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Vincentian Concern ISSUE 65 Spring 2021 95p St Vincent de Paul Society (England and Wales) Charity Registration No: 1053992 • Company registered in England & Wales No: 3174679 svp.org.uk Keep in touch with us SVPEnglandWalesSVPenglandandwales Looking forward An Easter renewal Inside this edition • End of Life Companionship Vinnie Bunnies • Learning and Development Members’ report pull-out See centre spread2 St Vincent de Paul Society Turning Concern into Action From our President When I was writing this column a year ago, I certainly did not envisage that we would be in lockdown a year later. And there is no denying that lockdown #3 is tough, really tough. I am hoping that by the time this is published we will be feeling more positive as the vaccines become more widespread and spring arrives. As Christians, we also have the promise of the hope and new beginnings that Easter Sunday heralds. But as I write now, in the depths of lockdown #3, I have to confess that I have days when I feel more like Job, quoted from a recent reading at Mass: “Lying in bed I wonder, ‘When will it be day?’ Risen I think, ‘How slowly evening comes!’ Restlessly I fret till twilight falls.” Yet I know there is so much work to be done and so much to try and achieve, even during the bleakest of lockdowns. I gain inspiration from hearing about the work of our members and staff, and the urgent need to do our absolute best to address the forms of poverty emerging now. I know how hard many of you are working in your Conferences and Councils to meet need now, or to prepare to do so when lockdown lifts. I have received really encouraging reports of plans for growth, recruitment and new initiatives ready to start. These drive away my inner ‘Job’ voices and draw me towards the lights of hope and optimism. Of course, it is our Vincentian duty to alleviate suffering and to share hope with others, living out the Gospel’s message. You will certainly find reasons for hope and optimism in the stories in this edition of Vincentian Concern. Whose heart could not be warmed by our cover story about the prison scheme that gives offenders the chance to care for rabbits? The launch of the End of Life Companionship initiative is testament to the SVP’s adaptability and recognition of the effectiveness of collaboration. It is particularly heartening to meet the National Young Adult Council. What an important idea this is for a Society founded by young people. The Council’s Chair has attended their first National Council meeting, and I hope that the creation of the National Young Adult Council will allow us to listen to the voices of our young adults. And even on my worst “Job” days, I could not help but be inspired by Jenny’s walk for South Sudan (page 26). As the days lighten, let us continue to inspire each other. I wish you all the blessings of the Easter season, and may we all find joy, hope, and the promise of a brighter tomorrow in the Resurrection. Yours in St Vincent and Blessed Frédéric, Helen O’Shea, National President The promise of a brighter tomorrow Inside this edition Keep in touch with us SVPEnglandWales SVPenglandandwales Spirituality 3 Feature: Jules Devaux 4 Society News 5 Feature: End of Life Companionship 10 International SVP 12 Feature: Debt support 14 Feature: Vinnie Bunnies 16 Feature: EU Settlement Scheme 18 CSP News 19 Youth News 21 Youth Feature 22 Learning and Development 23 Fundraising 24 Twinnage 26 Social Justice 28 Members Info 30 Behind the Scenes 32 CEO’s Message 33 Obituaries 34 Diary Dates 36 Cover image for illustrative purposes only.call us on 020 7703 3030 email info @ svp.org.uk 3 Spirituality Jesus in lockdown - the hidden life For a year now, we have been experiencing life in a very confined world, largely living from home. We know from reading the Gospels that Jesus crossed and re-crossed a big territory and became known and recognised far and wide. But that was only about three years of a lifetime of 30 years or longer. What of the rest of his life, his ‘hidden life’? Not the lockdown we know but, certainly, very localised and routine. We have something valuable to learn from how Jesus lived in village lockdown. “He is one of us” On returning from enforced exile in Egypt, Joseph chose to live in Nazareth, a place well away from the authority figures who might still be seeking his son’s life. Joseph was known as a carpenter, probably a journeyman who travelled the locality repairing homes, and maybe assisted in building them. Jesus very likely worked with Joseph and would have taken over his trade after his father’s death. He was known as “the carpenter, the son of Mary” (Mk.6:3). So, Jesus was very much one of the local people. He knew and understood them, he was familiar with their sufferings, sicknesses and their happiness in weddings and the birth of children. This closeness to the people, the ‘little ones’, poor and forgotten, is an essential