Formation: systemic change analysis
The Vincentian Family In Time-lapse Photography
Listening to “A Daring Prudence,” Fr. Robert Maloney’s overview of the development of the Vincentian Family, evoked metaphors from photography.
The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same?
The following reflection was written by Jim Claffey during the last election cycle in the US. Just change the candidates’ names for today.
More Than the Appendix in Bed 404B
Doctors need to treat that appendix. But that appendix is not something in a laboratory dish. It is part of the many systems we call a person. And that person is part of many other systems.
Are You Used to Thinking Systemically?
Would any of these skills help you serve people in need more effectively?
The Power of Stories 2.0
Yes, stories are wonderful for capturing attention. But I also learned that stories often just capture a moment in time. Narratives are about a movement over time and speak to our worldview. To that degree, they engage and motivate us.
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!
With Sharp Political Differences How Do We Serve as the Voice of the Poor?
"With sharp political differences, how do we remain unified as Vincentians?" This is a direct quote from the Voice of the Poor portion of the website of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. It raises serious questions for Vincentian Family efforts to serve as the...
No Easy Answers #IamVincent
People are always looking for the easiest answers to poverty. There are no easy answers. Practitioners of systemic change know this. They know that poverty is a complex problem. There was an critique of one of those "easy answers" published earlier this summer. The...
Discovering Opportunities for Systemic Change
How did Vincent discover opportunities that turned to systemic change?
The Difference is Often the Resources
The difference between “getting by” resources and “getting ahead” resources
Systemic Change – Doing the Next Right Thing
Vincent accomplished so much by simply by seizing the day and doing the next right thing.
The difference a lens makes
"Seeing" calls for "judging." But judging presupposes a lens! “Two men looked out from prison bars, one saw mud, the other stars!” This quote, variously attributed, seems to express that what one sees depends greatly upon one’s mental model and expectations. An...