FAMVIN: The International Vincentian Family

Pope Benedict sent special greetings to the participants in  the International Youth Workday Study, sponsored by the International Confederation of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, that is taking place in
Salamanca.

“All my life I have followed the poetry of love in preference to the poetry of anger. I will not change now”
Frederic Ozanam as quoted on the site of Vinnies Youth in Australia

“Tackling a marijuana addiction, taking on a traineeship, staying at school to finish the year 10 certificate, having the courage to speak in front of your peers about your personal situation … these were just some of the monumental outcomes from a rural youth leadership camp held in Forbes New South Wales late last month.” [...]

The letter from  José Ramón Díaz-Torremocha  focuses on three things: A) What do you want of me Lord?; B): Open and in Defense of Christian Values and C): Systemic Change

The International site of the Society of St. Vincent dePaul features reflections from a number of key leaders on the theme “Commitment of a Vincentian Life”. Perhaps you wold care to share your reflections on the sme theme. If so click on the comment link.

The Warrington Virginia Society of St. Vincent de Paul features a post about the connection between the Society the Miraculous Medal. It also highlights some other connections.

Using scenes from the Vincentian mosaics in the Church on the campus of St. John’s University and the musical setting “Into the Arms of St. Vincent” done by Ray Sickinger of the Society of St. Vincent dePaul, Fr. Alex Rafa, a a member of the Congregation of the Mission, has posted a YouTube presentation entitled [...]

The St. Vincent dePaul Society site has links to number of vidoes related to the plight of the poor and the work of the Society.

Testifying at a Senate (Australia) hearing St Vincent de Paul Society’s financial counsellors have found that up to 95 per cent of their clients are significantly hit by bank penalty fees and this had pushed some people over the financial edge when they had been struggling to make ends meet.

“When one is engaged in face-to-face charity and journeying with people the wider issues inevitably arise.” Speaking a meeting of the St. Vincent de Paul Society Bob McKeon who has lived in the inner city by choice for 30 years sees how one thing leads to another.

UNESCO Brazil promoted a composition contest on the topic: “How to Stop Poverty and Inequality” - A young member of the Vincent dePaul Society used the metaphor of a recipe for baking a cake and took home the prize.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul today is present in 141 countries with 145 Superior, National and Assimilated Councils. It has 50,000 Conferences and  over 700,000 members. It distributes over 550 million euros in aid every year around the world.  How did this come to be?

In a “love is inventive unto infinity” story that Vincent would enjoy, Green TV’s short segment called “Once Upon a Mattress” documents the St. Vincent dePaul Society’s (Lane County, Oregon), mattress recycling plant. “We really are the only commercially viable mattress recycler in the world”

In a media release, the St Vincent de Paul Society said that a press report stating that the homeless could go hungry during the pope’s visit misrepresented the position of the society. The interview with Night Patrol President Brett Avery was taken completely out of context, Vinnies said.

…and you never leave empty-handed and you know you are loved. A blogger describes finding such a place, a place where I think a vulnerable teenager might have rescued her own self esteem. It’s a Society of Saint Vincent de Paul thrift store. Read a fabulous, gritty, hopeful blog entry: st. vincent de paul, savior [...]