Society of St Vincent de Paul

Lectern Address for Sunday 28th September 2008

In St Paul's letter to the Philippians he tells us to consider other people to be better than ourselves and put their interests first. This sets the scene for the Gospel message, which compares those who accept their allotted task, but then fail to act; to those who decline to help, but then do as they have been asked. While many of us accept God's command to love one another, we often fail when put to the test. Even our own families are often divided by simple disagreements and separation, but sometimes we are invited to promote reconciliation.

Sisters Annie and Betty fell out when their mother died 30 years ago and had lost touch with each other. Their family home in Lancashire had been left to both of them, but Annie, who had looked after her mother in her last few years, was given occupancy. Betty moved to London, where growing older, her mobility suffered and she became housebound. The St Vincent de Paul Society came across Betty and heard that she wanted reconciliation with her sister Annie, but realised Betty hadn't long to live. They therefore contacted the local group in Lancashire, but sadly Betty died before a meeting could be arranged.

Nevertheless, 80 year old Annie was determined to come to Betty's funeral to say her own farewell and with the help of her local SVP came to London, with her two sons. It was a nice funeral and even in death there was reconciliation, as Annie joined in her sister's favourite hymn, "Abide with me ". Some mat- feel that Annie was too late, but she knew that they were together again, in each other's full forgiveness.

Helping such people does not make headlines but can make a big difference to the individual. It can be difficult for the volunteer, as it involves sharing one's time, one's patience and indeed sharing something of one's self. Surely, this is just what Christ is telling us to do.

The St Vincent de Paul Society is just one organisation that tries to help people in need. It was started 175 years ago by young students, not content to just talk about Christian charity, but to put it into action through person to person contact. In England and Wales last year, SVP members made around 600,000 recorded visits, being the hands and feet of Christ in our community. SVP groups exist in many parishes, schools and universities.

The SVP's work is not just visiting the elderly and the housebound, but goes much further. The Society runs family support centres, giving debt advice and counselling. Members collect used furniture that would otherwise go to land-fill, repairing it and distributing it to families, protecting the planet and helping families to cope. There is an expanding programme of Community Shops, not on lucrative High Streets, but on housing estates, providing low income families with affordable clothing and furniture. The SVP organises Camps for children who would not otherwise have a holiday and can even offer a limited number of family holidays. In several places the Society, often together with sister organisations, is involved in providing food and help to the homeless.

Nor is the SVP's activity limited to this country. Through the Society's Twinning programme, England and Wales are linked to India, the Sudan, Grenada, Guyana and Romania. When the cameras left the Tsunami coasts, the SVP remained. Local members are still there providing education to orphaned children and helping ruined family businesses to re-emerge. In the Sudan the Society's feeding programme provides meals for 10,000 children every day.

This September the SVP wants you to consider who is your neighbour, so that you will become more conscious of needs within your community. You may even consider offering to help the SVP or similar organisations. SVP groups exist in many parishes, schools and universities.

Helping people is not about making headlines, it is about giving something of oneself in Christ's name. It turns concern into action. It inevitably brings its own rewards in terms of developing mutual friendships with those one visits and other members of the SVP.