Dear Friends,
Each year at Lent most of us focus on what we will give up. It may be ice cream, or chips, or some other favorite treat but we tend to focus on what we will go without. Pope Francis encourages us to also give thought to what we will do. I thank you for what you do through your gifts of prayer, time and treasure. You have made a real and positive difference in the lives of those we serve. The Murphy family is a prime example of how your gifts are put to work. Their story is featured in this issue of Faces of Hope. I hope you will enjoy this edition.
With gratitude,
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John Foppe
Executive Director
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On Saturday, March 25th, from 9 AM-12:15 PM, come join hundreds of your fellow Vincentians at St. Louis University High School for a morning of Spirituality, Friendship and Service including:
- Mass—The perfect way to start our day!
- Continental Breakfast
- Keynote Address--Fr. Chris Martin, Vicar for Strategic Planning overseeing All Things New.
- Breakout Sessions—Great opportunity to get to know the Vincentians you may be merging with under All Things New.
- Formation, Programs and All Things New planning updates.
Seating will be according to the 15 “Planning Areas” described to you at the All Things New Listening Sessions held at each parish.
You can review the 15 Planning Areas and the merger options here
Reserve your spot TODAY!
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THANK YOU to everyone who participated in this year's Rise and Shine for Heat Up St. Louis! Despite inflation and tough times for many, this event raised a record $900,000, a 29% increase from last year. |
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Spirituality. Friendship. Service.
Our Three Essential Elements help us fully live out our mission in good times and bad, through stability and change. All three remain essential for the Society through the changes of All Things New.
I’d like to call attention to our element of Friendship.
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During this unique time in the Society and our Archdiocese, we have a special opportunity to model Christian Vincentian friendship in our conferences, parishes, communities, and Archdiocese. By placing our friendship with Christ as the source of our friendship with others, we can love with transformed hearts. We see Christ in them, and pray they see Christ in us. Seeing the face of Christ in each other raises friendships to holy relationships.
Here are a few ways we can grow in and model friendship during the challenges and opportunities of All Things New:
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Program Updates and Resources |
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Updates have been made to the online Council Program Handbook! We have also added two new sections: Sensitive Personally Identifiable Information and Vincentians as Neighbors. The Handbook can be found on our website..
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The Council has received an influx of referrals which we are processing as quickly as possible. A few reminders:
- The program is not for the chronically homeless.
- Neighbors must have enough income so they can sustain themselves and their families in the future. Example: A Neighbor who has worked part time for the past year and earns $500 a month is not able to sustain their family and may not be a good candidate.
If you would like to learn more about our Rapid Rehousing Program, please join us for an Information Session.
Thursday, March 2
Meeting ID: 891 5962 2006
Passcode: 311215
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Pregnancy Care Partnership |
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This partnership ensures pregnant women have the support they need during and after their pregnancy. SVdP is seeking Conferences willing to provide support and friendship to these women and their children. For more information, contact Julie Komanetsky at juliek@svdpstl.org.
Pregnancy Care Zoom: If your Conference is working with a pregnant mother and you would like to discuss her situation or learn about possible resources, please join us on Zoom!
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Wednesday, March 15 at 1 PM
Meeting ID: 883 4273 2618
Passcode: 301266
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Recent Conference Banking Information Request
SVdP sent an email to Conference Presidents last week asking for banking information needed by SVdP independent auditors. Bank confirmations are a required audit activity. Because of our SVdP structure and because we are one legal entity, the independent financial audit will, for the first time, include conferences contrasted with prior audits, which only covered Council activity.
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We are excited to announce our 2023 Vincentian Wisdom Series! These Zoom sessions will feature wisdom from Vincentians and staff members on important and timely topics.
We invite you to register for one of the following sessions:
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March 8 (6:00 – 7:00 PM): Essentials for Conference Vitality and Growth. This webinar will cover minimum standards, standards of excellence, and other material important to conference vitality and growth. The session will be held on Zoom. You will receive the Zoom information in your confirmation email.
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April 11 (3:00 – 4:00 PM): When Our Neighbors Need More Than Our Conference Can Provide. This workshop will provide guidance and thoughts for Vincentians who encounter Neighbors with complex problems that often seem beyond our capacity to help. The session will be held on Zoom. You will receive the Zoom information in your confirmation email.
