Society of Saint Vincent de Paul World Day of the Poor November 18, 2018 2018 Campaign Guide

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Society of Saint Vincent de Paul World Day of the Poor November 18, 2018 2018 Campaign Guide
Society of Saint Vincent de Paul
    World Day of the Poor
     November 18, 2018
    2018 Campaign Guide
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Presentation of Campaign ................................................................................................. 2
Campaign Blueprints .......................................................................................................... 4
   Conference Campaign ..................................................................................................... 4
   Store Campaign ............................................................................................................... 5
Text for Parish Speech ........................................................................................................ 6
Text for Parish Newsletter ................................................................................................. 7
Liturgical Reflections .......................................................................................................... 8

Society of Saint Vincent de Paul – 2018                                                                                          1
PRESENTATION OF CAMPAIGN

At the closing of the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, on November 20,
2016, in his apostolic letter Mercy and peace (Misericordia et misera), Pope
Francis invited us to celebrate the World Day of the Poor each year on the
33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time. Pope Francis stated, “This would be the
worthiest way to prepare for the celebration of the Solemnity of our Lord
Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, who identified with the little ones and
the poor and who will judge us on our works of mercy.”

Who would be in a better position than the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul
(SSVP) to promote the World Day of the Poor? That special day is also a
great opportunity for the Society to:

    - increase the visibility of SSVP activities;
    - make known the mission of the SSVP;
    - foster closer ties between Vincentians and other parishioners during
      Eucharistic celebrations, to live the message of the Gospel together
      by serving Christ through the poor with love, respect, justice and joy;
    - recruit new members; and
    - conduct campaigns to raise fund or collect non-perishable food items
      in support to Vincentian work.

You will find in this guide a description of the tools accessible to you, as
well as a few campaign blueprints that could be useful to your conference,
store or outlet.

Society of Saint Vincent de Paul – 2018                                        2
CAMPAIGN TOOLS
In line with this campaign, the National Council will publish an ad in the
following publications:

    -   Living with Christ – monthly;
    -   Church bulletins online;
    -   Paris newsletters (Québec) – French and English;
    -   Catholic Register.

The team offers you material that you may use as is, or adapt according to
your needs.

Available with this guide:

    -   Campaign blueprints, for a conference or store/outlet;
    -   Text for a parish speech;
    -   Text for a parish bulletin.
    -   Prayer card

Available electronically and distributed with this guide:

    - Poster:
          o letter format (8 ½” x 11”)
          o legal format (8 ½” x 14”)
          o tabloid format (11” x 17”)
      In PDF format: to print, adding your contact information, or to order
      from the National Council, who will add your contact information on
      the PDF document and send it to your selected printer. (We suggest
      Staples / Bureau en Gros.)

    - PowerPoint presentation about the campaign with animation in loop
      mode.

Society of Saint Vincent de Paul – 2018                                       3
CAMPAIGN BLUEPRINTS

Adapting the campaign in each conference or council is very important, in
order to reflect local realities. Following are two basic blueprints for a
successful campaign.

CONFERENCE CAMPAIGN
    - Determine what actions to undertake in your parish/parishes, or in
      the community:

             o Fundraising (using envelopes placed in church pews)?

             o Collection of non-perishable food items?

    - Coordinate with particular or central council to place an ad in local
      newspapers or on local radio;

    - Organize a meeting with the pastor;

    - Print the campaign poster (from National Council);

    - Identify where to display campaign posters;

    - Print collection envelopes for fundraising;

    - Place a notice in the parish bulletin;

    - Plan for an SSVP member to address parishioners after masses;

    - Place envelopes on benches and/or add containers to collect non-
      perishable food items.

Society of Saint Vincent de Paul – 2018                                       4
STORE CAMPAIGN
    - Determine what actions to undertake in the store:

             o Fundraising?

             o Collection of non-perishable food items?

    - Coordinate with particular or central council to place an ad in local
      newspapers or on local radio;

    - Identify where to display campaign posters;

    - Print the campaign poster (from National Council);

    - Promotion near cash registers;

    - Set up a computer with a presentation (PowerPoint in loop mode);

    - Offer relevant or related documents to take back home (leaflet,
      collection envelope, etc.).

