The Society Scoop | Jan. 2025 | Issue 1

Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things;

his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.

- Psalms 98:1

Dear Vincentian Friends.

Happy New Year and welcome to 2025—a truly historic year for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul! This year, we proudly celebrate the 180th anniversary of our Society’s presence in the United States, a legacy that began right here in St. Louis at the Old Cathedral in 1845.

As we embark on this remarkable milestone, we have much to celebrate and reflect upon. For 180 years, Vincentians like you have carried forward our mission of serving Christ in the poor with love and compassion. The legacy of our founders lives on in every act of kindness, every meal served, every bill paid, and every prayer offered. It is a heritage that unites us and inspires us to continue His sacred work.

This anniversary is more than a commemoration of the past; it is a call to deepen our commitment to the future. Just as our founders answered the needs of their time, we are called to address the unique challenges of today—and to do so together.

The year 2025 provides us with a unique opportunity to celebrate our shared history, strengthen our bonds as a Vincentian family, and renew our dedication to serving those in need.

Throughout the year, we will host events and initiatives that honor our 180 years of service. These will include:

• Heritage Celebrations: Join us at our Spring Assembly on April 26 where we will commemorate our anniversary with a representative and special procession from each Conference. Details and registration to come soon.
• Storytelling: We will share and hear stories from fellow Vincentians, highlighting the impact of our work and the enduring spirit of our mission.
• Formation Opportunities: Engage in workshops designed to deepen your understanding of our Vincentian spirituality, service and heritage.
• Community Outreach: Through various communication channels, we will share our rich history of service in St. Louis.

We hope these opportunities will not only celebrate our past but also inspire us to build on it. Together, we can ensure the Society’s work continues to flourish for generations to come.

As we kick off this monumental year, let us remember the words of Blessed Frédéric Ozanam, the founder of the Society: “Charity must never look back, but always ahead, for the number of its past benefits is always very small, and the present and future miseries it must relieve are infinite.”

Thank you for being a vital part of this legacy. Your dedication, faith, and service bring hope and dignity to those who need it most.

We are one mission with many hands . . . Together, let’s make 2025 a year of unity, celebration, and renewed purpose.

With gratitude and blessings,

John Foppe 

The Three Kings and the Home Visit

How about three Vincentians?

The Three Kings recognized Jesus the Christ Emmanuel. God with us. Can the same be said for us as Vincentians if the Three Kings visited our house or when we visit a neighbor’s house. We are welcomed. In the liturgy we pray. “Lord I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof. But only say the word and I should be healed.” 

How do we bring the healing of Jesus Christ, the child to our neighbors. Think of opening the door to your house this past Christmas Season. Welcoming in guests or maybe even a stranger. The gifts that are brought. Maybe not gold frankincense or myrrh but maybe cookies or cakes. A gift of welcoming and hospitality. These are gifts from the heart. Our neighbors open the doors of their homes to us, and do they recognize the Christ child in each of us and do we recognize the Christ child in each of them. Emmanuel. God is with us. A child born to us. 

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul has a rich history in the United States, as chronicled in the 1904 St. Vincent de Paul Quarterly (pages 325–327).

Founded in St. Louis in 1845, just 12 years after its inception in Paris, the Society quickly became a cornerstone of charitable outreach in America. Its mission, rooted in personal service to the poor, resonated deeply in our burgeoning city and spread across the nation.

This year marks the Society's 180th anniversary in the United States, a milestone that highlights its enduring legacy of compassion and commitment to serving those in need, beginning with its humble yet impactful origins in St. Louis.

Let us make this a strong year of coming together in unity, living out our shared mission and acknowledging we are "One Mission, Many Hands," just as we have for the past 180 years.

It's time again for the annual Hardee's Rise and Shine Campaign for Heat Up St. Louis. Join us . . . sign up and be an official outdoor greeter at Hardees on Friday, February 14, 2025.

