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  • Pam Hudson

ANNOUNCING OUR NEXT NATIONAL COUNCIL CEO
ANNOUNCING OUR NEXT NATIONAL COUNCIL CEO 964 1102 Pam Hudson

Dear Vincentian Brothers and Sisters,

After an extensive nationwide search led by executive search firm BoardWalk Consulting, I am thrilled to announce that the Society has chosen its next National CEO from our own St. Vincent de Paul USA family.

Michael Acaldo, the CEO of the Diocesan Council of Baton Rouge, is our new CEO of the National Council of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

A native of Baton Rouge, Michael has been a member of the Vincentian Family since 1990.

In his tenure with the Council of Baton Rouge, Michael has led that group to incredible growth. In 1991, he oversaw the founding of the Bishop Ott Shelter Program, which has since grown to five emergency shelters serving men, women, children, and families, and which provided more than 31,000 guest nights of shelter in 2023. In 1995, he helped establish the St. Vincent de Paul Community Pharmacy, the first SVdP Charitable Pharmacy in the nation. The Baton Rouge St. Vincent de Paul Dining Room served over 300,000 meals to neighbors in need in 2023. And if that weren’t enough, he’s also the creator, host, and executive producer of the SVdP Beacons of Light television show, which has been on the air since 2006.

Michael is well respected within the Society, and within the larger Catholic community. He has received various honors for his work with the Society in Baton Rouge, including receiving the Benemerenti Medal from Pope John Paul II in 2002 for service to the Catholic Church; serving as a John W. Barton, Sr. Fellow for excellence in community nonprofit leadership, also in 2002; being inducted into the Catholic High School Hall of Fame in 2009; and receiving the inaugural St. Joseph’s Cathedral Community Award in 2013.

Of his new role, Michael had this to say: “I feel so blessed and honored to be chosen for this leadership position during such an exciting time in our Society’s history. Our National Board’s launching of VisionSVdP focuses on listening to every voice in our Vincentian Family, which is so powerful! I believe that the Holy Spirit will speak through Vincentians around the country, and provide a roadmap for our bright future. Plus, I cannot wait to join our talented and dedicated National Staff in St. Louis.”

On a personal note, this is a great day for the Society. Michael has been a friend and a colleague for almost 20 years and I can say without hesitation that he is an amazing leader, a consummate professional, and the kind of visionary that the Society needs to help take us into the future. Michael has a deep commitment to the essential elements of spirituality, service, and friendship. The Board of Directors and I look forward to working with Michael.

Michael received both his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management and his Master of Business Administration from Louisiana State University. He and Paula, his wife of 32 years, are the proud parents of adult twin daughters. They are thrilled and looking forward to the arrival of their first grandchild this November.

  • Pam Hudson

The Best Fundraisers Listen
The Best Fundraisers Listen 1080 1080 Pam Hudson

By Mike Flynn, Advancement Committee

Fund-raising involves asking someone for money, maybe a person in an organization. But it isn’t just about asking a question. It is about initiating a conversation. And a conversation is about listening as well as talking.

The best salespeople listen. It is in listening that you understand the other person’s perspectives on the world and your community.

Ask questions that prompt the other person’s knowledge about the need you are looking to fund. There might be knowledge that comes from the media, or it might be from someone or people that the person knows.

With that understanding, you can portray the needs of the community and how St. Vincent de Paul helps. And you can do it in a way that is more likely to be heard.
Some people are more likely to be persuaded by data. Others by personal stories. That is where your understanding of the person you are speaking with comes in. You will be able to tailor your evidence of the need based on that conversation.

For those who are more convinced by data, share the need in terms of the numbers of people St. Vincent de Paul has helped in your archdiocese, district council, or conference. It is usually best to report numbers on an annual basis – by type of help and dollar amounts.

For those more convinced by stories, think of a person you might have helped in a home visit. Tell how you felt approaching the home, entering the home and meeting the neighbor in need. Describe the home, including all who are living there. Tell you came to understand the need and how St. Vincent de Paul helped. And tell about the role prayer took in the visit.

Then ask for the contribution that based on your conversation is appropriate and aspirational. Ultimately, you are raising funds for St. Vincent de Paul, funds that will be used to help fill the needs of our neighbors in need.

