Home   Sister Rosalie   Ladies of Charity -SF

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

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

Voice of the Poor formation guide (left) is available from the Society's National Office, catalog #1300 (guide) and #1301 (DVD).  For a supply catalog and ordering information, go to http://www.svdpusa.org/Store/tabid/177/ItemId/397/language/en-US/Default.aspx   

 VOP Guidebook 233.56KB (239165 bytes) and the Presentations are found on this website on the information page.  To contact a member of the VOP Committee for more specific information visit the contacts section.  

VOP Frequently Asked Questions handout (34.68KB) 35,509 bytes

 

Q:  What is Voice of the Poor?

The Voice of the Poor job description says: "In the spirit of Christian love and justice, the Voice of the Poor Committee upholds Catholic values by researching, validating, documenting, advocating, and promulgating issues related to the condition of the poor and disenfranchised for the purpose of helping Vincentians to live their faith by acting knowledgeably and credibly as a unified body speaking with one voice for the purpose of building up the Kingdom of God."

Q: Why must Vincentians get involved?

As Catholics and members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, we see the face of Jesus in those we visit. We have a responsibility to be a voice of the poor and to speak out for those who have no voice.

I was hungry and you gave me to eat.

I was thirsty and you gave me to drink.

I was in prison and you visited me.

We are called to move from being affected by what we see in our homevisits and special works activities to being effective in our service to the poor. 

As the Voice of the Poor we want to inform our elected representatives and our community how decisions affect the people we care for, our friends the poor.  We want to hold our elected representatives accountable for the decisions that they make that affect the poor. 

Q:  With political differences how do we remain unified?

When Frederic and friends formed the first conference of charity, they agreed not to discuss partisan politics. That still should be our focus in any discussion or conversation.  Our focus always will be the poor.

We cannot afford to become politically divided.  We are not speaking as democrats, republicans, or greens.  If we truly believe in our Catholic values then we must all come to a unified stand about what is the right thing to do. We need to keep our focus on Jesus. We need to "turn the coin over" and show that by serving the poor, enabling individuals and families to become healthy and self-sufficient, makes our country and our world a stronger and better place to be. We need to show that we are looking for more than a handout for the poor but a hand up out of difficult circumstances and towards an improved quality of life for all.

Q: How is the Voice of the Poor organized?

The national committee has two representatives from each region allowing for regional communications. Councils are encouraged to each form a voice of the poor so that we can begin to develop a network. Members of the voice of the poor are also encouraged to have e-mail so that we can have virtually instant communications. We have a mail list so that information may be shared in a timely manner.  An organizational chart showing how local voice of the poor committees fit into the regional and national structure may be found in the "information" section of this website.

Q:  What do Council Voice of the Poor Committees do?

We seek to speak especially for those who have no voice.  It is up to the members of the Society to bring the stories that we know of the poor to life.  We need to focus on the issues agreed upon by Councils and based on Catholic social teaching.  We need to be informed.  We research issues so that we can speak knowledgeably.  It is important for us to build relationships with the Church leadership and the political leadership of the country so we can bring both together for the good of the Society and our friends the poor.  A job description is found in the "information" section of this website.

NOTE:  The National President is the only official spokesperson for the Society on national issues.

Q:  What is needed?

Councils need to create awareness and interest amongst Vincentians and encourage members to speak in one unified voice as an extension of our service to the individuals and families that the Society serves. We have stories to tell, statistics of the numbers of people in need that we assist, and service that we can measure and describe to key decision makers.

We need to build grassroots support. This is necessary on the council level if we are to be effective. As we hear stories on the local level and learn of similar needs then we have tangible evidence of what we need to focus our efforts on.

We can be an effective voice of the poor by working to bring the poor to life. There are so many groups asking for money and other resources. Who is speaking for the poor? Who is asking that the community acknowledge that there is a problem as well as a responsibility to serve those who cannot help themselves or who do not have the tools to help themselves? Through our stories, statistics and service we have the opportunity to put a real face on advocacy efforts. We have the ability to show decision makers what they will not likely find in written reports about poverty and the needy.

Q:  How does the Voice of the Poor fit in with the mission of the Society?