Society of Saint Vincent de Paul – 2018                                       5
TEXT FOR PARISH SPEECH

Hi! My name is ____________________. I am very happy to be able to talk to you
today, on behalf of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, for the _____________
Conference. I wish to thank our pastor, ___________________, for allowing me
this opportunity to address you for a few minutes.

At the conclusion of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, on November 20, 2016,
in his apostolic letter, entitled Mercy and peace (Misericordia et misera), Pope
Francis invited us to celebrate the World Day of the Poor on the 33rd Sunday in
Ordinary Time. This year, we celebrate that special day on November 18th.
According to the Canadian government, one million, nine hundred thousand
Canadian families struggle every day to make ends meet.

Just a few weeks before Christmas, we must do more than usual to help the least
fortunate among us. For more than 170 years, thanks to the generosity of
parishioners, the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul has been distributing Christmas
hampers or organizing community meals. Such gestures of solidarity help less
fortunate people to emerge from isolation, and allow them to experience
wonderful moments of joy. By taking the time to welcome our sisters and
brothers in Jesus Christ, not only do we give food, but we interact with them on
an equal basis.

In the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, our tradition is to avoid judging and to
serve people with love, respect, justice and joy. In response to Pope Francis’
appeal, we invite you to work with the members of the local Society of Saint
Vincent de Paul and give a hand, either by participating in our guignolée or in our
collection of food supplies. In this very busy period, we always need volunteers
and, of course, financial help is always appreciated as well. You may donate to
the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul team in our community, or directly to the
Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, via the official website, at
www.ssvp.ca/donation.

Thank you for your attention! I wish all of you a very nice Sunday.

Society of Saint Vincent de Paul – 2018                                            6
TEXT FOR PARISH NEWSLETTER

November 18th, the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, is the World Day of the
Poor. The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul invites you to help society’s less
fortunate people. We encourage you to give a hand by participating in our
guignolée or in our collection of food supplies. In this very busy period, we
always need volunteers and, of course, financial help is always appreciated.
You may donate to the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul team in our
community, or directly to the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, via the
official website, at www.ssvp.ca/donation.

Society of Saint Vincent de Paul – 2018                                     7
LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS

“Charity is the Samaritan who pours oil on the wounds of the traveller who
was attacked. The role of justice is to prevent the attack.” – Blessed
Frederic Ozanam.

The Gospel of Saint Matthew (25, 31-46), also known as The Final
Judgement, takes us back to the very basis of the work of the Society of
Saint Vincent de Paul. It also outlines the basic principles of the Church’s
social teachings, that is, the preferential option for the poor and the dignity
of the human person.

       When the Son of man comes in his glory and all the angels with Him,
       then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before Him will be gathered all
       the nations, and he shall separate them one from another as a
       shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the
       sheep at his right hand, but the goats on the left.

       Then the King will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, O blessed of
       my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation
       of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty, and
       you gave me drink; I was a stranger, and you welcomed me, naked,
       and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited me; I was in prison, and
       you came to me.’

       Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you
       hungry and feed You, or thirsty and gave You drink? When did we see
       You a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when
       did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

       And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one
       of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.’

Society of Saint Vincent de Paul – 2018                                           8
Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed,
       into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was
       hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no
       drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you
       did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’

       Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or
       thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister
       to you?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it
       not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.’

       And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into
       eternal life.

In a context of abundance and equality, it is also appropriate to read the
second letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians (8,7.9.13-15):

       Therefore as you abound in everything — in faith, and utterance, and
       knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us — see that you
       abound in this grace also.

       For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was
       rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty
       might be rich.

       For I do not mean that other men should be eased and you burdened,
       but that there be an equality: that now at this time your abundance
       may supply their want, that their abundance may also supply your
       want, that there may be equality. As it is written: “He that had
       gathered much had nothing left over, and he that had gathered little
       had no lack.”

Society of Saint Vincent de Paul – 2018                                            9
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