 

  • Pam Hudson

Announcing Our Next National Council CEO
Announcing Our Next National Council CEO 152 152 Pam Hudson

Dear Vincentian Brothers and Sisters,

After an extensive nationwide search led by executive search firm BoardWalk Consulting, I am thrilled to announce that the Society has chosen its next National CEO from our own St. Vincent de Paul USA family.

Michael Acaldo, the CEO of the Diocesan Council of Baton Rouge, is our new CEO of the National Council of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

A native of Baton Rouge, Michael has been a member of the Vincentian Family since 1990.

In his tenure with the Council of Baton Rouge, Michael has led that group to incredible growth. In 1991, he oversaw the founding of the Bishop Ott Shelter Program, which has since grown to five emergency shelters serving men, women, children, and families, and which provided more than 31,000 guest nights of shelter in 2023. In 1995, he helped establish the St. Vincent de Paul Community Pharmacy, the first SVdP Charitable Pharmacy in the nation. The Baton Rouge St. Vincent de Paul Dining Room served over 300,000 meals to neighbors in need in 2023. And if that weren’t enough, he’s also the creator, host, and executive producer of the SVdP Beacons of Light television show, which has been on the air since 2006.

Michael is well respected within the Society, and within the larger Catholic community. He has received various honors for his work with the Society in Baton Rouge, including receiving the Benemerenti Medal from Pope John Paul II in 2002 for service to the Catholic Church; serving as a John W. Barton, Sr. Fellow for excellence in community nonprofit leadership, also in 2002; being inducted into the Catholic High School Hall of Fame in 2009; and receiving the inaugural St. Joseph’s Cathedral Community Award in 2013.

Of his new role, Michael had this to say: “I feel so blessed and honored to be chosen for this leadership position during such an exciting time in our Society’s history. Our National Board’s launching of VisionSVdP focuses on listening to every voice in our Vincentian Family, which is so powerful! I believe that the Holy Spirit will speak through Vincentians around the country, and provide a roadmap for our bright future. Plus, I cannot wait to join our talented and dedicated National Staff in St. Louis.”

On a personal note, this is a great day for the Society. Michael has been a friend and a colleague for almost 20 years and I can say without hesitation that he is an amazing leader, a consummate professional, and the kind of visionary that the Society needs to help take us into the future. Michael has a deep commitment to the essential elements of spirituality, service, and friendship. The Board of Directors and I look forward to working with Michael.

Michael received both his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management and his Master of Business Administration from Louisiana State University. He and Paula, his wife of 32 years, are the proud parents of adult twin daughters. They are thrilled and looking forward to the arrival of their first grandchild this November.

Please join me in congratulating Michael and praying for his success in this exciting new role!

Peace and God’s Blessings,
John

 

  • Julie Witzel

Conference Collaborations: Enhancing Our Network Of Charity
Conference Collaborations: Enhancing Our Network Of Charity 1198 1198 Julie Witzel

By Phoenix Diocesan Council President Shirley Smalley

In August of 1833, Leon Le Prevost, a member of the first Conference who later went on to establish the Religious Order of St. Vincent de Paul, wrote: In this moment there is a great movement of charity and of faith…” The same could be said of our time and our place in this world. Although we are often distracted by negative forces, influences and movements, we must never lose sight of the hearts of our non-Vincentian brothers and sisters who like us long to help others. We witness that concern and compassion flow out of the actions of individuals, families, corporations, faith-based groups and civic organizations as they respond to natural disasters and other large-scale tragedies.

From the very early days of the Society, our founders understood the need to work collaboratively with the government and other organizations in order to better assist the poor and suffering. In December of 1833, the first Conference accepted the role of “Commissioners of Charity” for the administrators of the La Bienfaisance neighborhood. While our present-day Councils often enter into collaborative agreements and relationships, our local Conferences tend to function primarily in cooperation with other Conferences and Councils, seldom reaching out to other groups in their local area.

If Conferences are isolated and do not interact and cooperate with other local faith-based groups and charitable organizations, we are overlooking resources including potential volunteers who can assist us in providing assistance to our neighbors in need.  By joining forces we not only increase our ability to help others but we also engage the community and provide others with the opportunity to be actively involved in helping those in need. Additionally, our outreach efforts help spread knowledge about the Society and our mission of charity and love.

