Please click "Directory" below for a comprehensive list of Resources for our neighbors in need and those we serve. This is a PDF with names and brief descriptions of resources. Click on the name of each resource in the Directory for a link to the websites of these service providers.



SERVING IN HOPE

Vincentians "Serve in Hope" because we are called to bring the love of God, the compassion of Jesus, to those who are poor and suffering.

St. Vincent said, "God demands first the heart, then the work." It is only with our heart that we can bring compassion, respect and devotion to the destitute and marginalized.

It is only with a heart on fire with God's love that service can become mission. And it is only by "Serving in Hope" that our mission can root us in the faith that in the poor "Vincentians will see the face of Christ."



The February 7 edition of Praxis featured Serving In Hope session 5.4, "The Rule Creates our Relationships," the third session of Module V, "Our Vincentian Rule."

This week we continue with Module V of Serving in Hope, "Our Vincentian Rule," with Session 5.5, "The Rule Demands our Work for Justice."



The Rule Demands our Work for Justice

In his encyclical letter, Dec. 25, 2005: "Deus Caritas Est" (God is Love), Pope Benedict XVI continues to challenge us by saying:

"The direct duty to work for a just ordering of society...is proper to the lay faithful... they cannot relinquish their participation in the many different economic, social, legislative, administrative and cultural areas, which are intended to promote the common good. The mission of the lay faithful is therefore to configure social life correctly...it remains true that charity must animate the entire lives of the lay faithful and therefore also their political activity, lived as 'social charity." (29)

"Those who work for the Church's charitable organizations must be distinguished by the fact that they do not merely meet the needs of the moment, but they dedicate themselves to others with heartfelt concern, enabling them to experience the richness of their humanity.

Consequently, ...charity workers need a formation of the heart': they need to be led to that encounter with God in Christ which awakens their love and opens their spirit to others. As a result, love of neighbor will no longer be for them a commandment imposed, so to speak, from without, but a consequence deriving from their faith, a faith which becomes active through love." (31a)

"The figures of the saints such as... Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac...stand out as lasting models of social charity....the true bearers of light within history, for they are men and women of faith, hope and love." (40)

Rule, Part 1-Section 7: Relationship with Civil Society- Work

for Social Justice

Praying with the renewed Rule let these words penetrate your heart:

As Vincentians, we are committed to identifying the root causes of poverty and to contributing to their elimination. In all our charitable actions there should be a search for justice; in our struggle for justice, we must keep in mind the demands of charity.

As Vincentians, we should speak out clearly against situations where injustice, inequality, poverty or exclusion are due to unjust economic, political or social structures or to inadequate or unjust legislation.

Praying with the Rule, we ask... Are we:

·      concerned not only with alleviating need but also with

·      identifying the unjust structures that cause it?

·      committed to identifying the root causes of poverty?

·      promoting a culture of life and a civilization of love?

·      looking towards the sustainable development and protection of the environment?

·      speaking out against the injustice, inequality, poverty or exclusion of those we serve?

·      fostering new attitudes of respect and empathy for the poor?

·      promoting understanding, cooperation and mutual love among people of different cultures, religions, ethnic origins and social groups?

·      working with families and communities?

Praying with the Rule, we ask... Do we:

·      envision a more just society in which the rights, responsibilities, and development of all people are promoted?

·      listen to the voice of the Church calling us to create an equitable and compassionate social order?

·      see the issues of social justice from the perspective of the poor whom we visit?

·      help the poor and disadvantaged speak for themselves?

·      speak on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves?

·      oppose discrimination of all kinds?

·      work to change the attitudes of prejudice, fear or scorn?

·      defend the right of each person to be responsible for his or her own life?

·      refrain from identifying with any political party?

EXPANDING THE CIRCLE OF SOLIDARITY

Dennis Holtschneider, CM

Some stories come along at the right moment in your life. Here's a story that has never left the back of my head since the day I heard it...