feature of all Vincentians – not people who reach down from on high, but neighbours who are moved with compassion, and who reach out with a sense of solidarity. God is with us Jesus lived in the Old Testament world where God was seen as almighty, distant and punishing. During his years in Nazareth, Jesus prayed and reflected on the Scriptures and on his lived experience. He experienced God in a very different manner; loving, caring, forgiving, providing life to everything – really as a loving Father. His heart was full of this experience, and he wants us all to know and relate to God in this way: God – Abba, Papa, my loving and caring Father. What a happiness to realise that God is with us, supporting and giving us strength as we take our part in making the Kingdom of God a reality in our locality. People are sometimes suspicious and even a bit fearful of religious groups. Let them learn from us as Vincentians that all are accepted, loved and cherished, not judged or excluded. The meaning and purpose of life During the years Jesus lived in Nazareth, he came to appreciate the real meaning and purpose of his life. He did not follow the traditional way – marriage, family, hoping to find security and happiness. Instead, as he experienced life as lived among his people, he came to appreciate just how much was lacking and denied to these good folk. Some turned to political revolution against the Roman authorities, but their efforts were ruthlessly put down. He could see that the meaning of life and its fulfilment, as he was later to insist, was not merely a matter of food and clothes. “Do not worry and say: What are we going to eat? Or, what shall we wear? Your heavenly Father knows you need these things; so, set your heart on the kingdom of justice of God and all these things will be given to you” (Matthew 6:31). As a Vincentian, our God-given task in life is to draw others into the Kingdom of God, not by preaching at them, but by empathising and enabling them to experience the reality of this Kingdom, and by the acceptance, the love and care they find from us.4 St Vincent de Paul Society Turning Concern into Action Feature: Jules Devaux Celebrating the life of Jules Devaux fledgling philanthropists to Sister Rosalie Rendu, a Daughter of Charity who acted as a mentor for the group, as their work with the poor of Paris intensified. Following the completion of his studies in 1839, Jules left Paris to settle in the Normandy port of Honfleur where he practiced medicine. His charitable work continued, and after his mother died, he travelled widely across Europe, particularly through Germany, where he attempted to found the country’s first Conference. In 1848, Jules married Louise Alice Pasquet in Colombières. The couple had two children; a son, René, and a daughter, Louise. Little is known of Jules’ later life, only that he died in Paris on October 27, 1880, aged 69, however, his legacy surrounds us and still drives us to this day. Throughout 2021, the SVP around the world will be celebrating and reflecting on Jules’ life and contribution. Please take a moment to contemplate your life without the SVP, then give praise for the life of Jules-François- Louis Devaux. The life and work of Jules-François-Louis Devaux will be honoured this year by the international community of the St Vincent de Paul Society. But who was he? Why is he so important to Vincentians the world over? As one of the seven founding members of the SVP, Jules Devaux naturally takes his place in our affections along with Blessed Frédéric Ozanam, Emmanuel Bailly, Auguste Le Taillandier, Francois Lallier, Paul Lamache and Felix Clavé. Born on July 18, 1811, in the town of Colombières in the Calvados region of Normandy, Jules was the son of a country doctor. He attended the College Royal in Caen, and later travelled to Paris to study medicine at the Sorbonne, where he met Frédéric Ozanam and the group of friends destined to change the lives of millions for generations to come. The septet formed the Society of St Vincent de Paul in 1833 with Jules elected as the first treasurer. We can gauge something of his personality in the fact that he collected funds at meetings using his hat held behind his back. He is also credited with introducing the call us on 020 7703 3030 email info @ svp.org.uk 5 Society News From beneficiary to member What happens when your world falls apart? How do you cope? Who helps you to pick up the pieces? Alison faced this dilemma with the aid of her SVP ‘angels’, and now helps others as an SVP member. She tells us her story… It was late October 1989, and I had just walked in from Mass. I had been the reader that day and my two boys had served at the altar. I also had my 13-month-old daughter with me. I started to make breakfast but felt sickly. I couldn’t eat. That’s what morning sickness does to you. I turned around and said to my husband that I didn’t feel well and thought I might be pregnant. His response floored