On the Conference level, most collaborative relationships do not require a formal contract but more of a mutual understanding based on agreement in protocols and policies. Identifying groups in your area should be the starting point followed by outreach and relationship-building. Such relationships should start by sharing with the group’s leaders or members our history and mission, as well as letting them know how we currently serve those in need in our community.

The process must include a two-way conversation that provides us with an understanding of who they are and how they currently serve the community. Once that relationship is built, we can begin a conversation on how we can work together to benefit the needy, always keeping in mind that we can only function within the Rule of the Society. Just as we honor who they are and their procedures and guidelines, they must honor ours. For example, potential collaborative partners need to understand early on we cannot share funds with them or any project that our members are not involved in through person-to person contact with the poor.

When Frederic Ozanam helped to establish the Society, he envisioned a network of charity that would encompass the world. Vincentians are only part of that network. Our vocation calls us to reach out and serve beside other people of goodwill to help relieve poverty and injustice. By reaching out to them we can enhance the work of our Conferences and provide opportunities for them to join us in service to the least among us.

Such collaboration can make a huge difference. Ask yourself, “How can our Conference build relationships with other groups and churches?” With the help of others, we can do more and experience the love of Christ in those whom we serve and in those whom we serve beside.

  • Kristen Blacksher

Do People Trust You? Advice for Building Trust and Inspiring Confidence
Do People Trust You? Advice for Building Trust and Inspiring Confidence 1198 1198 Kristen Blacksher

By John R. Stoker
President of DialogueWORKS, Inc.

One afternoon as I was passing through the airport on my way home, I ran into a colleague of mine, Stephen M. R. Covey, the author of the book “The Speed of Trust.”  We stopped and exchanged a few pleasantries.  I could tell that he needed to get through security, so I bid him safe travels.

As he was hurrying away, I yelled after him, “I know something faster than the speed of trust.”  He yelled back, “What’s that?”  I responded, “Distrust.”  He laughed as he hurried away and responded, “You’re probably right.”

Think about it for a minute.  Some people will trust you from the beginning of your relationship without having any experience with you.  Others won’t trust you no matter what you do; you really have to work to earn their trust.  Still others begin their relationship with you in a neutral position.  They will wait to see what you say and do before they trust you.

No matter where the trust in any relationship begins, what we know for sure is that it doesn’t take much negative behavior to diminish the trust that people have in you.

Here are a few tips to help you assess your trustworthiness and to increase the confidence people have in you.

  1. Do you walk the talk?

There is probably nothing that erodes trust quicker than saying one thing and then doing another.  The first time this happens, people will take a closer look at your behavior.  But if it happens repeatedly, people will come to distrust you and not believe anything that you say.  You will appear as if you just say what you think people want to hear.  This seeming lack of credibility will cause people to question your intentions and can cause lasting damage to your relationships.

What to do?  Stop and think about what you are about to say, or what purpose your message needs to convey, and then say what you truly mean.  Being deliberate and intentional about your message will increase alignment between your message and your behavior.

  1. Do you keep your commitments?

This is closely associated with the previous question.  Sometimes we make commitments and things change.  When this happens, it is important to acknowledge your commitment and make necessary adjustments.  If you let another commitment take priority over a previous commitment and don’t manage that dynamic, then people will learn to not take you seriously and may not keep their commitments to you.

What to do?  Keep a calendar of your commitments and manage them.  If something changes, then be sure to communicate those changes and make new arrangements as soon as you can.  Don’t blow people off or forget to keep your commitments.  Using some kind of planning or calendaring software will help you to keep your commitments while strengthening the trust that others give you.

  1. Is your behavior consistent?

If you have wild mood swings and are unpredictable, your erratic behavior will lead people to distrust you.  In one of my first corporate positions, I had a manager who had broad swings in behavior and mood.  You never knew if your performance would be celebrated or trashed in front of others.  The first person to arrive in the morning would test the waters and then alert everyone at the coffee machine if we could engage with our manager or should make ourselves scarce that day.  Consequently, few people felt that they could fully trust him.