A villager is walking by the river early one morning. The villager looks out into the water and sees a baby floating down the river. Horrified, the villager races into the water, grabs the baby, and brings the baby to shore. The baby is fine. Relieved, the villager looks back into the water and sees another baby floating down the water. The villager again dives into the water and rescues this baby as well. Once more, the villager looks into the water... and sees dozens of babies floating down the river. The villager calls out an alarm, and the entire village comes running to the river to rescue as many babies as they can before the water carries them away. This is a village that is mobilized. Every villager is at the river, trying to save the babies from the water. This is a village that is improving lives. Many of the babies are being saved. But the babies keep on coming... because no one is going upstream to find out who is throwing the babies into the water in the first place.

You may have heard this story before. It's simple but it came along at a time in my own life when it changed the way I looked at the world. I was drawn to the Vincentian way of life because of its charity, and the way real, flesh-and-blood people were assisted. I loved working in the soup kitchen; teaching people to read in the literacy classroom; building up the self-confidence and spirituality of youth in an inner city youth groups; getting people into housing; spending time cooking, cleaning, speaking with, and housing people overnight in the shelters; referring people to social services that would make a difference; referring people to legal aid to help them stay in this country... and so much more. Those were tangible projects. When I went to bed that evening, I had done something real.

Then came this baby-in-the river story, and it was like I opened my eyes and saw something I hadn't looked at before. I had wondered about the conditions that made other people’s lives so different from my own, but it was such a big question, and I really didn't know much about it, that I usually set the larger questions aside, and just continued doing charitable work. This story made me stop and wonder if I was just like those villagers who kept rescuing the babies and never solved the problem. What difference was my charity - and life - making?

I have come to believe that it is not enough to give food and shelter, important as that is. If I do nothing to change the situations and structures that make people poor, then I've only dabbed a bleeding wound. I haven't stopped the bleeding. I now believe that God wants us to stop the bleeding. He wants us to go upriver, to fix the problem, not just minister to the symptoms of the problem.

We must be advocates for the poor. We aren't professionals. I know that. We aren't government officials, policy wonks, economists, analysts, or anyone important who can change society. But even if we aren't professionals, we must be advocates. Advocates are important.

There aren't enough professionals out there to make a political difference. Things change because enough people come together and create energy. The professionals can't make that change, only large groups like us... Vincentian Advocates.

I've been wondering about the larger Vincentian Family itself. In Vincent's day, no one even thought of changing larger structures to keep people from becoming poor in the first place. They thought about charity. But in our age and time, we have realized that if we make changes to our laws, to our government programs, to our city and educational policies, that many more people can be helped that way than can ever be taken out of poverty by our charitable works. So, I've been thinking for some time about what the Vincentian Family in the U.S. can do. We don't have policy experts among our ranks, or politicians, or economists. What can we do? What do we have to give?

It crystallized for me during the recent presidential election. No one mentioned the poor.

Neither side - republican or democrat - mentioned the poor. The poor were invisible in the last election. And that's where we can help. We know the poor. We may not be policy experts, but we know the poor. I want to make a proposal today. And I want to propose something that would require all of the Vincentian Family to work together in the United States: Let's get the poor into the public eye. Let's make the poor visible again, and let's do it together:

Some possibilities:

·      On a local level, let's get every group of boy scouts and girls scouts, and neighborhood associations, schools, churches to do something for the poor. To see the poor, to meet them, not just drop off bags of clothing for people they'll never meet.

·      More regionally, let’s meet with elected officials, and give them tours of the neighborhoods we work in. Let's tell them the stories and needs of the poor.

·      Let's meet with local newspapers, give them story ideas.

·      Let's get people at our churches and institutions to write letters about the needs of the poor.

·      When there's a larger issue, get them human interest stories.

·      Nationally, let’s hire a PR firm to help us figure out how to get the needs of the poor back on the political agenda.

·      Let's mobilize the national foundations to put the poor back on the map of public concern.

·      Let's work with existing national organizations, such as Network and others, to provide them our access and knowledge of the poor.

·      And let's use the poor to do this. Empower them to speak on their behalf.

·      Let's work across church lines.

