news

The first Apostolic Exhortation from Pope Leo XIV entitled Dilexi Te (“I Have Loved You”) is greeted with the utmost joy and appreciation by our 81,000 members of The Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA (SVdPUSA).

The vision outlined by the Holy Father to serve the poor with love and compassion is not only the call of the Gospel, it has been our mission as Vincentians each day in the U.S. and 155 countries since our founding in 1833 in Paris, France.

More than a century ago, Leo XIII began a new tradition in Catholic Social Doctrine, connecting the church’s timeless teaching directly to contemporary circumstances and realities, and reminding the world that although the face of poverty may change, our duty to the poor does not.

More recently, Pope Francis emphatically reminded us that the Church cannot be separated from the poor. The mission of the Church, he said, must always be to embrace the most vulnerable with Christ’s love by meeting their individual material needs, while diligently working to improve societal and governmental systems and structures to lessen the gap between rich and poor.

Pope Leo XIV now continues this tradition with a perceptive and bold exhortation that inspires us to see the face of Christ in each person we encounter. Pope Leo is encouraging and even demanding that each of us take action in our own neighborhoods and communities to improve the lives of our brothers and sisters as we care for them as our neighbor.

At The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, we do this every day through our one-on-one encounters, our shelters and food banks, our work with those leaving prison, our advocacy efforts in Washington, D.C. and state capitals, and so many other programs.

It is in these ways that Vincentians live the Beatitudes and will continue to answer the call of the Holy Father in his first Apostolic Exhortation, Dilexi Te.  

# # #

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul was represented by four Vincentians – Mark Warren of New Jersey, Myron Hubbard of Chicago, Ill., Bruce Steward of Houston, Texas, and Bernard Onwuemelie of Detroit, Mich. – at the Fr. Chester P. Smith National Black Catholic Men’s Conference in New Orleans, La. on September 4-7, 2025. The theme for the conference was “The Forge” taken from Matthew 28:19-20. The Conference Mass was celebrated by Most Reverend Gregory M. Aymond, Archbishop of New Orleans.

Malachi Williams, a St. Augustine High School senior, opened the conference with a rousing address followed by a standing ovation. He reminded the attendees that “every time they fall down, every time they feel broken, and every time they ask when is this tough time going to end, just remember that every time He woke you up and sent you on your way, that was Him telling you, ‘I will keep on making a way.’”

More than 250 men heard keynote speakers and shared in multiple workshops designed to strengthen their spirituality and empower them to make a difference. The youth in attendance experienced a dynamic workshop entitled “Building Young Black Men’s Leadership Identity, Capacity, and Efficacy.”

Throughout the conference the attendees visited the SVdP booth and received literature promoting the Society. The Multicultural Diversity Committee will are following up with attendees who requested additional information.

Architects of Hope

This week has been a whirlwind for me.  I woke up early Sunday morning in Washington, D.C., and got ready for my first Red Mass.

The chief celebrant was Robert Cardinal McElroy, Archbishop of Washington D.C. Concelebrating were: Cardinal Christophe Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States; Archbishop Timothy Broglio, Archbishop for the Military Services, USA and President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops; Bishop Michael Burbidge and retired Bishop Paul Loverde of the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia; Washington Auxiliary Bishops Roy Campbell Jr. and Juan Esposito; and twelve priests.

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and three other justices were also scheduled to attend.  I was so excited until my Uber ride pulled up to the Cathedral of St. Matthew of the Apostle, and to my surprise there were Capital Police, Secret Service, and other law enforcement all around the Cathedral.

I wasn’t sure what was going on in the chaos outside, so I called Paula Gwynn Grant, our new National Senior Director of Communications. She told me that there had been a bomb threat.

As you can imagine, with all the recent attacks in our country, many thoughts were going through our minds – but we were there to represent the National Council, and I’m so glad we did!

We met Paula in the middle of the church, and she led us to our seats. As we passed pew after pew, we realized she was guiding us all the way to the very front – the first pew. There we were, seated front and center for this most important liturgy.