What to do?  Notice if people approach you and ask for your input or support on their work.  If you are not approached by others, perhaps you could find a respected colleague and ask for feedback about how you come across.  If someone will be honest with you, listen to what they have to say.  Ask for examples and thank them when they finish.  If you find that people are unsure about how to approach you, strategize some ways to manage your behavior and mood so it is more predictable and consistent.

  1. Do you misrepresent the truth?

This happens more frequently than people would like to admit.  People are often afraid to speak up and tell it like it is, fearing the perceived negative consequences that could occur.  This perception will have a negative impact on behavior.  When people don’t keep their commitments or meet expectations of performance, then they feel forced to cover their mistakes to justify their behavior.  This leads others to avoid interacting with those individuals and to distrust the stories they offer as excuses for their behavior.

What to do?  If you find yourself misrepresenting or exaggerating situations, then you are at risk to not be taken seriously and are setting yourself up to be distrusted.  Stretching the truth and making excuses can become a habitual response.  If this is often your first reaction, recognizing your tendency to do it, determining your motivation behind this response and correcting it will go a long way toward building trust.

  1. Do you withhold information from others?

This is usually a power play of sorts where people make themselves the gatekeeper of what others need to know to do their work.  Such behavior leads to frustration on the part of others and also can lead to people not sharing information that you may need.  Withholding information also leads people to figure out how to work around you so they have as little interaction as possible.

Sometimes, for legal reasons, you may not be able to tell others what you know.  When this is the case and others press you for information, you simply need to tell people that you can’t tell them about a certain situation because of legal ramifications to you and your company.

What to do?   Ask people what information they need and, specifically, identify deadlines.  Look to offer support and address others’ needs and concerns to increase the success of those that rely on you in some way.  When people ask you for information that you can’t share, simply manage the situation and tell them that.  They will understand.

  1. Do you gossip about others?

Nothing will erode trust quicker than talking about others behind their back.  Unfortunately, people often talk about others rather than to others.  When you gossip, your behavior tells your listener that if you would talk about someone else, then you would also talk about them.  Although they may listen to you and engage in the gossip, they won’t trust you.  This kind of behavior ruins relationships, destroys company culture and creates emotional drama that everyone would rather avoid.

What to do?  Stop it.  If you have an issue with someone, talk to the person you need to talk to and avoid the rumor mill that puts people on negative alert but never solves the problem.  Otherwise you will just get more of the same – poor results and no trust.

  1. Do you throw others under the bus?

This behavior usually takes place when someone is trying to avoid responsibility or accountability for the results that were created.  Sometimes, when others have not kept their commitments to you, their behavior has a direct negative effect on your results.  When this is the case, ask yourself, “Did I manage the situation in such a way that kept them from being successful?  Did I do my part to help them to be successful and to achieve the desired results?”  Sometimes we become so busy and have so many things to do that we fail to manage a person or a situation in an optimal fashion.

What to do?  Be responsible and take accountability for managing others, facilitating activities that will produce the desired results.  When things don’t go as planned, examine your part in the process and accept ownership.  Doing so will go a long way to creating and strengthening trust.

  1. Do you keep confidences?

Someone once told me that there is no such thing as a secret until the person you told it to is dead.  If someone shares something sensitive and important with you in confidence, unless there is a specific and legal reason not to, you should keep those things confidential.  If you are going to share something important with another person, you should assume that sometime or somewhere what you share will be shared with someone else.

  1. Are you supportive of others?

Nothing increases trust like being sincerely interested in and supportive of others and their efforts.  If you are a leader and you frequently ask people what they need from you and how you can help and support them, they will feel the satisfaction that comes in knowing someone cares about them and their success.  That care and concern will translate into increased trust.

What to do?  Check in frequently and offer support.  This will afford you the opportunity to get to know them, how they are doing and what you can help them with.  Making interpersonal connections such as these will improve their work and their performance.

Our interactions with others serve either to build trust within our relationships or call it into question.  Recognize that what you do and say is the first step in building and strengthening trust.  As you consciously work to increase others’ confidence in you, your interactions will improve and you will achieve greater results.  And, you’ll never have to worry about the speed of distrust.

Connect with John R. Stoker on Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter. 

