“Kindness is the key to hearts.”[1] —Saint Vincent de Paul Last week (and every year on January 25), on the Catholic feast day of the conversion of Saint Paul, Vincentians around the globe celebrated what we have come to know as Foundation Day. Vincent de Paul remembered this day as the critical moment when his […]
“So then, gentleness and forbearance are necessary among ourselves and for our service to the neighbor.” — Vincent de Paul (Correspondence, Conferences, Documents, 12:249) By the end of his life, Vincent was known for his gentleness and approachability. However, these characteristics grew over time and were part of Vincent’s long, slow transformation. He spoke of […]
“It feels like we are standing on shifting sands. What can we hold onto when there seems to be an attack on the principles DePaul was founded on and why I do my work?” This question was posed to me recently by a team member. The current realities in our society and in the field […]
Written By: Tom Judge, Chaplain, Faculty and Staff Engagement, Division of Mission and Ministry This winter I’ve been doing some travelling, spending a lot of time behind the wheel. Usually when I find myself with long stretches in the car, I like to listen to a little music. My choices, not surprisingly, are most often […]
Written By: Miranda Lukatch, Editor, Vincentian Studies Institute What do Vincent de Paul, Louise de Marillac, Elizabeth Seton, and Frédéric Ozanam have in common? Some answers are obvious: they loved God deeply, they shared a mission, and they accomplished enormous good for the poor. But they shared commonalities not only in what they did but how […]
Exactly eighteen years ago, on this day, December 9th, I became the first woman in my family to chant publicly from the Torah. I still remember the opening words like a catchy song. In Vayishlach, the Torah portion for this week, there are two brothers—twins—Jacob and Esau, who never really get along. One is smooth, […]
Written by: Euan Hague, PhD, Vincent de Paul Professor of Geography and Director of the School of Public Service and the Student Urban Research Corps. Recipient of the Cortelyou-Lowery Award from the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences in 2024. In a letter to Monsieur Horcholle written in June 1650, Vincent stated, “I will […]
Happy St. Vincent de Paul Heritage Week! Each year on September 27th, the Vincentian Family and the Catholic Church worldwide celebrate the Feast Day of St. Vincent de Paul. Here at DePaul University, the Division of Mission and Ministry (DMM) typically builds a week of events connected to the Feast Day. This year, these include […]
It is with a heavy heart that we share news of the death of our DePaul colleague, Dr. Doug Bruce, professor and former department chair in Health Sciences in the College of Science and Health. He passed away this past week after losing his difficult battle with cancer. Doug made an indelible impact on the […]
Recently, I was asked, “What is at the heart of DePaul and its mission?” After a brief pause, I responded that, for me, what best captures the heart of our mission is the concept frequently referenced here: Vincentian personalism. In my thinking and experience, Vincentian personalism is the foundational building block for all else that […]