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Society of St. Vincent de Paul |
Ozanam School of CharityThe fourth annual archdiocesan Ozanam School of Charity will be held at Regis College on November 4. The day will begin with Mass at 8:15 am, followed by a coffee hour. The first talk will be by Regis Professor Dr. Ernest J. Collamati on Spirituality. The second will be on Conference Concerns by Northeast Regional President Ray Sickinger. The third morning address, presented by Barbara Brezina, will focus on District, Central, Regional and National Councils and the service they can offer Vincentians at the local level. The cost for the day is $10.00. Please let your conference president know if you will be attending soon so that your president can send in attendance to the organizers by October 27, 2000. Central Council Office Has MovedThe office for the Central Council staff has moved to a new address and has new phone numbers. Please note these down so that you can turn to the staff with questions and requests as needed. Society of St. Vincent de
Paul Housing Program Being ExploredAs explained at our most recent District Meeting held at Holy Ghost Church in Whitman, the Central Council is exploring the possibility of beginning a housing program within the Archdiocese. Such a program would likely involve both temporary shelter and permanent housing. Similar programs are run by other SVDP councils across the United States, and we feel that it is important to explore this option given the reality of extremely low vacancy rates and the scarcity of affordable housing for lower income families. As always, your input in such matters is greatly appreciated, and any comments, contacts or experiences that you have in the area of building or managing housing would be greatly appreciated. Whatsoever You Did to the Least of These Brothers...I'm sure that the final part of the 25th chapter of Matthew's Gospel is well-known to all Vincentians. Jesus' parable of the King who separates the sheep and the goats at the end of the world, basing the judgment on the charity extended to "the least" of the brothers and sisters, tells us that how we treat others is how we treat Jesus himself. This parable, which serves as the basis for the Church's traditional list of the Corporal Works of Mercy, is also the best description of the work we try to carry out as Vincentians. But who are the "least of the brothers and sisters" of Jesus? Next time you meet with each other, consider how we act toward those who are: least like us? Returning the Society to its Youthful SpiritFrom a talk at September's National Meeting in Milwaukee by Alexie Torres-Fleming: Torres-Fleming cautioned against imposing adult models of service on youth, citing King Saul's unsuccessful effort to put an adult's armor on David when the youth offered to fight Goliath. The youth had a different way of approaching the problem and succeeded while the adults said it couldn't be done. And she remembers the role modeling of her mother, who took the children along every Christmas eve when she delivered food and gifts from the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Today Torres-Fleming works to change the area from within, using the charisms of youth. She believes the secret to future success among organizations such as the St. Vincent de Paul Society is honoring the giftedness of the young. In referring to Generation X, Torres-Fleming said that the X stands for Christ, as it does in Xmas. "I call them Generation Jubilee. Everywhere you go, you feel it. This is an extraordinary time. I believe young people will help usher in God's kingdom," she said. Churches and groups like the St. Vincent de Paul Society need to facilitate the process and help youth confront structures that need changing. "Make the church relevant to them, not just trips and midnight basketball." Contact InformationSteve Cavanaugh |
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