Society of Saint Vincent de Paul
Ontario Regional Council
Annual Report

As I begin my term as president of the Ontario Regional Council, I’d like to thank our membership across Ontario for their support and dedicated service to Jesus Christ as demonstrated in their works of charity and justice with and for our friends in need. 2012 will be a challenging and rewarding experience for all Vincentians as we continue to address the many causes, results and hopefully solutions to the plight of those living in or near poverty.

The Ontario council started the development of a strategic plan in the fall of 2011 with a final draft to be completed by this fall. Our plan is based on the four foundational blocks of Spirituality, Formation, Communication and Solidarity. We have also emphasized that the action which should centre these four blocks is systemic change. All committees will be asked to develop a set of goals and objectives based on these four blocks and then incorporate systemic change into their plans.

Youth
We now have youth conferences in Windsor, Waterloo and London. Our chairperson, Jason Hunt, will be taking a two year leave of absence to accept a work placement in Scotland. Jason will be missed but will continue as chair along with an interim chairperson until he returns. The committee hopes to develop resource material that can be used to promote youth membership at both parish and school levels. Jason has also developed a policy regarding World Youth Day 2013 participation that will provide us with the criteria for selection of candidates to attend WYD.

Twinning
Guido Kelly is chair of our Twinning committee and he continues to do excellent work in this area. The Ontario Regional Council continues its twinning program with the National Council of Haiti. The concept of twinning is more than just passing financial aid to our twins. An example of this is at the Annunciation of Our Lord conference in Hamilton, (our chair’s home conference) where members joined members from their twin (Miraculous Medallion in Lima Peru) to say the rosary together via Skype…with a lot of happy faces at both ends. We shall be using our website and other resources to promote this most worthy component of the Society as a world wide organization.

Prison Ministry
We’re pleased to announce that this committee, which was started about three years ago, has found a chairperson in Frank Boscariol. Under Frank’s leadership we are certain we will be able to address the many issues related to our prisons, inmates both while in prison and when they return to society as well as the effect this has on the families of inmates. There would also appear to be lots of work we can do related to systemic change that can help inmates and their families.

Formation
Bill Graham, chair of formation in Ontario has done wonderful work along with his team of trainers in the past two years in providing training sessions for membership by using the national education modules. There have been between 50 and 60 such sessions provided by Bill and his trainers. This year should see a focus on the revised and improved education modules. There is no doubt most members are eager to improve their knowledge of the Society and poverty issues as a way to enhance their efforts to alleviate poverty in Ontario while growing their own faith. We would also like to see modules developed that address systemic change and our strategic plan.

Stores
We have 44 stores in Ontario that include a wide range of various levels of staffing and sales. Phil Bondy, our new store chairperson, has taken on this role with his first goal being to conduct a series of regional store manager workshops with the goal being to give the managers input on how our store system can be improved and perhaps become an even more useful tool as our face to the general public. There is no doubt we have store managers who understand what the Society is about and would like to make a contribution to our efforts regarding poverty issues. One early result of these manager workshops has been that we now encourage council presidents to invite their store managers to our voting members meetings in the spring and fall. We expect to develop a positive plan for the future use of our stores that will make our store system one that will be an extension of the Society’s mission.

Communications
Mary Grad is chair of this new committee. This committee’s vision is to improve communications between and at all levels of the Society in Ontario, and with members of the public, other organizations, and most importantly with those our Society serves. The communication committee has decided to focus on two main areas for this current year. They are the improvement of our website in order to use it as a common tool to communicate with the various levels of our Society and the public. The second area is to improve the flow of statistical and other information between the ONRC, councils and conferences, so that we all know what is needed, when to reply, and how and to whom; and set some protocols for these transactions.
There is also the realization that the Society needs to develop programs and resources that will enhance our image to both our members and the general public. There will be a Public Relations/Image sub-committee responsible to the Communications committee which will work on this very important part of our future.

Spirituality
This too is a new committee, which will be chaired by Sister Janine Rocheleau from Windsor. She is being ably assisted by Father Joe Quinn. We plan to have committee members from across Ontario join this committee in its efforts to improve our spirituality and connect our faith and actions that are representative of the heritage and charism of the Society. There is no doubt the committee must gain the full support of presidents at all levels if we are to realize any success. The second and most integral part of our success is the idea of each council and conference having a spiritual advisor. We also realize we need to develop and provide support in the form of resource material for both presidents and their spiritual advisors. The ideal method of doing this would be in the context of a one day retreat.
The Ontario Regional Council is blessed to have Bishop McGrattan, auxiliary bishop of the Toronto archdiocese, as our spiritual advisor. There is no doubt that Bishop McGrattan represents an opportunity to fully develop a strong and productive partnership with the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario. (ACBO)

Systemic Change
Jere Hartnett is chair of this committee. The focus has been on development and implementation of new pilot projects, developing a network of local resources and consolidating training material. The members of this committee are currently located within the same particular council region which has enabled them to work very closely with the council’s member conferences and use this area to test some projects. The committee is looking at systemic change on two levels. The first is the individual level (a specific change) and the second the community level (providing a solution to a common issue).
The systemic change committee has approved matching funds for a small loan program (Vinnie’s Wallet) at St. Josephs’ conference in Chatham which is being done in collaboration with the local Ursuline order of Sisters.
In the Halton region (Oakville/Burlington) there is a program that will bring the resources of the Canada Learning Bond and RESP government grant program to qualified individuals. This program should bring some hope for the long term for families with children planning for future education.
There can be little doubt that education is the key to ending the cycle of poverty. It is also true that the opportunity to further their education is a major roadblock to the children of families living in poverty.
A special recognition to the Peterborough Particular Council and their president, Sue Mazziotti-Armitage for the unique changes to their system of serving those in need by converting their former store into a very special food bank which exemplifies the Vincentian way of serving our friends in need.
We look forward to having the Ontario AGA in Peterborough on September 22nd

Diversity The Ontario Regional Council also plans to develop a program which will target the many Francophone parishes in Ontario ( mainly in the North) with the goal of recruiting members and new conferences. I would like to thank the Quebec Regional Council for providing a wealth of training and educational material in the French language for our use.

1st Nations-We also plan to address the needs of our 1st Nations peoples and those of urban aboriginals by working with relevant organizations. I’m very pleased to announce that we have been active in the Attawapiskat 1st Nations where there have been so many hardships for those living there. As of April 15th, we have been able to provide $19,000.00 towards furnishing the new homes that have been sent to this area. This initial funding will furnish 5 homes and we hope to continue our efforts at Attawapiskat. I’d like to thank St. Kevin’s conference in Val Caron with special mention to Michelle Jenkinson, for promoting the need to assist our 1st Nations peoples. We thank St. Kevin’s conference, Halton Particular Council and our Ontario Regional Council for supporting these efforts.

Ontario Regional Council Statistics

Summary
On behalf of the Ontario Regional Council, I’d like to offer any resources we may have in either material or members’ expertise and knowledge to all of brothers and sisters across Canada. You can access all committees by going to our website at www.ssvp.on.ca

Respectfully submitted by
Jim Paddon