Let's create a national visibility for the poor. Let's foster a national desire to do something to help the poor. In the end, this is only one idea. The larger point is contained in the story about those poor babies floating down the river. It's not enough to give charity. Not in this world. Not at this time. The poor need our advocacy as well as our handouts.

A member of the Society puts their faith into action - this is the meaning of the word "Praxis." The Vincentian vocation is the intimate desire to participate personally and directly in helping the needy by person-to-person contact and by the gift of one's heart and friendship, doing so within a Conference, a community of faith, of lay persons each inspired by the same vocation.

The Vincentian vocation may be expressed in many ways and with different shades of meaning. Practical translation of faith into action, meditating upon it and adapting it to our changing world is the very life of every Vincentian, the very life of the Society.

Serving in Hope Books

The Serving in Hope books contain readings, discussion topics, prayers, divided into short sessions. These magazine-sized books are designed to be used in Conference Meetings or retreats, but are excellent for individual reading, as well. Each session takes about 20 minutes as a group reflection, or the entire Module may be used for a longer retreat. You will need one book for each participant. Module V covers Our Vincentian Rule. Sessions include:

• The Rule Defines our Vocation
• The Rule Captures our Spirituality
• The Rule Encourages our Community of Faith
• The Rule Creates our Relationships
• The Rule Demands our Work for Justice
• The Rule Guides through our Statutes

The facilitator is challenged to "hold the space" as the members of the Conference become more and more comfortable with these various forms of reflection and sharing. Periods of silence are actually expected. There will also likely be times of spirited dialogue as we embrace the diversity of relationships with the neighbor that challenge our status quo approaches.
The facilitator for the meeting will be focused on creating an environment for learning and sharing among Conference members as a priority, taking as many meetings as necessary to proceed through the sessions.

This variation is encouraged and based on the inclusion of a broad range of home visit strategies emerging in our focus on systemic change, and our need to have sufficient time for sharing and reflection. This Module can be used during Conference meetings or for a Retreat Day. As the session titles reflect, this Module is about the cultivation. of a Vincentian Heart in the context of our encounter with the neighbor, each other, and the communities we serve.

To view or download the videos that accompany Module V, follow the link below and use the password: “hope”

https://vimeo.com/showcase/9248328



Doing the Good

Youth Spirit Artwork's Housing Village at 633 Hegenberger Road, Oakland

What Must Be Done?

Resources for Immigrant and Refugee Children and Families

Red Cards / Tarjetas Rojas

All people in the United States, regardless of immigration status, have certain rights and protections under the U.S. Constitution. Immigrant Legal Resource Center "Red Cards" help people assert their rights and defend themselves in many situations, such as when ICE agents go to a home.

Click the button below for PDF's of the ILRC "Red Cards" in both English and Spanish. Please note, the text is black on white background.

(Thank you Ryan Uyehara!)

Immigrants' Rights

Centro Legal’s immigration practice is focused on serving the needs of our most vulnerable community members, including families living in poverty, long residing undocumented immigrants and families, youth, victims of violent crimes, asylum seekers, and detained individuals in removal proceedings.

Tenants' Rights

Stopping displacement, maintaining neighborhoods and stabilizing our communities are very important goals for the Tenants’ Rights Program.

Workers' Rights

The low-wage immigrant workers served by Centro Legal’s Workers’ Rights Program are employed in industries where wage theft and other serious workplace violations are commonplace.

Litigation

Through each of our legal programs, Centro Legal represents low-income and immigrant workers, tenants, and other clients and communities in affirmative and impact lawsuits to protect their rights and improve conditions more broadly. 

You have rights! Regardless of your immigration status, you have protections from immigration raids at your home or place of work. Below please find a variety of videos, training slideshows, and info guides on your legal rights to help you and your friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors be safe.

California: A Sanctuary State

The California Values ​​Act (SB 54), enacted January 1, 2018, ensures that the use of local or state resources to assist in federal immigration enforcement is prohibited and that our schools, hospitals, and courts are safe spaces for everyone in the community. Berkeley, Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose, Sacramento, Los Angeles, and Anaheim are all Sanctuary Cities with increased protections for immigrants. 

