As he has been done every year since the beginning of his current term, the 16th President General of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul (SSVP), Renato Lima de Oliveira, broadcasts the “Christmas Message of 2019” of the Interrnational General Council.

In this 2-minute video, the President General highlights the importance of the Holy Family in the life of the members of the Vincentian Family (the Holy Family being the most significant symbol of Christmas). Speaking of the Holy Family, the President General points out the central role of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the plan of salvation and encourages us to promote and practice family values.

In addition, in this year’s Christmas Message, our President General invites us to continue to grow in holiness. He states: “The world is already very bitter, hard and unfair. We need holy hearts that can transform such harsh realities. Today, more than ever, the vibrant testimony of Vincentian service on behalf of  the poor is a visible sign of the presence of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the heart of humanity.”

The President General concluded: “Thus, the coming of Jesus Christ is the hope that should guide our mission and inspire our actions on behalf of those who most need our assistance, especially those who suffer in any way.”

At the end of the video, while wishing a Happy New Year to the entire Vincentian Family, the President General announces that 2020 will be “the international Year of Felix Clavé,” one of the seven founders inspired by God who is responsible for the establishment of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul.

Source: https://www.ssvpglobal.org/