Dear friends

Thank you for your continued support of the St Vincent de Paul Society NSW and taking the time to read our 2021/22 Annual Report.

The events of the past year have highlighted the ability of the St Vincent de Paul Society to be a positive example and influence of care and compassion in times of hardship.

From floods and lockdowns to the everyday, unnoticed myriad instances of assistance, the St Vincent de Paul Society is uniquely placed to respond to the needs of communities through our network of members across the state.

Over the past year, $8.3 million was distributed by our members to more than 34,000 people, yet while financial and material aid is vital in alleviating the stresses people encounter on a daily basis, it is through the act of taking the time to be present with someone in their time of need that our people are able to restore spirits and make the marginalised feel recognised and understood.

These acts of compassion which our people continually display every time they encounter someone in need – whether it is for the first time or repeatedly over the course of many years – have underpinned the mission of the Society for 140 years in NSW. However, we are not to be complacent, merely being content with our past achievements and waiting to be called upon, but rather to be proactive in identifying the individual needs of people on the edges of society.

We must be present, visible, and vibrant in the community and to be seen as living examples of the mission we aspire towards.

A more just and compassionate society will not materialise out of a vacuum of indifference; such a society requires the active work of individuals, willing to apply a particular focus of compassion according to personal circumstances, but, nonetheless, be united in coming together collectively.

It is in those particular moments where our people are destined to listen and understand the struggles faced by each individual who reaches out for assistance. It is vital that we heed their words and act with urgency, so as to remedy the hardship they endure and to ensure such circumstances are not passed on to future generations.

The people we assist do not wish to continue to live in a society where the choice has to be made between putting food on the table and turning on the heater during winter. They do not wish to live in a society where it is becoming increasingly difficult to afford a home or suitable rental accommodation. They do not wish to live in a society where they are one step away from an unexpected expense driving them into poverty and homelessness.

It is incumbent upon all representatives of the Society to strive towards a future where the necessities we accept as requirements to live with dignity are available, without reservation, to all.

To realise this aspiration, it is important that we hold true to the enduring wisdom provided to us:

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” (Philippians 2: 3-4)

To my fellow State Council members, our Board and leadership team, I extend my thanks for the dedication, diligence and commitment shown over the past year. The Society exists as a beacon of hope, continually shining light in the darkest moments for the people we reach out to – in their experiences of elation and ecstasy, pain and despair, but also, the mundane. The people we serve remain a constant gauge of who we are as Vincentians.

On behalf of our members, volunteers, and staff – thank you for being living examples of our mission, vision and aspiration. Thank you, also, to our donors and supporters whose contributions make our good works possible.

From one day to the next, the Society is here to offer a hand up to all – I hope and pray that this Annual Report carries and portrays the light of our good works.

Paul Burton – State President, St Vincent de Paul Society NSW