Year: 2020

The Streets as a Cloister: History of the Daughters of Charity

bcicirel Vincentian Heritage, Vincentian History , , , , , , ,

The Vincentian Studies Institute is extremely pleased to promote the publication of our colleague and fellow board member’s new work. Dr. Brejon de Lavergnée is a Professor of History and ​the Dennis H. Holtschneider Chair of Vincentian Studies at DePaul University.

“The Daughters of Charity are today the largest community of Catholic women, with 15,000 sisters in about 100 countries. They devote their lives to serving the poorest in hospitals, schools, and care centers for homeless or migrants, as well as working to promote social justice. Until now, however, the history of the Daughters of Charity has been almost wholly neglected. The opening of their central archives, combined with access to many public and private archives, has finally allowed this to be remedied.

This volume, the fruit of several years’ work, covers the history of the Company from its foundation by Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac as a confraternity of young women to the suppression of the order during the French Revolution. The study, at the juncture of women’s history and religious history, shows how much the Daughters of Charity contributed to the emergence of a new and ambiguous status in post-Tridentine society: neither cloistered nuns nor married women, but “seculars.” The Company has certainly offered a framework that enabled many resolute women to lead lives out of the ordinary, taking young peasant women to the royal court, intrepid hearts to Poland, and, more generally, generous souls to the “martyrdom of charity” among the poor and the ill.”

ISBN Number: 978-1-56548-027-8. 668 pages. Available at Amazon.com or directly from the publisher: The Streets as a Cloister

To read an interview with Dr. Brejon de Lavergnée about his new book and the Daughters of Charity, please see Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse

Vincentian Heritage Journal Vol. 35, No. 2

bcicirel Vincentian Heritage, Vincentian History , , , , , ,

The DePaul University Vincentian Studies Institute is pleased to announce the publication of our newest peer-reviewed e-book edition of Vincentian Heritage (Volume 35, Number 2).

Of note, this edition includes a significant new translation, never before published, of Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet’s testimony on the virtuous life of Vincent de Paul. The document, at one time thought lost, follows after those prepared for the canonization process and offers insight from a man who knew the saint during his life. The book also advances our new design and features the following articles:

  • “Pa, Ma, and Fa: Private Lives of Nineteenth-Century American Vincentians,” by John E. Rybolt, C.M., Ph.D.
  • “Bishop John Timon, C.M., Sisters of Charity Hospital, and the Cholera Epidemic of 1849,” by Dennis Castillo, Ph.D.
  • “Elizabeth Ann Seton’s Vision of Ecological Community. Based on Elizabeth Bayley Seton: Collected Writings, Volume Two,” by Sung-Hae Kim, S.C.
  • “BOSSUET: Testimony Concerning the Life and the Eminent Virtues of Monsieur Vincent de Paul (1702),” Translation and additional annotation by Edward R. Udovic, C.M., Ph.D.

To download the complete book for iPad or PC, please click here.

Individual .pdfs for each article are also available for download here.

“In Memoriam: Rev. Stafford Poole, C.M.

bcicirel Vincentian Heritage, Vincentian History , , ,

Rev. Stafford Poole, C.M., Ph.D.
6 March 1930 – 1 November 2020

Joseph Poole and his wife Beatrice Smith welcomed a son into the world, Richard Stafford, on March 6, 1930, who was baptized in his parish church of St. Charles Borromeo, in North Hollywood. He attended elementary school at Rio Vista Elementary School, then transferred to the Parish School of St. Charles Borromeo for his Junior High School years. He entered Los Angeles College, the precursor to Our Lady Queen of Angels Seminary in 1942. Stafford entered the Congregation of the Mission on October 7, 1947, and continued his philosophical and theological studies for ordination at St. Mary of the Barrens Seminary in Perryville, Mo. He was ordained to the priesthood on May 27, 1956. He earned the degree of Master of Arts from St. Louis University in 1958 with a major in Spanish Literature and in 1961 earned his Doctor of Philosophy in U.S. and Mexican History from St. Louis University.

