“Jesus himself warns us that the path he proposes goes against the flow, even making us challenge society by the way we live and, as a result, becoming a nuisance.”
Articles for Advocacy
Ever Wanted a Do-over?
Ever Wanted a Do-over? Vincent did! I suspect we all have. How about helping others rebuild their lives by speaking out on their behalf?
Questions for Digital Passersby and Good Samaritans
The Voice of the Poor, the wounded on the road to Jericho today. Some questions for digital passersby and good Samaritans.
Transportation as a Social Issue
Transportation projects are managing not only commuting and congestion, but also broader social issues like job access and even infant mortality. It can be done. Justly. Get in on the debate in your local area!
Advocacy: Do it!
Vincentians of every branch are often shy, or at least trying to be humble. Humility is a great goal. Not advocating isn’t humility. Here’s how Daughter of Charity Julie Kubasak is trying to advocate.
Social Media: A Powerful Tool for Advocacy?
Social media might be a powerful tool, and Dr. David K. Rehr, Law Professor at George Mason University, questions whether or not there is evidence to support social media's "advocacy efficacy"! I am certain that advocates will be able to point to successful social...
How Hard is it to Make a Telephone Call?
What holds us back from lifting the phone and speaking for those who do not know how to negotiate our system?
When St. Vincent spoke the truth to power…
When St. Vincent spoke the truth to power… and what we can do today! Vincent’s courage in speaking the truth to power While Vincent is best known for his practical works of charity, he also served as an advocate for the poor before the highest authorities, at times at...
Notice from the SVDP USA
The SVDP USA changed their advocacy platform last month to "VoterVoice." Many in the Vincentian Family are accustomed to "CapWiz," and now when you go to the CapWiz link you get a message with only this information: The SVDP writes The new link is:...
Seeing Better and Systemic Change
In his wonderful new book Vincentian Meditations, Tom McKenna has a chapter on “seeing better.” He asks “what does standing under Vincent’s influence do to an individual?” And one response is that one can see better. That can mean many things but it might would...
Intersections
“Those on top, like politicians and church leaders, talk a lot about peace, but not about justice, because speaking of peace sounds good to others on top and to the naïve on the bottom, but to speak of justice sounds bad to those on top because it opens the eyes of...
Bullfights and Systemic Change
It caught my eye immediately. A statue on his desk—a bullfight scene. But not what you would expect. This one was strikingly different—here the bull was sitting on the matador holding him down! Talk about the unexpected. A paradigm shift? No, a complete reversal! We...