No work of charity is foreign to the Society.  Vincentian help can include any person-to-person assistance that promotes human dignity and integrity.  The Society is concerned not only with relieving need but also with redressing the situations that cause it.  (Part I of the Rule, Charter I)

Vincentians seek through prayer, meditation on the scriptures, the teaching of the Church, through their daily lives and in their relationship with those in need, to bear witness to the love of Christ.      

(Part II of the Rule, Charter II)

 

Q: When there is a new Congress, does Congress start all over again with bills?  Are we correct in assuming that while many bills will be reintroduced, they may have different sponsors, slightly different content and different numbers?  (We asked Dan Misleh, US Conference of Catholic Bishops, about the process and following is his response.)

 

In answer to your first question: yes, every two years a new Congress begins with another set of bills, some of them similar to bills from previous congresses, others entirely new pieces of legislation.  Each Congress has two sessions (one each calendar year).  A new congress typically makes its priorities known with their first ten bills.  The party in the majority gets the first ten bills (i.e., S-1, S-2, etc., or HR-1, HR-2, etc.).  The party in the minority shows its priorities by the next ten (S-11 through S-20 and HR-11 through HR-20).  As you know, hundreds of bills come before a Congress each session (but the numbering does not begin again in the second session; they continue from the first session) and a small minority of them actually make it through the legislative process and become law.  Every bill, whether it is a bill to enact a piece of legislation (authorizing) or funding a piece of legislation (appropriating or funding), gets a bill number in sequential order.  Funding bills typically have numbers much further down the road as appropriations happens latter in each of the two sessions.  Very often, particular bills become amendments to larger pieces of legislation that are seen as "must pass" bills such as appropriations bills.  Such "christmas tree" bills (everyone hangs an "ornament" on the must pass bill) are seen more often in the Senate as the rules are a little looser than in the House.  Once a bill passes both the House and the Senate, a conference committee made up of legislators from both chambers meet to iron out any differences and then a final version is voted on in each chamber before it goes to the president for his signature or veto.
 
It is a fascinating process to watch and to understand.  If you're interested in learning more, start with http://thomas.loc.gov/ and click on the "how Congress makes laws" links on the left hand side of that page.

 

Q:  Is the Voice of the Poor Committee an official standing committee of the National Council? 

Yes, VOP became a standing committee by decision of the National President. 

Here is the history.  In August 2005 Executive Director Roger Playwin checked the National Office records and here is what he found.  In 1999 a resolution was set to be presented to the Trustees to make VOP a standing committee of the National Council.  However that resolution was withdrawn and the National President at the time, Eugene Smith made VOP a national committee effective with his term which began Oct. 1999. 

 

Society of St. Vincent de Paul Founder, Blessed Frédéric Ozanam

Feast Day, September 9:  Manuel Sanchez, Youth/Young Adult Conference Coordinator in Los Angeles reminds us, "Saturday, September 8, marks the death of our founder, Frédéric Ozanam in 1853;  We celebrate the Feast of Blessed Frédéric Ozanam, the same day, coincidentally,  that his mentor  Sister Rosalie Rendu, DC, was born in 1786 (see the Vincentian Family Website at http://www.famvin.org/en/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4088).  More resources from Manuel: 

ò  An article on our founder was published two years ago by the Western Catholic Report ("Canada's Largest Religious Weekly") go to http://www.wcr.ab.ca/columns/tedfitzgerald/2005/fitzgerald082905.shtml for the full story with graphics, or to the Vincentian Family website at http://www.famvin.org/en/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4088 for a shorter version of the same article.
ò For a short biography of Blessed Frédéric, please go to http://www.cmvocation.org/html/saints/ozanam.html (at the vocation website for the Congregation of the Mission - Vincentian Priests and Brothers). 

ò For a very short synopsis of the Society's origins in the U.S., please visit http://www.svdpusa.org/AbouttheSociety/HistoryandBiographies/tabid/69/Default.aspx (at the Society's USA website).

Discovering Sister Rosalie Rendu  (back)

“I never prayed so well as in the streets.”

                            –Blessed Rosalie Rendu, DC

Sister Rosalie's Feast Day, February 7:  Prayer and reflection (Sr. Kieran Kneaves, DC)

Vatican biography: http://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_20031109_rendu_en.html,

 

Pope John Paul II’s homily for the Mass at which Blessed Rosalie and four others were beatified:  http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/homilies/2003/documents/hf_jp-ii_hom_20031109_beatifications_en.html. 