As he was completing his doctoral studies, Fr. Poole was planning on researching Slaveholding in Catholic Missouri. However, God intervened. Fr. Bannon, the director of the history department was presented with some rare documents from Latin America that included documents from the Third Council of 1585 and presented Stafford with a project. In Stafford’s own words he describes what happened next:

The next time I walked into Bannon’s office, my life took a total reversal. I got working on it and became fascinated with the whole thing. But actually, I had had only one graduate course in Latin American history, and that was a survey. Other than that, I was self-taught.1

From these beginnings flowed an impressive contribution to the field of Catholicism in Colonial Latin America, as well as his works on the history of the Congregation of the Mission and the US Catholic Church. Included in his life’s work were 14 books, 23 publications in Anthologies and Encyclopedias, 62 journal articles, as well as some unpublished studies on Vincentian themes and numerous book reviews. Among Fr. Poole’s works are Seminary in Crisis (1964); Church and Slave in Perry County, Missouri 1818 – 1860 (co-authored with Douglas Slawson, 1986); and Our Lady of Guadalupe: Origins and Sources of a Mexican National Symbol, 1531 – 1797 (1995). Fr. Poole was also a longtime member of the DePaul University Vincentian Studies Institute, and served as the editor of Vincentian Heritage and other of their publications over many years. In 2006 he received the Institute’s prestigious Pierre Coste Prize for his lifetime of distinguished achievement in Vincentian Studies.

While many would count this a complete life’s work, Fr. Poole was also a teacher, academic dean, and seminary rector. His students not only remember his lectures with fondness, but also appreciated his wit and wisdom. Stafford was a clock maker. He spent his leisure time making and repairing clocks of all sorts. After he had left St. Mary of the Barrens in 1971, students would comment that “Fr. Poole needs to come back to the Barrens to fix the clock on the A Building!”

During his retirement, Fr. Poole continued to be active as a scholar and mentor. He encouraged other confreres to take up the critical history of the Congregation of the Mission. He supported his colleagues in both the American Catholic Historical Association and other professional organizations to continue the study the Church’s earliest mission activity in Latin America and its impact upon the people.

Infirmity overcame Fr. Poole in his final years, as his health declined, he slowly put aside the unfinished research and prepared to meet his Creator. He returned to the Barrens to receive added care. On the Feast Day of All Saints, he returned to his Creator. A Vincentian who dedicated his life to telling the story of the life of Colonial Latin American Church and the Little Company.

1) Susan Schroeder, “Seminaries and Writing the History of New Spain: An Interview with Stafford Poole, C.M.,” The Americas 69:2 (2012), 237-254.

Programs and Spaces for Community Dialogue and Pastoral Care

bcicirel Mission Resources , ,

November 2-6

Between the pandemic, politics, and quickly approaching quarter finals, we’re coming up on a particularly charged week. Mission & Ministry is providing a variety of ways to be together to listen, to process or just breathe.

Below is a line-up of services and programs offered to faculty, staff and students.

 

FACULTY & STAFF 

Individual Pastoral Support for Faculty and Staff

Mission and Ministry’s Faculty and Staff Engagement Team (FASE) is available to provide a listening ear and pastoral support for individual faculty and staff during election week and beyond. Appointments can be scheduled using the following links:

Abdul-Malik Ryan:  https://ChaplainAbuNoor.as.me/
Mark Laboe:   https://MarkLaboe.as.me/
Mike Van Dorpe:  https://MikeVanDorpe.as.me/
Siobhan O’Donoghue:  https://Siobhan.as.me/
Tom Judge by email:   tjudge@depaul.edu
General FASE email address:  FASE@depaul.edu

Midweek LIVE Prayer for the DePaul Community     

Wednesday, November 4th, 9:05 am            

Join colleagues from the DePaul community for ten minutes of guided interfaith-friendly prayer and reflection on Wednesday morning at 9:05 am. This time will include a brief opening prayer, a short spiritual reading, and quiet space for reflection. The prayer will be held on Facebook LIVE at 9:05 AM and end promptly at 9:15 am, with the video available afterwards for those who cannot be present at that time. Participate in the Prayer by following this link:  https://www.facebook.com/DePaulDMM/live/

Connection Cafés: Processing the Elections with DePaul Colleagues

Wednesday, November 4th and Thursday, November 5th

This election season has added a layer of stress and uncertainty for many of us. The Division of Mission and Ministry invites you to participate in a Connection Café: Processing the Election with DePaul Colleagues.  These Connection Cafés are intended to create a space for DePaul faculty and staff to process what they may be feeling and thinking after the November 3rd election day in what may be a prolonged period of uncertainty. Join with DePaul colleagues to share your own experiences and hear those of others, guided by elements of a peace circle process and facilitated by Mission and Ministry staff.

Registration Required. Zoom link will be sent after registration.