Unfortunately, due to the credible but contained threat, the Chief Justice and other justices were diverted from attending. So yes – we found ourselves sitting in their seats. Law enforcement assured us that we were safe, but still, there we were, front and center, just feet away from Cardinal McElroy and all the celebrants.

Cardinal McElroy gave a powerful homily with the theme, “Architects of Hope,” based on the Jubilee’s theme. In his Homily, the Cardinal shared that his father was an attorney for 40 years.

As I listened, I thought about how Blessed Frederic Ozanam would embrace the Cardinal’s call for all of us to become architects of hope. The Cardinal stated, “Hope. It is the conviction that in our moments of greatest suffering in our lives God will stand by us always. It represents an overwhelming impulse in the depths of the human heart that does not obscure the suffering of the present or past, but finds in them chapters of grace and, with courage, a foundation for a new future…

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that hope orients us to the order of justice, peace and charity, leading us away from selfishness. ‘It keeps the human person from discouragement; it sustains him during times of abandonment; it opens up his heart in expectation of eternal (joy).’

Hope is not the belief that everything always comes out all right. That is merely optimism. True Christian hope is rooted in the intimate and caring accompaniment of our God, walking with us…

As this Red Mass invites us to reflect upon the realities of suffering and hope in our personal lives, so it calls us to recognize the landscape of adversity and hope that faces us in our nation today. And it invites us to do so precisely by affirming the mandate that men and women of the law are architects of hope by reason of their vocation.”

Cardinal McElroy continued saying, “Catholic social teaching underscores that healthy governmental, cultural, religious and economic institutions are essential for the accomplishment of the common good and the service for all in the world in which we live. Two elements are vital to accomplishing such health today…

The Scriptures point unswervingly to the need to keep the poor and the powerless at the forefront of our thoughts and actions. For in every social and economic system they are disproportionately shut out from the rights and privileges that are vital to their well-being.”

He concluded by challenging all in attendance to, “take up the challenge to be true architects of hope, in this land, at this moment, in God’s grace.”

This past Tuesday, National President John Berry, Paul “Korky” Korkemaz, Mid-Atlantic Region Vice President, Anthony Bosnick, Archdiocesan Council President of Washington, D.C., and I had a great meeting with Cardinal McElroy. We discussed our impact as architects of hope in our work in the Archdiocese and throughout the country.

In the meeting, the Cardinal shared with us his positive experiences in the past with the Society.  He even shared a home visit that he made with Vincentians to a family that desperately needed us for the hope, love and care we provide – especially the children. He expressed his gratitude for our work and provided guidance on how we could expand our ministry.

Earlier today, our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV released the exhortation, “Dilexi te” (I Have Loved You).  Our ministry and Vincentian vocation put into action the Holy Father’s vision of sharing Christ’s love and hope with those we are blessed to serve.

Thank you for your commitment and dedication to our Vincentian call to seek and find the forgotten, suffering, and deprived.

Best wishes in Christ,

Michael

Do The Good That Presents Itself

“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction.” (James 1:27)

Sometimes the greatest moments of mercy begin with small, everyday choices, the knock on a neighbor’s door, a loaf of bread delivered, a prayer whispered for someone alone. Recently I watched a volunteer gently listen to an elderly neighbor describe her loneliness. In that quiet moment, the Spirit was as present as in any cathedral. For us, this is Vincentian Spirituality alive: a faith that gets its hands dirty. Vincentian Spirituality is not just an idea reserved for theological textbooks; it is the fuel that keeps us running when the “low fuel” light has been blinking for quite some time.

