May 2026 Newsletter

Vincentian Celebrations: May 

St. Louise de Marillac  (May 9): Celebrated annually on May 9th, she is the co-foundress of the Daughters of Charity and the patron saint of Christian social workers, the sick, and widows.

Pope Leo XIV Prayer Intentions: May

That everyone might have food.
Let us pray that everyone, from large producers to small consumers, be committed to avoid wasting food, and to ensure that everyone has access to quality food.

All Conference Meeting

Over 130 Vincentians came together on Saturday, April 25 to break bread, share in the retreat of Christ As Our Center and gain a bit more understanding of how we communicate with pastors and parishioners, recruit and retain members, encounter our neighbors, and why governance continues to be important.    

Many thanks to the Our Lady of Belen Conference for hosting us. Please consider whether your conference might host the event in 2027. 

The Belen Conference would like to thank all who attended and were able to participate in this large group event.  

Denise Brunner, newly elected Council President, would like to thank everyone for the gracious welcome. 

Requesting Your Prayers

From Denise and John Brunner:

We are firm believers in the power of prayer and come to you with heavy hearts. Our family is facing a difficult time, as our son, Scott, has been diagnosed with a rare and aggressive cancer, NUT carcinoma in his nasal cavity.

On May 4th, he will undergo extensive surgery to remove the tumor, his left eye and most of his facial bones, followed by aggressive chemotherapy. Scott is a loving husband and father to two young boys, ages 2 and 4.

We humbly ask for your prayers for Scott's healing, for his medical team, and for strength and peace for our family. We are grateful for our Vincentian family and your faith in the power of prayer.

May God bless you and your families.

Q&A Section

Question:

How long are we required to retain our financial bank records?

Answer:  found in the Manual – pg. 29

Bank deposits           3 years

Bank Reconciliations 3 years

Bank statements        7 years

Cancelled Checks      7 years

From Our CFO:

Conferences are reminded that we have put out a policy on donation tracking.  This file can be accessed in ServWare by going to View>Files/Links>Council then use the search box and type Donation. This applies to ALL conferences and must be followed.  I will hold a Zoom session on 5/12/2026 at 6:15 pm to demonstrate/assist anyone with
this or other ServWare questions. The link to the Zoom meeting is:
https://zoom.us/j/94138905939?pwd=Nomhttbtbrcxk8NxBV2wZRO6aIZ2Za.1

Conferences are also reminded of the requirement to upload copies of bank statements to ServWare following the guidelines in the "ServWare Folders and File Naming Convention" policy which also can be found in ServWare at the same location indicated in the previous paragraph.

2026 Mountain Region Meeting

“INVENTIVE TO INFINITY”


PHOENIX, ARIZONA

MAY 29 – 30, 2026 

Scan or Click to register today!

Hotel information: 

Tempe Mission Palms

60 East 5th Street

Tempe, AZ 85281 

The Conference Guest Room rate is $199 per night

(Rate includes the $20 destination fee)

This rate expires May 7, 2026

Guest room booking link found on the registration page.

The Commandments as a Vincentian Path of Love - Continued from February Newsletter

The Ten Commandments are not burdens but blessings. They lead us to deeper communion with God and neighbor. For the Vincentian Family, they challenge us to be poor in spirit, rich in love, and faithful in service.

Rooted in Christ, guided by Vincent, and moved by the Spirit, let us keep these commandments—not with fear, but with freedom. For in loving God and loving the poor, we find life in abundance.

A conference might consider using one commandment as their spiritual reflection and working through all 10 commandments over a period of time, or follow each of the following links to a detailed article on each of the commandments which might be used for a Vincentian retreat.   

The Ten Commandments

First

https://famvin.org/en/2025/07/13/i-am-the-lord-your-god-you-shall-have-no-other-gods-before-me-a-vincentian-reflection-on-the-first-commandment/

Second

https://famvin.org/en/2025/07/20/you-shall-not-take-the-name-of-the-lord-your-god-in-vain-a-vincentian-reflection-on-the-second-commandment/

Third

https://famvin.org/en/2025/07/27/remember-to-keep-holy-the-lords-day-a-vincentian-reflection-on-the-third-commandment/

Fourth

https://famvin.org/en/2025/08/03/honor-your-father-and-your-mother-a-vincentian-reflection-on-the-fourth-commandment/

Fifth

https://famvin.org/en/2025/08/10/you-shall-not-kill-a-vincentian-reflection-on-the-fifth-commandment/

Sixth

https://famvin.org/en/2025/08/17/you-shall-not-commit-adultery-a-vincentian-reflection-on-the-sixth-commandment/

Seventh

https://famvin.org/en/2025/08/24/you-shall-not-steal-a-vincentian-reflection-on-the-seventh-commandment/

Eighth

https://famvin.org/en/2025/08/31/you-shall-not-bear-false-witness-against-your-neighbor-a-vincentian-reflection-on-the-eighth-commandment/

Ninth

https://famvin.org/en/2025/09/07/you-shall-not-covet-your-neighbors-wife-a-vincentian-reflection-on-the-ninth-commandment/

Tenth

https://famvin.org/en/2025/09/14/you-shall-not-covet-anything-that-belongs-to-your-neighbor-a-vincentian-reflection-on-the-tenth-commandment/

What Book Did You Read Recently?

Through this newsletter, I would like to start a reading list of recommended books.  If you have a favorite book that speaks to a morsel of our ministry, please share it with me at ljstrasburg@gmail.com. I’ll start the list this month.

“Many Indigenous Peoples, including my Anishinaabe relatives and my Haudenosaunee neighbors, inherit what is known as “a culture of gratitude,” where lifeways are organized around recognition and responsibility for earthly gifts, both ceremonial and pragmatic.  Our oldest teaching stories remind us that failure to show gratitude dishonors the gift and brings serious consequences. 

Gratitude and reciprocity are the currency of a gift economy, and they have the remarkable property of multiplying with every exchange, their energy concentrating as they pass from hand to hand, a truly renewable resource. Can we imagine a human economy with a currency which emulates the flow from Mother Earth?  A currency of gifts?"

                            Robin Wall Kimmerer

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.

A Heartfelt Thank You to Vincentians From Our Executive Director and Staff Team From (April's) Volunteer Appreciation Month

Frederic's Five

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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.