THANK YOU FROM SVDP ST. JOHN’S CONFERENCE
The St. Vincent de Paul Society, St. John’s Conference says THANK YOU to the Parish for
your generosity! For the fiscal year ending September 30, the support from the Parish
allowed us to assist 98 families, with financial support of over $53,000, to stay in their
homes, maintain their utility services, provide food and gas cards and other assistance and
most of all to give our neighbors hope that they are seen and have the love of Christ.
This year, we experienced a tremendous increase in calls for assistance. We are doing our
best to assist our neighbors while still maintaining our Vincentian spirituality, which is
defined by the conviction that charity is a direct response to Christ’s presence in the poor,
and that service must always be personal, relational, and rooted in love and respect.
Vincentian service is not simply about dispensing resources, but about encountering and
listening to those in need. The vision outlined by Pope Leo XIV, in his Apostolic Exhortation,
entitled Dilexi Te, to serve the poor with love and compassion has been our mission as
Vincentians each day.
We are seeking new members to join us in our ministry and if you would like to find out
more about the St. John’s Conference we will be at the Holy Grounds this weekend or you
can email Ginny Lowe at svdpsjerc@gmail.com.
We meet as a group the second Monday of the month for 60-90 minutes. When we meet with our neighbors in need, we always meet in pairs and it is up to the individual how much time to devote to the ministry. Some months may be more or less. What usually happens is the members give me their availability during the month and then I will schedule 2 members to meet and interview a neighbor. The interviews usually last about an hour. A new member will shadow a couple of interviews to get a feel for what we do and will be paired with a more experienced member at the start. We do request that new members go to a one day Ozanam Orientation where they will learn about the history and charism of the Society. The next Orientation will be in February. If anyone is interested and would like more detailed information, please have them contact Ginny Lowe at svdpsjerc@gmail.com and I would be happy to answer any questions.
