400 Years: Congregation of the Mission of Saint Vincent de Paul

It is not everyday that you get to celebrate the 400-year anniversary of an organization, so when the opportunity arises, you make it count-4S Bay style! Last month, the Lifestyle Team at 4S Bay celebrated the Congregation of the Mission of Saint Vincent de Paul in all its Parisian glory.

Jessica Sarowitz is a long-time supporter of the Congregation of the Mission of Saint Vincent de Paul. From her days as a student at DePaul University in Chicago, to her days as a board member her alma matter, Jessica sees the mission of Vincent de Paul as a calling of her own. When General Superior of the Mission, Fr Tomaz Maveric, asked Jessica for help with celebrating their 400th year, she was overjoyed to help.

Over the course of five months, we set off to ensure this event went off without a hitch. In conjunction with our Private Giving department and with special help from a partner organization in Israel, the Team’s biggest tasks were ensuring that the sound systems at these antiquated buildings were modernized, the internet was working, and that the entire Celebration event was live streamed and recorded. The task was enormous – many of these churches barely had a microphone and speaker, let alone cameras or stable Wi-Fi connections.

With subsequent visits the Team sourced and donatated all necessary equipment and planned for every contingency. By the time April came around, we were able to connect new sound systems in huge chapels, film masses in a 600-year-old church, and even live stream from a 14th century cathedral that has no Wi-Fi! With our strong team, an inspirational leader, and a motivating cause, the Lifestyle Team’s contributions for the 400th Anniversary helped this celebration reach a global audience. This project serves as a firm reminder of what can be

accomplished with a mission-driven team.

Avoir, Paris!