New Vinnies committee will speak for the vulnerable

The decision to re-establish the committee was made at the society’s AGM earlier this year. It will provide national leadership on social justice matters, as well as supporting conferences and area councils with their local social justice issues.

Brian Hutching will serve chair of the committee. Other members include national president Gerry Stevens, Peter McGurk, David More, John Kennedy-Good and Michael Fitzsimons.

“The Society is at the forefront of assisting people in need,” Mr Hutching said. “It’s our role not just to help with immediate assistance but to look deeper and ask why people are in these circumstances.

“Addressing social injustices and inequalities, adding our voice on behalf of the vulnerable and disadvantaged, is integral to our mission. It is what our founder, Frédéric Ozanam, directed us to do.”

A society newsletter stated that “Frédéric Ozanam famously defined the relationship between charity and justice with these words: ‘Charity is the Samaritan who pours oil on the wounds of the traveller who has been attacked. It is Justice’s role to prevent the attack.’”

 The committee will be guided in its work by the teachings of Frédéric Ozanam and the core tenets of Catholic Social Teaching.

“We want to draw on the experience of [SVDP] conferences at the grassroots level,” Mr Hutching said. “Our work needs to be informed by the Society’s day-to-day experience of what’s happening to the most disadvantaged in our communities, and how policies are affecting them.”

FULL STORY

Society of St Vincent de Paul NZ June newsletter (Society of St Vincent de Paul NZ)