me. “You can’t be pregnant when our marriage is in the state it’s in!” “What’s wrong with our marriage?” I replied. “I don’t love you!” he said matter-of-factly. The bottom fell out of my world. He walked out of the room and packed his bags. He left that day. What could we do? I had two sons, aged 12 and 14, a baby daughter, another child on the way, a mortgage I couldn’t pay because I wasn’t working, and no family around me. I became ill. I couldn’t function. I was about 14-weeks pregnant. To this day, it upsets me to remember this time in my life. My parish priest, Father G, referred me to the SVP for support. I knew the members from seeing them at the back of church at Mass, but I’d never spoken to them. They took me under their angel wings and supported me through some very bad times. Three weeks before my due date, I went into labour. It happened very quickly. Thinking I would be back home soon, I arranged for my neighbour to look after the children, while another friend took me to hospital. Things didn’t go to plan. I haemorrhaged after the birth of my son. I was very close to death. I had to be rushed to surgery. An operation and several blood transfusions resulted in me being hospitalised for 10 days. I didn’t know who was caring for my children. My neighbour and other friends came to the rescue and looked after my children, and my older sister from Wales looked after me after I was discharged from hospital. The local authority gave me home-help for six weeks because I was too ill to look after my baby. Then the SVP stepped in. During their frequent visits, they would do my ironing, cut the grass, and look after the children so I could have a bath. They brought me cake, biscuits, sweets for the children and home-baked pies. I couldn’t have managed without them. For the baptism on 24 June (St John the Baptist’s Feast) they even bought a new dress for my little girl, so she looked smart. After the baptism, they brought food to my house so I could invite people back for a little celebration. It was all done with such kindness and they never judged me. In their honour, my son was named Liam John Vincent. He is now 31 and married with two daughters. I always knew that one day I would be able to repay their kindness. When I became semi-retired, I felt this was the time. Two years ago, I contacted SVP National Office to see if there was a group in my area. There was, and it was located at the church where my parents and brother are buried. I immediately felt a connection. I attended my first meeting after being invited by our President, and found that my next-door neighbour was also a long-term member. As an SVP member, I volunteer weekly at the foodbank, and I’ve been involved in helping several local families who find themselves in a situation very similar to the one I was in 31 years ago. I also feel I have made true and lasting friendships through the group.6 St Vincent de Paul Society Turning Concern into Action Society News A generous parishioner at St Columba’s Church, Halifax, has raised an incredible amount of money through delivering church bulletins. Members of St Columba’s Conference in the West Yorkshire town were not able to take part in the annual sponsored walk for the St Vincent’s Leeds centre. Parishoner Pauline Luniw, however, offered to take part in a unique way. Every week during the Covid crisis, Pauline delivered church bulletins and other supplies to fellow parishioners across the hilly town. Parishioner to the rescue Using the same 16-mile route for her weekly walks, Pauline raised over £1,600 last October. She was accompanied on her walks by Sean Elliott, a seminarian who joined the parish, and several helpers also cheered along the pair on parts of the route. Conference Secretary Winifred Devney says: “Making so much money by delivering our bulletins, among other things, to our far-flung parishioners is amazing.” Tea with the SVP In April the St Vincent de Paul Society usually celebrates the birthday of our founder Frédéric Ozanam with a coffee morning in his honour to raise funds for our work. This year, as we mark a year since the beginning of lockdown, we’re taking a different approach. Throughout the week of 19-23 April we will be inviting you to a series of webinars with guest speakers, as well as inviting you to host your own socially distanced or virtual tea party to raise funds. Look out for more information regarding the online webinars via email and on our social media. If you’re a little tired of doing things virtually, we have created a resource to invite a friend, neighbour, or colleague to enjoy a doorstep cuppa. While a party in honour of Frédéric is usually the done thing, Frédéric was all about making connections in simple ways, and a cup of tea with a friend seems like something he might have suggested himself. We’ve also created a pack of tea party resources, including bunting, invitations and Zoom backgrounds which are available on our