Vincentian Family History with

Systemic Change

Caroljean Willie, SC, Ph.D.

NGO at the United Nations Sisters of Charity Federation

The Beginnings…

• In 2006 Fr. Greg Gay, Superior General of the Congregation of the Mission, named a Commission for Promoting Systemic Change.

• Mandate: “To help bring about systemic change through the apostolates of the members of the Vincentian Family, especially those ministering to the oppressed poor.”

Commission Members

(l-r) Patricia Nava, AIC, Gene Smith, SSVP, Robert Maloney, CM, Joe Foley, CM, Ellen Flynn, DC, Pedro Opeka, CM, Norberto Carcellar, CM (not pictured)

• In 2007 the Commission gave a presentation to the Vincentian Family leaders gathered in Rome.

• The leaders chose “Systemic Change” as their focus for three to five years.

• Since then, all the branches have been working on this theme actively.

Seeds of Hope:Stories of Systemic Change

Also available in Spanish, Portuguese, French and is being translated into Korean, Italian and Vietnamese.

Homeless Peoples’ Federation of the Philippines

Akamasoa

Continental Workshops

Goals of Workshops

• To educate people on the basic concepts of Systemic Change, and/or to share information about what the Vincentian Family is doing world-wide

• To provide a catalyst/opportunity for Vincentian Family members to think creatively about what types of systemic change projects could be started within their local community/service area

• To think critically about an existing ministry in light of the Systemic Change concepts and/or to work on effecting a change within the existing service model of a particular project

A Tool Kit

• A 2 gigabyte memory stick containing all the materials from the workshops so that those who receive it can modify the materials to fit their own culture. Available in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese.

Mexico

Brazil

Mizael Poggioli Donizetti

• Has published multiple books in Portuguese on the theme of systemic change as it pertains to the Vincentian Family.

Cameroon

African Family Leadership Team

Rose de Lima Ramanakavana - Madagascar

• UN Conference in Bonn, Germany – 3-5 September 2011

The Role of Civil Society

in a Fast Changing World

The Vincentian Family in Bonn, Germany

Collaboration in national vaccination and prevention programs

A meal a day to more than 5000 children in the 14 AIC centers

The TSIRY or SEED PROJECT

•Alphabetization and training for illiterate adult and non-schooled children in remote villages

THE GREEN DIOCESE PROGRAM

• Education on environment protection and reforestation in schools and communities. Active participation of civil society and youth in reforestation

• Sustainable and reasonable management of the environment through the permanent fight against forest destruction by fire and overexploitation.

Increase of productivity for small farms through reforestation

Ethiopia

• Invited to give a workshop in Ethiopia, not just for the Vincentian Family, but for other priests and religious; date to be determined.

Thailand

Philippine Follow-up

• Systemic Change Workshop at Adamson University• Began an annual St. Vincent de Paul National Award for

systemic change projects

India

• A workshop will be given in Northern India in January of 2012

• Requests for workshops in other parts of the country

North America

• The first Vincentian Family Virtual Gathering was held April 24, 2010.

• Presentation on Systemic Change in multiple locations via the web.

United States

Systemic Change in works among those living in poverty aims beyond providing food, clothing and shelter to alleviate immediate needs and enables people themselves to engage in the identification of the root causes of their poverty and to create strategies to change those structures which keep them in poverty. This also requires changing attitudes that have caused the problem. (working definition for North America)

New Features Added to U.S. Workshops

• A compilation by Mary Ann Dantuano of ministries already employing systemic change principles from various branches of the Vincentian Family.

• Workshops at the Belleville gathering on a variety of ministries already implementing systemic change principles throughout the United States and Canada.

North American Follow-up

• Multiple workshops presented to staffs, boards and other audiences on systemic change

• In the United States: Indiana, Texas, Arkansas, California, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, South Carolina, Georgia, New York, and Ohio

• In Canada: Vancouver, Vancouver Island, Ontario, New Brunswick, Montreal, Antigonish, and Edmonton

• Presentation to Ladies of Charity of the United States

UN Orientations

• Systemic change presentations are given bi-annually to all who attend the Vincentian Family UN Orientations in New York.

The Vincentian Family at the United Nations(Joe Foley, CM, Pat Connolly, DC, Caroljean Willie, SC,

Faith Colligan, DC and Germaine Price, DC)

Europe

• Three workshops in different languages; the first one was in October 2012 in Italy.

famvin.org

• For articles on systemic change: http://famvin.org/en News• For formation materials on systemic change:

http://vinformation.famvin.org

The future???