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Spiritual Reflection

Spiritual Reflection. Who Are We and What We Do? What is Our History? What is Vincentian Spirituality ? Why Do We Have A Rule and What Is It? Why Do We Make Home Visits? How Are We Organized? Why and How Are We Accountable? What is Our Society Doing Today?

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Spiritual Reflection

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  1. Spiritual Reflection

  2. Who Are We and What We Do? • What is Our History? • What is Vincentian Spirituality ? • Why Do We Have A Rule and What Is It? • Why Do We Make Home Visits? • How Are We Organized? • Why and How Are We Accountable? • What is Our Society Doing Today? • Commissioning

  3. Who we are and what we do

  4. MISSION STATEMENT • Inspired by Gospel Values • Catholic Lay Organization of Men and Women • Joined Together to Grow Spirituality • Person to Person Service to Those Who are in Need or Suffering • Blessed Frededric Ozanam, Our Primary Founder • St. Vincent de Paul, Our Patron • Members Known as Vincentians

  5. Summary of MISSION STATEMENT • International Society of Charity • Poverty, Humility and Sharing • Prayer and Reflection • Mutuality Supportive Gathering • The Rule • No distinction in those who are Served • Organized Locally in Parishes • In those they serve, Vincentians See the Face of Christ

  6. Purpose Of The Society • Primary • Secondary • Scope Of The Society

  7. The Society’s Essential Elements • Spirituality • Friendship • Service

  8. Twinning Disaster Relief Food Pantries Networking Churches & Agencies Thrift Stores Prison Ministry Immediate Needs $$$ Evangelization Housing Advocacy Immigration Services Eldercare The Core Work Of The SocietyIt Always Starts With A Home Visit Home Visit

  9. HISTORY

  10. Our Patron and His Inspiration St. Vincent De Paul St. Louise de Marillac

  11. Our Founder and His Mentor Blessed Frederic Ozanam Blessed Rosalie Rendu

  12. Blessed Virgin Mary Our Patroness St. Catherine Laboure Apparition of Our Lady

  13. Beginning Of The Society In The United States

  14. Vincentian Spirituality

  15. What Is Vincentian Spirituality?Definition Vincentians seek: • through prayer • meditation on the scriptures • the teaching of the Church • through their daily lives • in their relationship with those in need to bear witness to the love of Christ

  16. What Is Vincentian Spirituality?Prayer • Prayer is the Essential to Being a Vincentian • Open and Close All Meetings with a Prayer • Pray Before a Home Visit • Pray with Those We Serve • Pray to Sustain Us in Our Daily Vincentian Activities

  17. What Is Vincentian Spirituality?Good Samaritan Luke 10:29-37 • Frederic Saw Vincentians Not as Good Samaritans But as “Weak Samaritans…..Let Us Dare….to Approach this Great Sick One.: Perhaps He Will Not be Frightened of Us.” Frederic Thought that Wounded Humanity Would be Initially More Receptive of Vincentian Lay Persons Approaching Them Rather Than Clergy or Religious. • St. Vincent “The Poor are Your Masters, You Will See the Face of Christ in the Poor. It is for Your Love Alone that the Poor Will Forgive You the Bread You Give Them.”

  18. Charity and Justice • St. Vincent’s Words: “There is No Charity that is Not Accompanied by Justice, Nor Does it Permit Us to Do More Than We Reasonably Can.” • Frederic’s Words: “The Order of Society is Based on Two Virtues: Justice and Charity…”

  19. Divine Providence • “Trust In and Reliance On Divine Providence” St. Vincent de Paul • Frederic Trusted That God Was Providing for Him • Frederic Believed That God Was Acting in His Life and the Lives of Others • Frederic’s Words: “Our Little Society Has Grown Large Enough To Be A Providential Fact”

  20. The Rule of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Created by Gerry Felsecker Executive Director - Milwaukee

  21. How the Rule came to be? 1833 Frederic Ozanam August Le Taillandier Paul Lamache Francois Lallier Jules Deveaux Felix Clave Emmanuel Bailly In the beginning…

  22. ISSUE: How big is TOO big? But we need each other! How about 100 members? We must split up! What shall we do?

  23. Divide Don’t Divide . -We do not know each other -We would go our separate ways -No time to discuss our visit -We would lose touch with each -Loss of personal touch other -Disunity The pro’s and con’s

  24. Can we compromise? (1) A structural way to keep us on the same page. (2) Something in writing: who we are and what we are about COUNCIL CONFERENCE CONFERENCE CONFERENCE UNITY

  25. They called it: ‘The Rule of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul’ Article 1 “All Christian young men who desire to unite in a communion of prayers and a participation in the same works of charity may become members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, wherever they may happen to reside.” A mission statement, constitution, and ‘how to’ manual - all in one.