This means the police cannot ask you about your immigration status or deport you solely on immigration charges. If you are arrested, the police cannot transfer you to ICE custody unless you have a felony or high level misdemeanor conviction (DUIs; sale, possession, or use of drugs; domestic violence; robbery; murder). 

If you do come into contact with the police or ICE agents, you are entitled to fundamental legal rights.

People migrating to the United States are often fleeing war, violence, persecution, economic and political upheaval, and devastating natural disasters. Catholic social teaching holds that humans have a right to move to protect their lives and families. Catholic Charities immigration services support the federal government’s right and duty to regulate our borders while also calling for bipartisan, effective, humane reforms to our country’s broken immigration system.

"Preach the Gospel at all times and if necessary, use words."

St. Francis of Assisi

Vincentians, what's going on in your Conferences?

Reply to this email with photos and stories of Conference life so that we may share it in Praxis. 

...or email jproctor@svdp-alameda.org with your good news!

Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Alameda County Direct Services Campus

Vincentians, It's that time again - Annual Reports!



This Conference report form must be used by all Conferences.

Please do not use older versions of this form. 

This report form is intended to promote more timely, accurate, and consistent reporting. It is essential to have your Conference annual report completed properly and returned on time so that we can help our National Council responsibly publish the consolidated National results and comply with the requirements of our tax-exempt status.

This report is a reflection of the Conference, its Special Works and Stores.

Please use the link below to obtain the annual report forms.

The forms found here are intended to be worksheets to assist in filing your report online in the Members Portal.

Detailed instructions for the online report are provided in the last few pages of each form.

If you are unable to file online, please send a PDF of your completed form to John Proctor at: jproctor@svdp-alameda.org or your paper form via mail to my attention to St. Vincent de Paul of Alameda County 2272 San Pablo Avenue, Oakland, CA, 94612 and I will upload it for you.

Please do not send forms to the National Council.

Further assistance can be found below under “Help Files”.

If you have any questions on reporting, contact John Proctor at jproctor@svdp-alameda.org

The deadline was November 30. 

Your cooperation is appreciated.

For the Dining Room: 8:30 am to 1 pm Tuesday through Saturday

Volunteers in the dining room / kitchen prepare, and bag warm meals for our guests and serve them at the gated entrance to the courtyard. These excellent hot takeaway meals are being provided while the dining room remains open to the general public. The family dining room is open for elderly people, families with children and people with special needs.

We especially need Wednesday, Thursday and Friday volunteers.

Please contact Volunteer Coordinator Selena Lawson at slawson@svdp-alameda.org for more information.

"You are also asked to help the poor people to be able to earn their living in this season by supplying them with the implements to gather the harvest."

St. Vincent de Paul

To schedule a donation at our direct services campus in Oakland, please make an appointment with Brenda Addison at (510) 593-5501 or baddison@svdp-alameda.org 

Come to the parking lot at 675 23^rd Street (cross street San Pablo and 23^rd street) and pull up to the gate and honk for entry. Tax deductible donation slips are available. 

Communications and Branding

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Alameda County Online Conference Database

All conferences are strongly encouraged to use the SVdP Database for tracking and reporting assistance given to neighbors and conference finances. Doing so greatly simplifies generating the data for the Annual Report since the database tracks information in categories that are identical to those in the Annual Report. In addition, consulting the neighbor data when receiving requests for assistance enables rapid assessment of previous assistance by your conference and neighboring conferences to make the best possible decisions when providing help.

If your conference is not currently using the Database, and you are interested, please contact Mike Dresen at: m.dresen@comcast.net

Online Conference Database Training Zoom Videos

Please follow the links below to view the recordings of the training sessions with Joseph Roberts for the Online Conference Database.