Wednesday, November 4th
12:00 – 1:00 pm
Register Here

Thursday, November 5th 
3:30-4:30 pm
Register Here

 

STUDENTS 

CATHOLIC CAMPUS MINISTRY

Pastoral Care Hours

CCM’s Pastoral Care team is available Monday, November 2nd – Friday, December 11.
See schedule below. Connect via Zoom link:  https://depaul.zoom.us/j/91690617053

Monday: 10-11 am, 12-1 pm, 2-3 pm, 6-7 pm
Tuesday: 9-10 am, 10-11 am, 12-1 pm, 3-4 pm
Wednesday: 9-11 am, 1-2 pm, 4-5 pm
Thursday: 12-4 pm
Friday: 9:30-11:30 am, 1-3 pm

Circle of Lament

Thursday, November 5, 4:30-5:30 pm

There are times in life when we are left with nothing but sorrow and lament, and for so many reasons, that seems to be the place where many find themselves in these times. Join staff from Catholic Campus Ministry and Religious Diversity and Pastoral Care teams in quiet reflection around the sorrows of today and looking toward hope for tomorrow.  https://depaul.zoom.us/j/94351635099

 

VINCENTIAN SERVICE & FORMATION (VSF)

Office Hours

November 4th, 10:00 am—3:00 pm
Come as you are.  Here to listen.
VSF staff will be available through Zoom after election day for those who would like to be in community: http://bit.ly/vsfoffice

Ozanam Café

Thursday, November 5th, 4:00pm to 5:00 pm

Join the Vincentians in Action (VIA) and Meet Me at the Mission (MMATM) communities for coffee, community, and conversations about social justice. This quarter, we will be exploring activism in the Vincentian way. Come build your activism toolbox and learn more about the Vincentian approach to systemic change. Join us on Zoom: http://bit.ly/theozcafe

Community Peacemakers – Self and Collective Wellness Circle

November 6th, 11am-12pm

Join VIA’s Community Peacemakers for a talking circle about self-care and collective care, as we navigate being students in these COVID-19 times. Come learn about peace circles, have a space for reflection, and be in community with others! Space Limited – RSVP on DeHub: http://dehub.cglink.me/r9549

 

RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY & PASTORAL CARE

Pastoral Care
Follow RDPC  Facebook & Instagram (@RDPCDePaul) for daily words of encouragement. In addition, the RDPC team is available to all students needing comfort or a listening ear.

Reach out directly to a member of our team:

Pastor Diane Dardón |  DDARDON@depaul.edu
Protestant Chaplain/Director-Religious Diversity & Pastoral Care

Imam Abdul-Malik Ryan | MRYAN42@depaul.edu
Muslim Chaplain/Assistant Director-Religious Diversity & Pastoral Care

Minister Jene Colvin | JCOLVIN3@depaul.edu
Protestant and Interfaith Minister

Matthew Charnay | MCHARNAY@depaul.edu
Jewish Life and Interfaith Coordinator

Post-election Open Spaces on Zoom:

Tuesday, November 3rd

2:30-4:30 Mat Charnay and DePaul Jewish Life community gathering
https://depaul.zoom.us/j/93080940244.

Wednesday, November 4th

9:00-11:30 am Pastor Diane is available for conversation, prayer, and listening
https://depaul.zoom.us/j/350817578.

1:30-3:30 pm Imam Abdul-Malik Ryan is available for conversation, prayer, and listening
https://depaul.zoom.us/j/9274314897.

2:30-4:30 pm Mat Charnay and DePaul Jewish Life community gathering
https://depaul.zoom.us/j/93080940244.

Thursday, Nov. 5th

9:00-11:00 am
Imam Abdul-Malik Ryan is available for conversation, prayer, and listening
https://depaul.zoom.us/j/9274314897.

3:30-7:00 pm
Virtual UMMA Room/Muslim Life Center open for conversation and community
https://tinyurl/UMMAVirtualRoom.

 

 

 

Trust in Uncertain Times

bcicirel Hope, Louise de Marillac, Mission Monday , , ,

In many ways, we are living in uncertain times. As a country, some people are anxious and uncertain about when the results of this year’s presidential and congressional races will be known. As a university, many of us are entering our eighth month of working from home as a result of the pandemic with no idea how much longer this may last. As individuals, some of us may also be facing other personal challenges with uncertain outcomes.

What can we do when we are faced with all this uncertainty?

Consider Louise de Marillac, who turned to her faith. Reflecting during a retreat, she wrote, “I must accept this uncertainty as well as my inability clearly to perceive at this time the path which God wishes me to follow in His service.”1 When faced with challenges, Louise realized that she could not always see where and when those challenges would end, and how she could overcome them. As a Catholic-Christian in seventeenth-century France, she put her faith and trust in God, who she believed to have planned a path for her life. She accepted that she could only do so much, and she believed God would take care of the rest.

