XV President General International of the Society of St Vincent de Paul
The Society of St Vincent de Paul (SSVP) is an international lay catholic charitable organization. The entire SSVP international structure is at the service of 146 countries through 47,000 Conferences and 7,16,000 members worldwide.
On May 28, 2010, the Extraordinary General Assembly of the SSVP was held at Salamanca in Spain. 146 Vincentian countries were represented to elect a new International President General for the Society for the period 2010 – 2016. The ceremony began with concelebrated Holy Mass by His Eminence Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes, President of the Pontifical Council Co Unum, Rome, who was the main Celebrant.. His Eminence spoke on “practicing charity” and thus realizing Blessed Frederic Ozanam’s dream who said “I would like to embrace the whole world in a network of charity”
Jose Ramon Diaz Torremocha of Spain, who completed 11 years as the International President, was honoured by His Holiness when he received St Gregory’s medal from His Eminence Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes
Michael Thio, of Singapore was elected the 15th International President General of the Society, from the four candidates nominated. He is the first Asian to hold this office of the Council General International and will assume office in September 2010 on the feast day of St Vincent de Paul.
After inaugral address the President elect appointed his office bearers which are as follows.
Brian O'Reilly - Senior Vice-President.
Bruno Menard - Secretary General.
Liam Fitzpatrick - Treasurer General.
Asst. Vice-President and other Board Members will be announced in due course.
Dominic Pinto
Treasurer,
SSVP, N.C.I
Mr. Dominic Pinto Presented Shawl to the newly elected XV International President General Mr. Michael Thio on behalf of the National Council of India.
The National Treasurer Mr. Dominic Pinto with the New President General Mr. Michael Thio.
The National Treasurer Mr. Dominic Pinto with the outgoing President General Jose Ramon Diaz Torremocha.
The National Treasurer Bro. Dominic Pinto with the President of National Council of Australia at Salamanca.
The National Treasurer Bro. Dominic Pinto with the Senior Vice-President General at Salamanca.
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HAITI’S TRAGEDY
The General Council is absolutely scared by the tragedy that has hit Port-au-Prince, capital of Haiti, where as you surely know, we are starting a big project in collaboration with the Vincentian Family. Right now, the General Council is calling for a subscription from all Conferences throughout the world, to raise the necessary financial means to reconstruct buildings and to alleviate the best we can, most of the suffering of people.
Meanwhile we are writing this note that appeals to the mercy and the solidarity of the worldwide Conferences beside the Conferences of Haiti, we have no news about our Brothers in the capital where it seems the earthquake reached the maximum of intensity. Either, we have no news about our International Territorial Vice-President, Eduardo Marques Almeida. We do hope we are capable to inform all the Conferences throughout the world, in the next few hours, about the situation of our Brothers in Port-au-Prince.
Looking forward to getting better news, I ask you to pray for all the victims and their families.
José Ramón Díaz-Torremocha
President General
Last minute:
We have just learnt that our Territorial Vice-president is safe in Haiti and we do hope that the others Brothers and sisters will be safe as well, and will not have been injured.
UPDATE ON THE SITUATION IN HAITI
In view of the colossal damages that have occurred the Daughters of Charity (DC) and SSVP(CGI) are jointly collaborating to provide relief assistance to the victims of the disaster. This joint effort will involve the participation of the DC and SSVP and the latter includes the SSVP members in Haiti and Eduardo Almeida, CGI International Territorial Vice President, in the region.
Eduardo, who is based in Haiti, will act as the liaison person between the DC and SSVP.
While some assistance will be provided at this stage but however the main thrust of the assistance will be focussed on the rehabilitation phase in reconstruction and assisting to rebuild the lives of the people. When the major international countries and aid agencies having provided the emergency assistance and leave the country then there is the enormous and challenging tasks ahead in attempting to follow up in helping the victims to re-settle their lives and this is where our main joint efforts of the DC/SSVP begins. The leaders of the Vincentian Family (CM, DC, SSVP, AIC etc.) who met in Paris these few days have endorsed such an approach.
We have been informed by Elismé Lesly, National President of SSVP Haiti that 5 members died in the disaster. Some of the members whose homes have been destroyed are living in tents along with some of the poor families they are assisting.
CGI has sent an initial sum of E 10,000 to the Daughters of Charity in the Dominican Republic(Haiti nearest neighbour) and together with SSVP Dominican Republic they will purchase food, water, medicines, cloths, tents etc. to be sent by truck to the DC in Haiti who will distribute the goods together with the local members of SSVP Haiti.
The Dominican Vincentians have themselves also organised trips by truck to Haiti in distributing medicines, food and other supplies. Two ex-VinPaz members are in Haiti assisting in relief assistance work through another aid agency and will also offer their assistance to our relief work as required.
The DC/SSVP will continue our pursuit in providing assistance and we will be providing news update on our CGI website. We are pleased to advise that in response to our appeal donations continue to be received in CGI, Paris, for the Haiti Disaster Fund. CGI will co-ordinate with the DC and we will render accountability for all funds used in the relief assistance.
Michael Thio
Territorial Technical Commission Chairman