User 101 Online Conference Database Training

https://youtu.be/AwsEJzTLAps

Treasurer 101 Training 

https://youtu.be/VASfrIpqRho

Administrator Training

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1osB2LeErgazHS93cbLbCU1OnLQzKRC1Q?usp=sharing

Conference Database Sharing Process

https://youtu.be/xfcGiiIwdlE

Before considering help for “The Neighbor”

1.     How much is the past due balance. Ask for that in writing in order to get a complete picture of the debt. 

2.     Sustainability- Is “The Neighbor” Working or on a fixed income? Can they afford to work out a plan, Keeping in mind that the monthly rent has to be paid in addition to payment plan amount. 

3.     Does the Lease Agreement include others in the H/H. All “Tenant’s “ listed have to agree on a repayment plan otherwise it is not legal and binding. 

4.     Any Agreement to pay amount past due once signed and dated by Owner, Landlord or Property Manager and Tenant or Tenant’s becomes a legal Document and if agreement isn’t kept may result in eviction. 

5.     How much can your Conference afford to pay? You can also use ATNCF Dollars ? Will this monetary support be enough to keep this “ Neighbor” or “Neighbor’s “ housed ? SVdp’s Goal is keep folks housed not merely send check’s to owners. 

6.     If you agree to help I would encourage Conferences to first speak directly with the Owners, Property Managers, and Landlords to confirm that they are on-board with this plan.

7.     Consider the reason “The Neighbor” fell behind originally? 

8.     Consider Seniors and Disabled and Families with underage Children? 

9.     Some “Neighbor’s” who reach out for help are beyond the help we can afford them. Some decisions aren’t always easy to make but do your best. Offer support in other ways but that may not always be welcomed. 

10.  The linked document, "Amendment to Rental Agreement," is only a sample. Some Owners, Property Owners and Landlords may choose to use another form or another type of agreement. 

Jackie Mallory

Questions or concerns: Jmallory@svdp-alameda.org or 1-510-638-7600. 

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

A Letter from our Servant Leaders



Focusing on Christ

A couple of months ago, I celebrated my 35th anniversary of being a part of our Vincentian family. Thirty-five years of blessings and an opportunity to learn and grow from the wisdom of Vincentians. I also just celebrated my five-month anniversary as your National CEO, and wow, have I learned a lot!

As Vincentians, we are called to be like a sponge, absorbing knowledge and spiritual growth from our brother and sister Vincentians. I began my Vincentian journey as a 22-year-old. I did not know much then — and I quickly learned, the more wisdom that was shared with me, the more I realized that I had to learn.

Older and wiser Vincentians taught me never to go to a gathering or meeting with my mind already made up on a particular matter but instead, arrive at the meeting with the desire to listen and discern the best solution.

As many of you know, Sam Pettway, founder of Boardwalk Consulting, is the recruiter who led the recent nationwide SVdP CEO search. After Sam reached out and asked me if I had any interest in the role, he asked me to describe myself. I told Sam that I consider myself a student of life, with the desire to keep on learning and growing. For me, the most attractive thing about our Society is our mission that calls us to grow together spiritually and in friendship so that we can serve Christ — our neighbor in need.

We have all heard the saying that if you have seen one St. Vincent de Paul Conference or Council, you have only seen one. We have such a strong and diverse way of focusing on serving Christ. This is what makes us special.

In the first Beatitude, when Christ says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,” He is talking to us! He is asking each of us to recognize our spiritual poverty and our need to grow closer to Him.

St. Vincent de Paul, St. Louise de Marillac, Blessed Frédéric Ozanam, and Blessed Rosalie Rendu serve as examples for us all to emulate. They lived in times far more difficult than what we face today. They saw challenges as opportunities to live their faith and keep their focus on Christ.

We should not put our faith into anyone or anything except Christ — we can count on Him, and He is counting on us! In a world where many are searching for Jesus, we have found Him in those we visit, comfort, and provide hope to in the most challenging times. How blessed we are to know that we are on a constant journey to serve Christ and grow closer to Him. There are so many in the world who don’t even know they should search and find Christ. We must keep them in our prayers.



The Lenten Season is just a few weeks away, and it will be a wonderful time to reflect on our virtues of Simplicity, Humility, Gentleness, Selflessness, and Zeal. We are called to be that bright light of Christ in the world, and to share the gift of the Society with others so they can live their faith in a Vincentian Way!