  • Kristen Blacksher

Good governance: What does it mean anyway?
Good governance: What does it mean anyway? 909 565 Kristen Blacksher

By Joe Riley 

Governance means:
• Responsible use of assets and funds.
• Ensuring the group/organization is fulfilling its mission.
• Openly communicating with others and listening to others at all levels of the organization.
• Accurate recordkeeping for the benefit of the organization and those we serve.
• Maintaining good legal standing through compliance with IRS section 501(c)(3) requirements.
• Serving as a good role model: In the Vincentian world this also includes embracing servant leadership.

Governance does NOT mean:
• Leaders cannot share responsibilities. Leadership is inherently a collaborative effort.
• Micromanaging.
• Numbers are more important than people.
• Opinions of others do not matter.
• Turning the organization/group into something distant from its mission.

Basically, good governance means good leadership. It means taking good care of the Society; it means taking good care of those we serve. It means taking care of each other, encouraging the spiritual growth of all members and friendship among members, and person-to-person service. It means serving with integrity, accountability and in a trustworthy manner. Taking advantage of ongoing learning opportunities and identifying helpful collaborations can help Vincentian leaders govern and lead with great effectiveness and joy.

St. Vincent de Paul once said, “There is great charity – but it is badly organized.” Let us be inspired by St. Vincent’s good governance and leadership and allow the generosity of others to be put to good use.

  • Kristen Blacksher

Am I A Vincentian?
Am I A Vincentian? 152 152 Kristen Blacksher

In June 2008, I attended the Western Region Meeting in Boise, Idaho. I was not alone. There were 225 other Vincentians along with me. During the time I spent there, I met with many Vincentians and discussed a wide variety of topics. I also put on a workshop and facilitated two open forums where anything and everything could be discussed. One theme came up over and over again in those discussions. This is also a theme which is continually asked today as well. How do you get the Conferences and the members to adhere to or comply with the Rule?

This is a tough question. And it requires a tough answer. People, in general, have mixed feelings when it comes to rules and regulations. They usually will admit to the value of them. They usually will admit to the need for them. And they normally agree that compliance is necessary; that is, until they want to do something that does not really correspond to the rules. Then it becomes harsh and too restrictive. They did not join the Society to follow the rules. They joined the Society to do some good and do not want to be bogged down with meaningless do’s and don’ts. We hear this stuff all the time! I can go into a long, drawn-out dissertation on why rules and regulations are important, but that will get us nowhere. I can take a military point of view and say that if one soldier steps out of line the war will be lost. Nobody is going to buy that. I can talk about unity of thought and action, but that cup only holds a limited amount of water.

It truly boils down to one thing. Ask yourself one question: Am I a Vincentian? To be a Vincentian you have to make a commitment. Here is where the rub comes in. Commitment! Being a Vincentian calls for a number of things to be accepted and come into play. Being a Vincentian means accepting who we are, what we are about, what we do, and how we do it. Being a Vincentian means more than helping people in need. It means growing in holiness, striving to grow closer to God. It means growing closer to our fellow Vincentians. It means serving God through serving those in need. It means a blend of all of the above.

A number of years ago, when searching for the answer to a question, I was referred to John Simmons, former National President of the Society, the guru. If you wanted to know anything about the Society he was the man to go to. John said that if you call yourself a Vincentian, you want to meet as often as possible with your fellow Vincentians, you want to learn about the Society, you want to understand what this is all about, and you want to help it grow. It is that simple.

If I want to do my own thing, follow my own rules or no rules at all, I can start my own special work or organization. Then all I have to do is get other people who want to join me to follow my rules. I am a Vincentian. I am committed to who we are, what we do and the way we do it. Complying with the Rule not only makes sense, it is something I want to do.

Mike Syslo
Member and Past Chair
National Governance Committee

  • Jill Pioter

2024 Committee Charges
2024 Committee Charges 1080 1080 Jill Pioter

Development & Communications Committee

The Development & Communications Committee is charged with raising the national profile of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul by leveraging the ideas, resources, and best practices of its members in fundraising, marketing, and communications. Through collaboration and learning, the Committee will develop the resources necessary to grow the Society’s works and pave the way for future growth.

Membership & Leadership Development Committee

The Membership and Leadership Development Committee is charged with defining best practices for membership growth, the onboarding process, spiritual enrichment, identifying and advancing Vincentian leadership in a society and Catholic church that is changing rapidly.