What lessons can you take away from Louise’s approach to uncertain times? How might you translate her wisdom to your own life and belief system? When thinking about the uncertainty of life right now, who can you trust or believe in that will help you on your journey, wherever it may lead?

1) A.5, (Retreat), c.1632, Spiritual Writings of Louise de Marillac, 717. See: https://‌via.‌library.‌depaul.‌‌edu/ldm/

Image credit: Bro. Timothy Opferman, C.M., artist; based on a work by Sharon Horace, D.C.; Photo courtesy of Bro. Broer Huitema, C.M.M.; Original in SVdP Center.

 

Reflection by: Michael Van Dorpe, Program Manager for Faculty and Staff Engagement, Division of Mission and Ministry

Seeds of the Mission: Ashantis Jones

bcicirel Seeds of Mission ,

We Form Each Other 

In his keynote address to the Vincentian Family Gathering in 2005, Fr. Dennis Holtschneider, CM said, “We form each other.” It is through meaningful relationship and story sharing that we become the people the world needs us to be.  

The core of Vincent and Louise’s work was formation – preparing those in their communities to be ready to serve. It started with seeing the potential and gifts of each person they encountered – whether rich or poor. Through encouragement and skill building, Vincent and Louise equipped each individual with the physical and spiritual tools needed to go forth and serve those most in need. They cultivated communities and spaces for all to grow together.  

 Margaret Kelly, D.C. describes Louise’s empowering work:  

When she established the Daughters of Charity in her own home in 1633, she demonstrated great realism as well as vision as she developed instructional programs and motivated these young women to develop their abilities... 

…The variety of works the Daughters engaged in (education, care of children, home visiting, nursing, care of the elderly) provided a broad range of options, and Louise set up specific training programs for each of the fields and mandated that preparation always precede service. [1] 

The opportunity for growth wasn’t limited just to those who were serving, but also those being served. For example, in the residential care programs for children Kelly explains, “educational programs for children five years of age and older were developed in sewing, reading, writing, knitting, lacemaking and even baking. The goal of preparation for life and a livelihood dictated all programs for the children.” [2] 

Our mission at DePaul university is rooted in this same approach of preparing our students to go forth and use their gifts to transform our world. A Catholic, Vincentian education focuses not only on minds, but on the whole person, including the formation of hearts and spirits. At DePaul, we urge faculty and staff to learn from their students each day. Together we help each other become the best versions of ourselves!  

[1] Kelly, Margaret J. D.C. (1989) “Louise de Marillac: The “Gentle Power” of Liberation,” Vincentian Heritage Journal: Vol. 10 : Iss. 1 , Article 2. Available at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/vhj/vol10/iss1/2 

[2] ibid. 

Look Up with Hope

bcicirel Hope, Mission Monday , , , ,

Over the past weeks I’ve been privy to the laments of many who are trying to remain hopeful as they or their dear ones face the fear of COVID, as they struggle in a virtual world, or as they grapple with growing angst over our country. While we are living through very trying times, we are reminded by Elizabeth Ann Seton, a woman who knew suffering and struggles well, that sometimes all we can do is “look up with hope.”1

We hang onto a hope that tomorrow will be a new day with new challenges. But, in these trying times, our hope is often that we will be able to carry on and live to see a better day. Guiding the way, we are privileged to turn to the wisdom of our Vincentian sister who reminded us that no matter how difficult things are, “hope travels on nor quits us till we die.”2

It is in this hope that we will find the courage and energy to meet the challenges before us. It is in trusting hope that we look forward to a new and better day. Look up, and hope.

1) Regina Bechtle, S.C., Judith Metz, S.C., eds., Elizabeth Bayley Seton: Collected Writings, 3 vols. (Hyde Park: New City Press, 2000-2006), 2:611.

2) Ibid., 1:7.

 

Reflection by:  Rev. Dr. Diane Dardón, Director, Religious Diversity and Pastoral Care, Division of Mission and Ministry

Seeds of the Mission: Susana Martinez

bcicirel Seeds of Mission , , ,

Go-Then 

The Vincentian mission starts not from a place of theory, but instead out in the world. After taking time to listen, learn, and understand the stories of people in our communities, we then return to make meaning. We call this approach, “Go, then.” The Vincentian mission calls us to go into the world, to serve and accompany those who are most marginalized. Then, we begin to ask questions of systemic change. When they co-founded the Daughters of Charity, Louise and Vincent realized the need for the Daughters to be out in the streets, in direct contact with those they were serving. Vincent advised that “Daughters of Charity have to go everywhere… for chapel, the parish church; for cloister, the streets of the city.” [1] They put the lives of those on the margins at the center of their work.  