Thank you all for sharing the priceless gift of yourself with the Society and those we are blessed to serve!

Best wishes in Christ,

Michael J. Acaldo

National CEO

Guidance on Enforcement Agencies from the Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA

To: Vincentian Leaders

From: National Council of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul

Re: Guidance on Enforcement Agencies

Several members have reached out to the National Council recently requesting guidance on how to respond in the case of local or federal agents attempting to enter a Vincentian facility or access information on the people we serve. This memo addresses these questions.

The primary purpose of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is for our members to grow in holiness through person-to-person service to people in need, “regardless” as our Rule says, “of race, creed, color, gender, sexual orientation, criminal justice status, disability, marital status, veteran status, national origin, age or physical handicap.” In the people we serve, we see the Face of Christ. This has been our charism for the past 180 years in the United States and it remains so today.

In light of our mission, we do not ask about immigration status, nor do we record that information if we happen to learn it. As our manual advises, “members should be careful to record only what is essential to serve [the neighbor].” This generally does not include immigration status. Because we do not collect this information, we cannot share it should anyone inquire as to someone’s status.

Recently, the Department of Homeland Security rescinded the 2021 Memorandum on “Guidelines for Enforcement Actions in or Near Protected Areas.” This memo had provided protections against enforcement agencies taking action in places such as schools, churches, medical facilities, and social service centers. While DHS has yet to provide new guidance that replace the 2021 Memorandum, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops has called the recission “contrary to the common good.” The Society joins with our bishops in expressing grave concern over the impact of DHS’ recission.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul does not endorse political candidates or advocate for partisan views. We do, however, publicly address policies that concern poverty and the rights and needs of the people we serve. The Voice for the Poor raises awareness and advocates for policies that help to lift families and individuals out of poverty. Just this week, Vincentian leaders from around the country gathered in Washington to meet with our nation’s representatives. We urged them not to forget the poor and the vulnerable among us.

While we continue to advocate for the people we serve at all levels of government, it is important to develop guidelines for how the Society should respond if enforcement agencies attempt to enter our facilities. If a local or federal agent visits your Conference, Council, or Special Works facility, we recommend the following:

• Remain calm and professional. Our Vincentian charism encourages us to respect the human dignity of all.

• Know your rights and follow the law. Any agent needs a valid judicial warrant to enter non-public areas. Consider signage that designates “private area” to distinguish it from areas where any member of the public is welcome.

• Know your obligations. Comply with lawful warrants or subpoenas, and ensure you provide copies to your Council leadership.

• Protect confidential information. Maintain the confidentiality of the people we serve and do not volunteer information on their behalf. Again, comply with all warrants and subpoenas.

In our conference work, as always, information about someone served should remain confidential and details not shared via email. Remember, if a case is discussed during any meeting, the undocumented status of the person is not relevant.

• Record information on the visit. Note the name, badge number and agency of the visiting officer and ask for the purpose for the visit and their contact information.

• Alert local leadership. Inform your Conference or Council President/staff leader or Special Works Executive immediately. If you should have an encounter with an enforcement agency, it is critical that you contact your Conference or Council President or Executive Director/CEO so they can handle the matter directly or provide you guidance on how to respond.

• Alert the National Council. Contact Sherry Brown at the National Council at

sbrown@svdpusa.org or call (314) 576-3993, extension 200.

• Stay informed. Continue to follow the USCCB and your Diocesan guidelines as they relate to these issues.

Please continue to pray for all those the Society serves, especially those who may be experiencing

fear and uncertainty at this time. Our mission remains as essential as ever. We thank God for

blessing us with opportunities to put our faith in action every day.

For your reflection and contemplation, please find:

Pope St. John Paul II’s message on this issue given on World Migration Day, 1996

February 3, 2025

National Council of the United States Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Inc.