Multicultural Diversity Committee

The Multicultural Diversity Committee is charged with prayerfully creating an inclusive culture by means of researching, developing proposing ideas, and leading projects that will give each member of the Society the opportunity to contribute and express their charisms.

Vincentian Spiritual Growth and Enrichment Committees

Formation Committee

The Formation Committee supports the formation of members and leaders in the Society in the interconnected human, spiritual, intellectual, and ministerial dimensions of formation, as defined in the Society’s Foundation Document, and reflecting the fullness of Vincentian tradition. The Committee creates and provides:

  • Printed and digital materials
  • Presentations
  • Guidelines
  • Active nourishment to all members and leaders in the Society.

The Hispanic-Latino Formation Subcommittee defines priorities to properly support the Hispanic-Latino community in all aspects of Formation. The Committee will:

  • Define the necessary resources
  • Develop a plan at an accelerated pace
  • Create effective documentation, materials, and tools to ensure the intercultural expression of faith and language is reflected and emphasized
Formation Renewal & Delivery Committee

The Formation Renewal & Delivery Committee provides training and Formation, in partnership with local Councils, using existing methods, and finding new effective means and channels for the use of Formation materials and tools. The Committee supports Regions and Councils by:

  • Developing plans and schedules for teams and partnerships
  • Training those teams to make effective use of Formation materials
Spirituality Formation Committee

The Spirituality Formation Committee is focused on the spiritual dimension of formation, in order to encourage and support personal growth in every Vincentian’s relationship with God.
The Committee provides active nourishment to all members in:

  • Personal spiritual formation
  • Devotion
  • Prayer life

The Committee supports and encourages Spiritual Advisors and leaders by:

  • Developing materials for use in Councils and Conferences
  • Establishing direct channels of communications

Vincentian Programs & Services Committees

Poverty Action Committee

The Poverty Action Committee is charged with the coordination and collaboration among the National poverty programs and committees, the development of National poverty programs identified by the National Council Board, and with disseminating systemic change mentality among Society members to engage more Councils and Conferences in transformative initiatives that empower those we serve to make their way out of poverty to self-sufficiency.

National Voice For the Poor Committee

The National Voice For the Poor Committee is charged with advocating on behalf of people in poverty, and with education and information-sharing to strengthen and grow Council and Conferences’ involvement with advocating for policy solutions to local, state, and national leaders and legislators. The committee reports to the National Council President.

Homelessness Prevention Committee

The Homelessness Prevention Committee is charged with providing guidance and best practices in homelessness prevention and shelter diversion to Councils and Conferences, strengthening efforts to stop homelessness before it starts for those most at risk of losing their home.

Stores Committee

The Stores Committee is charged with helping paid and unpaid personnel to develop and maintain successful thrift stores, and with providing consulting services to Councils and Conferences that desire to start thrift stores.

Youth, Young Adults, and Emerging Leaders Committee

The Youth, Young Adults, and Emerging Leaders Committee is charged with growing young Vincentian leaders while ensuring that the spirit of our young founders is always present within the Society. This committee seeks to promote the formation, recruitment and engagement of young people, and the constant rejuvenation of the Vincentian Conferences both locally and nationally.

YYAEL will play a crucial role in identifying and developing individuals capable of leading with compassion, innovation, and dedication. Helping to support Youth, Young Adults, Emerging Leaders, and their coordinators, YYAEL will create opportunities, programs, and resources to support, connect, and train Youth, Young Adults, Emerging Leaders, and their coordinators, preparing them to integrate into the Society to lead, serve, and inspire generations to come.

 

  • Jill Pioter

 Helping Others Serve the Poor
 Helping Others Serve the Poor 1200 628 Jill Pioter

(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 the 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.

  • Jill Pioter

Servant Leadership
Servant Leadership 1200 628 Jill Pioter

(Excerpted from Vincentian Life: Conference)

Within the Rule of the Society, Servant Leadership is identified as a scripture-based method of leadership which all Vincentians aspire to practice. The following quotes are from the Rule.

Rule: Part 1, 3.11: Following Christ’s example, the Presidents at all levels of the Society endeavor to be servant leaders. They 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. The President of the Conference or Council will have special responsibility for promoting Vincentian spirituality.

