PRESIDENT`S 1ST QUARTER REPORT JANUARY, 2015. Dear fellow Vincentians:

May I wish you a happy and Holy New Year. Let`s hope this winter is a little milder than last year. As we embark on another year, I would like to address several important issues for your reflection, consideration and action. I ask that you forward this report on to your conferences as well.

SOCIAL JUSTICE REPS.
I had requested that each council appoint a social justice rep.by Jan. 1st, 2015. If you have not done so yet, please try to appoint one by January 31st, 2015. It is important that we have this network
established across Ontario if we are to move forward in our efforts to break the cycle of poverty.

1 HOME VISITS
The Home Visit is what Frederic Ozanam and his fellow founding members decided to do as the best example of how they lived their Catholic faith. There is no doubt of the importance of the home visit in today’s world, in which many of those we serve are reduced to a number, waiting in a lineup for service, or simply forgotten about as they slip through the gaps. We have many current day Vincentians who continue the tradition of the home visit as a way to really see the wounds of those we seek to help. A home visit goes beyond the food bank, soup kitchen and other options we offer to our friends in need. While there is no doubt these options are a valuable part of our Society, I would sincerely ask each and every conference that does not conduct home visits to look at ways you can include home visits as part of your conference`s
works of charity and justice. There are many reasons why a conference elects not to do home visits, but if we really look at ways to eliminate or reduce the causes for not doing home visits, I believe most conferences can implement a home visitation program that enhances what they currently have to offer.

2 TWINNING
Clermont Fortin, National Twinning chair, has written an article titled “Twinning: Challenges and Rewards”.
This article will be emailed separately to Presidents and be posted on the ONRC website. Please read and forward this article to your members to encourage further Twinning activities in Ontario. We fully support the twinning program and ask you to encourage your council or conference to consider joining the Twinning program. If you already have a twin, why not consider adding a second twin. The actual financial cost is minimal but the development of a relationship with another conference of the Society can be a source of on-going rewards. Twinning is a great example of the network of charity and justice that Ozanam first envisioned. Our worldwide network of conferences enables us to use our funds in a way that puts the money into the hands of fellow Vincentians without the administrative costs associated with other charities. The only minimal cost is that of the transmittal of funds. You can find more information on the Twinning process on our website www.ssvp.on.ca or you can contact our regional Twinning chair Guido Kelly.

3 PRISON MINISTRY/ST. DISMAS PROJECT
We will be encouraging several councils to consider starting a St. Dismas conference or committee dedicated to the many issues and needs related to inmates, former inmates and their families. If your council or conference is located near a prison or detention or remand centre, please consider joining us. There are certainly some very special needs when it comes to this ministry. If any council has funds they would like to contribute to various St. Dismas programs or projects, you may direct your pass up to St. Dismas Project. In addition, I would like to ask all Vincentians to review the website for the Catholic Connections in Restorative Justice (http://www.ccinrj.ca) and demonstrate your support by joining CCINRJ via their online registration. This only takes a few minutes and all you are doing is adding your name in support of restorative justice. The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul is a founding member of this new movement and I strongly encourage you to join. You will also find the Catholic Connections in Restorative Justice link on our website under the heading Links.

4 ONTARIO REGIONAL PRESIDENCY ELECTION PROCEDURE.
My 5 year term as Ontario Regional president ends on July 1st, 2016. In accordance with our Rule, we will start the process of asking for nominations for this position in the spring of 2015. All councils and conferences will receive the information package and it will also be posted on our website. (www.ssvp.on.ca)

I encourage any members with an interest in Regional operations to consider standing for a nomination for this position, or if you know of someone you think is capable, to nominate them. I know there are many Vincentians who are very capable of performing the duties of this position. I am always open to answering any questions about the position or election process. Renewal is very important to our continued growth and success. Please ensure your council or conference also adheres to our Rule in regards to the presidential term of office.

5. SPIRITUALITY
Our humble Society of Saint Vincent DePaul was founded upon its Catholic faith and our growth to a worldwide network of charity and justice is mainly due to our attention to our own spiritual growth. One of the best ways to keep our faith as the number one priority is to include it at all meetings, at all levels. The two most important members to this issue are our presidents and the spiritual advisors. If you do not have a spiritual advisor at your council or conference, you should make every effort to appoint one this year. This role can be filled by your pastor, a member of religious order, a deacon, or any member dedicated to the role.

We have an active spiritualty committee ready to assist you in this search. Appropriate Vincentian reflections and spiritual readings for use in developing a spiritual component to your meetings are available on the Ontario and National websites. Other sources for spiritual guidance, such as the Famvin site, can also be found under the Links heading on both sites. I would also like to inform you that Sister Janine Rocheleau will be stepping down as chair of the ONRC spirituality committee and Denise Bondy of Windsor will take on this position effective April 1st, 2015. Denise has been a member of the spiritualty committee and we look forward to her leadership as the new chairperson.

Finally, please support our works of charity and justice at the regional and national levels with your financial pass ups in the coming year. You may also elect to send any excess funds to a specific Ontario or Systemic Change project, such as the Ozanam Education fund, the North of 60 program, the Camp Vincent childrens camp, or towards the St. Dismas prison program.

I look forward to another challenging year, but welcome also the opportunity to meet these challenges as we continue to seek and find Jesus Christ in our friends and neighbours in need. If anyone wishes to send me direct feedback or comment on this First Quarter report please send this via my website email president.ssvp@ssvp.on.ca

Jim Paddon, President
Ontario Regional Council

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