The Council Program Handbook is Updated! |
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Eviction Order Update
The CDC Director signed an order determining the evictions of tenants for failure to make rent or housing payments could be detrimental to public health control measures to slow the spread COVID-19. This order expires on October 3, 2021 and applies in counties experiencing substantial and high levels of community transmission levels. The CDC reports the eviction moratorium allows additional time for rent relief to reach renters and to further increase vaccination rates. At this time, it is unclear which counties are affected, but will relay information as it is available.
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Child Tax Credit
Many Neighbors with children are benefitting from the new Child Tax Credit, which provides $250-300 per child to qualifying families. Most families are automatically receiving these payments which began in July. These additional funds should be of help to many families we serve. For additional information, please visit The Child Tax Credit | The White House
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Rapid Rehousing Pilot Update
We have 16 Neighbors enrolled in the pilot program. Twelve have been successfully housed and 4 are looking for housing with the help of our partner, St. Patrick Center.
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Serving the Homeless: Resource
When a homeless man or woman visits the church, knocks on the rectory door, or calls a Conference seeking help, how might we as Vincentians serve them? Often, we feel helplessness, unable to change our Neighbor’s situation. Our Executive Director, John Foppe, reminds us that these moments are an opportunity for us to grow closer to Christ, an invitation to completely depend on God’s love and providence to guide us. Turning it over to God allows our work to flourish—perhaps not in the way we anticipate, but always in accordance with God’s plan.
How might we help our homeless Neighbors?
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We want to hear from you
about council Programs!
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We'd like you to tell us how we are doing and
how we can better serve you and your Neighbors.
Your feedback will help guide our work going forward.
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If you haven't already,
please take our online survey!
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Reminder:
Moratorium Lifted on SVdP Home Visits
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In May, SVdP St. Louis District Presidents agreed to lift the moratorium on home visits. Vincentians may again make home visits with Neighbors in Need. This decision also applies to visits made by food pantries.
The following recommendations and guidelines are given:
1. First and foremost, this is a decision of personal health safety. If the Vincentian volunteer or Neighbor in Need is not comfortable with a home visit, there should be no pressure to do so.
2. Follow CDC guidelines in respect to masking, vaccinations, and social distancing.
4. Questions or concerns from Conference leadership should be directed to their District President.
5. When making home visits, for the wellbeing of all, continue to be vigilant with personal hygiene, hand washing, sanitizing, etc.
6. Continue to be open to practical solutions for providing ministry to Neighbors in Need that provide health safety. For example: meet outside, in the Church parking lot or in a park. When available, use ventilation in homes (fans and windows), etc.
7. Be responsive to any changes in CDC and/or Archdiocesan guidelines.
Thank you for all that you do to help our Neighbors in Need.
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Section 2.1 of our Manual tells us that “membership in the Society involves lifelong formation.”
What do we mean by formation? We can make a distinction between training and formation. Training pertains to the what and how, the practicalities of our work.
Formation involves the full dimensionality of the human person. It contains the what and how, but draws a larger circle to include...
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St. Vincent de Paul Sunday
is Sunday, November 7
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The goal of SVdP Sunday is to spread awareness about SVdP's mission, recruit members and raise money for your Conference.
It’s not too early to begin planning. Here are some things you can do:
If you haven't already, now is a good time to speak with your Pastor and plan parish activities to celebrate the work of the Society and familiarize parishioners with the work of your Conference. These activities may include:
- Work with your pastor to schedule a pulpit talk
- Plan for a special collection after mass
- Plan a meet-and-greet donut / coffee gathering to speak to fellow parishioners about the Society
- Host a Commissioning and Commitment Ceremony for your current members.
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Formation Resources: Podcasts |
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Our Catholic faith is so rich! In answering Pope St. John II’s call for a New Evangelization marked by new ardor, new methods, and new expressions, Catholics have created numerous faithful and high-quality podcasts to help us on our faith journey. The four podcasts below are especially good for our intellectual formation. Let us listen and learn!