66 Progress Parkway • Maryland Heights, MO 63043-3706 • (314) 576-3993 •

www.svdpusa.org

Flight Into Egypt

Henry Ossawa Tanner

1923

Contemplation: Neighbors, Each to Each

“Do you serve illegal immigrants?” asks the voice on the phone. The question seems confusing, not because we don’t know the answer, but because the question doesn’t make sense. They might just as well ask us if we serve short people, Protestants, or athletes. The short answer, of course, is yes, but the short answer is not a complete one.

When a Protestant organization had entrusted the early Society with a large donation, the members began to discuss using it first to benefit Catholics in need, and “dissenters” only if there was any left over. Blessed Frédéric, appalled at the conversation, declared that “if it is not clearly understood that we help the poor without religious distinction, I shall go forthwith and return to the Protestants the donation which they have given. I shall say to them: ‘Take it back, we are unworthy of your confidence.’” It was not necessary, his biographer adds, to put this to a vote. [Baunard, 299]

There are many categories into which we may place people, and some in which we place ourselves, but within and without those categories each of us is made in the image of our loving Creator, unique and unrepeatable.[CSDC, 131] Each of us, Pope Benedict XVI taught, “is the result of a thought of God. Each of us is willed, each of us is loved, each of us is necessary.”

Not all of us, but each of us. This miraculous distinction is at the heart of our faith and our call to service, for nowhere in the Bible are we commanded, Catholic philosopher Peter Kreeft points out, to love humanity. We are commanded to love our neighbor. Even God does not love humanity – He loves You. He died for you. It is easy to love any group, even all of humanity, in the abstract. But, as Kreeft explains, “’Humanity’ never shows up at your door at the most inconvenient time. ‘Humanity’ is not quarrelsome, alcoholic, or fanatical. ‘Humanity’ never has the wrong political, religious, and sexual opinions…. But to die for your neighbor … unthinkable. Except for love.”

Jesus taught us to love in exactly this way, one person at a time. “For I was hungry, and you gave me food…” We serve each person before us who is in need, in any way “that alleviates suffering or deprivation and promotes human dignity”. [Rule, Part I, 1.3] We do this not because they are tall, or polite, or women, but because they are hungry, or cold, or alone; we do this not because they are Catholic, but because we are Catholic, and because in them – in each of them – we see the suffering Christ.

Our Church teaches that nations have a right to regulate borders and control immigration. Vatican City itself exercises this right. But that has nothing to do with the poor one before me today, for as St. Vincent de Paul taught, we “can’t see someone suffering without suffering along with him, or see someone cry without crying as well. This is an act of love.” [CCD XII:221] Vincentians serve for love alone.

Contemplate

Can I see and hear through the fog and noise around us to see only Christ in the person before me?



Recommended Reading

Amélie Ozanam: A Heart with Much Love to Give

Formation and Spirituality

New Copies of the Rule

Our newest reprint of the Rule and Regla includes all three parts in a small, pocket-sized format. It replaces both the old Pocket Rule, and the full Rule books, and is available now for purchase in English and Spanish.

Are there any changes to the text?

English: There are no changes to Part I or Part III of the Rule. There are some updates to Part II (the International Statutes).

Spanish: There is no longer an insert with previous updates. All three parts are completely updated, with a new and better translation.

Do I need to replace any copies of the Rule that I have now?

English: You should have one copy of this newest reprint for reference to Part II. However, since members primarily use Part I and III, there is no urgent need to replace old copies. Be sure you have the 2019 or newer version.

Spanish: We recommend that you begin replacing all old copies of the Rule as soon as possible.

Midyear Meeting

The 2025 Midyear Business Meeting is just around the corner, March 5 – 8, 2025 at the Hilton at the Ballpark St. Louis. 

This important gathering brings together our organization's key leaders to discuss the progress we've made and the exciting plans we have for the year ahead. 

Registration and the full agenda will be available soon, but we wanted to give you plenty of advance notice to ensure you can join us.

Please save the dates and stay tuned for more details. We look forward to seeing everyone.

