May 2011
/ Frederic's E-Gazette
An electronic newsletter from
the National Council of the
Society of St. Vincent de Paul
Seeking Charity and Justice
" The problem which divides people today is not a political problem; it is a social one. It is a matter of knowing which will get the upper hand, the spirit of selfishness or the spirit of sacrifice; whether society will go for ever-increasing enjoyment and profit, or for everyone devoting themselves to the common good ..."
Blessed Frederic Ozanam
Dear Vincentians,
I never had the privilege of meeting Walter Breuning. Mr. Breuning, who lived in Great Falls, Mt., died last month at the age of 114.
A news story said he had four secrets to a long life:
·Embrace change.
·Eat two meals a day.
·Work as long as you can.
·Help others.
On the last item, Mr. Breuning said: "The more you do for others, the better shape you're in." As Vincentians, we can all relate to and appreciate that attitude because we embrace it every day of our lives.
He had some thoughts about computers, too, which also made me think about the Society: "We used to have to write with pen and ink. When machines [computers] came, it just made life so much easier." Just a few years ago, we had a couple of thousand e-mail addresses. Today the National Office database has the email addresses for some 19,000 Vincentians (and growing). As a result, we're sending out more and more material electronically -- like this newsletter.
God Bless,
Roger Playwin
National Executive Director
/
Reminder: Friends of the Poor Grant
Conferences in the Mideast and Western Regions: Please remember that May 31 is the deadline to submit an application for a Friends of the Poor Grant.
These grants are targeted specifically to direct services that meet the needs of those living in poverty above and beyond those available to your Conference or other community resources. The program will provide a minimum of two grants per region and will not exceed $10,000 per Region. No one grant request can exceed $5,000.
You can review the FOP Grant Application Guidelines and Instructions, and download a copy of the Grant Application by logging on to the main website ( with your username and password. Once you've logged in, click on the 'Members' tab. The drop-down menu will show the 'Friends of the Poor Grants' as one of the choices.
(800) 322-8284
As the National Vehicle Donation Program evolves and we increase our marketing efforts, we're also closely following congressional legislation that would significantly boost our revenues. Currently, donors of cars worth over $500 have no way to know the resulting tax deduction until the car is actually sold at auction, weeks or months later. That has scared away droves potential donors of newer-model cars. Pending bills (HR 860 in the House of Representatives and S 110 in the Senate) would solve that problem by moving the timing of the car valuation to the beginning of the donation process, so donors can make an informed decision up-front.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is actively supporting this bipartisan legislation, which already has 40 congressional co-sponsors. We can make it easy for you to help, with templates for support letters and user-friendly spreadsheets with addresses for congressional delegations in all 50 states.
Please contact Steve Schwadron with the firm of Cozen O'Connor in Washington, D.C., who is reaching out to Congress to help get the law passed. You can reach Steve at (202) 463-2514 or email him at .
Register for the National Meeting
With a theme of "Open Your Heart to Change the World," the National Meeting will be held at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine, Texas, from August 31 through September 3. The theme emphasizes our ongoing mission of support and comfort for those in
need. Our meeting will culminate with a Saturday banquet and installation of new officers.
The Gaylord Texan, near Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, is a family-oriented resort known for its majestic glass atriums and distinctive shopping, dining and recreation, all under one roof.
Register early at
Vote for National President
Very shortly, ballots will be mailed for National Council Members for the election of our new National President. As stipulated on the ballot, they must be returned to members of the National Council no later than July 15, 2011, in order to have completed ballots into the National Office by the deadline of July 29. (Reminder: No member of the Society may campaign for or on behalf of either of the candidates, either directly or indirectly during the election process.)
During this final phase, prayers are requested for our candidates, who have prepared to accept the immense responsibility of serving as National President for the next six years.
Youth and Young Adult Conferences Continue to Grow
Youth Conference at St. Matthew's in Jacksonville, Fla.
Over the past two-and-a-half-years, SVdP has gone from talking about two or three youth or young adult Conferences to 73 groups.
There are some good resources for Conferences that want to start a youth group but aren't sure how to begin, including the Vincentian Youth and Young Adult Handbook, which is a leaders' guide, and the Youth website has many resources that can be downloaded. Check it out at
Systemic Change Orientation
DePaul University Midwest Vincentian Family Systemic Change Orientation is scheduled to be held Sept. 23-24, 2011, in Chicago, Ill. "Systemic Change" is a concept that emerged from the U.S.-Canada Vincentian Family Systemic Change Meeting in November 2010. The goals of the orientation in Chicago are:
- To introduce and/or deepen the understanding of the process of systemic change as a way of promoting ongoing development of persons living in poverty
- To familiarize participants with a fundamental knowledge to promote systemic change within the Vincentian family and broader society
- To develop strategies for continued education and awareness of systemic change
- To provide opportunities for inter-Vincentian Family exchange of plans for future promotion and collaboration
- To share this emerging understanding of the Vincentian charism as promoted by the worldwide Vincentian family
Registration details for the orientation will be available soon at:
Invitation for Renewal: Have You Been?
"The session was intense...yet what followed was a sense of oneness with God and community with fellow members. The session truly validated for me that my path of being part of St. Vincent de Paul was meant to be. As I believe the intent, I still carry that inspiration..."
Like to feel like this Vincentian did? Then sign up for the next Invitation for Renewal, scheduled for November 9-13. To review the brochure: Invitation for Renewal Brochure
Let's Have a Round of Applause for...
Vincentians Linda Harris, Linda Hahn, Dianne Jennings, John "Jack" Malkowski and Pete Valesquez, who were recipients of the Diocese of San Bernardino's annual Guadalupe Awards, which honors individuals from the parish or civic community whose exemplary leadership has had a positive impact on the broader community. They were recognized for their outstanding service to the poor and needy in the area.
Bob Frank, a member of St. Bernadette parish in Burien, Wash., who received the St. Vincent de Paul "Least of My Brethren" Award for outstanding service to the needy at the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Seattle/King Co. Council's Appreciation Dinner. The event celebrated the special volunteers who make home visits and run programs to assist neighbors in need. A member of the Society for more than 17 years, Bob was one of seven people who received the award.
Mort Moriarty, president of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parish in Bothell, Wash., who was honored with the "Top Hat Award" for his service to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. A retired federal narcotics agent, he has also conducted counterterrorism training on behalf of the U.S. government.
Email Overload?
From Public Relations Tactics, a publication of the Public Relations Society of America:
Email users know that feeling: You hit "Send" and then your heart nearly stops as you realize you've accidentally clicked "Reply All," when you meant to reply to just one person. As Wall Street Journal columnist Elizabeth Bernstein noted, after almost two decades of constant email use, people should know better than to keep jeopardizing their relationships and careers by making the same mistake. When used intentionally, "Reply All" keeps people informed on the status of projects. But "Reply All" is also dangerous, leading not only to embarrassing broadcasts of opinions intended for a select few, but to explosions of group emails that overtake inboxes.
Feedback?
Charles B. Henderson
National Director of Communications
Email: