(Download PDF file at the bottom of the page)
3 NEWS IN BRIEF
In August a Commissioning
Mass was held for the new
State President of the Society in
South Australia, Cathy Beaton.
4 FRONTLINES
From the National President,
Graham West.
5-6 TELLING OUR STORY
The Society’s National
Council CEO, Dr John Falzon
reflects on the importance of
stories and how the Society’s
collective story is one of hope.
7 OUR IDENTITY
by Anneloes de Graeff
It is critical that as a Society
we build clarity around our
identity and use the values
that have helped the Society
become what it is today to
continue to draw people to our
mission.
8-10 OUR JOURNEY
This issue of The Record
features Questions & Answers
from several people who are
attending the congress. We
have asked participants for
their thoughts and reflections
on what they think the
congress will involve and
lighter questions on the
logistics of getting to the
congress in Adelaide.
11 CONGRESS 2017
by Pat Garcia and Celina Lai
Members of the St Vincent de
Paul Society National Council
of Australia describe how
they first became involved
in the Society and what they
are most proud of about their
involvement.
12 JOURNEY TO CONGRESS
by Rick Stankiewicz and
Ben Hoh
Vice President Retail Centres
Rick Stankiewicz, on the most
important step in the Retail
Centres’ evolution and Ben
Hoh, Design Director at Future
Friendly explains the types of
events and activities members
can expect at the congress.
13 TECHNOLOGY
by Vincent Nguyen
Internally the St Vincent de Paul
Society has taken advantage
of new digital technologies to
better collaborate and engage
with the community.
14-15 SPIRITUAL REFLECTIONS
by Fr Troy Bobbin
The Society’s National Council
Spiritual Advisor says the
powerful metaphor of God as
a patient and careful potter
is useful to reflect on the
opportunities God uses to melt
us and mould us anew.
16-17 REFLECTION
Read a series of six reflections
published in recent months
in the lead up to our fastapproaching
2017 National
Congress.
18-19 INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIA
by Professor Larissa Behrendt
An excerpt from a previous
speech Professor Larissa
Behrendt, a keynote speaker
at Congress 2017 gave on the
topic of human rights and selfdetermination
for Aboriginal
Australians.
20-24 SOCIAL SERVICE DELIVERY
by Denis Fitzgerald
Central issues for faith-based
service providers and why
collaboration, not competition,
and mission, not markets, should
be the drivers of social service
delivery in the 21st century.
25 JUST ART
by Cheyne Pettit
Just Art calls for participants to
explore the competition’s theme
in context with the Society’s
values of compassion, respect,
empathy and courage.
26-27 IMMERSION
by Juliana Kittel and
Sarah Dixon
Participants in this year’s
National Immersion Program
were deeply touched by the
warm welcome they received
from the community of
Nganmarriyanga (Palumpa).
