Advocacy is pleading the cause of another. In the spirit of Jesus, advocacy calls all employees of Vincentian to champion the rights of the elderly, the sick and children within our facilities, the Church, and in public arenas.
Putting the value of advocacy into practice, we:
- Speak up for the residents, clients, children, or staff if you see any abuse of their dignity or well-being.
- If a resident, client, child, or staff asks for your help, see what you can do, or refer them to someone who can help.
- Be an ambassador for our System, residents, clients, and employees by influencing public policies and offering personal support for the good of all.
In Sacred Scripture we see God’s calling is for us to serve others:
“For God shall rescue the poor when they cry out, and the afflicted when they have no one to help. God shall have pity for the lowly and the poor: the lives of the poor God shall save. From fraud and violence God shall redeem them.”(Psalm 72, vs. 12, 14)
In church documents we read that advocating for the poor is something we need to demonstrate:
“How then will the cry of the poor find an echo in your lives? That cry must, first of all, bar you from whatever would be a compromise with any form of social injustice. It obliges you to awaken consciences to the drama of misery and to the demands of social justice made by the Gospel.” (Perfectae Caritas, 1965)
“We must be people after God’s heart, bonded by the Spirit, sustaining one another in love, setting our hearts on God’s Kingdom, committing ourselves to solidarity with those who suffer, working for peace and justice, acting as a sign of Christ’s love and justice in the world.” (Pastoral on the Economy, 1986)
Our Patrons have also expressed the need for us to be advocates for others:
Our Patrons:
“Charity is not charity if not accompanied by Justice.”
– St. Vincent de Paul
“When people approach you as you go by, stop and listen to them. If they ask you something you cannot answer, refer them to one who can.”
– St. Louise de Marillac