Would you spend an hour with the current successor to Frederic Ozanam? Michael Thio stands in a long line of Vincentians who have inspired and guided generations who accept the challenges that Frederic Ozanam and the first group of Vincentian volunteers confronted in their commitment to “do something” about the poverty, sickness and squalor found in the ghettos of Paris during the 1800s.

The inspiring video, “Michael Thio On The Legacy of Frederic Ozanam“, runs a little over an hour. Yes, that’s on the long side for an online video. But haven’t we all spent hours on real time-wasters? (Sitting in front of the television, for example.)

VinFormation recently offered a different kind of Vincentian Challenge… “One day this week, why not set aside an hour to get a longer-lasting benefit. Watch as Michael Thio, International President of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, delivers a very moving presentation challenging Vincentians to embrace the spirit of their founder Frederic Ozanam, while at the same time encouraging SSVP leaders to run the organization in a goal-oriented, business-like way. ‘Do not be afraid to take risks,’ Pope Francis once advised.”