Rule: Part 3, Statute 11: Leadership positions in the Society, at any level, are always to be accepted as service to Christ, the members and the poor. Servant leadership is done in imitation of Jesus who said: “For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and give his life as a ransom for many.

The passage below is an excerpt from the Newsletter of the Australian National Council by Livia Carusi and Jenny Papps. The article is entitled “Vincentian Leadership – Is There Such a Thing?”

“You say you experience great difficulty in the mission. Alas! Monsieur, there is no lot in life where there is nothing to be endured.” (St. Vincent de Paul)

It is believed that Vincent de Paul wrote over 30,000 letters during his life. For Vincentians, his letters provide a small window into his character, his courage, his struggles and achievements over a lifetime of service and leadership which was marked with great personal transformation as well as a steadfast vision for mission, charity, justice, spirituality and servant leadership.

Fast forward a couple of hundred years, and a young French man, Blessed Frederic Ozanam, and his companions, with the guidance of a Daughter of Charity, Blessed Rosalie Rendu, made a conscious and heartfelt decision to name our organization in honor of Vincent de Paul. This decision, we suspect, would not have been taken lightly, and in choosing the name “Society of St. Vincent de Paul,” they too would have understood the very essence of the man, his vision for the world and also the magnitude of his legacy.

Like other community organizations doing “good works,” the St. Vincent de Paul Society has its own unique DNA, of which our leadership model is a large part.

So what makes our DNA unique?

Briefly, it is our founding story, which no other organization can claim.

It is our place within the broader Vincentian family; our model of assisting people; home visitation (which remains authentic to our founder’s vision of assisting people in need and in pairs), and also being part of an international organization; the opportunities that we afford to members, volunteers and staff to connect and engage in our mission, our governance model of subsidiarity as well as our model of leadership.

The Vincentian model of leadership is quite simple – servant leadership.

Servant leadership is not connected to a person’s title, as it is quite different to the function of management. The cornerstone of this model is the belief that all people have within them leadership qualities and that an office, Conference or Special Work should facilitate opportunities for individual and collective leadership qualities to come to the fore.

Servant leadership echoes the message of Christ, Vincent de Paul, Frederic Ozanam and the countless number of Vincentian men and women around the world whose primary mission is to serve another first – so yes, there is such a thing as Vincentian leadership that is very much part of our DNA.

One of the topics that comes up very often related to Conferences (as well as Councils) and the role of the President is focused around a statement that has been made for years in our writings as well as our training sessions. That statement is: the Conference as a whole makes all of the decisions. Some people have a tough time grasping what that means; and that is very understandable since it is not a simple and straightforward statement. There are a few embedded qualifications.

Those two articles from the Rule (shown earlier) make it very clear as to how the Conference should be run. There is no place in the Society for a Conference dominated by one or two individuals. The Society does not support a small group of people making the decisions for the whole. Conference members should be made aware of all aspects of the item to be decided. And, for all practical matters, the decision should be made by the Conference simply through consensus. That means the members are in agreement with what should or should not be done. Formal voting on any topic should occur only when there is reason to believe there is a significant difference of opinion.

The President, as well as all members, needs to be an excellent listener and a good facilitator. This most likely means that some of us have to fine-tune our listening skills. The President must listen to what the Conference wishes to do (not tell them what he/she wishes to be done). Then the President must help (through guidance and facilitated dialogue) the Conference to make it happen. The President must serve the Conference – not the other way around.

There are times, however, that the democratic process is inappropriate. This is because the Conference is not totally autonomous. All members of the Society must be faithful to the Rule and spirit of the Society. No decision can be made at any level of the Society that contradicts the Rule. This holds true also for bylaws, standards of affiliation, or any other standards set by the general membership or by Councils.

The spirit of the Society is determined by the traditions of the Society on a global scale. As it is, the current Rule is very explicit about most things. Our focus in our decision-making should be on ways to enhance the spiritual growth of our fellow Vincentians as well as improve our service to those in need. There are many official writings of the Society, both current and historical, which can help define what is proper for Vincentians if it is not explicitly defined in the Rule.

So in summary, the statement “the Conference as a whole makes all of the decisions” is very true within the constraints described above. Our servant leaders must be geared up to serve the members rather than dictate to them. It’s all part of being Vincentian.

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