SVdP participation collaborates with our partnership with Heat Up St. Louis and contributes to funds that serve our Neighbors in Need.

Each volunteer gets a free breakfast sandwich and a souvenir apron.

Please return a completed list of volunteers from your Conference, request your location and time. Greeters can work any time between 6 a.m. and 10:30 am for a one-hour minimum.

Click here to view this year's most convenient Hardee's locations 

Click here to get the sign-up form

Please submit your sign up forms by February 1, 2025. All forms and questions should be sent to Timothy Massey: timothym@svdp.org

The SVdP St. Louis Archdiocesan Council received a generous donation of toothbrushes and toothpaste from Delta Dental, and we are working to collect other personal care items as well. 

If your Conference operates a food pantry and would like to receive personal care items from the Council, please contact Julie Komanetsky at juliek@svdpstl.org

Utility Resource:

LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) is a federally funded program that helps low-income households with energy bills. LIHEAP’s Emergency Crisis Intervention Program (ECIP) is now available for all eligible households. Additional information on the program and contracted agencies in Missouri that administer the program can be found at Liheap | mydss.mo.gov

Council Vouchers:

Please destroy any Bed, Donated Good, or Delivery Vouchers that expired on September 30, 2024. New Bed and Donated Good Vouchers have been disseminated and should be used moving forward.

Spire Pledge Payments Update:

Spire has a new mailing address for pledge payments when paying by check. Please send to:

Spire

Attention Community Services Department

605 Richard Arrington Jr Blvd N

Birmingham, AL 35203

Conferences can also pay pledges via electronic funds transfer. For additional information about setting up EFT, please email pledges@spireenergy.com

Mercy Professional Counseling Services Providing Individual Therapy, Family and Couples Counseling, help to provide counseling for the poor or those that cannot afford to pay.  Therapy is provided by Masters Level Interns and Graduate MSWs. Day, Evening, Weekend Hours by appointment. Therapists guided and supervised by a RN, LCSW, Marriage and Family Therapist.

Click here to learn more.

Solidarity Grants The St. Vincent de Paul Council is proud to introduce the Solidarity Grant, created to support Conferences in need of additional resources to serve those in need. This grant aims to help Conferences overcome financial challenges that hinder their mission of aiding the poor.

To learn more about the grant and how to apply, we invite you to attend one of our ZOOM Know Your Resources: Solidarity Grant Information Sessions. Click below to register.

• Wednesday, January 8 at 2 p.m.
• Wednesday, January 15 at 6 p.m.

If you completed the Protecting God’s Children program for your parish, the CYC, or your school 10, 15, or even 20 years ago—thank you! This program, which began in 2003, has since expanded to cover all vulnerable individuals. In 2020, the Archdiocese added two new components: Mandated Reporting and the Code of Ethical Conduct.

All three components are now required for Active and Associate Vincentians, and it’s important that everyone stays compliant.

You can easily check your records and schedule any necessary training by visiting the Prevent & Protect website: https://www.preventandprotectstl.org/. Use the same Username and Password from your Protecting God’s Children account or create a new one if needed. When registering for the first time, use the password: stlprotect.

Once logged in, scroll down to the "MY TRAINING" box. Click "Completed" to find the dates when you finished each part of the required training and print your certificates. If you need to complete a component, click "Due." The sessions are short and can be done online from the comfort of your home.

Having difficulties or confused about how to complete the requirements?

Zoom option

After you are registered, you can go to: https://www.preventandprotectstl.org/s/stlouis/pgc.htm which lists all the current Protecting God’s Children (PGC) trainings. There are currently many zooms with availability. You can register for the zoom online and then participate in the training from the comfort of your home. The facilitator will take attendance and it will be added to your Prevent and Protect account. The Prevent and Protect program does not work on cell phones. Registration and trainings need to be completed on a laptop or personal computer.