- Catholic Answers Focus
- Godsplaining
- The Thomistic Institute
- The Word on Fire Show
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These podcasts can be located and accessed through your podcast app of choice. They produced by dynamic individual Catholics or Catholic apostolates aimed at helping people grow in their Catholic faith. However, they may also express views or positions on issues that are unique to them so and not necessarily reflective of the view of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in the Archdiocese of St. Louis.
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SVdP National Assembly in Houston |
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Click the link below to learn more and sign up for the
2021 National Annual Assembly in Houston, August 25 - 29.
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Scholarships are available. Three $1,200 scholarships per district available. To learn more about scholarships, click the link below. |
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Did You Know:
You can earn thrift credits to help your Conference's Neighbors in Need!
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Why?
Volunteering in SVdP Thrift Stores is fun. Make new friends. And, you can use volunteer credit hours for Vouchers to help our Neighbors in Need buy items in SVdP Thrift Stores!
How many credits can you earn?
$10 for each hour worked at an SVdP Thrift Store. (Volunteer must work a minimum of 8 hours each month to qualify)
Volunteer with friends . . . they can apply their credit hours to your Conference, too. Or, you can share your credits (twin) with other Conferences.
Begin collecting credits for your Conference:
Submit a Volunteer application to work at an SVdP Thrift Store.
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Upcoming Zoom Formation Opportunities |
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Ozanam Orientation
August 19, 2021
1:00-4:00pm
Home Visit 101
Tuesday, September 14
1:00-3:00
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St. Louis County Dept. of Public Health
Covid Vaccinations at SVdP Thrift Stores!
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Florissant Thrift Store
1 Paddock Hills Plaza
Shopping Ctr.
Florissant, MO 63033
Tuesdays, Aug. 3
& Aug. 24
2 - 6 PM
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Fenton Thrift Store
625 Gravois
Fenton, MO
63026
Thursdays, Aug. 5
& Aug. 26
2 - 6 PM
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Cool Valley
Thrift Outlet
1225 S. Florissant
St. Louis, MO 63121
Tuesdays, Aug. 10
& Aug. 31
2 - 6 PM
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Pfizer vaccine available!
Bring your family, friends & neighbors
Vaccines available to ages 12 years old and up
or call 314-615-2660
Need a ride?
Free transportation to and from COVID-19 vaccinations.
For more information, call 314-615-2660.
Rides must be scheduled by 5pm the day before and can be scheduled up to one week in advance.
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Dear Vincentians,
Hurricane Gloria was heading up the eastern seaboard in the 1980s when I lived in Boston. Normally hurricanes don’t get that far north, but this one was coming. We were told to use packing tape—running it corner to corner--on our windows to reinforce them. This precaution, and all the others we took, turned out to be unnecessary as the storm lost its power before reaching us. For months after the storm, I was amused to see tape still on windows. Mine was gone the day after the storm. Of course.
This memory returned the other day while standing on one of those floor stickers put in place to keep shoppers physically distant. When might we see the last of them? If my Boston neighbors were any indicator, we’ll be seeing them for many years even as we grow lazy about handwashing. (Are you still singing Happy Birthday twice?)
A physician friend of mine commented how it seemed impossible that he had been flying for years without a mask, even as he experienced catching a cold after many flights. He wears a mask every day and for many hours in the surgery theater. Why not elsewhere? Yea. Why not?
God gave us brains. Let’s use them. Whether the risk is a virus, one of its variants, the common cold, or the temptation towards a sinful pattern. Doesn’t it make sense to take precautions and remain physically and spiritually healthy? Yes. It does.
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Friends of the Poor Walk/Run |
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Get your walking or running shoes on—It’s time to start preparing for the September 25 Friends of the Poor Walk/Run.
Host your own Walk at your parish, school or local park. Or, tap into one of many existing Walk sites hosted by fellow Conferences and Districts.
This event is always a beautiful, crisp, fall morning spent with your Vincentian friends, families, and fellow parishioners. You can walk, run or just sit and watch. Walks always have prayer, fellowship and the ability to help your Conference raise funds. Last year, a Conference raised $32,000--and every penny stayed in their Conference!
