference members are available to the poor but aren’t willing to talk about what they do for others.  Some of us aren’t instinctively saleswomen and salesmen, but we must all become communicators.  There are people in the parish and outside world who want to know what, why, where and how of what we do.  We need to tell them.  Everything we do requires volunteers to make it work and enthusiasm to make it happen.  Once others hear about these things, they too can be a part of it.

AT THE UPPER COUNCIL LEVEL

The work of the Society often meshes with the objectives of other groups, even commercial organizations.  Mutually beneficial activities can be scheduled that serve the needs of these groups and the poor at the same time.  Even activities which appear self-serving (e.g., the professional athlete showing up to serve in a charity dining room) can have many beneficial effects.  The poor can thrill to see the star, and the athlete can have his heart touched by what he sees and begin to take a deeper interest in the poor and the work of the Society.

Other community groups, such as those dealing with domestic violence, can find their efforts flower when they join with the Society to serve those who are suffering.  In a synergistic effect, Vincentians are able to do their work better and more productively while the other groups can extend their assistance into more troubled homes.

Contacts with CEOs or large business interests are probably out of the reach of the average Conference.  However, if that CEO or business executive is a member of your parish community or a personal friend, who knows what can be achieved?

Who knows what initial contact got Eddie Basha (owner of a food store chain), Bill Keane (popular cartoonist), Joe Garagiola (baseball player and commentator) or Mohammed Ali (champion boxer) involved with the Society?  Perhaps it was simply a Vincentian enthusiastically talking about our work with someone they knew only as a friend or neighbor.

Leadership by example.  Active.  Visible.  Available.   You can do all four.

12-5-24 Weekly Questions & Answers
12-5-24 Weekly Questions & Answers 1200 628 admin

Q: I have a store committee that wants to fundraise in the community, so they can have a Christmas party for employees and volunteers. It does not sound right to me, but I want to make sure that I am not being too conservative, and I say no to something that is not against any Rule or standards. I need guidance. 

A: As long as the community knows that the fundraising is for a Christmas party for employees and volunteers it is okay to do so, so long as funds are not collected for another purpose and then used for a Christmas party.  We must be very careful with this because then it looks like SVdP is collecting money to serve ourselves (employees & volunteers). No fundraising is acceptable under false pretenses.  As always, use your best judgement.

 Q: We are getting ready for a small fundraising campaign and in our advertising, we want to use the SVdP logo in a special way.  What restrictions are there on its use?

A: In 2006, the National Council passed Resolution number: 12-2-2005/6 11 assigning its Chief Executive Officer with the task of approving special uses of the SVdP Logo.  The National Council’s Brand Guidelines document describes the preferred uses and color for the Logo.  Basically, the logo design itself can’t be changed, and nothing else in a larger design can touch the logo. We recommend you draft how the logo will be used and submit it to the national Chief Executive Officer for review and approval.  This should not significantly delay the project.

P: Tengo un comité de tienda que quiere recaudar fondos en la comunidad, para los que los empleados y voluntarios puedan tener una fiesta de Navidad.  No me parece correcto, pero quiero asegurarme de que no estoy siendo demasiado conservador y digo que no a algo que no va en contra de ninguna regla o pauta. Necesito orientación.

R: Siempre y cuando la comunidad sepa que la recaudación de fondos es para una fiesta de Navidad para los empleados y voluntarios, está bien hacerlo, siempre y cuando los fondos no se colecten para otro propósito y luego se utilicen para una fiesta de Navidad.  Debemos tener mucho cuidado con esto, porque daríamos la impresión de que SVdP está recolectando dinero para servirnos a nosotros mismos (empleados y voluntarios). Ninguna recaudación de fondos es aceptable bajo pretensiones inciertas.  Como siempre, use su mejor criterio.

 P: Nos estamos preparando para una pequeña campaña de recaudación de fondos. En nuestra publicidad, queremos utilizar el logotipo de SVdP de una manera especial.  ¿Qué restricciones existen para su uso?

R: En 2006, el Consejo Nacional aprobó la Resolución número: 12-2-2005/6 11 asignando a su Director Ejecutivo la tarea de aprobar los usos especiales del Logotipo de SVdP.  También hay un documento que proviene de la Oficina del Consejo Nacional titulado “Manual de Identidad” que describe los usos preferidos y el color del Logotipo.  Básicamente, el diseño del logotipo en sí no se puede cambiar, y nada más en un diseño más grande puede tocar el logotipo. La recomendación es redactar el borrador de cómo se utilizará el logotipo y presentarlo al Director Ejecutivo Nacional para su revisión y aprobación.  Esto no debería retrasar significativamente el proyecto.

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

CONTACT US
ABOUT SVDP USA

The National Council of the United States, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Inc. is a non-profit organization under section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code. Donations to the National Council are deductible. The Council’s tax identification number is 13-5562362.

No Surprises Act/Transparency in Coverage information for the National Council is available here.

CONNECT WITH US

© 2025 by National Council of the United States Society of St. Vincent de Paul

Search
the Website
Privacy Preferences

When you visit our website, it may store information through your browser from specific services, usually in the form of cookies. Here you can change your Privacy preferences. It is worth noting that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our website and the services we are able to offer.

Click to enable/disable Google Analytics tracking code.
Click to enable/disable Google Fonts.
Click to enable/disable Google Maps.
Click to enable/disable video embeds.
Our website uses cookies, mainly from 3rd party services. Define your Privacy Preferences and/or agree to our use of cookies.
Skip to content