Birthing a National Organization for the Vincentian Family in Kenya 

On Sunday, October 5, 2015, the heads of the various branches of the Vincentian Family gathered at St. Vincent de Paul Center in Karen, Kenya to discuss the creation of a coordinating committee for the efforts of the Vincentian Family in Kenya.

They met with Fr. Joe Agostino, CM the coordinator of the newly established Vincentian Family Office located in Philadelphia, Pa., USA.  Among those in attendance were Sr. Peg O’Brien, DC, Sister Servant at Chanzo House and Sr. Liz Smith, DC (Daughters of Charity), Brother James Ochwangi, CMM, Provincial (The Brothers of Charity of Our Lady Mother of Mercy), Brother Paulin Kindambu, FC, Provincial (Brothers of Charity), Mrs. Euphrasia Mutsami, President (Society of St. Vincent DePaul-Kenya), Mrs. Lucy Kayiwa, Director (St. Vincent DePaul Community Development Organization), Sr. Loretta Brennan, Director Emeritus (The Centre of Leadership and Management (CLM) – Tangaza University College), Miss Susan Wanjiru Mwangi (formerly of the Kenyan Vincentian Volunteers), Fr. Gary Mueller, CM and Fr. George Busieka, CM (The Congregation of the Mission).  Fr. Joe chaired the meeting.

It was the expressed hope of the attendees to create forums for celebrating the Vincentian feasts, for common formation, and perhaps even for limited common projects.  The group agreed to meet again by the end of the year to continue discussions about the way forward.

As their first joint activity, the Vincentian Family leadership in Kenya is hoping to offer the VFCAP (Vincentian Family Collaborative Action Program), a newly formed effort to encourage collaboration among the branches of the Vincentian Family.  (http://famvin.org/en/tag/vfcap/).  This process of formation in collaboration may take place around the Feast of St. Vincent de Paul in September 2016.

(This is a corrected version of an earlier post.)