As National President, I find myself continually grateful for the gifts our Vincentian tradition offers us, just as it has for two centuries, and even back to the days of St. Vincent de Paul himself. It strengthens us and shapes us, calling us to face adversity together, rooted in faith, animated by love, and driven by action. I admit there are days I feel like I am a GPS recalculating routes through road closures and mystery detours of life. Maybe you, like me, have felt like that GPS, always recalculating, never quite sure of the way. But our Vincentian tradition promises that whatever the detour, God walks with us and hands us a map. A map that never goes out of date. Inspired by Vincent’s compassion and Ozanam’s vision, Vincentians bring hope to troubled times by turning faith into fearless action.

A Legacy Born from Trouble

When the Society of St. Vincent de Paul was founded in 1833, Frédéric Ozanam and his companions were young, impassioned, and confronted with a difficult world. Paris was rife with poverty, economic uncertainty, and the aftershocks of revolution. The founding members, challenged to match Christian words with deeds, found themselves at a crossroads. Their answer? To step out into the streets, to visit the poor personally, to let service be their response to a world longing for hope. Their faith wasn’t theoretical, it was tested, prodded, and (often I think) challenged by the world they saw around them. Fortunately, Ozanam and his friends understood that faith is a verb; it acts, visits, listens, and walks into uncomfortable places, even if it sometimes stumbles over cobblestones along the way.

Their answer was practical and elegant: serve the poor, meet Christ in the forgotten, and if you drop a loaf of bread on the way, pick it up and keep going. Vincentian Spirituality encouraged them, even in a world that sometimes looked more chaotic than compassionate, to “do the good that presents itself,” knowing God was walking with them.

The Vincentian Mode

This fierce, practical hope springs from our patron, St. Vincent de Paul. Living in 17th-century France, Vincent experienced more than his share of trouble; wars, plagues, famine, and the soul-crushing poverty of both body and spirit. He faced personal adversity, including enslavement and loss. Yet what Vincent learned was that God’s will is revealed not just in quiet moments of prayer, but also in the urgent needs of the day. In 1617, he discovered a family near starvation in Châtillon, an event he later described as a spiritual turning point. Vincent rushed to the pulpit, inspired parishioners to act, and soon the family was cared for and a ministry had begun. Vincent discovered God in the faces of the poor, and as he liked to remind people, “Go to the poor: you will find God.”

Vincent was a man of deep prayer, but he was also a person of action. He looked at every crisis as a chance to respond with both compassion and competence. When children were abandoned, he rescued them; when prisoners languished, he consoled and advocated for them; when the sick suffered, he organized care. For Vincent, holiness meant rolling up his sleeves and moving toward the places where pain and uncertainty were thickest, always with trust in God’s loving guidance. Vincent believed serious work was best done with a joyful, even playful, heart. One letter brims with self-effacing humor: “To speak truly of me, you would have to say that I am a farmer’s son, who tended swine and cows, and add that this is nothing compared to my ignorance and malice.” If St. Vincent could laugh at himself, surely, we can see the light side of our own tangled efforts at charity

Virtues for Uncertain Times

The strengths of Vincentian Spirituality are human, really, and are especially relevant today. Selflessness, zeal, humility, simplicity, and gentleness, none are reserved for saints alone. Each of these virtues has proven to be more than mere ideals; they are strength for the long journey, especially when external circumstances seem overwhelming.

If you have ever shown up to a visit with your shirt inside out or explained “the Society” to someone who thought you were selling home insurance, you’re sharing in the humility and humor of our founders. Gentleness and joy are not optional extras; they are the signs of God’s Spirit alive in us.

Action Is Our Spirituality

We Vincentians know that spirituality leaps from reflection to action, especially when the world spins sideways. One of the most beautiful aspects of our Vincentian tradition is this, the insistence that spirituality and action are intertwined. “Do the good that presents itself.” This directive grounds us, even as it lifts our sights toward God. We are called to holiness, yes, but holiness that feels the needs of others and moves us to do something about it. It means looking for opportunities to serve, especially when things seem most uncertain. The good that presents itself is rarely tidy. The work, visiting the lonely, stocking food pantry shelves, cooking meals, listening with patience (or, at least, a smile) is sacred, even when the details are messy.

