August 2026 Newsletter

Vincentian Celebrations 

Blessed Frédéric Ozanam Anniversary (August 22): Marks the beatification date (in 1997) of the co-founder of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

St. Louise de Marillac (August 12): Observes the birth anniversary of the co-foundress of the Daughters of Charity.

Pope Leo XIV Prayer Intentions: August

For evangelization in the city

Let us pray that in large cities often marked by anonymity and loneliness we find new ways to proclaim the Gospel, discovering creative paths to build community. 

Q&A Section

Question: I know we are to advocate for our neighbors.  How do we do that?

Answer: As Vincentians, we are called to be advocates for the poor – not as political lobbyists, but as friends, helping the voices of the poor whom we have come to know be heard, or when needed to speak on their behalf. [Rule, Part I, 7.5] Our special perspective comes from the personal knowledge we gain through the relationships we form with those we serve. We do more than walk a mile in their shoes, we visit them in their homes and neighborhoods, and truly try to see and feel things from their perspective.

The Manual – page 29 - In recent years, the Society has become more active in social justice work, helping the poor and disadvantaged speak for themselves and, when necessary, providing a “voice for the voiceless.” Only the National President may speak for the Society on national issues. Presidents of (Arch)Diocesan Councils, District Councils, and Conferences may speak for the Society at their own levels. Individual members are welcome to engage in advocacy on their own, but should not present themselves as spokesmen for the Society.

Financial Transition:
A Note from the Executive Director

Hello Vincentians,

We are in the midst of a big transition in our Finance Department, and we want to make sure that you are aware of what is happening and what to expect going forward.

Larry Gonzales has served faithfully as both Board Treasurer and volunteer CFO for about four years and has done an amazing job. We are so grateful for the excellent, high-quality work that Larry has done to support our Council and Conferences. (Thank you, Larry!)

As Larry rolls off of the board at the end of September, we have seen the need, under his prompting, to hire paid support to meet our financial needs as a network. Our neighbors find help and hope in encounters with Vincentians every day, and, as a $7.5M organization, it is essential that our financial processes and integrity remain intact to further our mission.

Larry has provided a gamut of support which amounts to multiple levels of financial expertise manifesting in assistance with accounting, Servware, and SVdP policy. To cover these responsibilities, we have contracted with White Lotus Bookkeeping for a one-year agreement starting August 1, 2026. Over the next two months, Larry will work in tandem with White Lotus to onboard them and get the work done. Starting October 1, 2026, White Lotus will be the primary contact for any financial or Servware needs.

White Lotus Bookkeeping will provide remote full-service accounting and financial support for our Council with Alexander Noren, CPA and partner at White Lotus, serving as our Fractional CFO. He will give professional guidance and oversight to make sure that our financials stay solid and audit-ready and will delegate to his team with the different levels of accounting support that we need. At the Conference level, you may have more interactions with Accounting Manager Nicola Ganz. Starting now, any financial or Servware questions that you have may be directed to support@svdpsantafe.org. That email will go to Alexander, Nicola, Larry, and myself. We will also get a unique phone number for White Lotus support up and running soon, but, for now, email will be most helpful so that Larry can provide input to any questions that may come in.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to the team at support@svdpsantafe.org if you have any questions related to finances, Servware, or anything you would feel the need to contact Larry about. We will work to get your questions answered and make sure you have the support you need. Copies of W-9s should be sent to this email address.

Thank you for all you do to support our mission and our neighbors in need.

Warmly,

Jared Weatherholtz

Conference Spotlight

Queen of Heaven Vincentians accept their ministry calling during a commitment ceremony. 

If your District Council or Conference has special event dates, please send them to me at ljstrasburg@gmail.com so we can include them on our calendar.

The Bookshelf

Bridges out of Poverty by Ruby K. Payne, Philip DeVol, Terie Dreussi-Smith

Bridges defines poverty as a lack of 11 critical resources, not just money, and provides strategies across individual, institutional, and community levels. Key concepts include hidden rules of economic classes, types of poverty, and resource building. 

Using this information as a resource for systemic change, you should consider:

Engagement – involving people with lived experiences,

Far-reaching social impact – transforms attitudes of individuals and community,

Sustainability – helping participants achieve self-sufficiency,

Replicability – similar projects can be implemented by others,

Innovation – the project can reduce or eliminate the need for services,

Collaboration – engage all sectors of the community.

As a conference moves past the initial home visit, do we include these ideas for moving our neighbors from striving to thriving? 

Faith and Public Life: A Vincentian Call to Engagement Based on the Example of Frederic Ozanam

“These three articles aim to help us discover three key elements of his life and legacy which can inspire us to live a more committed, more incarnated and more prophetic faith today:

·      Frederic, a Christian with a distinctive public voice, who encourages us to take our faith to the public square, fearlessly, courageously and lovingly.

·      Frederic, a disciple of the poor, who invites us to recognize the most fragile not as targets of help, but as “lords and masters”, true image bearers of Christ.

·      Frederic, advocate of justice, who urges us to denounce unjest structures and to build a more dignified world for all, especially laborers, migrants and the marginalized. 

In each of these journeys, Ozanam was not a spectator, but a leading player.  And like him, we too – young people, lay people, believers – can be salt and light in the midst of history.  May these reflections not only be beautiful words, but concrete calls to live the Gospel with boldness.  May the example of Frederic encourage us to raise our voices on behalf of those who have no voice, to extend our hands with humility, and to dream of a more just, more fraternal and more evangelical world.”

https://famvin.org/en/2025/04/20/faith-and-public-life-a-vincentian-call-to-engagement-based-on-the-example-of-frederic-ozanam/

https://famvin.org/en/2025/04/21/the-poor-are-our-lords-and-masters-living-a-faith-of-reverence-and-relationship-based-on-the-example-of-frederic-ozanam/

https://famvin.org/en/2025/04/22/defending-the-cause-of-the-oppressed-faith-and-social-justice-in-action-based-on-the-example-of-frederic-ozanam/

Thank you for your service and as a Vincentian. If you need any support or have any questions, please reach out by replying to this email or giving us a call.