The context to Laudato Si’ – The Famvin Homeless Alliance and Laudato Si’ (I)
In 2015, Pope Francis’ published Laudato Si’ an encyclical on climate change and inequality. The following is a reflection on his words and a consideration of how Laudato Si’ both informs and affirms the work of the Famvin Homeless Alliance. The reflection will be...
Slum Dwelling: Annual Theme 2020
Over the past two years, the Vincentian Family’s annual theme has focused on forced displacement and street homelessness. For 2020, we are focusing on slum dwellers. We refer you to our briefing paper, which outlines in greater detail the problem of slum dwelling and...
Letter from Fr. Tomaž Mavrič, CM, on the Occasion of the Feast of St. Vincent de Paul 2020
FHA and post-COVID-19 opportunities and challenges for the worldwide Vincentian Family TOGETHER IN PRAYER, THOUGHT, AND ACTION Dear brothers and sisters, May the grace and peace of Jesus be always with us! The year 2020 had hardly begun when it brought us so...
The FamVin Coming Together for Beirut!
The August 4 Beirut blast devastated the city and added a climate of high insecurity in the country, which was already struggling with a severe economic and financial crisis coupled with uncertainty at several levels. On top and above with the huge material damages,...
Affective and effective solidarity during the COVID-19 pandemic
After 10 years of work in the field of education, in Chiclayo, I was assigned to Pisco, in Peru, as the pastor of a parish. I had not settled into my new missionary appointment when I was confronted with a series of restrictions, confinement, fear and uncertainty. I...
An explosion of homelessness in Beirut
There are 300,000 new homeless people in Beirut after the explosions of August 4th in the heart of Lebanon, including many Vincentians. Despite their suffering, the Lebanese Vincentian Family immediately sprang into action: sheltering the homeless, taking care of the...
Another Look at the Coronavirus Pandemic
More than four months have passed since the first positive case of COVID-19 was reported here in Rwanda. On the one hand, it is normal that a new disease, which spreads with such incredible speed, should scare all humanity. But on the other hand, with an insightful...
The Vincentian Family launches an appeal to reach the #HeartofLebanon
The Vincentian Family has launched the appeal “From our hearts to the heart of Lebanon” to support the work of Vincentians in Beirut. The Lebanese Vincentian Family sprang into action right after the blast that devastated the city on August 4th, sheltering some of the...
From Beirut – Diaries of a Vincentian
On the 4th of August 2020, two major explosions rocked Beirut port, killing more than 150 people and injuring over 6,000. More than 60 people went missing. What happened on Tuesday is greater than the size of Lebanon in its current situation, adding to the economic...
FHA Commission member appointed to the UK House of Lords
FHA Commission Member Dame Louise Casey has been appointed for a life peerage in the House of Lords, the upper chamber of the UK Parliament. Dame Louise will sit with the “crossbench peers”, the non-party affiliated members of the Chamber. The majority of members of...
The “13 Houses” Campaign expands in the USA amidst Covid-19
The “13 Houses” Campaign keeps growing in the United States, the country where it all began back in November 2018 with a single house for a single person. Almost two years later, the Campaign is touching the lives of nearly 5000 people worldwide. There are two...
A spoonful of hope! 5ml of vodka at a time – Diaries of a Vincentian
Mary searched my face for judgement. She really wanted to tell me her story of homelessness without feeling a gaze of disapproval. Visiting Sundial House some years ago, my mind was full of nostalgia for my home city, and pride in what Depaul International had...