As times change, so too do the faces of need: the lonely elderly, children suffering from addiction, refugees, new families living on the margins. The specifics evolve, but our call does not. St. Vincent believed that God’s providence is continually revealed through the events unfolding around us, and that, often, the “good that presents itself” is not glamorous or easy. It is found in listening, comforting, advocating, and quietly standing by someone who feels alone.

Our Shared Journey

Whether responding to disasters, shopping for groceries on a budget rivaling St. Vincent’s, or offering prayer and presence, the Vincentian spirit carries us through. In an age of uncertainty, it’s tempting to hang a “closed for repairs” sign. Instead, we check our shoes for mud, wipe our brow, and trust Christ to meet us on the threshold, smiling at our efforts, loving us through every fumble and flourish.

For us, in a world torn by violence, upheaval, and division, it is easy to feel overwhelmed by the nightly news or the uncertainty rippling through our communities. Yet Vincentian charity offers another way. Rather than meeting confrontation with more confrontation, we ground ourselves in compassion, dialogue, and hope-filled action. St. Vincent understood that violence begins where love is absent, so our vocation is to bring love to the places the world forgets. As Vincentians, we respond not with resignation but with the courage to build communities of care, humbly listen, and stand as peaceful witnesses, showing that Christian love, lived boldly and practically, has the power to heal even the deepest wounds of our time.

Even as chaos swirls around us, threatening to pull our hearts into fear or despair, our Vincentian calling gently reminds us that hope is not blind optimism but deep trust in God’s presence amid the storm. The Gospel dares us to believe that God is still at work, even and especially when life looks most uncertain. Moved by this hope, we refuse to be paralyzed by anxiety. Instead, we step forward in faith and serve with compassion. Small acts of kindness become seeds of renewal, gentle words become anchors of calm, and our hands and hearts bring Christ’s light into the world. In this way, we help transform confusion into community, sadness into solidarity, and uncertainty into action rooted in hope.

So, let us not grow weary. Let us keep returning to prayer, to service, to joy, and yes, even to holy laughter. It is, perhaps, how we know Christ is present: when we love well, serve faithfully, and can still come together, look back on our work, and grin at the wonderful, wild journey God has given us.

We are bound together across time and place, from the streets of Paris in 1833 to the kitchens and porches of America today, from the war-torn villages of 1600s France to the homes and hearts found in Anytown, USA this very moment. By a spirituality that is best lived in service, best expressed in compassion, and best sustained by trusting in Divine Providence.

Thank you for journeying with the Society. Thank you for living the Vincentian Spirit, especially when times are hard.  Let’s all commit to keep returning to prayer, to laughter, to the sturdy love that binds us. This is how we preach the Gospel, not just in words, but with sleeves rolled up and smiles shared at supper’s end.

May we meet God in every humble act of service today. May we each continue to find in our tradition the courage, faith, and practical hope our communities so deeply need.

Peace and God’s blessings,

John

Rome, 27 September 2025

To the members of the Vincentian Family

Communicating the charism and spirituality of Saint Vincent de Paul: a legacy that never fades

Dear members of the Vincentian Family,

May the grace and peace of Jesus be always with us!

Each year, the Solemnity of Saint Vincent de Paul is a special moment to rediscover his spiritual legacy, strengthen the bonds of communion within the Vincentian Family, and renew the missionary commitment that unites us.

Pope Francis, in his message of 11 December 2024, sent to me on the occasion of the commemoration of the fourth centenary of the foundation of the Congregation of the Mission, gave all of us a clear recommendation; namely, to persevere in the charism and spirituality lived by our Founder, Saint Vincent de Paul. In fact, the late Pontiff wrote that “it is fitting to reflect on the legacy of spirituality, apostolic zeal and pastoral care that Saint Vincent de Paul bequeathed to the universal Church.”

