St. Vincent’s pastoral insight was “See, Judge and Act.” It all began with “Seeing”!
Systemic change
“Normal”? Can Mice Teach Us Something?
“Who moved my Cheese” is a parable that describes how people face change. It’s about 4 characters running around in a maze trying to locate their “cheese” or what is important to them.
Rip Van Winkle Waking Up In a “Post-COVID World”
We haven’t been awake to how digital technology is changing the landscape of our lives.
Listening to the Voice of the Poor
Systemic Change strives to empower the needy, giving them voice in the necessary change of structures. Knowing their needs and their opinions, and having their contributions, are part of the programming of any initiative we put in place to improve their situation. We...
Being Actors in the Transformation of our World
We present a video where two people show us their experience and their efforts to improve the social reality and the situations of poverty that we suffer in the world: one, working in the neighborhood of Brooklyn; the other at the United Nations. We may sometimes...
Does charity choke justice? On the Limits of Charity (part 2)
David Hilfiker, a veteran of decades of direct service with the poor, raised questions 15 years ago in a 2001 article from The Other Side magazine exploring the tension between charity and justice. This is the second of a two-part reflection on his writings. Symptoms...
Does charity choke justice? On the Limits of Charity (part 1)
Does charity choke justice – Limits of Charity – David Hilfiker, a veteran of decades of direct service with the poor, raised questions 15 years ago that are still relevant today .
We Remind You: the Systemic Change Manual is Available
The Manual for Systemic Change, published in 2016, is available for download. Continue reading for more information. In addition, we remind you that other materials on Systemic Change are available at this link, in nine different languages. The International...
Limping along – rethinking “running to put out a fire”
Today, as we hear the cry of your abandoned children, may we run to their assistance” as someone who runs to put out a fire”. May we not limp along favoring one leg.
Imagery of Pope Francis – Lessons for Systemic Change
How the Pope’s Imagery on critical care can overlook long-term rehab got me thinking about implications of how some in the Vincentian Family view direct service and systemic change.
Systemic Change Manual • Five Things to Know
Five things to know about the Vincentian Family Systemic Change Manual.
Systemic Change Lessons We Can Learn From Ozanam
In his lifetime Frédéric Ozanam neither heard nor uttered the phrases “systemic change” or “systemic thinking.” Yet an incident in his life illustrates a compelling argument that he was committed to helping people move from poverty to a sustainable life, a key element in changing systems that entrap people in poverty.
