No If S, and S Or but S

No “if”s, “and”s or “but”s

by Michael S. Syslo

In October, 2003, the international Society of St. Vincent de Paul approved a “New Rule” for the Society. Parts I and II have been in effect since that time. Part III was approved by our Trustees at our National Meeting in Chicago in September, 2005. This is not so much a new RULE as it is a confirmation, an affirmation, of what we believe, what we promote and what we have taught as Vincentians for years. Everything that is in the new RULE was in the old RULE plus the official commentaries. Everything that we defined as the Spirit of the Society is in the new RULE. The RULE is the RULE is the RULE!!

Some Vincentians say that “our situation is unique” or “we have to do things this way because…” or “if it wasn’t for … we could follow the RULE.” There are no valid “if”s, “and”s or “but”s. We are all called to follow the RULE as it is written because it uniquely defines who Vincentians are and how we do what we do. The RULE is not a menu from which you choose those things you would like to do and skip those things you are not comfortable with. The RULE is a roadmap showing us how to live our faith through this ministry.

It is the firm obligation of every member to read the RULE, to understand the RULE, and to follow the RULE. It is the firm obligation of every Conference President to read the RULE, to understand the RULE, to follow the RULE, to promote the RULE, to teach the RULE, and to ensure that the Conference members are faithful to the RULE. It is the firm obligation of every Council President to read the RULE, to understand the RULE, to follow the RULE, to promote the RULE, to teach the RULE, and to ensure that all Conferences in the Council are faithful to the RULE.

If you sat down to play poker and started to play by your own set of rules, you would very quickly be kicked out of the game. If you went out to play baseball and started to play by your own rules, you would soon find yourself in the bleachers watching. The same holds true in the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. If you want to do your own charitable works in your own way using your own personal set of guidelines, then you better form your own organization, get your own 501(c)(3) tax status, and call your organization the Society of John Doe (or whatever your name is). If you want to call yourself a Vincentian, if you want to use the name of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, then you need to follow the RULE of the Society. No “if”s, “and”s or “but”s. The RULE is the RULE is the RULE!! Read it, understand it, follow it!! Period.