To reflect is to persevere. However, this action does not mean remaining “mummified” in practices, but rather interpreting the “signs of the times” in the light of the Gospel of Charity, which is God. Our charism, in fact, always refers us back to the concrete conditions, to the human contexts in which we are immersed, in order to build meaningful relationships where we are sent as witnesses of Love.

The charism, as Saint Vincent taught, requires each of us to interpret human situations in order to proclaim and live the Gospel, just as it obliges us to promote human development in an integral and concrete way. Only in this way can we be recognized as witnesses of Charity and, therefore, witnesses of the Love we have encountered and wish to proclaim.

In his life, Saint Vincent allowed himself to be surprised and moved by the newness of the Gospel, because he was capable of letting the face of Jesus present in the poor radically challenge him. Love thus became hope for something new, an active hope that puts the proclamation of the Gospel first, living it and then preaching it with words.

Saint Vincent presents himself to us as a man of hope because in his concrete actions he showed uncompromising faith in God, faith lived in the most marginal human situations, and he brought the fragrance of love where the abandonment of the poor spread its acrid smell. It is there that Vincent made hope active because he “got his hands dirty” with humanity and bore witness to the Truth.

The Mystic of Charity is still today the man of active hope, and all of us, members of the Vincentian Family, become like him, hands that serve, hearts that love. In a world marked by wars, injustice, and new forms of poverty, Saint Vincent reminds us that Christian hope is not escapism, but commitment. He invites us to believe that, even in the face of seemingly hopeless situations, charity can open new doors. Being Vincentians in today’s world means bringing hope that translates into service, capable of uniting faith and action, contemplation and social transformation.

Hope, faith, and love, as lived by Saint Vincent, are virtues to be lived and communicated everywhere and by every means. Recent Popes have reiterated this in their magisterium and have lived it through the use of the mass media, social networks, and every means of social communication.

We live in an age marked by the power of social communication: words, images, social networks, videos, podcasts, websites. All of this is not simply a neutral tool, but a real living environment, in which women and men of every culture meet, learn information, are formed, and sometimes even are hurt by distorted messages.

As members of the Vincentian Family, we are called to recognize this reality as a new frontier of evangelization and service. Saint Vincent used every means that Providence made available to him: letters, conferences, written reports, and networks of collaboration. Today, with the same boldness, we are sent to inhabit contemporary languages in order to communicate the beauty of the charism entrusted to us.

Over the centuries, the figure of our Founder has inspired numerous artistic and multimedia expressions: songs, musicals, plays, and films. Each era has sought to give voice and image to his life, to convey the appeal of his holiness and the relevance of his work. Among these productions, the film Monsieur Vincent occupies a special place, not only because it was one of the first major cinematographic attempts to tell the story of a saint, but above all because it captures his profound spirit, presenting Vincent not as an inaccessible hero, but as a man capable of transforming faith into action and charity into a way of life.

Monsieur Vincent is a classic French film from 1947, directed by Maurice Cloche, dedicated to the life of Saint Vincent de Paul, played by Pierre Fresnay, who converted to Catholicism during the filming of the movie. In 1949, it won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. Our confrere,

Father Celestino Fernández, in one of his studies, highlighted the two essential axes of the film:

• the holistic liberation of man (which is pleasantly surprising for its connection with post-conciliar theology and pastoral care regarding evangelization);
• the Incarnation, the foundation of all Christian

Between these two main axes, there are various themes: love, the Christian conception of the world, a selfish and unsupportive society as a terrible machine that produces poor and marginalized people, charity, justice, the faces of the Church, and the organization of charity.

LINK

Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/70042283

Plex: https://watch.plex.tv/movie/monsieur-vincent

JustWatch: https://www.justwatch.com/it/film/monsieur-vincent

JustWatch: https://www.justwatch.com/es/pelicula/monsieur-vincent

JustWatch: https://www.justwatch.com/fr/film/monsieur-vincent

JustWatch: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/monsieur-vincent

IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039632/

Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/film/monsieur-vincent/

Even today, the creativity of our Vincentian Family is still at work throughout the world and is enriched by various artistic and multimedia expressions, all of which deserve praise and support. I am pleased with this and thank all those who are involved in this field of missionary animation.

