The Society of St Vincent de Paul (known in the US as the SVDP) is one of America’s most beloved Catholic charities. It has specialised in the corporal works of mercy for almost 200 years. But in the 21st century it has a new theme: “systemic change”.
In 2011, Sheila Gilbert, a former national secretary with degrees in sociology and in public and environmental affairs, ran successfully for the presidency of the US national council with the slogan “Ending poverty through systemic change”. Previously, the concept of systemic change was promoted by the Vincentian priests of the Congregation of the Mission (CM), which maintains a close relationship with the SVDP.