Book your flights today! Southwest Airlinesoffers a special discounted rate for our Midyear Meeting, good for travel March 3 – 10, 2025. Please reference company id 99311682 for your reservation. Hilton has also provided us special discount pricing.

Questions and Answers

Q: Are members allowed to use any of the Society’s resources (food, clothing, etc.) for their own personal use?

A: In every set of nationally approved bylaws, the following paragraph exists:

Compensation: “No part of the property belonging to this entity, nor its net earnings or income shall ever inure to the benefit of any member or individual, or any person having a personal or private interest in the activities of the entity. There shall be no fee or honorarium for Conference service beyond reimbursement of expenses.” One example of the above is that members cannot receive a financial benefit from their involvement in the works of the Society. Some people think this refers to money only, but it does not. It refers to any resources that belong to the Society. Whether it is food, clothing, furniture, medications, or money, the members of the Society are not to take any for their personal use. The fact is that the members are not to benefit from the availability of any resources purchased or received as donations for the needy. For example, a member or volunteer may not take merchandise donated to a store for their own personal use. Another example, a member cannot go to the Conference food pantry and simply take food for their own use or use Conference gift vouchers to get things for their personal use. This also refers to using the Society’s name or accounts in order to acquire something that will benefit an individual member. For example, a member cannot go to a food bank and under the name of St. Vincent de Paul purchase food for their own use.

Q: Can you provide your advice and guidance regarding a Conference’s desire to open a credit card account? The Conferences share the same taxpayer ID as the Council.

A: This falls under the realm of a Council decision. With the Conference using the Council’s EIN, the Council is in a “doing business as…” relationship with the Conference. Technically, the Council is the legal entity; so, use of the credit card places an ultimate obligation on the Council.

Submit your questions to Pam Hudson Johnson at phudson@svdpusa.org   

Reflect

WHAT IS MYSTICISM?

Public Mystics

Dr. Barbara Holmes describes what it means to be a “public mystic,” someone whose experience of the divine leads them to take action on behalf of others: 

There is within the human spirit a source of renewal, courage, and ingenuity that equips us to fulfill our purpose here on earth. Howard Thurman refers to this powerful interiority as “the sound of the genuine within.” This deeply contemplative wellspring strengthens both individuals and entire communities as they seek freedom…. 

When I was growing up, most of the mystics that I was introduced to were of European lineage. Although their messages of faith, personal salvation, and the love of God continue to bless me to this day, I needed more. I needed leadership that lifted and protected the community; I wanted to see women and men who looked like me leading freedom’s charge…. 

In Joy Unspeakable, I refer to public mystics as leaders who embody the ineffable while attending to the ordinary, those who host the transcendent, the mystical, and the mundane while engaged in pragmatic justice-seeking acts. 

Spiritual director Therese Taylor-Stinson upholds Harriet Tubman as a model of a “public mystic”:  

Like Mama Harriet, we must learn to embrace the ways of our ancestors, connect with the Supreme, and find the internal freedom to do our part to lead our people, our communities—the inhabitants of this planet—to freedom and a new way of being….  

We can all be mystics. We should all know our mystical gifts are meant for our use in community. Our relationship with the Supreme is evidenced through our public interests in loving our neighbors. Sister Harriet is still speaking to us, along with other ancestors. Just as Harriet, in her treks to freedom, drew on many sources of the mystical to answer the sound of the genuine in herself, encouraging internal freedom in her charges as she led them to be physically free from brutal enslavement, we too must be in tune with the resources available to us today and the necessity for emotional freedom to even enjoy the rights of physical freedom. 

The mystical calls us to Ubuntu (“I am because we are”). That gives us the charge to become public mystics so that we may all endure.... Come with me across the bridge to freedom, and don’t forget to see and experience the beautiful falls of love, peace, beauty, and community along the way!

Richard Rohr

Center for Action and Contemplation 

Thursday, February 13, 2025

"Love is holy because it is like grace — the worthiness of its object is never really what matters."

Marilynne Robinson

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.

Titus 3:4-5

God, thank you for saving us by your grace, showing us that love, like mercy, is not about our worthiness but your holiness.