  26. How did the Rule change? Very little changed for 133 years. Most of the changes reflected new structures (national, diocesan, and district council) that became neces- sary as the Society expanded. Up to the 1960s, the wording of the original Rule was easily recognized to the Rule of its time.

  27. What happened to change it? • The bishops from around the world met as the Second Vatican Council 1962-65. “All religious and lay organizations need to revise their constitutions in light of the changes in the world.”

  28. 1968 GENERALASSEMBLY To change the Rule, the Society calls a meeting at which one person represents each country in the world were the Society is active (135). An approval by the majority is required for the new Rule to be adopted. BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD

  29. What did they come up with? PROVISIONAL RULE OF 1968 “Ever since the end of the Second Vatican Council, it has been the desire of the Society to call itself into question by a loyal examination of its own life. It wishes to remain faithful to the sense of rule and tradition, and at the same time to make explicit its adaptation to the modern world.” - International President

  30. What changed? WOMEN IN THE SOCIETY SOLIDARITY WITH POOR LEADERSHIP TERMS JUSTICE PRESIDENT

  31. After five years of evaluation, the Rule was once again redrafted into a ‘permanent’ form. 1973 - 2003 Most current Vincentians joined during this period

  32. WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? The new Rule in 2006 has three parts: more descriptive, more spiritual and more clear on difficult issues: • Basic Principles • (Developed and approved international– who are we, what we do, how we do it. 2. International Operations (How we work together nationally) ) 3. National Applications (Developed by each country – approved by international)

  33. LET’S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK PART THREE of the Rule - Membership - Conference/Councils and their Work - Governance and Management - Accountability DETAILS

  34. Conferences Accountable to NatlNational Responsible to Conferences

  35. HOME VISITS

  36. HOME VISITS: Keystone Of The Society Of St. Vincent de Paul Personal Service To The Needy In Their Homes

  37. Why Do We Do Home Visits? • To See The Face Of Christ In The Poor • Maintain The Dignity Of Those In Need • Expedite Assistance To Those In Need • Better Understand The Real Situation • Better Protects the Privacy Of The Client

  38. Suggestions For Conducting A Home Visit

  39. Quote From St. Vincent de Paul “You will find that charity is a heavy burden to carry, heavier than the bowl of soup and the full basket. But you will keep you gentleness and your smile. It is not enough to give bread or soup. This the rich can do. You are the servant of the poor…They are your master, and the more difficult they will be, the more unjust and insulting, the more love you must give them. It is for your love alone that the poor will forgive the bread you give them.”

  40. How we are Organized

  41. Council General (143 Countries) USA National Council National Committees (15 National Committees) (3 Ad Hoc Committees) Diocesan Councils (57 Diocesan Councils) District Councils (332 District Councils) Conferences (4,690 Conferences) Society of St. Vincent de Paul Organization Regions (8 Regions)

  42. The Societies’ International Logo The Circle International Logo The Crossing The Eye Serving in hope

  43. The National Council Office Is Located In St. Louis Missouri • Current President – Joe Flannigan Society of St. Vincent de Paul 58 Progress Parkway St. Louis, MO 63043-3706 Phone: 314 -576-3993 FAX: 314-576-6755 Email: usacouncil@svdpusa.orgWeb: www.svdpusa.org and www.svdpusa.net

  44. National Committees Committees Vincentian Service • Communications • Development • Finance and Governance • Youth & Young Vincentians • Formation • Voice Of The Poor • Disaster • Stores

  45. Formation Services • Projects • Serving In Hope • Forming the Formators • Weekly Reflections • Invitation for Renewal • OzanamOrientation • Invitation to Serve

  46. Formation Services cont • Workshops • Leadership Development • Trustees • Executive Directors • Spiritual Advisors • Spiritual Formation • Presentations • Retreats • Vincentian Family

  47. Northeastern Region • Connecticut • Maine • Massachusetts • New Hampshire • New York • Rhode Island • Vermont • North Central Region • Illinois ·UP of MI • Minnesota • North Dakota • South Dakota • Wisconsin • Western Region • Alaska • Arizona • California • Hawaii • Idaho • Montana • Nevada • Oregon • Utah • Washington • Eastern Region • Delaware • District of Columbia • Maryland • New Jersey • Pennsylvania • Virginia • West Virginia United States Council Is Divided Into 8 Regions • Mid Eastern Region • Indiana • Kentucky • Michigan • Ohio • Southeastern Region • Alabama · Florida • Georgia · Louisiana • Mississippi ·Tennessee • North Carolina • Puerto Rico • South Carolina • Midwestern Region • Colorado • Iowa • Kansas • Missouri • Nebraska • Wyoming • South Central Region • Arkansas • New Mexico • Oklahoma • Texas

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