Vincentian Community News |
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“It is an obligation for us to inconvenience ourselves for the service of the poor."
– St. Vincent de Paul
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A mother of five is grateful to the St. John Neumann Conference for providing financial assistance to help her family. Earlier this year, the whole family contracted COVID-19 and were sick for two weeks. Due to the illness, the family fell behind in their utility payments.
Vincentians listened to the mother, prayed with her, covered her utilities, and sent her
H-E-B cards. They even arranged to get her two youngest children baptized.
Thank you St. John Neumann Conference for sharing this story of hope. Conferences, do you have a story you want to share? Send it to the Director of Development and Marketing Kanobia Blackmon at kanobia@ssvdp.org.
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The Vincentian Family Center and Thrift Store is celebrating its 5th Anniversary this weekend! The VFC opened in May 2016 to serve as a resource center for our neighbors in need. Our 25,000 square foot building houses the Thrift Store, Client Services, Food Pantry, Executive Offices, and the 2-N-1 Salad Bar and Grill. Over the past five years, the VFC has become a place our neighbors can rely on when they need help.
During FY2020, Client Services helped over 12,000 people with bus passes, food, clothing, and more. The Thrift Store is successful thanks to the dedicated volunteers who share their time and talent every week to ensure customers have a great shopping experience.
We are continuing to change and grow and are excited about the future of the VFC!
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City of Austin RENT Assistance Program |
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The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is partnering with the City of Austin and the Housing Authority to assist eligible Austin residents, impacted by COVID-19, with applying for rental assistance through the Relief of Emergency Needs for Tenants (RENT) Assistance Program. The RENT Application Portal is now open and will remain open through December 2021 or until funds are spent.
Applicants are welcome to use our computer lab at the Vincentian Family Center
Tuesday - Friday from 9:00am - 12:00pm. Mondays are by appointment only. Email info@ssvdp.org. We will assist applicants with creating an account, completing the online application, and uploading the required documents.
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St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store |
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The St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store is open Thursday - Saturday from 10:00am - 5:00pm. You are invited to come, explore, and shop for great items at affordable prices. We receive new donations weekly, so you never know what treasures you will find.
Everyone is still required to wear a face mask and practice social distancing. Hand sanitizer will also be available when you enter the store.
The Thrift Store is in need of volunteers to serve as greeters, cashiers, donation sorters, taggers, and to assist customers in various departments. At least 8 people are needed for each 4.5 hour shift; 9:30am - 2:00p and 1:00pm - 5:30pm. We especially need volunteers on the following days: June 3, 5, 10, 12, and all Fridays.
Are you interested in volunteering? You can sign up by clicking on this link.
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Ozanam Orientation Announcement |
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Save the Date! We are excited to announce that the next Ozanam Orientation will be
in-person on June 19, 2021.
Ozanam Orientations are designed to set up our new Vincentians for success and re-energize those Vincentians who have already served. All new Vincentians are asked to attend an Ozanam Orientation within their first year in ministry; current Vincentians should attend an Ozanam refresher every 3-5 years.
More information about where the event will be held and about registration are coming soon!
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The National Council is excited to announce that they will be holding the 2021 National Assembly as a live event, with a hybrid component. Registration will open soon, so SAVE THE DATE: August 25- 29, 2021 in Houston, Texas.
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New Volunteer Opportunities |
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You can make a difference by sharing your time and talents. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul Diocesan Council of Austin has new volunteer opportunities available in the Thrift Store, Client Services, and Council Office. We now have a new and easy way for you to sign up. Visit the volunteer page on ssvdp.org/volunteer, complete the form, and submit it. You will be contacted by a Council staff member.
Ready to volunteer? Click on this link to sign up!