Even the General Curia of the Congregation of the Mission of Saint Vincent de Paul, on the occasion of the fourth centenary of the Foundation of the Congregation, together with the Italian Province of the Congregation of the Mission, produced a musical work entitled Fino alla fine. San Vincenzo de Paoli, messaggero e servo (Until the End: Saint Vincent de Paul, Messenger and Servant). The musical work was coordinated by Father Salvatore Farì, CM, with script and lyrics by Sister Rosanna Pitarresi, DC, and music and direction by Maestro Claudio Mantegna. It was produced by the musical group GM Music of Catania in collaboration with Bluverse Academy.

The work consists of: a prologue that quickly immerses us in the characteristics of today’s world; eight musical scenes introduced by a monologue by Vincent de Paul who tells us today about his life (his vocation, his mission, his service of the poor, his commitment to prisoners and to building peace), followed by a video clip with the musical piece that brings his message up to date; an epilogue in which, as successor to Saint Vincent, I invite the Missionaries, the Vincentian Family, friends, and young people to serve their brothers and sisters, to love them, to protect them… until the end.

LINK

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-jv4i5arPY&t=2913s

In the coming months, our Communications Office will distribute the script of the film and musical and an educational-pastoral guide to be used after viewing the film Monsieur Vincent and the musical Fino alla fine (Until the End) in the various settings where the Vincentian Family operates.

On this occasion, I am delighted to announce that a new film, Vincent (SAJE Production), will be released in 2028. I am certain that we will be presented with a masterpiece as a sign of continuity and an act of living memory: continuity, because Vincent’s mission continues to inspire the Church and the Vincentian Family throughout the world; living memory, because the film will be a tool for listening to Vincent’s voice again and allowing ourselves to be challenged by his example, in a language that is still capable of touching our minds and hearts today.

I encourage everyone to disseminate and promote these productions in communities, parishes, schools, missions, and works of the Vincentian Family as an opportunity for knowledge, formation, and prayer; to use them as missionary tools to reach out to young people, families, and those distant from the faith, showing them the beauty of a life given to God and to others; to experience the viewing of the productions as a community event that strengthens our sense of belonging and rekindles in us the flame of the spirituality and charism.

I entrust you to the intercession of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, Saint Vincent de Paul, and all the Saints, Blessed, and Servants of God of the Vincentian Family, so that we may be messengers and servants of the Gospel of charity.

Your brother in Saint Vincent,

Tomaž Mavrič, CM

September 25, 2025

Q: The definition of memberships is somewhat vague in the Manual. Does National have any additional guidelines on what constitutes a full voting member of a Conference, especially on how many meetings members need to attend to maintain active status?

A: The Rule, Part III, Statute 3 identifies clearly the membership types. There is nothing in the Rule that specifies who is eligible to vote. However, in the Nationally Approved Bylaws for Conferences, it states that each Active Member is entitled to one vote, and that vote must be cast in person. The Rule does say an Active Member must be Catholic, attend meetings on a regular basis, and provide person-to-person service to those in need. A true Active Member will make an effort to attend all meetings, will want to be with fellow Vincentians as often as possible and will attend the far majority of all meetings.

Q: When soliciting funds from various sources, who in the SVdP chain of command is authorized to sign contracts? Should a copy of this contract be filed with the District Council or Archdiocesan Council?

A: It is the holder of the EIN (District or (Arch)Diocesan Council) that should authorize contracts.  The owner of the EIN can authorize a specific person(s) such as the president and/or executive director to sign on behalf of the Council. A copy of the contract should be filed with the EIN Council owner. Your bylaws should also reflect signatory authority by person and amount limits.

