Tasmanian, Mr Mark Gaetani, to be St Vincent de Paul Society’s next National President.

Following an election held by the Society’s National Council in Canberra last weekend, long-time Launceston, Tasmania resident, Mr Mark Gaetani, has been chosen as the next National President of the St Vincent de Paul Society in Australia.
 
Mr Gaetani will assume the leadership of the Society after the four-year term of the incumbent National President, Ms Claire Victory, ends in March 2023.
 
Mr Gaetani had a long career in the banking and finance sectors before becoming Treasurer of the Tasmanian State Council in 2016. Two years later he was elected State President of the Society in Tasmania. In the Society’s National Council election, he was chosen by his peers to lead the Society nationally. Like most roles within the St Vincent de Paul Society in Australia, including the member-based conferences and many of the retail shops, the position of National President is a voluntary one.”
 
Mark Gaetani and his wife Mary are active members of the Catholic Parish of Launceston. Mark is a member of the Society’s Apostles Conference and in 2021 he was one of 12 Catholics to be awarded the inaugural Guilford Young Medal by Archbishop Julian Porteous for his outstanding contributions to both the Society and the Church in Tasmania.
 
“Mark Gaetani has given great service to the St Vincent de Paul Society in his home state and beyond,” Ms Victory said.
 
“Mark’s understanding of how the Society assists thousands of Australians in need, along with his dedication to our work, will be important in the increasingly challenging times we face.
 
“On behalf of our National Council and the Society’s conference members around the country, I congratulate Mark on his appointment. Until the handover takes place next March, I will be working closely with him to ensure a smooth transition to his leadership.”
 
Mark Gaetani said he was honoured to receive the endorsement of his State and Territory Council colleagues and is looking forward to leading the Society at a time of great economic and social challenges for Australians.
 
“Many people are struggling with homelessness, the shortage of affordable housing, the rising price of food prices and power bills, and inadequate incomes,” Mr Gaetani said.
 
“The work of the Society has never been so important.
 
“Since the Society’s founding in Paris in 1833, our members have been dedicated to serving people in need, in the spirit of Jesus Christ. I am proud to be able to further contribute to the tradition of Vincentian spirituality, which encompasses compassion and a commitment to the democratic ideals of seeking truth, reform, and social justice for all.
 
“The St Vincent de Paul Society is a grass-roots organisation. It gives me great comfort to know I will be well supported by our membership throughout Australia,” Mr Gaetani added.
 
Ms Victory endorsed Mr Gaetani’s comments, adding, “The success of both our welfare and our advocacy efforts depends on working as an effective and harmonious team across all the States and Territories; as well as at the local level where membership is all important. National Council plays a key role in this, and I am confident that Mark will serve Council well in his new role.
 
“I would like to thank my National Council colleagues for their valuable and unflagging support over the past three-plus years. I feel privileged to have been part of such a wonderful team.”

MEDIA NOTES: The St Vincent de Paul Society was founded in Paris, France in 1833 by a 20-year old Italian student, Frederic Ozanam. Today, the Society operates in 153 countries and has over 800,000 members. Australia has over 60,000 members, dedicated to assisting people in need and combating social injustice. The Society started in Tasmania in 1899 when founders established a Conference in Launceston. From humble beginnings, the Society has grown to 25 Conferences within three Regional Councils across Tasmania. Each Conference undertake a variety of good works, the most recognised being the traditional Vincentian home visits and the annual CEO Sleep-out to draw attention to homelessness.

_{Media contact, Mark Wells: +61 414 015 966 (24-hours)
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