Society of St. Vincent de Paul
Brockton District
April 2001

New Officers on District Board

The District welcomes Laureen Rheault, president of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha Conference in Plymouth as our new District Treasurer, and Rev. Richard Conway, pastor of St. Margaret's parish as our District Spiritual Advisor. Please pray for both of our new officers. And pray that more will step up to help with the work of the District...there's plenty of room for anyone who wants to donate any time or talent for our work.

February Communion Breakfast Notes

Forty-five Vincentians gathered at St. Thecla's parish in Pembroke for Mass on a chilly Sunday morning on February 11. After Mass we were treated to a wonderful breakfast at the Knights of Columbus Hall. At the meeting each table discussed Goal 2 of the National Council's Five-Year Strategic Plan: Enhance the image of the Society to become a more visible sign of Christ.

When tables reported on their disucssions, lots of great ideas were shared, including:

• Having weekly bulletin notices about the Society, its work, and how parishioners can help
• Work with other groups in the community, especially other churches, food pantries and businesses that might support our work
• Host special dinners and events for seniors or other groups
• Put announcements in other groups' newsletters and bulletins, especially local community groups, senior centers and retirement homes
• Send letters about your conference's work to your local Veteran agent
• Let your local school know about the help you can give, so they can direct families to you.

In addition to the fine discussion and fellowship at our meeting, we took up a collection to support the relief efforts in El Salvador. Individuals and conferences contributed $568.00 to the relief effort at the meeting. Thanks to all of you for your generous support of the Society in El Salvador.

District Retreat on April 27

Don't forget about our District Retreat at Miramar Retreat Center in Duxbury on Friday, April 27. Cost is only $20.00 for the day, from 10 am to 3 pm, with lunch served at the Retreat House. Please let your president know if you'll be attending, so that we can get a count to Miramar by April 12. Spouses or other adult family members are most welcome to join us for this day of reflection.

Annual Communion Breakfast on April 29 at Park Plaza, Boston

At our annual Archdiocesan Communion Breakfast at the end of April, we will begin the day with Mass at 9:30 at Our Lady of Victories Church at 27 Isabella St. Mass will be celebrated by our regional bishop, Most Reverend Richard Malone. The annual meeting and breakfast will follow at the Park Plaza Hotel. Plan on celebrating with Vincentians from all around Boston.

May District Meeting

Our next District Communion Breakfast and Quarterly Meeting will be May 20 at St. Thomas Aquinas church in Bridgewater. Mass will be at 7:45 am, with meeting and breakfast to follow in the parish hall. Please let your Conference president know if you'll be attending, so that we can give a count to the Vincentians in Bridgewater in a timely way. Our thanks to Bill Ferioli, president of the St. Thomas conference, for offering to host our meeting.

Person-to-Person Love This is the moment, then, when we who call ourselves Christians must face one another, for the allaying of man's hunger begins by man facing man on a one-to-one basis. To begin to assuage this hunger, man must understand that he is loved, loved as a friend, loved as a brother in Christ. It must be done person-to-person. It cannot be done en masse. It is only in the eyes of another, in the face of another, that man can find the Icon of Christ. There are many ways of praising God, many ways of praying to him, many ways of searching for him. But today there is one great way, one profound way, one gentle, tender and compassionate way. It is by person-to-person love. We must make the other aware that we love him. If we do, he will know that God loves him. When he knows that God loves him, he will cease to hunger. He will know that God has prepared a table for him and has invited him to come to his feast, to drink his wine, and to eat the bread which is himself. The Gospel Without Compromise Catherine de Hueck Doherty Ave Maria Press, © 1976, p. 25