3. Eyes Open Wide to the Present in a Genuine Conversation with God

Here are key elements, the fruit of our ‘conversations in the Spirit’ -Synodal Process-, to ensure the vitality and long-term (sustainable) impact of the Vincentian Family as we begin to navigate together our 5^th century:

3.1. Clear Vision and Mission

• Rooted in gospel values, the values of Jesus Christ, who came to bring good news to the poor (Lk 4:16). The Vincentian Family’s mission is anchored in the Gospel of justice. It belongs to the Reign of God[1] and is called to ensure that every action aligns with compassion, solidarity, equity, and love for the poor, as written in our Charism.
• Long-term Systemic Change[2]: In the past 25 years, we have worked together to ensure that our actions focus on providing immediate relief to protect life, addressing the root causes of injustice and systemic inequalities, and responding to these causes using all means, especially prepositive political advocacy/prophecy.
• Our collective experience in Rome included the cries of the poor and our planet. These cries always guide us to God and help us understand current Our brothers and sisters, the poor, are agents of their transformation and liberation. The transformation and liberation of humanity and our planet can only be achieved with and from them. We need them more than they need us. This is why grassroots involvement and empowerment are crucial to our holistic Vincentian approach.

3.2. Collaboration and Partnerships[3]

• Strategic Partnerships: At this time, each branch and the entire Vincentian Family are called to be organizations with porous borders. We are invited to engage with other like-minded organizations, faith communities, and advocacy groups. Collaboration can amplify resources, expand reach, and foster a collective The collaboration inside our Family prepares us to broaden and strengthen our collaboration with other organizations committed to the global resilience of hope and solidarity.
• Cross-Sector Involvement and Political Advocacy: The historic, ongoing reinterpretation of the Vincentian Charism demands that we be open to working with governmental bodies, private sector partners, and academic institutions to create a broad coalition for systemic change.

3.3. Building Capacity and Sustainability for Our Charism

• Resource Management: To overcome magical thinking and institutional naivete, our work on our charism needs to be strategic and We must effectively manage financial resources and human personnel, balancing short-term needs with long-term sustainability.
• Fundraising and Diversification: Establishing diverse funding streams (e.g. donations, grants, and social enterprise models) is important for maintaining financial health and expanding the outreach and impact of our collective mission.
• Capacity Building: The Vincentian Family worldwide must invest in training, tools, and infrastructure to enhance its ability to serve its mission During the Vincentian Family Executive Board meeting, the Vincentian Family of Latin America and the Caribbean (FAVILA)[4] shared their experiences and organizational structure. The FAVILA structural model presents numerous opportunities for the rest of the family across every country, region, and continent, always considering the diverse cultures and unique aspects of reality.

3.4. Training Leaders and Empowerment to Renew the Vincentian Family Leadership[5]

• Leadership Development: Each branch is responsible for cultivating leaders at all levels within the organization and in the communities where we serve, empowering them with the skills to bring about During our gathering, an urgent call emerged to institutionalize a culture of vocation in our Family at all levels, with special attention to young people and new members and the intentional promotion and empowerment of new leaders in our structures.
• Distributed Leadership: Following Saint Vincent’s example and the Synodal Church’s central intuitions, we are invited to share leadership across all the structures of the Vincentian Family to prevent burnout, increase innovation, and engage more people in decision-making to overcome the old, clerically centralized model.
• Mentorship and formation programs: to establish mentorship programs for emerging leaders and existing staff to encourage growth, learning, and succession In our identity, we are always invited to include all employees, collaborators, volunteers, and benefactors, together with the official members of the branches and the other individuals in the full experience of Charism. The associations of apostolic life and the religious congregations are urged today, without hesitation, to generate programs and agendas for the transition of leadership to lay people, women, and young people to ensure the sustainability of our Charism in their institutions when they are gone.

3.5. Sense of Belonging and Radical Availability for our Common Charism

• Youth and New Members Empowerment: Foster spaces for young and new people to take leadership roles, learn, and engage in direct service/interaction with the poor and social justice work. This can be done through internships, volunteering, or youth-led initiatives.
• Mentoring and Development: we are invited to provide young and new members with mentorship opportunities to nurture their skills in service, advocacy, leadership, and social
• Intergenerational and Intercultural Dialogue and Collaboration: Create opportunities for different generations to work together, ensuring that the wisdom of experience and the passion of youth complement each other. Interculturality is a condition of our times. We need training and awareness to be able to work with people from different cultures in a meaningful and effective way.

Notes:

[1] The only absolute reality is the Reign of God, as Paul VI stated in Evangelii Nuntiandi 8. In the General Assembly of the Congregation of the Mission in 1998, it was noted that the significance and relevance of the Vincentian Charism is derived from its relationship with the Reign of God.

[2] Under the tenure of Fr. Gregory Gay, CM, Father Robert Maloney, CM, launched an international commission on Systemic Change in 2007 to train members of the Vincentian Family worldwide to develop and implement collaborative, sustainable, replicable, long-term projects on Systemic Change in the family’s actions.

[3] Father Gregory Gay, CM created the International Vincentian Family Collaboration Commission.

[4] The Leaders of different branches of the Vincentian Family in Latin America and the Caribbean gathered in Lujan, Argentina, on September 16, 1999, to respond to the proposal to establish National Councils and a continental organization to implement this new initiative: FAMVIN. In the past 25 years, FAVILA has been working hard to keep alive and grow this collective dream of collaboration, formation, celebration, and service.

[5] The Task Force on the Lay Expression of the Charism was created in 2018.