Summer 2025
“May our presence and care to those most in need reflect the gentleness, esteem and dignity we see reflected in the life and work of Jesus.”
Pope Leo XIV’s first Apostolic Exhortation, Dilexi te, ‘I have loved you,’ delivers a message that reflects the enduring mission of the St Vincent de Paul Society and resonates in the heart of every Vincentian. This document, based on the example and teachings of Jesus Christ, powerfully reinforces the values and Good Works laid out by our Society’s founder, Blessed Frédéric Ozanam, almost two centuries ago.
Dilexi te is a clarion call to recognise the dignity of people living in poverty, asserting that serving them is not optional but central to living Christian faith. Pope Leo reminds us of that Christ’s own words from Revelation 3:9 – ‘I have loved you’ – are spoken especially to those struggling on the margins. Like the Society’s work, this exhortation moves us beyond charity to heartfelt connection with our Companions, insisting that our service be founded in compassion, social justice and genuine respect for each individual.
Pope Leo XIV emphasises that caring for people living in poverty lies at the heart of Christian faith.
As a youthful university student in Paris in 1833, Frédéric Ozanam was moved to found the Society to answer the Gospel’s summons to embrace and serve the poor with love, respect, justice, hope and joy. He declared, ‘Let us go to the poor,’ and from the beginning, insisted the Society’s Members embody “a hand up” philosophy, providing more than a handout to help empower people in need, recognise their dignity, and offer hope for the future. Blessed Frédéric’s work was guided not only by material aid but by personal relationships, attentive listening, compassion and a readiness to see Christ in every Companion. The Society’s Good Works, which embrace personal service, practical help, and advocacy for systemic change, continue across Australia today as the living legacy of our founder’s mission.
Pope Leo’s first Apostolic Exhortation aligns with Blessed Frédéric’s founding vision that teaches combating poverty demands a multifaceted response: practical support, advocacy for social justice, and Christ’s love in action. The Society’s wide array of services, from providing essentials such as food, clothing and housing for those facing hardship, and advocating for the vulnerable, is more than charity: it is an enduring commitment to transform lives and structures in the spirit of the Gospel. Every local Conference, every home visit, every heartfelt act of compassion, is a living out of Dilexi te’s summons: that through our Good Works, people experiencing poverty come to know they are truly loved and acknowledged.
Both Dilexi te and the legacy of Blessed Frédéric Ozanam invite Vincentians constantly to examine and renew our response to poverty and injustice. As Pope Leo notes, ‘the poor act as silent teachers,’ challenging us to serve with humility and awakening in us deeper faith and compassion. For Vincentians, this means always listening to and amplifying the voices of those we serve, ensuring that love, hope and justice guide our outreach and our advocacy.
In the words of Blessed Frédéric Ozanam:
‘Yours must be a work of love, of kindness, you must give your time, your talents, yourselves. The poor person is a unique person of God’s fashioning with an inalienable right to respect. You must not be content with tiding the poor over the poverty crisis; You must study their condition and the injustices which brought about such poverty, with the aim of a long-term improvement.’
As the current ‘poverty crisis’ pushes more families to the brink, the St Vincent de Paul Society can find fresh inspiration in Pope Leo’s Dilexi te and continue to offer hope and dignity in communities throughout Australia. Every Vincentian is reminded to see Christ in our Companions, to embrace them with dignity, and to continue advocating for a more equitable, just and compassionate society.
The main goal of the Society’s advocacy is to eliminate poverty by addressing its root causes. That’s why National Council again contracted ANU’s Centre for Social Policy Research to review Australia’s welfare and taxation system and evaluate budget-neutral reforms to lift more households out of poverty. Alongside several of my National Council colleagues and staff and Not-for-profit sector peers, I was proud to present the most recent report, A Fairer Tax and Welfare System for Australia 2025, at Parliament House in Canberra on Thursday 6 November. The NSW, SA and WA Presidents also followed this up with visits to Members of Parliament and Senators. Turn to page 6 for the story and WA State President Danny Cloghan’s reflections of the day.
In late October, I submitted the final version of the Society’s Review of The Rule Part III to the Vice President General of CGI, Ralph Middlecamp. Ralph is also Chair of the International Statutes Commission, the body responsible for approving our Review. I expect a decision on the Review to be forthcoming in mid-December of this year with final ratification by the General Assembly in June 2026. Vincentians recognise The Rule as a fundamental text that underpins our service as Members, Conferences and the Society in Australia. A socialisation process of the changes to The Rule is being considered for Members in early 2026.
In closing, may I take this opportunity to thank our Members, volunteers and employees for your service throughout the past year, including on public holidays like Christmas and Easter. To the Society’s many supporters, I am grateful for your confidence in our unceasing efforts to offer a hand-up to people in need and to advocate for social justice. I thank my wife and family for their love, support and patience as the role of National President often takes me away from them. I wish you and your loved ones peace and joy this Christmas and hope for a more just and compassionate Australia in the year ahead.
