President's Address: The Way Forward
We are all interconnected - with each other - and with creation itself. This is the message of Pope Francis in his encyclical Laudato Si’ “On Care for Our Common Home”, and expressed in the Strategic Plan adopted by the Annual General Meeting of the Society in March of this year.
As Vincentians we are committed to living sustainably and responding to the challenges outlined in the encyclical. The restrictions imposed upon us due to the Covid-19 crisis present an opportunity for each of us to evaluate our contribution to living sustainably, and how we care for each other and our environment. Pope Francis puts it very powerfully, “the earth itself, burdened and laid waste, is among the most abandoned and maltreated of our poor”.
In Wellington, as elsewhere in New Zealand, the Vincentian spirit of “people helping people” was very evident during lockdown at Level 4 and subsequently. Our staff sourced and delivered food essentials to many in need. Conference members made telephone contact with many who were isolated. We liaised with and co-operated with other faith-based charities, sharing our offerings so we could best serve those in need.
Thank you to our staff who worked tirelessly to meet the demand for assistance during lockdown. Thank you to our conference members who took the time to phone those who were alone or isolated during lockdown. Thank you to our volunteers who rallied to the cause when permitted to do so and helped re-establish the operation of our shops.
The so called “new normal” with restricted interactions especially on a larger scale mean that we need to be more resourceful, thoughtful and aware of the presence of others as we go about our daily lives. We are urged to be kind - be kind to ourselves and to others and to our environment. This is the Vincentian spirit, this is the new normal for Vincentians, this is our way forward.
John Kennedy-Good | Wellington Area President (2014 - August 2020)
Left: Past Area President, John Kennedy-Good
Right: Current Area President, Eustie Kamath