 

Description of the beatification (offered by the Congregation of the Mission’s General Curia):  http://www.famvin.org/cm/nuntia/2003-11.html.

 

Overview from CMs of Ireland: http://www.vincentians.ie/Rosalie_Rendu.htm.

Sister Rosalie was a mentor for Blessed Frederic Ozanam and the first Conference of Charity, founded in Paris is 1833.  "She taught them to treat the poor with respect and dignity and to see the face of Christ in the poor," says National President Gene Smith.  Sister Rosalie Rendu (right), a Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, was beatified in Rome by our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II on Sunday, Nov. 9, 2003. 

Homily of John Paul II, "Beatification of Five Servants of God," Sunday, 9 November 2003.

 

SVDP Pilgrimage Photos 

Paris Pilgrimage, Nov. 3-6, 2003 6181.44KB (6329790 bytes)  

Miraculous Medal (Rue du Bac), St. Sulpice, Church of St. Vincent de Paul, Montparnasse cemetary, Rue Mouffetard, St. Joseph des Carmes, Ozanam Square, Church of Etienne du Mont...

Sister Rosalie Beatification, Nov. 6-10, 2003 3697.42KB (3786154 bytes)

Rome tour, SVDP pilgrimage 1746.93KB (1788859 bytes)

SVDP News Related to Sr. Rosalie:

Nov. 9, 2003 - The first stone was set for a dining room-school in the name of Sr. Rosalie Rendu  on Sunday, Nov. 9, the day of Sr. Rosalie's beatification, in Guanajuato. Mexico.  The project is a joint effort between the Council of Mexico and the US Council.

 

Daughters of Charity, International website

Daughters of Charity, Emmitsburg Province, heritage heirlooms

The Vincentians of Ireland, England and Scotland, website information on the beatification.

News Reports on the Beatification of Sister Rosalie:

Netscape News Photos of the beatification.

Catholic Weekly, Nov. 16, 2003 (Sydney) "Daughters at Beatification."

USA Today, Nov. 9, 2003, "Pope puts 5 more on path toward sainthood."

Sify News (India), Nov. 9, 2003, "Pope beatifies five in Vatican ceremony."

Following are links to information on Sister Rosalie Rendu, DC from the Worldwide Vincentian Family (FamVin) website:

Sister Rosalie References  famvin.org.

DC Superioress General, Sr. Evelyne Franc's Toward a Civilization of Love and Justice

 

Members of the Society made a pilgrimage to the blessed event.  Father Ronald Ramson, CM and Sister Kieran Kneaves, DC of the National Council were spiritual guides in Paris and Rome bringing members  to the locations of these two grace-filled persons and the early Society in Paris, providing spiritual preparation for the actual beatification in Rome.  

The pilgrimage took place Nov. 2-10, 2003.  The beatification of Sister Rosalie took place at the Vatican.   The pilgrimage included Mass at the Miraculous Medal, Mass at the Church of  St. Vincent de Paul, Museum of the Vincentians,  Montparnasse cemetery to view the grave of Sister Rosalie, walk in Rue Moufftard, visit the Church St. Etienne du Mont and Sacre Coeur, and more!  In Rome the group saw the Coliseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, the magnificent Basilica of St. Paul's Outside the Walls, and the Catacombs of Rome where Mass was celebrated.   

Ladies of Charity - San Francisco (back)

 

The Ladies of Charity held a retreat at the Daughters of Charity Seton Provincialate (Los Altos, CA) Mother's Day weekend, May 7-9, 2004.  Sr. Dolores Cazares led the retreat.  There were Indian prayers, morning exercise, reflection time...remembering Mary, mother of God!  LOC advisor Sr. Estela Morales, DC. invited Sr. Mary Elizabeth Reed, DC to join in the fun of making Jesus beads (a special treat for us to meet Sr. Mary Elizabeth).  Plus the group met Sr. Elizabeth Hurley, DC who started the Ladies of Charity in Los Angeles 65 years ago!  A photo of "Sr. Liz" is included with a group of the Ladies (below).