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THE SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST HOLY TRINITY
May 30, 2021
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Gospel Reading: (Matthew 28: 16-20)
The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. When they all saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Vincentian Reflection:
St. Vincent de Paul urged his followers to worship and to imitate the Trinity, and to live a life in which all are one, as Jesus is one with the Father and the Spirit. He wanted his followers to have in themselves the image of the Trinity, to share a sacred relation to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. St. Vincent wanted us to be together as having but one heart and soul so that through this union of spirit we would be a true image of the unity of God. He prayed to the Holy Spirit, who is the union of the Father and Son, that he would likewise be ours, giving profound peace in the midst of contradictions and difficulties. (Maloney, The Way of Vincent de Paul, p.34)
Vincentian Meditation:
In the Manual of the Society we read: Conferences meet regularly and frequently, as a celebration of mutual friendship and out of a passion to serve the Lord. Unlike other organizations within and without the Church, the Conference meets less to conduct business than to celebrate and deepen its unity for essentially spiritual reasons. It is in the Conference meetings that members can experience Christ’s presence in each other and the workings of the Holy Spirit. In a sense, these gatherings become a living, vivid witness of God’s healing presence among us. These unity-building occasions constitute opportunities for personal renewal and for rededication to service of the needy and suffering. (US Manual, P.95-96)
Do we model the unity of the Trinity, “being of one mind and one heart,” in our Conferences?
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On behalf of the Diocesan Council of Austin, we hope you have a safe and blessed Memorial Day.
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Memorial Day Prayer
(USCCB)
On this Memorial Day, we offer a prayer for those who died in service to our country.
In your hands, O Lord,
we humbly entrust our
brothers and sisters.
In this life you embraced them with your tender love;
deliver them now from every evil
and bid them eternal rest.
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We will offer them up in prayer weekly.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says fully vaccinated people can resume activities without wearing a mask or physically distancing. However, people are required to follow federal, state, local rules and regulations, including local businesses and workplace guidance.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul Diocesan Council of Austin will still require staff and volunteers to wear a face mask at the Vincentian Family Center. This policy will be evaluated weekly to determine if adjustments need to be made.
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National Gazette Questions and Answers
Q: Is it permissible to give cash to someone asking for help?
A: There is no Rule that prohibits the giving of cash to those in need. In fact, in older versions of the Manual of the Society, giving of cash was specifically addressed. It was approved as a valid medium of assistance where no other way was possible and where the Vincentians were confident that the funds would be used by the recipient as intended. One segment in the Rule does address this, if indirectly. The Rule, Part II, Statute 7.4 states: Any matter that is not specifically governed by any Parts of the Rule and Statutes shall be governed by Tradition and, in the final instance, by the decision issued by the Board of the Council General. In order to ensure proper accountability, there must be valid paperwork associated with each cash transaction. Because of the required paper trail, it is usually not deemed appropriate to give cash directly to someone in need.
Preguntas y Respuestas de la
Oficina Nacional
P: ¿Está permitido dar dinero en efectivo a alguien que pide ayuda?
R: No hay ninguna Regla que prohíba dar dinero en efectivo a la gente con necesidades. De hecho, en versiones anteriores del Manual de la Sociedad, se abordó específicamente la donación de dinero en efectivo. Fue aprobado como un medio válido de asistencia donde no era posible de otra manera y cuando los Vicentinos confiaban en que los fondos serían utilizados por el destinatario según lo previsto. Un segmento de la Regla aborda esto, aunque sea de forma indirecta. La Regla, Parte II, Estatuto 7.4 establece: Cualquier asunto que no está específicamente gobernado por cualquier Parte de la Regla o Estatutos debe ser gobernada por Tradición y, en último caso, por la decisión llegada por la Junta del Consejo General. Para garantizar una responsabilidad adecuada, debe haber documentación válida asociada con cada transacción en efectivo. Debido al registro de documentos requerido, generalmente no se considera apropiado entregar dinero en efectivo directamente a alguien que lo necesite.
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Partner Programs
An easy and free way to support the work of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is to join our partner programs. Sign up for one or both of the programs, and our partner agencies will donate a portion of their proceeds from your purchases to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. You can find more information by clicking this link.
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Council Office:
Monday - Friday
9:00am - 5:00pm
Client Services:
Tuesday - Friday
9:00am - 12:00pm
Food Pantry:
Saturday
9:00am - 12:00pm
St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store
Thursday - Saturday
10:00am - 5:00pm
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Contact Us:
Rick Bologna, Stores Director, rick.bologna@ssvdp.org
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