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All Things New Information Session |
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Join us for a Council-Wide Zoom meeting focused on supporting Conferences through All Things New changes. There will be updates and guidelines presented each time we meet as well as an opportunity to ask questions and share information and support with fellow Vincentians.
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March 29
6:30 PM – 7:30 PM
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The Ozanam Orientation is 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.
Saturday, April 15
9:00 AM – 1:30 PM
St. Ferdinand
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To prevent competition among Conferences and to comply with legal regulations, Conferences/Districts should work with the Council Office to apply for grants. If you are interested in a grant opportunity, please alert the Council Office and your District President. When a Conference/District enters into a grant agreement, they do so as a legal entity of the St. Louis Archdiocesan Council. This application process is in place to protect Vincentians and SVdP as a whole.
Click here for more information on the grant application process. Please email NicoleP@svdpstl.org with any questions.
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Vincentian Remembrance - Spring Assembly |
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We will remember deceased Vicentians from this past year in the Spring Assembly program. Please email a list of the deceased from your conference to Tom Matoushek at tomm@svdpstl.org by Friday, March 3. |
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Thrift Store Volunteer Exception Update |
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After last month’s Board decision to cease volunteers in SVdP St. Louis Thrift Stores, two exceptions were discovered:
- Volunteers with disabilities enrolled in an established vocational volunteer program that provides appropriate documentation and meets applicable Department of Labor criteria.
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Volunteer Only Thrift Stores are exempt from the FLSA. Volunteer Only Thrift Stores are defined as those that presently have never had employees working in our Thrift Stores, rather, they rely exclusively on the service of volunteers. (St. Vincent de Paul, Perryville; St. Rose of Lima, Desoto; Immaculate Conception, Union and St. Agnes, Bloomsdale.)
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10th Annual North District Golf Tournament |
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From the Voice of the Poor |
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Be Prepared for a Call To Action
Support Neighbors Facing "Benefits Cliffs"
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Neighbors who participate in public assistance programs such as food stamps (SNAP), temporary assistance for needy families (TANF), and childcare subsidies risk losing those benefits if they receive a promotion or a pay increase. In some cases, the increased income from the promotion or pay raise puts them over the income threshold for receiving benefits, resulting in them falling off the "benefits cliff." This creates a disincentive for recipients to better themselves, since the loss of benefits can be greater than the pay increase, making the recipient worse off.
On February 23, the Missouri Senate passed SB 82, sponsored by Senator Mary Elizabeth Coleman (R-Arnold), by a vote of 30-3. SB 82 would allow Neighbors receiving public assistance to take a pay increase without losing their benefits all at once. Instead, Neighbors would receive reduced benefits commensurate with their increased earnings. This would remove any disincentive for Neighbors to improve their financial situation by working more hours or receiving a promotion or pay raise.
The bill now moves to the Missouri House, where a similar bill, HB 719, sponsored by Representative Alex Riley (District 134, Springfield), was voted out of committee in early February.
What Has the VOP Done?
The Voice of the Poor Committee, Archdiocesan Council of St. Louis, has been working with the Missouri Catholic Conference and Catholic Charities to pursue a policy solution for benefits cliffs. The trio has met with Missouri state legislators and with the Atlanta Federal Reserve, who is expanding their Career Ladder Identifier and Financial Forecaster (CLIFF) Tool to enable Missouri Neighbors to see the impact of their career choices on their benefits eligibility and overall financial well-being.
How Can You Help?
Please watch for alerts from the Voice of the Poor Committee regarding any Missouri House actions on benefits cliff legislation and consider contacting your Representative as the alert requests. With a little encouragement from constituents, benefits cliffs could be eliminated this session!
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Reminder... Rosary Every Wednesday Night |
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Join us --
SVdP St. Louis
Rosary Wednesday
8 PM via Zoom
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Meeting ID: 989 8066 7271 Passcode: Vincent or dial in: (312) 626-6799
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Please Keep in Your Prayers |
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Please Pray for The Sick:
Marty Bligh, Holy Name of Jesus
Varrietta Anthony, St. Louis Council Office
Father Tom Haley, Blessed Teresa of Calcutta
To add a name to the list, please contact Steve Rupp at stever@svdpstl.org or (314) 881-6018
We will remember deceased Vicentians from this past year in the Spring Assembly program. Please email a list of the deceased from your conference to Tom Matoushek at tomm@svdpstl.org by Friday, March 3.
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