website, so however you chose to celebrate, we’ve got the decorations covered. If you decide to meet in person on the doorstep, make sure it’s safe. Hopefully, the weather will be warm. Bring your own brew, avoid sharing cups and spoons, and make sure to keep to a two metres distance and follow the most up-to-date government guidelines concerning social distancing. Should you wish to donate, every gift made during the Tea with the SVP week will be matched by a very generous donor, with all contributions going towards the SVP Covid-19 Recovery Programme. So join us in celebrating the birthday of our founder, and remember to pause, make a brew and look forward to the time when we can reconnect in person, but until then why not celebrate with us - and a cuppa. However you decide to connect, share your stories with us on social media using the hashtag #TeawiththeSVPcall us on 020 7703 3030 email info @ svp.org.uk 7 Birmingham students support the homeless The University of Birmingham svp1833 Conference has successfully completed its first project of the new academic year, working with the homeless in the country’s second largest city. The newly established Conference initially worked in collaboration with the St Catherine of Siena Conference, based in Birmingham City Centre, when Covid-19 struck, and the first lockdown came into force. All plans came to a standstill. Despite being sent home to study, the Birmingham group continued to meet safely throughout the whole period, including the summer holidays, for Vincentian prayer and reflection, as well as mutual support. Some members managed to help and support their local adult Conferences, while others did what they could for local food banks. Following a return to the university, the group decided they wanted to make up Vinnie Packs to distribute to the homeless who were returning to a life on the streets. Samuel, one of the CathSoc group members, worked diligently on fundraising to buy items for the winter survival packs, and additionally many students donated items. With the help of a fantastic team of volunteers, the group put together 16 packs containing hats, neck warmers, gloves, toiletries, food, foil blankets and other essentials. The team of wonderful volunteers distributed 13 of the packs to local people in the city centre who were homeless, and the remaining three packs went to the guests of a local homeless charity. The young adult Conference has also signed-up with Tabor House, part of Father Hudson’s Care, as volunteers. Tabor House is a vital link in the support and care of vulnerable people in Birmingham. The students are looking forward to a time when lockdown is a thing of the past, and they can continue their compassionate work in the city. Meanwhile, Conference President Becky Gavighan has joined the newly established SVP Young Adult Council (page 8), where she shares the opinions of her peers, which are in turn fed back to the Board of Trustees. This new relationship heightened the commitment the Board and members have shown to developing, recruiting and retaining young adult members within the SVP. Keep up-to-date of their activity on Instagram by following @svpyoungadults. Members of the Colwyn Bay Conference have risen to the challenge of the Covid crisis by helping to run a new food bank. The St Joseph’s Community Connect Food Bank, based at St Joseph’s OMI Catholic Church, was created last year as a direct response to the pandemic and its social and economic consequences. Since then, the SVP Conference has been at the heart of the project. Colwyn Bay Conference President Tom MacLean says: “I am inspired by the fantastic work Conference members are doing. Without their commitment it just would not be possible to run this project, and as the need has increased, the dedication and kindness has flowed.” Colwyn Bay inspires community response8 St Vincent de Paul Society Turning Concern into Action Society News The voices of young people will now have more prominence across the SVP following an agreement with CEO Elizabeth Palmer and the Board of Trustees, which formed the SVP Young Adult Council (SVPYAC). Additionally, members of SVPYAC have been invited to represent young people on select SVP committees. In July 2020, the inaugural meeting of the SVPYAC was held with the following members: • President, Anthony Bracuti: Representing Leeds University, Anthony is a member of the adult Conference Mother of Unfailing Help. The PhD Entomology student was the President of the Sussex /Brighton University svp1833 Conference as an undergraduate. • Secretary, Nicolas Mariscal: Currently a second year Business and Management undergraduate student, Nicolas is the President of Durham University svp1833 Conference. • Becky Gavighan: Becky is the President of the University of Birmingham svp1833 Conference, and is studying for her MSc in Computer Science. • Nikhil Anthony: President of Cambridge University svp1833 Conference, Nikhil is