Visit VinFamily: This Vincentian Family website has some online activities about systemic change, one of the priorities of the Global Vincentian family: famvin.org

“Today, those working among the poor speak more and more of the need for systemic change. Systemic change thinking affirms that “everything is connected to everything else.” Recognizing this, it becomes clear that, in order to change the situation of the poor, we must focus not only on one particular problem, like supplying them with food, important as that may be at times, but on the overall circumstances of their lives. Experience teaches that “quick fix” solutions, while temporarily helpful, prove inadequate in the long run.” -Fr. Robert Maloney, C.M.

Systemic change has Vincentian roots. St. Vincent was never content to simply give food or shelter or medicine to the poor. He always looked for ways to help them overcome poverty in all its forms in a more sustained manner.

A story of St. Vincent and Systemic Change

Though systemic change is a contemporary idea, unknown in St. Vincent’s time, we can find seeds of the idea in his life and works. We see his ability to hold the individual person in his heart at the same time as challenging the authorities of his day.

One very good example occurred late in Vincent’s life when his movement of charity had become widespread. The original charism which had started out as an effort to help the poor was turned into a weapon against homeless people. Various social bodies started to copy the ideas of projects that Vincent had begun but did not replicate the spirit behind them. Vincent approached the issues from the angle of a poor person who needed help but those in public office had a political end in view: society had to be protected from the rabble of beggars. Basically these were two very different views of seeing the poor: the Christian view which regarded the poor as people with dignity and the secular view which considered them a threat to the established order. Vincent wanted to help the poor, the politicians wanted to eliminate them.

The Ladies of Charity took up a position somewhere in between and they told Vincent what they had in mind. They would try to set up a large institution which would provide the poor with board and lodgings as well as work for those who were able. They raised all the money and then presented the project to Vincent as the crowning glory of his life-long work. They were amazed when he wanted time to think about it!

He expressed all his reservations and then advised them to proceed very slowly, building the work up gradually, being very careful about the attitudes of those involved in the work. The poor had to enter the institution voluntarily and no one was to force them. This was his biggest fear. One of the things that saddened him most about the project was that they planned to exclude anyone who was not from Paris – so refugees and peasants would be forced to return to their places of origin. Paris soaked up a lot of wealth so what right had anyone to prevent poor people from other areas enjoying its benefits?

He had huge reservations about hiding the poor away and shutting them in an institution. A long saga went on about all this until, in spite of all the investment, the parliament took over the project. Vincent was relieved, since at least it would not be in his name. He remained totally unconvinced that this project was the correct way to work with homeless people.

But, to Vincent’s dismay, the project continued to haunt him. He discovered by accident that the priests of the Mission had been named chaplains to the project. This was proudly set out in the propaganda leaflet which praised the advantages to the poor and the public that this project would bring. The plan had been put into practice with complete disregard for his views and, what was worse, against his strong conviction that the poor should not be coerced. The decision had been made purely to stop people begging. He deliberated long and hard and consulted his community. In the end they provided some spiritual input for the sake of the poor, but they did not take up the official chaplaincy.

Interestingly, Vincent, out of respect for the authorities did not speak out against the project in public, even when the poor themselves misunderstood and challenged him for having them shut away. The authorities triumphed over removing beggars from the streets and held the project up as the greatest charitable enterprise of the century.

It had never been Vincent’s intention to eliminate begging but to get to the roots of the problem and dig them out with love. (Cf. Roman P. 635 ff)

This story demonstrates Vincent extricating himself and his communities from a misappropriated charity, tackling the authorities and refusing to take part –even when pressured by the poor themselves. Some may see his actions as a failure.

Criteria of Systemic Change Projects

There are many dimensions to systemic change. The following aspects of systemic change are considered important in the Vincentian Family

1) Involving the poor themselves, including women and young people, at all stages: the identification of needs, planning, implementation, evaluation and revision;
2) Having a holistic vision — addressing a series of basic human needs: individual and social, spiritual and physical, especially jobs, health care, housing, education, and spiritual growth — with an integral approach toward prevention and sustainable development;
3) Placing particular emphasis on self-help and self-sustaining programs, with a special view toward addressing the root causes of poverty.