As Vincentians, we daily encounter Neighbors in Need who struggle to retain the housing that they have. Out of Reach 2024, a publication of the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), examines why even modest housing remains out of reach for low-income workers.  

NLIHC defines the “Housing Wage” as the full-time hourly wage a household must earn to afford a modest rental home at HUD’s Fair Market Rent (FMR) while spending no more than 30% of their income on housing costs. Nationally, the 2024 Housing Wage was $32.11 per hour for a modest 2-bedroom rental and $26.74 per hour for a modest 1-bedroom rental.

MSN News: US homelessness rose by record 18% in latest annual data

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - There was a record 18% rise in homelessness in the U.S. in the last year, driven by factors like unaffordable housing, high inflation, systemic racism, natural disasters and rising immigration, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development said on Friday.

Know Your Resources:

Solidarity Grant Information

January 15, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm Zoom

What You’ll Learn

1. The purpose and priorities of the Solidarity Grant program.

2. Eligibility criteria, focusing on Conferences with significant financial need.

3. Application guidelines and tips for preparing a strong submission.

Ozanam Orientation

February 1

9 am - 2 pm

St. Ferdinand, 1765 Charbonier Rd., Florissant, Missouri 63031

What You'll Learn

A foundational offering for all Vincentians covering the spirituality, purpose, history, approach, and structure of the Society. New Vincentians are expected to attend an Ozanam Orientation within their first year in the Society.

Home Visit Orientation

February 19

6 pm - 8:30 pm

Seven Holy Founders, 6737 S. Rock Hill Road, St. Louis, MO 63123

What You'll Learn

The Home Visit Workshop is a foundational offering open to all Vincentians. Rooted in our essential elements of spirituality, friendship, and service, the workshop provides guidance for meeting with our Neighbors in their homes and offering support.

Vincentians from Ascension Parish in Chesterfield are making a difference by providing breakfast to students at Blessed Teresa of Calcutta School in North St. Louis County. Here's what they have to share about their efforts:

"Providing “breakfast” at the Blessed Teresa of Calcutta elementary school exceeded all expectations. The staff were there when we arrived to help us carry our goods inside, we set up a table, unpacked our boxes and were ready to take on the kids."

"The kids were hesitant at first but soon got acquainted with our volunteers and the breakfast items we brought. We’ve offered some combination of fig bars, bananas, applesauce, goldfish, egg bites, cheese sticks, blueberry muffins, and oranges."

"It's a little tough getting up in the morning and going out into the dark and cold - but once you see those sweet eager faces at our food table, it is truly all worth it. "

"Hopefully we make a difference, and these kids have a great day at school!"

"The staff has been warm and welcoming, and the kids look forward to breakfast and us being there!"

If your Conference is interesting in providing breakfast to students at Blessed Theresa of Calcutta, please contact Julie Komanetsky at Juliek@svdpstl.org

Mark your calendars! The 2025 Society of St. Vincent de Paul in St. Louis Spring Assembly is scheduled for Saturday, April 26. This special gathering promises to be an inspiring day of fellowship, reflection, and collaboration as we come together to further our mission of service. Be on the lookout for an email later this month with additional details, including the time, location, and agenda. We can’t wait to see you there and share this meaningful experience with all our members!

Join us at the SVdP Council office and lend a hand at our receptionist desk. You'll have the opportunity to be the warm, welcoming face and voice of our mission, answering calls and greeting visitors.

Whether you can spare a couple of hours or an entire day, your time will be deeply appreciated as you experience the heart of our work and connect with our incredible team.

We’d be honored for you to join us!

To volunteer or learn more, please contact:

Varrietta Anthony

📞 314-881-6039

📧 Varriettaa@svdpstl.org



Meeting ID: 989 8066 7271

Passcode: Vincent 

or dial in: (312) 626-6799

To add a name to the list, please contact Steve Rupp at stever@svdpstl.org or (314) 881-6018.

1310 Papin St., St. Louis, MO 63103 | https://svdpstlouis.org