currently a third year Engineering undergraduate. • Rachel Barry: Rachel is the joint President of Kent University svp1833 Conference and currently a third year English Literature undergraduate. • Sam Brown: Sam is the joint President of Kent University svp1833 Conference and a fourth year Data Analytics student. • Alessandra Sciarra: Alessandra is the SVP’s Social Policy Manager. • Mary Arayo: Mary is the SVP B-Attitude Officer. • Teresa Kehoe: Teresa is the SVP’s Young Adult/ svp1833 Manager. Nicolas will represent SVP Young Adults on the Social Justice Committee, while Anthony sits on the National Council. There are currently two vacancies on the SVPYAC for B-Attitude members, aged between 16 and 18. There is also a vacancy for a young adult SVP member, who is also a parent, to represent the views of young parents, and another young adult aged between 24 and 35. If you know of any suitable candidates, please contact Nicolas on secretaryyac@svp.org.uk. Young people have their say The Response Drug and Alcohol Team at Wirral Council would like to share their thanks following the support they received from the Our Lady of Pity Conference, who assisted the Response team with their Christmas hamper appeal. As a result of the support from the local group, Response were able to help 23 young people and three families. Cecilia Oliver of Response says: “I know you work very hard to raise the money each year and I hope you know it is very much appreciated.” A Conference respondscall us on 020 7703 3030 email info @ svp.org.uk 9 The Arsenal Foundation, the grant-making charity of north London’s Arsenal Football Club, got together with an SVP Conference to help those suffering during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Premier League club reached out to help St Joan of Arc’s Conference in Highbury to support and feed the local community during the current crisis. According to Conference President Beccy Mackinney, the food aid the SVP has been giving in their region has changed as the pandemic has progressed. During the first lockdown, many local support networks shut down, so the SVP group started a foodbank to fill the gap. They were soon delivering 80 food parcels a week. But then, as council-run services and other charities came back online, they were able to reduce their service. “We’re now providing food parcels to 30 of our most vulnerable families and individuals,” Beccy says. “But sadly, we’re seeing a new cohort come forward - people who have been struggling through furlough or who have survived on their savings but who now have nothing. “The Arsenal Foundation’s support could not have been more timely. As demand increased, the Foundation stepped in with a considerable donation of supplies, which we rapidly distributed to the local community.” She adds: “It’s great when football clubs understand the importance of their local communities – so much of their support comes from their immediate vicinity, and many clubs have roots going back more than 100 years.” Arsenal scores with local SVP card and a Mass card. They have all been remembered in a Novena of Masses during Christmastide at the Basilica of Our Lady at Walsingham.” Pauline continues: “Donations have been made to the food bank, the night shelter, and the Purfleet Trust, a local charity providing help to the homeless. Residents from Merchants Terrace, another local charity, have in the past enjoyed Christmas Day dinner with us in our church centre. Sadly, we could not open our doors to our neighbours this year. A turkey and Christmas puddings were delivered to ensure they had a happy Christmas.” In a vote of thanks to all in her parish, Pauline concludes: “Thank you for your love, your generosity and your care. You have given many families who are in great need in our community a very happy Christmas.” Crisis brings out the best in people The pandemic has brought out the best in people, according to members of the St Mary’s Conference in King’s Lynn. With fewer parishioners able to attend Mass, the fear was that the SVP collection at the Church of Our Lady of the Annunciation in Kings Lynn would be greatly diminished, but that was far from the truth. The pandemic has touched the hearts of so many, and it has been a difficult time for communities around the country, but generosity and a true spirit of love have prevailed. Despite the hardships endured by many parishioners, this year’s collection at St Mary’s Conference for people in need has reached the amazing sum of almost £1,000. Conference member Pauline McSherry says: “It is with heartfelt thanks, great joy and humility that we - your brothers and sisters in the Society of St Vincent de Paul - have been able, on behalf of the parish, to reach out to many in need this Christmas. Lockdown restrictions have deprived us of those fruitful visits to care homes and to people who are alone. They are not forgotten. Eighty of our loved ones have received a Christmas Next >