Permanent Section 15 June 2017
- Paris, France
International Confederation of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul

MINUTES OF MEETING OF PERMANENT SECTION 15 June 2017

Present:
Members of Permanent Section: Renato Lima de Oliveira, Julien Spiewak, Thomas Joseph Pandian, Larry Tuomey, Graham West, Robert Maloney, cm, Marie-Françoise Salésiani-Payet, Karl Hila, Eduardo Marques, Joseph Makwinja, Sebastian Gramajo, Marisa Tellez, Willian Alves, Basile Ondigui Fouda, Maurice Yeung, Edmund Keane, Alfons ten Velde, Patrick Ebhojie, Liévin Andangha Muamba, Johnson Varghese, Thomas Tan, Frank Brassil, Ella Bitar, Michael Nizankiewicz, Maria del Carmen Guzman, Julio Cesar Marques de Lima, Laszlo Könczöl, Erwin Tigla.

Members present: France (M. Lanternier), South Africa (P. Keshwar), England & Wales (A. Abel), Belgium (A. de Vreese), Brazil (E. F. Figueiró), Canada (J.N. Cormier), China Hong Kong (G. Wong), United States (R. Middlecamp), Italy (A. Gianfico), Malaysia (W. Peters), New-Zealand (T. Comber), Peru (E. Huaman), Philippines (C. Patino), Singapore (F. Tan), Zambia (C. Chanda), T. Muir, B. Ousset, R. Tavares.

Special guest: Mia Latrille, AIC.

Apologies: Carmela Addante, Ilidio Manhique (ITVP Africa 2).

Interpreters: Beatriz Borges, Mario Carbajo, Joaquim da Silva, Amaya de Viu, Jack Fleming, Beth Parsons.

Minutes: C.H. de Parseval.

PRAYER AND OPENING MESSAGE

Prayer

Opening message from the National Council of France:
Michel Lanternier, President of the National Council of France, welcomed everyone to France and warmly thanked Council General for choosing France as the host country for the meeting, “a return to the cradle of our SSVP itself, with everything that implies”. Michel gave a quick introduction to the SSVP in France, its challenges and its actions.
He emphasised that SSVP gives priority to the spirituality of its members, the origin and source of their commitment, and to the development of training, in order to give Vincentians the practical tools they need for their work on the ground. They focus on attracting new members, especially young people, and on developing the sense of belonging, a vital factor in the growth of the SSVP, underpinning our community of thought, action and prayer. He finished by recalling the many great opportunities for working together within the Vincentian Family, the source of great potential.

Opening message from the President General:
The President General, Renato Lima de Oliveira, warmly thanked Michel Lanternier and all his team for their help in organising this event. He welcomed all the delegates and also thanked those who accepted his invitation to join the international structure. He asked everyone for their prayers, support, suggestions, comments and ideas to help him in his mission to grow the SSVP and for the work of charity on behalf of people in need.