Direct relationship, care, and interconnectedness are central to the Vincentian charism. We see our community as co-educators and do not assume that we have all the answers. We trust that each person is the expert in their own lived experience. We encourage students involved in community service to listen deeply to the stories of those on the margins and allow those stories to shape their understanding of the world. We strive to form mutual relationships with a sense of humility that allows us to be served and taught in return. At DePaul, this holds true especially in our commitment to the city of Chicago. We strive to create opportunities for students to connect to this city and its people in meaningful, transformative ways. 

[1] #111, Rules for the Sisters in Parishes, CCD, 10:530. 

Episode 7: Can It Be Fair Process?

bcicirel Lawful Assembly Podcast, Mission Resources , , , ,

Can It Be Fair Process Without a Fair Process to File an Asylum Application?

This episode is an interview with Rev. Craig B. Mousin, an Adjunct Faculty member at DePaul University’s College of Law and The Grace School of Applied Diplomacy. He responds to the federal government’s proposed regulations that would change the time limit for filing an asylum application before an Immigration Judge. These proposed rules will hinder the ability of individuals to pursue cases without lawyers and increase the difficulty of pro bono representation by volunteer lawyers.   We encourage you to file your own comments opposing part or all of the proposed procedures and asking the government to withdraw the entire proposed rule.  To assist you in obtaining a link to the proposed procedures or in filing your comment, you may incorporate your remarks into one of the templates provided by the following:

Our colleagues at the National Immigrant Justice Center have provided sample comments and a link to file comments at:   https://immigrantjustice.salsalabs.org/protectasylum/index.html?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=4dcbbfd7-b673-4263-9b92-abc70008cc18

You may also find the American Immigration Lawyers Association’s template at: https://www.aila.org/takeaction#/89

Both websites provide additional information on how the proposed regulations prevent bona fide applicants from litigating their cases.  To be accepted by the government, please ensure your comments are filed on or before 11:59 p.m. EDT, Friday, October 23, 2020.

The critical point remains that you choose at least one element of the proposed rules that you believe is incompatible with our nation’s commitment to fair process to achieve justice and make your voice heard.

If you are curious about the details necessary to file a complete asylum application, you can view the ten-page form and the instructions at:  https://www.uscis.gov/i-589

 

Please note, American Baptist Churches v. Thornburgh,  760 F.Supp. 796 (N.D. Ca. 1991), was actually settled on January 31, 1991 instead of 1990 as stated in the podcast.    

 

 

Simplicity in Hectic Times

bcicirel Mission and Ministry, Mission Monday, Vincentian values , , ,

Since the academic year started, I’ve felt like I’m learning to juggle while the balls are already in the air. Fall Quarter is hectic in ordinary times, but this school year is anything but average. We face a global pandemic, systemic racism and racist violence, a declining economy, massive unemployment numbers, and political upheaval and uncertainty. The pandemic has made burdens that people already carried much heavier, and it has added new burdens to our loads.

In those moments when it feels like there are too many balls to juggle, I turn toward the Vincentian virtue of simplicity. In the Vincentian tradition, the value of simplicity is twofold. On the one hand, it refers to clear and honest speech. When we speak simply, we are our most authentic selves. In The Way of Vincent de Paul, Robert Maloney, C.M., writes “The heart must not think one thing while the mouth says another.”1 In our context today, simplicity might invite us to name honestly when we have reached our limits and need support. Likewise, it might mean speaking truth to power in the face of injustice and political turmoil.

Simplicity also invites us to clear away the clutter in our lives to make room for the things that truly matter. In a time when we face an immense amount of mental clutter and overstimulation, simplicity can remind us to pause and refocus our attention where it needs to be. It reminds us to make room in our lives for stillness and rest.

As you start the week, notice the ways you feel called toward simplicity.

  • Where do you feel you need to speak your truth?
  • Where do you feel stretched too thin? If you’re juggling too many balls, is it possible to remove one from the rotation and/or ask for support?
  • Where is the clutter in your life? How can you actively clear it away to find room for stillness?
  • What is one way you can rest today?

1) Robert P. Maloney, C.M., The Way of Vincent de Paul: A Contemporary Spirituality in the Service of the Poor (New York: New City Press, 1992), 38. See: https://via.library.depaul.edu/maloney/13/

 Reflection by:    Emily LaHood-Olsen, Ministry Coordinator for Service Immersions, Division of Mission and Ministry