Fr. Lou Arceneaux, Spiritual Advisor for the SVDP New Orleans, suggests that the recent systemic change workshop reflected the following insight of Bl. Frederic… “Charity is not sufficient. It treats the wounds but does not stop the blows that cause them… Charity is the Samaritan who pours oil on the wounds of the traveler who has been attacked. It is justice’s role to prevent the attacks.”
Frederic Ozanam wrote those words in the 1800’s. He would have felt quite pleased to have participated in the workshop that I and more than one hundred other members of the Vincentian Family took part in November 4-7, 2010 in Belleville, Illinois. The international leader of the Vincentian Family, Fr. Gregory Gay, C.M. had invited the leaders of all branches of the Family to gather for this workshop to promote systemic change in the many ministries of the Family.
The workshop was led by an international group of Vincentians, including Gene Smith, the former President of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in the USA and Fr. Robert Maloney, C.M., the former Superior General of the Congregation of the Mission and leader of the Vincentian Family. Fr. Gregory Gay was also present and participated in the workshop, leading us in the celebration of the Eucharist Saturday evening and speaking to us at the close of the workshop on Sunday morning.
The national president of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Joe Flannigan, the executive director, Roger Playwin, the national formation leaders, Sr. Kieran Kieves and Sheila Gilbert, were present. The Provincial Superiors of the three Provinces of the Congregation of the Mission and the Provincial leaders of the five Provinces of the Daughters of Charity were present as well as national leaders of the Federation of the Sisters of the Charity, the Missionary Cenacle Apostolate of Fr. Thomas Judge, C.M. and the Ladies of Charity and the Marian Youth organization.There were also representatives from several of the universities administered by the Vincentian Family and other invited members from each of the groups listed above.
I mention all of these groups and some names to emphasize the importance of this gathering and its significance in the future of the Vincentian Family. The goal of the workshop was to introduce and deepen the understanding of the process of systemic change as a way of promoting on-going development of persons living in poverty, to equip participants with necessary tools to promote systemic change, to develop regional strategies and finally to provide opportunities for inter-Family exchange of experience and plans for future collaboration. From the comments that were voiced at the end of the workshop on Sunday, the goals are well on their way to being achieved.
The reason that this workshop was given and the reason for its importance can be found in the words of Frederic Ozanam at the beginning of this letter. Besides being called to reach out in charity to help those living in poverty, as we do in the Society, we are also called to seek out the causes of the poverty and do our part to eradicate them. Using the story of the Good Samaritan, we are called not only to help the traveler beaten and left on the road, but we are also called to do our part in changing the systems that do not prevent harmful behavior and that do leave people abandoned along the roadside, literally or symbolically. We also need to change systems that seem to put people in such conditions of poverty that they resort to violence to survive. Most important of all, we need to develop ways to help transform the lives of the people we serve and not leave them as they are.
We already have examples of programs that work to accomplish some of these goals, Ozanam Inn and the Adult Learning Center. Ozanam Inn not only provides shelter for men but it also helps men to find jobs and make new beginnings in their lives, in that way transforming their lives and helping them to become independent. The Adult Learning Center helps participants to improve their learning skills and to achieve GEDs, thus offering them a way out of dependence on others and on to independence, thus transforming their lives.
What inspires all of us in our efforts at systemic change are the examples of our founders, St. Vincent de Paul, St. Louise de Marillac, Saint Elizabeth Seton, Blessed Frederic Ozanam, Blessed Rosalie Rendu and the many others who supported and inspired them. Of course, these saintly leaders were themselves inspired by the teaching and example of Jesus Christ himself, who came to propose a whole new system of living, one that calls all people to believe in the reign of God in our world and to live in a new way of love, mercy and peace.
Sincerely in the peace of Christ,
Fr. Louis Arceneaux, C.M. (Spiritual Advisor SVDP New Orleans)
Tags: Belleville, SVDP, Systemic change
