Society of St. Vincent de Paul holds National Assembly in R.I. for first time

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PROVIDENCE — The Society of St. Vincent de Paul chose Rhode Island as the home of its 2015 National Assembly, hosting the annual gathering at the Rhode Island Convention Center and adjacent Omni Hotel in Providence last week.

More than 600 Vincentians gathered from across the country to pray, organize and discuss the various ministries that fall within their mission of serving the poor. For some, the assembly was an opportunity to welcome other Vincentians to their home state. For others, it was their first time in the Creative Capital.

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“We wanted people to come to Providence. We’re proud of the state,” said Mark Gordon, president of the Society’s Diocesan Council of Providence. “It represents for us a new beginning.”

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul was founded in 1833 by Blessed Frédéric Ozanam and a group of lay Catholics with the goal of advancing the personal holiness of its members through service to the poor. Vincentians began serving the Diocese of Providence in 1877 with good works they continue to provide today, including food, clothing and rent and utility payments to those in need. Rhode Island is home to just over 400 members of the society organized into 30 local conferences. Last year, the statewide organization gave more than $1 million in direct assistance to diocesan poor.

The centerpiece of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul model is the home visit, during which society members visit families in their homes to assess how best to address their needs. Following a request for assistance, two members are assigned to offer ongoing support and serve as the point of contact for a household. In a modern system where the poor are often used to standing in lines and jumping through bureaucratic hoops for assistance, many are surprised by the level of individualized attention they receive.

“The main focus is the person-to-person focus through the home visit,” said Gordon. “We see ourselves as a bridge.”

The theme of this year’s National Assembly was “Trust in Providence, Abound in Hope,” based in part on Romans 15:13 as well as the state motto. Sheila Gilbert, president of the National Council of the United States, opened Thursday’s proceedings by emphasizing the idea of “servant leadership” on which the society was founded.

“We are a grassroots society, but we’re also a national society, we’re an international society,” she said, reminding members of the importance of planning efforts such as the National Assembly to the continuance of the Society’s mission of providing services at the ground level.

The keynote speaker was the Rev. Dr. Clarence Williams from Columbus, Ohio, whose work through the Institute for Social Sobriety aims to assist in developing leaders free from racism, sexism and classism in religious and civic organizations. His address, “Diversity and Systemic Change — Difference Makes a Difference,” reviewed the ways in which questions of diversity have been at the heart of the Church since its founding by saints Peter and Paul. He went on to discuss how charitable groups like the Society of St. Vincent de Paul can address these issues both through their social ministry and within their own membership.

“As Vincentians, we are friends to the people we evangelize,” he said, reminding listeners that shortly after Jesus’ ascension, early Church members debated the community’s exclusivity when they questioned whether Gentiles should be allowed into the faith without first converting to Judaism. The ultimate consensus – that the early Church would welcome all baptized, Gentiles and Jews – was a landmark decision for the faith that indicated the Church’s fundamental universality to all peoples and cultures.

Father Williams told listeners that the Society of St. Paul extends this universal welcome when members open their arms to the poor. “Enfranchisement is what it’s all about, and that’s in your hands when you hand out food and clothing. It makes people feel a part of the whole.”

He held up as an example St. Katharine Drexel, whose shrine pilgrims from the Diocese of Providence will visit when they travel to Philadelphia to see Pope Francis in September. St. Katharine Drexel was a wealthy socialite born in Philadelphia in 1858 who later founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament. She dedicated her life and inheritance to serving the poor, focusing her mission in particular on creating schools and other resources for African Americans and Native Americans, communities severely underserved by Church ministries at that time.

Dr. Ray Sickinger, a member of the National Board of Directors and parishioner of Our Lady of Good Help, Mapleville, said that Father Williams’ address reflected recent efforts on behalf of the Society to become more inclusive both in their membership and in those they serve. “[Father Williams’ message] includes some of the ideas that we’ve been using with our systematic change initiatives,” said Dr. Sickinger, who previously oversaw solidarity and systemic change efforts and now directs spirituality and formation. “Systemic change as a movement has existed within the society for about four years. It’s the idea that we need to change the system through charity and justice.”

Dr. Sickinger and his wife, Northeast Region Vice President Pat Sickinger, along with other members of Society leadership shared stories of people they had worked with during their time with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Many of the stories were about individuals who were moving in the right direction but needed an extra push from the society to get them off the ground – a homeless family who had secured an apartment but couldn’t afford the security deposit, a mother who had almost finished studying for her degree but needed help with childcare, a single mother who needed to talk through her situation with a listening ear. The Society also provides relief following natural disasters, building homes and arranging for essential supplies in times of regional crisis.

“Changing attitudes is so important with systemic change,” said Dr. Sickinger. Interactions between volunteers and those in need, he said, can widen perspectives on both sides.

“The poor are not arrogant, they’re grateful,” said Bill McKenna, Providence District President. “And the spirituality [of volunteers], they don’t forget that.”

For some recipients, interaction with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul may be the first interaction they have with the Catholic Church. Volunteers see their work as a kind of evangelization by which they can introduce others to the love of Christ in action.

“They say, ‘I never knew the Church did this for people,’ ” said Father Williams of the people he has worked with through the Society.

Other speakers for the weekend included Julien Spiewak, International Secretary General, and Father David Green, pastor of St. Martha Church, East Providence, as well as numerous workshop leaders. The Assembly also featured vendors offering services related to local fundraising and legal efforts, sightseeing events in Newport and Providence and a StoryBooth run by members of the Society’s new youth initiative, Next Gen, where members could contribute to a video archive recording stories of their favorite volunteer experiences.

Adoration and Mass were offered daily, with Father Williams celebrating on Thursday, Cardinal Seán Patrick O’Malley, Archbishop of Boston, celebrating on Friday and Bishop Thomas J. Tobin celebrating the closing vigil Mass on Saturday evening.

“We have very much appreciated the cooperation of Bishop Tobin, a friend of the Society,” said President Gordon.

The National Assembly concluded with a reception and dinner following the Saturday vigil Mass. Participants were invited to attend Providence WaterFire for the evening’s entertainment.

Any person interested in learning more about the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Rhode Island, including volunteer opportunities and requests for assistance, can visit svdpri.org or call 401-490-0822.

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