For the first time, the Society of St Vincent de Paul has included a commitment to caring for the environment as an integral part of its strategic plan for the next five years.

Caring for the planet is an essential part of living the Gospel today, said John Kennedy-Good, leader of the society’s social justice outreach.

“Vincentians are committed to living sustainably and responding to the challenges outlined in Pope Francis’s encyclical, Laudato Si’, On Care for Our Common Home. In the words of the Pope: ‘Living our vocation to be protectors of God’s handiwork is essential to a life of virtue; it is not an optional or secondary aspect of our Christian experience.’”

Mr Kennedy-Good said the society will be asking young Vinnies to take the lead in developing a strategy for practical action in living sustainably and caring for the environment. Conference
members of the society will be invited to engage with that strategy.

“We will be encouraging all conference members to reflect on the Pope’s message in Laudato Si’ and to discuss ways they can respond as conferences and as individuals.” Mr Kennedy-Good said the society is well-placed to be an authentic voice advocating against wastefulness in New Zealand’s consumerist society.

“We are striving to be a leader in recycling second-hand goods through our extensive network of shops. We also want to reduce waste by improving sorting methods, expanding recycling opportunities and educating donors.”

Respect for the environment sits alongside respect for people in the society’s thinking, Mr Kennedy-Good said.

“We have to find the commitment and courage to act in this area, just as we do to be close to those who are vulnerable and lonely. We must move beyond words and take action to reduce our carbon

footprint and live sustainably. “Pope Francis puts it very powerfully: ‘The earth itself, burdened and laid waste, is among the most abandoned and maltreated of our poor’.

“It is not an option to sit on the sidelines and do nothing while the overwhelming scientific consensus is that humankind is having a devastating impact on the environment in which we live.”

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It is understood that the women each worked 20-30 years either in the society’s shop in Victoria Avenue, or in visiting or holding responsibilities within the organisation. 

Local conference president Marianne Vine presented each with a framed long service certificate on behalf of the national office in Wellington and a cross from the international office in Paris, France. 

Parish priest Fr Marcus Francis offered a thanksgiving prayer over them before they returned to their seats to warm applause from the congregation. 

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Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Kris Faafoi referred to the society in a speech on June 13.

Speaking about the Government’s decision to scrap NCEA fees, announced in May, Mr Faafoi said “it’s the little things that mean a lot to a family that is struggling to make ends meet. That is certainly the case when it comes to my electorate (Mana), around NCEA fees”.

He then referred to a letter he received from Margaret Baker on behalf of a Society of St Vincent de Paul group in his electorate. He read the letter out loud to the house.

It read: “Dear Mr Faafoi — as the branch of the Society of St Vincent de Paul based at St Theresa’s Church in Plimmerton, we are writing to say that we applaud your Government’s decision to scrap exam fees for students at secondary schools in the upcoming round of NCEA exams. We deal all the time with families who are struggling in the Porirua basin and know that this
will be one area which will make a big difference to both pupils and parents. Could you please convey our thoughts to your colleagues.”

According to the NZQA website, the decision means schools no longer need to collect fees from around 168,000 New Zealand domestic students, or students from the Cook Islands and Niue, who are entering for NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship.

Any fees already collected from these students for 2019 will be refunded by schools.

Fees still have to be paid by international students.

Entry fees were reportedly $76.70 for all NCEA standards, with $30 extra for each NZ Scholarship subject on top. Fees were capped at $200 per student.

Previously, Community Services card holders and parents receiving a Work and Income or Studylink benefit could apply for assistance to reduce the fee to $20, or for families with two or more children who are NCEA candidates, a maximum of $30 per family.

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The seminars, run by the society’s national spiritual adviser, Fr Jeff Drane,SM, are being held in the coming months in response to requests from Vincentians at the grassroots level. The theme of the seminar series is: “There’s work to be
done — renewing the society’s vision in New Zealand.”

Fr Drane said: “The seminars will provide an opportunity for people to be inspired once again by the vision of the society and to be re-motivated in putting their faith into action.”

“Together, we will re-look at the mission of the society and re-evaluate what we are doing locally to meet the needs of the disadvantaged, particularly those on the fringes of society.”

In his apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, Pope Francis reminded Catholics that the liberation and promotion of the poor is fundamental to being a Christian, Fr Drane said.

In the words of Pope Francis: “None of us can think we are exempt from concern for the poor and for social justice.

Spiritual conversion, the intensity of the love of God and neighbour, zeal for justice and peace, the Gospel meaning of the poor and of poverty, are required of everyone (EG 201).”

It is hoped that new initiatives and new ventures will come out of the renewal seminars, Fr Drane added.

At the seminars, there will be a strong focus on recruiting new members and pooling members’ experience of what works well in attracting new and younger members.

“The membership of the society is ageing and we need fresh blood,” Fr Drane said. “We need to invite people from a range of faith communities — Māori, Pasifika, Filipino, Indian, Korean for example — to set up Vinnies groups in which they feel comfortable. There is a great opportunity to harness the vitality of these communities in the service of those most in need in society.”

The society’s youth adviser to the national board, Paolo Minehan, said there is huge potential to attract young people
to the work of the society.

“Young people are always searching for something meaningful, something worthwhile to contribute to,” Mr Minehan said.

“There’s plenty of untapped potential in the Catholic community, but there’s the wider community of young New Zealanders who are also looking for a spirituality. They are just sitting there wanting to help and they want to do things.”

The challenge for the society is to be flexible enough to engage with them, Mr Minehan added.

“We need to come up with projects which young people can do and which fit in with their schedules. Young people have lots of skills and talents, and they can offer those to the society if you give them the opportunity. The way the society is organised, meetings can be hard for young people to get to and it can be a bit of a closed shop.

“These days you have to think flexibly if you want to reach the volunteer workforce. Offer them a project, maybe using
social media, so they can join in and get involved as part of their busy lives.”

The Society of St Vincent de Paul was established in New Zealand more than 150 years ago and there are currently more than 5000 active members in New Zealand.

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