Dear fellow Vincentians:

Welcome to another year! A Year of Faith, A Year of the Young Vincentian and I pray one that will see us accomplish some great things through our works of charity and social justice. I would like to start out by extending a personal invitation to every Vincentian across Ontario to join us as we seek Jesus Christ amongst our many friends and neighbours in need.
NOTE: I request all presidents to share the content of this letter with your membership and discuss it at your next meeting.
ONRC address-Can you also inform all conferences that the ONRC mailing address is PO Box 20069, Chatham,On N7L5K6 and my new email is jpssvp@hotmail.ca

I'd now like to discuss some important topics and issues that I would like to have presented to all members.

OZANAM EDUCATION FUND

Our systemic change committee under the leadership of Jere Hartnett
has developed this special fund that provides funds to students from families that are experiencing poverty. This fund will enable these young people to further their post secondary education and give their families real hope that the future will be better.
The Ontario Regional Council (ONRC) provided an initial $40,000.00 for this fund but if we are to sustain it, we need to ask our membership, the general public and the corporate sector to consider making a donation specifically to this fund. Any such money will be used solely for the educational needs of approved applicants. Please consider passing up a portion of excess funds you may have to the Ozanam Fund.
I would also encourage you to consider sponsoring a local youth for funding from the Ozanam fund. Let's use this money and give some real HOPE to families and students.
You can find information on our website or by contacting Jere Hartnett at jhartnett2@cogeco.ca.

YOUNG VINCENTIAN PROGRAM

As part of the Year of the Young Vincentian we've been contacting Catholic school boards, diocesan youth ministries and parishes in order to raise the awareness of the Society and how youth can make a difference in collaboration with us. We'll inform you of any local contacts we've made and would welcome your assistance in collaborating with schools and perhaps having members speak to classes about the Society. (ONRC can provide resource material)
One event we're planning is the first annual Sleep Out for Poverty on Friday May 24th. If you would like to support us in your community please contact the ONRC office for further information.
The goals of this event are to raise awareness of poverty in each community, provide an opportunity for youth to learn more about the Society and to also raise funds by inviting the public to make a pledge. All money raised will remain in the community and given to the local council or conference for its use.
You may also consider inviting local business leaders to take part in a corporate or business Sleep Out for Poverty. There will be more information in early February.
The ONRC will provide guidelines and pledge sheets.
Please remember that if we're to be successful attracting youth at the local level, our membership needs to welcome this interest and participation from our youth.

PRESIDENTIAL TERMS

I realize that there a number of cases where the president has held his/her position past the term of office approved in our Rule. I also know finding someone to take on this position can be very difficult. The requirement to comply with the terms of office provides us with the opportunity to renew our operations while providing other members with the ability to step up and become more involved in our works of charity and social justice. We have many talented members waiting for the opportunity to use their abilities.
The ONRC can provide both assistance and support in this area as well as the recruitment of new members.
I would request that any president who is past their term of office or nearing the end, make every effort to recruit candidates for this position.
In addition, the National office passed a motion in 2012 which states that all presidential terms should end on July 1st of the last year of the term.
e.g. my term would have ended on December 31st, 2016, but will now end on July 1st, 2016.

CRA REGISTRATION

Our Rule (section 3.10) clearly states that every conference should have their own CRA number in order to be able to properly issue tax receipts for donations. In addition, section 3.10 also states that in no circumstances, should parish collections flow through the parish books and have a receipt issued by the parish. The CRA also clearly cautions about the ''lending'' of one's charitable number to another charity, which is what this type of procedure is considered. The registered charity risks losing its own registration.
Please ensure your conference(s) are in compliance with the Rule by September 30th, 2013. Once this registration is completed, please provide your charitable number to the ONRC.
To apply for a CRA number, you will find the procedure on the ONRC website at www.ssvp.on.ca. Send your application to our National office first, who will then certify your application and forward on to the CRA. This will speed up the process.

NATIONAL EDUCATION MODULES

You'll be receiving a separate letter regarding plans for our trainers to present the three national training modules across Ontario in 2013, starting with the official launch on Sunday, April 21st in Cambridge.
The training sessions will be in April, May and June of 2013 with a schedule of sessions to which each conference will be invited to send two members. We'd ask that the two conference members selected to attend have an interest in taking these modules back to their conferences for a presentation which will be modified for the local membership. There will be more details in early February.

SPIRITUAL ADVISORS

Please make every effort to recruit a member of the clergy, religious or laity to perform the duties of being an active spiritual advisor to your council or conference. In many instances, there is a need to connect our spirituality and our works of charity and social justice. The spiritual advisor can do this. We also offer support and information through our ONRC Spiritualty committee, chaired by Sister Janine Rocheleau.
(jansnjm@mnsi.net)

2013 PASS UPS

I'd like to congratulate and thank you for your 2012 pass ups. We achieved the budgeted amounts for both the ONRC and National council. As you're aware the ONRC now sends National four quarterly installments of $25,000.00, which covers the amount National budgets for all of Ontario. In 2013, please continue to send your pass up funds for either Ontario or National to the ONRC office. Your kindness and generous support allows us to continue with our works of charity and social justice.

HOME VISITATION PROGRAM

Firstly, may I say that I fully support the foundational work of charity of the Society-HOME VISITS. I am also aware of the fact there are a number of our conferences who no longer conduct home visits to our neighbours in need. There are various reasons provided for not doing home visits.
Not enough members, older members, dangerous areas of town, people don't want us in their homes, it's easier to meet them elsewhere (at parish). All I'd humbly request is for each and every council and conference that is not doing home visits to ask three questions

1. Are you able to see Christ in those you serve, are you able to experience how they are living,
    can you see their wounds?
2. Is one reason for not doing home visit sis that it makes it easier on your members?
3. How do you experience Christ in the Poor?

We do have members who are able to keep this spiritual connection with Christ in various other ways they use to serve those in need. I know home visits are not for all members and you can find other ways to meet and seek Jesus in the poor but I would sincerely ask that you at least try to integrate some form of home visitations into your conference's work. Please take this request and pray and discuss it at a conference meeting. We can help you with many resources.

TWINNING

I personally find it to be disappointing that we do not have more twinning activity. Our twinning chair, Guido Kelly is a great resource for your questions and interest about twinning. Please contact him at gumabradkelly@hotmail.com.

In addition, I don't know how our councils can expect their conferences to start a twinning program if they themselves are not involved. I applaud any councils that already have a twin and would like to challenge those councils without a twin to apply for one. Please encourage your conferences to also apply to twin.

ONTARIO WORKS ASSISTANCE

Effective Jan. 1st, 2013 there are reductions in start funds and discretionary funding administered by Ontario Works. The effect of these changes could differ across Ontario, dependent on what your local municipal government decides to continue to provide local funding to these two programs. Therefore, I urge our membership to contact your local Ontario Works office regarding these changes. There is no doubt these actions will have a serious effect on our friends in need with added demands on our existing resources. The ONRC would appreciate hearing from you about how these changes are being implemented in your community.

May God bless you all
Yours sincerely
Jim Paddon