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The Voice of the Poor Committee’s mission is based on Catholic social teaching.
The Voice of the Poor Committee works to break the cycle of poverty by listening to our Neighbors, raising awareness, and enabling Vincentians to be effective servants of the poor and advocates for just policies and systems consistent with the mission of the Society, Catholic teaching, and the Missouri Catholic Conference.
Our Goals and Objectives
▪ Assist Vincentians, VOP members, and communities to develop well-formed consciences in accord with the teachings of Christ as entrusted to the Catholic Church on issues related to poverty in all its forms.
▪ Raise awareness among Vincentians and communities about poverty and related issues and dispel misconceptions about the causes of poverty.
▪ Engage Neighbors in the identification of the root causes of poverty and strategies for overcoming them; be a voice with the poor.
▪ Identify and prioritize legislation, policies, and systems that affect the poor, recommend actions on such issues or on potential new opportunities that will benefit the poor.
▪ Support community efforts and other advocacy groups or organizations working to eliminate the causes of systemic poverty, as long as the approach is consistent with the teachings of the Catholic Church.
▪ Form Vincentians so interactions with Neighbors are more relational and effective instances of systemic change.
▪ Educate Vincentians on issues related to poverty, why changing policy is important, and their role in creating change.
▪ Engage Vincentians in support of or in opposition to issues or opportunities identified by the Committee, in keeping with the Mission, Strategic Plan, and capacity of the St. Louis SVDP Council.
▪ Mobilize Vincentians to contact their legislators in support of or in opposition to specific bills that affect the poor and economically challenged communities.