1. Vincentian Family History
with
Systemic Change
Caroljean Willie, SC, Ph.D.
NGO at the United Nations
Sisters of Charity Federation

2. The Beginnings…
• In 2006 Fr. Greg Gay, Superior General of the Congregation
of the Mission, named a Commission for Promoting
Systemic Change.
• Mandate: “To help bring about systemic change through the
apostolates of the members of the Vincentian Family,
especially those ministering to the oppressed poor.”

3. Commission Members
(l-r) Patricia
Nava, AIC, Gene Smith, SSVP, Robert
Maloney, CM, Joe Foley, CM, Ellen Flynn, DC, Pedro
Opeka, CM, Norberto Carcellar, CM (not pictured)

4. • In 2007 the Commission gave a presentation to the
Vincentian Family leaders gathered in Rome.
• The leaders chose “Systemic Change” as their focus for
three to five years.
• Since then, all the branches have been working on this
theme actively.

6. Seeds of Hope:
Stories of Systemic Change
Also available in Spanish, Portuguese, French and is being translated
into Korean, Italian and Vietnamese.

7. Homeless Peoples’ Federation
of the Philippines

8. Akamasoa

9. Continental Workshops

10. Goals of Workshops
• To educate people on the basic concepts of Systemic
Change, and/or to share information about what the
Vincentian Family is doing world-wide

11. • To provide a catalyst/opportunity for Vincentian Family
members to think creatively about what types of systemic
change projects could be started within their local
community/service area

12. • To think critically about an existing ministry in light of the
Systemic Change concepts and/or to work on effecting a
change within the existing service model of a particular
project

13. A Tool Kit
• A 2 gigabyte memory stick containing all the materials from
the workshops so that those who receive it can modify the
materials to fit their own culture. Available in English,
French, Spanish and Portuguese.

14. Mexico

15. Brazil

16. Mizael Poggioli Donizetti
• Has published multiple books in Portuguese on the theme of
systemic change as it pertains to the Vincentian Family.

18. Cameroon

23. African Family Leadership Team

24. Rose de Lima Ramanakavana - Madagascar
• UN Conference in Bonn, Germany – 3-5 September 2011
The Role of Civil Society
in a Fast Changing World

25. The Vincentian Family in Bonn, Germany

26. Collaboration in national vaccination and
prevention programs

27. A meal a day to more than 5000
children in the 14 AIC centers

28. The TSIRY or SEED PROJECT
•Alphabetization and training for illiterate adult and
non-schooled children in remote villages

29. THE GREEN DIOCESE
PROGRAM
• Education on environment protection and reforestation
in schools and communities. Active participation of civil
society and youth in reforestation
• Sustainable and reasonable management of the
environment through the permanent fight against forest
destruction by fire and overexploitation.

30. Increase of productivity for small
farms through reforestation

31. Ethiopia
• Invited to give a workshop in Ethiopia, not just for the
Vincentian Family, but for other priests and religious; date to
be determined.

32. Thailand

38. Philippine Follow-up
• Systemic Change Workshop at Adamson University
• Began an annual St. Vincent de Paul National Award for
systemic change projects

39. India
• A workshop will be given in Northern India in January of
2012
• Requests for workshops in other parts of the country

40. North America
• The first Vincentian Family Virtual Gathering was held April
24, 2010.
• Presentation on Systemic Change in multiple locations via
the web.

41. United States

42. Systemic Change in works among those living
in poverty aims beyond providing food, clothing
and shelter to alleviate immediate needs and
enables people themselves to engage in the
identification of the root causes of their poverty
and to create strategies to change those
structures which keep them in poverty. This
also requires changing attitudes that have
caused the problem. (working definition for North America)

47. New Features Added to U.S. Workshops
• A compilation by Mary Ann Dantuano of ministries already
employing systemic change principles from various
branches of the Vincentian Family.
• Workshops at the Belleville gathering on a variety of
ministries already implementing systemic change principles
throughout the United States and Canada.

48. North American Follow-up
• Multiple workshops presented to staffs, boards and other
audiences on systemic change
• In the United States: Indiana, Texas, Arkansas, California,
Pennsylvania, Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan,
South Carolina, Georgia, New York, and Ohio
• In Canada: Vancouver, Vancouver Island, Ontario, New
Brunswick, Montreal, Antigonish, and Edmonton
• Presentation to Ladies of Charity of the United States

49. UN Orientations
• Systemic change presentations are given bi-annually to all
who attend the Vincentian Family UN Orientations in New
York.
The Vincentian Family at the United Nations
(Joe Foley, CM, Pat Connolly, DC, Caroljean Willie, SC,
Faith Colligan, DC and Germaine Price, DC)

50. Europe
• Three workshops in different languages; the first one was in
October 2012 in Italy.

51. famvin.org
• For articles on systemic change: http://famvin.org/en News
• For formation materials on systemic change:
http://vinformation.famvin.org

52. The future???