P: La definición de membresías es algo vaga en el Manual. ¿La Oficina Nacional tiene alguna pauta adicional sobre lo que constituye un miembro con derecho a voto de una Conferencia, especialmente sobre cuántas reuniones deben asistir los miembros para mantener el estado activo?

R: La Regla, Parte III, Estatuto 3 identifica claramente los tipos de miembros. No hay nada en la Regla que especifique quién es elegible para votar. Sin embargo, en los Estatutos Aprobados a Nivel Nacional para las Conferencias, se establece que cada Miembro Activo tiene derecho a un voto, y ese voto debe ser emitido en persona. La Regla dice que un Miembro Activo debe ser católico, asistir a las reuniones de manera regular y brindar servicio personal a las personas en necesidad. Un verdadero Miembro Activo se esforzará por asistir a todas las reuniones, querrá estar con otros Vicentinos tan a menudo como sea posible y asistirá a la gran mayoría de todas las reuniones.

P: Al solicitar fondos de diversas fuentes, ¿quién en la cadena de mando de SVdP está autorizado a firmar contratos? ¿Se debe presentar una copia de este contrato ante el Consejo de Distrito o el Consejo Arquidiocesano?

R: Es el titular del EIN (Consejo Distrital o Diocesano) el que debe autorizar los contratos.  El propietario del EIN puede autorizar a una persona o personas específicas, como el Presidente y/o el Director Ejecutivo, para firmar en nombre del Consejo. Se debe presentar una copia del contrato ante el del Consejo propietario del EIN. Sus estatutos también deben reflejar la autoridad del firmante y los límites de cantidad.

Seeing Christ through Personal Encounter

Why did I join the Society of St Vincent de Paul, and why am I still a member?

Fifteen years ago, I was retiring from paid work and a friend of mine asked if I would consider joining the Society.  I had “new” free time, felt I had been blessed by God and wanted to give back in some small way – so  I said “yes.”  Little did I realize at the time how profoundly my life would be graced by that decision.

Most people join the Society for similar reasons as mine, but most stay because of the friendships they develop and how the Society helps us to grow spiritually.  That spiritual growth is fostered in the prayer and discussion during our conference meetings, and at gatherings with other Vincentians.  I recently returned from the Society’s annual National Assembly.  More than 800 Vincentians from around the country joined for several days of keynote presentations, workshops, and uplifting liturgies.  My soul is always refreshed by these gatherings.

Over the past 15 years, I’ve had the privilege of serving in local, regional and national servant leadership roles for the Society, but our home visits touch me the most. Over the years, I have visited hundreds of needy individuals and families in my local community of Peoria, Ill. Each case is unique, but beyond just helping people to pay a bill that keeps them housed, I am most touched by the personal encounter which brings us to see Christ in the faces of those we serve.

In one case, we visited a mother of two young boys.  She called for help with a utility bill.  We sought to understand how she got behind.  She worked as a night security watchman monitoring industrial properties in her car.  However, her tires were bald and kept getting flats which she had to repair.  It was winter, and her utility couldn’t be shut off for several months.  Since she had regular income and children, her tax refund would enable her to get fully paid up on her utilities, so we offered to instead put new tires on her car.  This more sustainable solution would never have come to light without spending time in a home visit.

More recently, a visit partner and I met with a 66-year-old woman with several emotional and physical disabilities who needed help with a part of her monthly rent. She’s lived in the same apartment for over 11 years, a remarkable achievement for her situation. She lives on fixed income and must walk or pay friends for a ride to get food or go to doctor appointments. While discussing how she got behind and what we might be able to do to help cover the small remaining rent she owed, it quickly became apparent that her greatest need was to be seen and heard.  We spent time talking about how she had become estranged from her out-of-state children, about her faith life and her church; and she took time to show us her small apartment and told us where each of her wall and table decorations came from. We prayed together for the grace to get through this immediate crisis and to thank God for the blessings she had.

It is these personal encounters that touch me most and keep me serving as a Vincentian.

Blessings,

Tom Pelger

National Vice President, Regional & Council Support