Now’s the time to start your plans. September will be here before you know it.
For questions or to start your own Walk, contact Steve Rupp at 314-881-6018 or stever@svdpstl.org
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District President Highlight -- Get to Know Ken Gebken,
South District President
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How long have you been a Vincentian?
Ken Gebken: 15 years.
Why did you join? What inspired you to join?
KG: Some teachers at my high school - St. Louis Prep South - were Vincentian priests.
What is your home parish?
KG: Pope St. John Paul II.
Are you originally from St. Louis or did you grow up elsewhere?
KG: I grew up in St. Louis - St. Joan of Arc is where my parents still live.
How has your spirituality grown with your service to the poor?
KG: Serving the poor has opened my eyes to the presence of God in everyone we meet.
Tell us a little about yourself and your family.
KG: I live by myself and have 1 daughter, Cecilia, in 7th grade at St. Margaret Mary Alacoque school (Oakville).
What do you like to do in your free time?
KG: I enjoy reading, video games, spending time with my daughter, and I’m a news junkie.
Any words of wisdom for other Vincentians?
KG: Listening and prayer is our greatest skill and most powerful ally.
Anything else you’d like to share with us?
KG: Never underestimate the power of prayer.
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Vincentian Highlight: Don Deves |
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Don Deves, former Conference President of Seven Holy Founders, was elected Conference President in 1991 and was then re-elected multiple times until 2016, a total of 25 years as President!
Fellow Vincentian Mike Carosone says of Don, “Don’s faith, kindness, knowledge, and humility made him the perfect choice when he was unanimously elected by his fellow Vincentians to become their Conference President.”
For 10-15 years, Don also helped deliver furniture from the basement of Seven Holy Founders to those in need at St. Francis de Sales Parish, all the while working his full-time job and raising his family in Affton.
Vincentians from his Conference and the Council office helped Don celebrate his 90th birthday in March of 2019 with his wife Rita at Pietro's Italian restaurant in south St. Louis (pictured above).
Don, we thank you for how you have served your fellow Vincentians as well as your community!
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North District Golf Tournament - Thank You! |
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After missing a year due to the pandemic, the 8th annual North District St. Vincent DePaul Golf tournament took place on Friday, June 18 at the Florissant Golf Club. With a full field of 136 golfers and the support of Vincentians from multiple conferences, the event generated $23,000 which will be used to benefit the North District Conferences.
In addition to the support of golfers and local sponsors, the North District would like to express our gratitude to the overwhelming support that we received from our fellow conferences. Anticipating that we may struggle with corporate sponsorships, we reached out, and you heard our call. The Society of St. Vincent DePaul conference contributions accounted for nearly 40% of the revenue generated, those funds will directly benefit those in need. The support of conferences throughout the Archdiocese reinforces the Society’s mission to help our neighbors, wherever they might be.
Gratefully,
North District Vincentians
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Church Bulletin Announcements: July - September |
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Click below to get church bulletin announcement suggestions for July 2021. Please work with your Parish's bulletin creator/coordinator to submit the copy. Placement in your Parish bulletin will help get visibility and support for your SVdP Conference. Of course, you can always customize these to meet your specific Conference needs. |
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Monthly Mass - Invitation |
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All Vincentians are welcome. |
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Mass officiated by Fr. Pranaitis
St. Genevieve Parish,
49 Dubourg Pl, St. Genevieve, MO 63670
on August 12 at 12 p.m.
ALL VINCENTIANS WELCOME!
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Reminder... Rosary Every Wednesday Night! |
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Join us --
SVdP St. Louis
Rosary Wednesday
8 p.m.
via Zoom.
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Meeting ID: 989 8066 7271 Passcode: vincent
or dial in: (312) 626-6799
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Please Pray for The Sick:
Bob Hook
St. Anthony
Judy Belford
Gravois District President
Please Pray for The Deceased:
Len Knobbe
St. Francis de Sales
Deacon Dave Amelotti
Spiritual Advisor for Our Lady of Providence
or (314) 881-6018
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The Society of St. Vincent de Paul
St. Louis | [svdpstlouis.org]
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