News & Events
Let's Celebrate! - 175th Anniversary of the founding of the Society
In 2008 we celebrate the 175th Anniversary of the Society. This should be a special year of grace for the Society around the world, a time of renewal and growth. Every member is encouraged to rediscover the Vincentian spirituality and heritage given to us by Frederic Ozanam and our founding members.
See below for planned dates of events taking place in England & Wales. Members organising local events to commemorate the anniversary are asked to send in articles and photographs to National Office for the Vincentian Concern news pages.
2008 National Meeting & Mass of Rededication
In the 175th year of the Society the National Meeting will explore how Vincentians can seek and find those most in need and serve them today. The theme will be “Who is my neighbour?” and guest speakers have been invited to talk about those people who would attract Frederic Ozanam’s attention if he were founding the Society today, such as the asylum seeker, the offender and the homeless.
As well as the one day meeting in Coventry on the 10th May, there will be a residential meeting on the 21st-23rd November in Ushaw especially to mark the 175th anniversary. There will also be a celebratory Mass of Rededication in Cardiff on the feast of St Vincent (September 27th).
Every Conference should try and send at least one member to one of these three events in this important year in the Society’s history. Other Vincentians across the world will be marking the anniversary at similar events and it is in a sense of fraternity that we gather together to celebrate all that has gone before and to ask that the Society continue to be blessed in the future. Programmes and booking forms will shortly be available from National Office and on the members’ website.
See below for key dates in the coming months:
April 27th - Ozanam Sunday
(To commemorate Frederic’s birth date of the 23rd April. Materials for this and September's Vincentian Stations of the Cross will shortly be available from National Office and the
members’ website).
Members are asked to gather together on this day to do one
of the following:
• Say the rosary
• Pray before the Blessed Sacrament for an hour
• Pray together for an hour
• Undertake a half day retreat
May 10th - National Meeting in Coventry
download Coventry National Meeting booking form here
July 6th - Walsingham National Pilgrimage
SVP Awareness Month - the theme this year is "Who is my neighbour?" - look out for further details and materials to be released to help promote the SVP and this theme.
September 9th - Feast of Blessed Frederic Ozanam.
Conferences are asked to organise Vincentian Stations of the Cross
September 27th - Feast of St Vincent de Paul - National Mass of Rededication in Cardiff (see below)
November 21st - 23rd - National Meeting in Ushaw
[27.03.08]