Easter Greetings 2026

“HE IS RISEN”

Happy Easter to you and your family!

May your day be filled with warmth, happiness, and fun!

May the Joy that inspires our Vincentian mission be the switch to fill us with the love and laughter that make our hearts smile

May this season of renewal encourage us to accept fresh starts with that happy acceptance into our lives May the outburst of light from his tomb during His Resurrection enlighten all of us to be exulted in exploring all reaches of our Vincentian Vocation.

May we always find ways to share that mountain of enthusiasm with each other as we continue to attend His poor. To my fellow Sister and Brother Vincentians, the Easter Blessing above reminds us that as we renew our baptismal vows each year at this time, we should also recognize that the story of the Resurrection is really a story of Hope. As Vincentians, this is one of the stories of our Christian religion which has great meaning to our works, as we serve in Hope. To go even further, the story of the Resurrection is that of Hope in the midst of Despair in our world as we witness the many wars and upsets that are occurring all around us. Therefore, as we acknowledge the sacrifices of Our Lord leading up to the Feast of Easter, we have great reason to give praise to the Risen Lord, since by the Resurrection of Jesus, we are really celebrating the VICTORY over SIN and DEATH. He displayed that His sufferings up to and including His Crucifixion on Good Friday were to save all of us from damnation. Our Easter cry of “He is Risen” is to thank Him for being our Saviour.

As I mentioned in my “Christmas Greetings 2025”, this year of 2026 marks a huge milestone in the history of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul in Canada. Since the Society was founded by Dr. Joseph Painchaud on November 12, 1846 at the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Quebec City, we will be celebrating our 180th “BIRTHDAY”. Our Regional Council is planning a Fund-Raising Gala which will include a Dinner/Dance and Silent Auction to be held on Friday, September 18th at the Oakville Convention Centre. Please visit our website www.ssvp.on.ca for the latest updates. We will be adding information about this event on a regular basis starting in mid-April. Also, I would like to encourage each Council and Conference to arrange some sort of celebration of our 180 Vincentian Canadian years.

A follow-up to my previous request that each and every Conference and Council include the reading of the Vision, Mission and Values at each and every meeting of the group. We are all part of an entity called the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul and as part of belonging to the Society, we should know the “basic” foundation on which the Society is based and that is knowing and reciting the Vision, Mission and Value statements until it becomes a part of us. This addition to your meeting agenda takes less than a minute to complete.

Our 2026 Spring Assembly and Annual General Meeting is being held in Stratford on April 17 & 18. This is one of the chances to satisfy our Value of “Come together as a Family”. During this time, we share our experiences with each other as well as conduct the business of the Board during our General Meeting. This is my Personal Invitation to each and every Vincentian from our Conferences and Councils to join us on one or both of these days. Please go to our website, www.ssvp.on.ca to view the Agenda and obtain the Registration Form for the event. Fill it in and mail in as outlined. We are now less than two weeks away….sign up TODAY. There is no Registration Fee for this event….the educational aspect is invaluable.

Here are a couple of reminders that affect each and every Conference and Council in Ontario:-

1. The pass up of a “due” (fee) in the amount of $300 to Regional as well as another $300 to National is to be submitted ASAP for the year 2026. These dues are called Regional and National Support Fees. (RSF & NSF). They should be forwarded to our treasurer as early as possible in the new year. The form is available on our website. We say “THANK YOU” for your prompt response on this matter.
   
   
2. On the subject of the “Annual Reports” for 2025 which are now past-due, the “Members Portal” is to be used by all Conferences and Councils in reporting their 2025 activities. Please visit our website www.ssvp.on.ca for updates.

In closing, for those interested, the ONRC is hosting a concert featuring songs by Adele. It is being held at St. Mary’s Catholic High School in Hamilton on May 23rd from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Please visit our website for more information. Tickets are $35 each. Join in the FUN! .

Wishing you a Happy Easter season on behalf of our ONRC Board of Directors. In Vincent and Ozanam.

Guido Kelly,
President, SSVP Ontario Regional Council.
April 5, 2026