The 2026 National Assembly of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul U.S.A. was scheduled for Sept. 8-12 at the Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City. The event aims to focus on spirituality, friendship, and service through various workshops and activities.
John Berry, the national president and chairman of the board of directors for the National Council of the United States, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, stated the assembly serves as a comprehensive deep dive for attendees. Berry noted that the nonprofit is the largest Catholic organization in the world that directly serves the poor and is the 45th-largest nonprofit in the U.S. The organization was founded in Paris in 1833 by five college students and currently operates in 155 countries.
Berry expects between 600 and 800 members to attend the assembly. According to a special message in the online convention packet, holding the event in Salt Lake City is intended to help regrow and revitalize the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Utah. The society currently has a conference in Ogden and another in progress. Berry mentioned there is local excitement within the diocese to expand the presence of the society in Salt Lake and throughout the state.
Keynote speakers for the assembly include Brian Goldstone, author of There Is No Place for Us: Working and Homeless in America, and Dr. Ansel Augustine, an award-winning author and speaker. Instead of a traditional third keynote, the event will feature a panel regarding national discussions held by the society over the past two years to adapt to a changing world.
The assembly will include more than 40 workshops on topics such as Holy Listening, The Vincentian Encounter and Housing Stability Initiative, and The Importance of State Advocacy: Leveraging Voter Voice. Several workshops and the keynote addresses will have Spanish translations available.
Spiritual offerings include a retreat by Archbishop Andrew E. Bellisario, C.M., the organization's national episcopal advisor, and a closing Mass presided over by Bishop Oscar A. Solis. Two service opportunities are also scheduled to benefit clients of Catholic Community Services of Utah, involving the creation of first aid kits and the making of sandwiches for those in need.
The assembly was scheduled to take place at the Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City, located at 170 S. West Temple, Salt Lake City. Registration and additional information can be found at https://web.cvent.com/event/f59ed144-23da-45ca-b8cd-83d8361d88bc/summary.
