Author: bcicirel

What A Week!

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This last week at DePaul has been unprecedented even by the standards of this past, most challenging, year. First, our hometown of Chicago became the largest city in the country to fully reopen following the outbreak of Covid-19; and so, after 15 months of restrictions, we contemplate a “return to normalcy” with care and even a little hesitation. Also, we celebrated commencement and the end of an academic journey, virtually but with style, for graduates who confront a world tested, humbled, and changed by pandemic and social upheaval. Finally, and most unexpectedly, we learned that Dr. Gabriel Esteban will step down as DePaul’s president as of June 30, 2022. All of which underscore that transition and adaptation, daunting but hope-filled, will continue.

During times of more-than-usual change and challenge, it is natural, even necessary, to gravitate towards things that help to ground and guide us. Our Vincentian mission is one of these things. Tried and tested over the centuries and capable of being adapted when need be, what wisdom does our Vincentian tradition hold for us at this moment? Here are a few suggestions:

RARELY IS ANY GOOD DONE WITHOUT DIFFICULTY.(1) Do not expect things to be easy but accept and even embrace that there will be challenges on the road to success. Challenges we can learn and grow from and eventually overcome.

BY UNION AND COUNSEL, WE CAN ACHIEVE ANYTHING.(2) Working together respectfully, dialoging and listening deeply to each other are the best ways for us to make progress as a community.

BE COURAGEOUS.(3) Now is not the time to act from fear, but instead we need to act from love with boldness and creativity.

MAKE GOOD USE OF THE PRESENT.(4) Opportunities to do good abound, if we are mindful and attentive and take advantage of this moment. The future will take care of itself.

GOD HAS GREAT PLANS FOR YOU.(5) For each one of us and for our university, choose to believe that we matter, that we are doing worthwhile things and that our story continues to unfold with hope.

Reflection questions: How do you understand these words of wisdom from our Vincentian tradition? Which of them is most timely for you in your current reality? How or why? What are other sources of guidance or inspiration for you?

Follow this link to access online resources centered upon our Vincentian mission and tradition: All Things Vincentian

1) Letter 1487, To Philippe Le Vacher and Jean Barreau, [1652], CCD, 4:361. Available at: https://‌via.‌library.‌‌depaul.‌edu/coste_en/

2) Ibid., 360.

3) Conference 135, Repetition of Prayer, 22 August 1655, CCD, 11:265.

4) L.328, To My Very Dear Sister Jeanne Lepintre, 22 September 1651, Spiritual Writings of Louise de Marillac, 371. Available at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/ldm/

5) Letter 1202, To A Priest of the Mission, In Saintes, 27 March 1650, CCD, 3:615.

 

Reflection by: Tom Judge, Chaplain, Faculty and Staff Engagement, Mission and Ministry

 

Actions More than Words

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In the stories that we often hear about Vincent de Paul, many touch upon his “love of the poor.” For Vincent, this meant recognizing the sacred dignity of persons so often abandoned and marginalized in seventeenth-century French society. He understood that God was present in and through them. His work began with those in rural communities who did not have the resources, services, or opportunities necessary to survive and thrive physically and spiritually. Eventually, his work also included those he encountered in urban Paris, such as abandoned children and the sick, as well as the galley slaves that he encountered through his connection to Monsieur de Gondi, a French naval officer.

Vincent de Paul’s sense of mission resonates with what we now know as Catholic Social Thought (CST) or Catholic Social Teaching, a body of thinking and practice that has emerged over the last 125 years in the Catholic Church. In both Vincent’s example and in CST there exists a principle known commonly as the “preferential option for the poor.” Even as we understand God’s love for all people, this principle suggests we see God’s way more fully when we understand that those suffering from poverty and marginalization need distinctive aid and attention. Demonstrating love involves helping the marginalized to overcome and change oppressive situations and systems that do not enable them the opportunity to thrive either as individuals or in communities.

We see this theological principle reflected in Vincent’s mission to the rural poor. We see it in the Abrahamic traditions, most poignantly in the stories of Moses leading the Hebrew people to liberation from their oppression in Egypt. We also see it when we understand Jesus as a liberator, one who sides with the downtrodden and recognizes them at a common table. In other words, in the Vincentian and Catholic tradition, God has a distinctive love for the poor and the oppressed precisely because God’s aim is a justice that enables the flourishing of all people and all Creation. Theologian James Cone once said: “God’s liberation of the poor is the primary theme of Jesus’ gospel.”1 This is the story of who God is and always has been. It is also who we are invited to be and to imitate through our actions and Vincentian mission. Unfortunately, however, we also know that the image and theology of God as liberator can be preached but not actually put into practice.

This narrative about Vincent de Paul and the Catholic-Christian tradition serves as a lens through which to view society and our vocation. Who amongst us is being marginalized by the economic, political, and social structures that govern our society? What systems or social habits of thinking or doing exist that do not enable the flourishing of all?

This Saturday we celebrate Juneteenth (short for June 19th) in the United States, a holiday which commemorates the emancipation of enslaved people in our country. This commemoration began in recognition of the day in 1865 when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to take control of the state and ensure the enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation.

First issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, one should note that it took more than two years after the proclamation was read for the abolition of slavery to be enforced in Texas, as well as in other Confederate-controlled areas. This example illustrates that emancipation from systems of oppression can be publicly proclaimed without being acted upon or fully realized. In fact, nearly two hundred years later, we are still seeking to bridge a gap between the freedoms from oppression promised in the proclamation and the reality faced by persons of color in our nation today.

Our Vincentian mission challenges us to continue the ongoing work of narrowing this gap between words and actions, between our ideals and reality, both individually and systemically. Vincent reminds us, “We have to preach mainly by good example.”2 If the God we proclaim is a liberator who seeks justice that enables all to flourish, this is also our charge. There is always more to do in our personal lives, in our institutions, and in our society to realize this vision. Juneteenth reminds us yet again that the work needed to fulfill the freedoms declared in the Emancipation Proclamation continues.

What might you do this summer in your own life and your work at DePaul to bridge the gap between your words or ideals and your actions, particularly related to the work of racial justice? How might you help contribute to DePaul being an institution that more fully realizes the mission, values, commitments and ideals that we proclaim?

1 James H. Cone, The Cross and the Lynching Tree (Maryknoll, N.Y.: Orbis Books, 2011), 154.

2 Conference 134, Method to be Followed in Preaching, 20 August 1655, CCD, 11:252.

Reflection by: Mark Laboe, Associate VP, Division of Mission and Ministry

Lawful Assembly – Episode 15: Home

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This is an interview with Rev. Craig B. Mousin, an Adjunct Faculty member of the DePaul University College of Law and the Grace School of Applied Diplomacy.  This podcast links the loss of homes felt by many of the freed slaves after the Civil War, including George Floyd’s great-great grandfather, with the loss of home many refugees face when forced to flee their nations due to state sanctioned violence and the consequences of the breakdown of the rule of law.  We face challenges both at our borders, but also when we contribute to the conditions that force families to flee their homes.  We need to address ways to provide the rule of law and justice for all.  The story of George Floyd’s family history and the loss of his great-great grandfather’s 500 acres comes from Toluse Olorunnipa and Griff Witte, “Born with two strikes, How systemic racism shaped Floyd’s life and hobbled his ambition,” https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/national/george-floyd-america/systemic-racism/

Senn High School, located in the Edgewater neighborhood of Chicago, is one of the most diverse high schools in the nation.  Its students and their families speak over 80 languages and claim over 60 nations as their birth homes.  Congratulate its graduates and learn more about our neighborhood high school at:  https://www.sennhs.org

Frederick Douglass’ call for simple justice comes from David W. Blight, Frederick Douglass Prophet of Freedom, (N.Y., 2018), 558-59.

Rev. Garrison   Frazier and the black leaders’ activism in Savannah, Georgia comes from Eric Foner, Reconstruction, America’s Unfinished Revolution 1863-1877, (N.Y., 1988), 70.

 

Action Steps:

Information about the Community Renewal Society’s Juneteenth film screening of “Crawford: The Man the South Forgot,” can be found at:   https://www.communityrenewalsociety.org/events/juneteenth-film-amp-discussion   You can find some of the current programs CRS sponsors to seek simple justice toda at: https://www.communityrenewalsociety.org/platform?sectionscroll=just-economy

Information on the National Immigrant Justice center and the “We Are Home” campaign,  can be found at:  https://immigrantjustice.org/press-releases/civil-rights-groups-send-letter-dhs-secretary-calling-meaningful-opportunity-return

Information of the proposed Berta Caceres Human Rights Act of 2021can be found at:

https://soaw.org/BertaAct2021

 

 

Let us Dream

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This is a time of creativity and innovation. We are emerging from a global pandemic with new eyes to see. While acknowledging the privilege that Americans have access to vaccinations, we see the disparities and dysfunction of our nation and systems. We have a chance to change the way we operate in the world. Will we seize this opportunity? Will we use our creativity and innovation to make a difference?

We have seen incredible innovation and ingenuity in how we approach our struggling world. The adaptations we have made to meet our needs virtually have been amazing! I have been in awe of the graduation celebrations on campus and the creativity used to help our community celebrate the achievements of students. There have been so many unique ways we have connected and celebrated, mourned, and symbolically held one another during this trying year. Let us continue to dream big of what could be.

In Let Us Dream, Pope Francis says: “The world is always being made. Paul in his Letter to the Romans 8:22 says creation is groaning from birth pangs. God wants to bring forth the world with us, as partners, continually. He has invited us to join Him from the very beginning, in peaceful times and in times of crisis—at all times.”(1)

We are invited to be co-creators in the world. Just like, together with God, Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac became co-creators by answering the call to be innovative, so must we. Our Vincentian charism invites us to create a just world. Louise and Vincent did that through responding to the cry of the poor. They created communities of people to do that very thing. We, too, are called to respond to the cry of the poor in new and creative ways while ensuring all are seen as valuable and needed.

So, I invite us to embody the Vincentian virtue of zeal. Zeal propels our creativity and innovation in the direction of change. Vincent describes zeal this way:

Zeal, consisting in a pure desire to become pleasing to God and helpful to our neighbor: zeal to spread the kingdom of God and zeal to procure the salvation of our neighbor. Is there anything in the world more perfect? If love of God is a fire, zeal is its flame; if love is a sun, zeal is its ray. Zeal is unconditional in the love of God.(2)

Let us dream over the summer. And, let our Vincentian zeal flow from a space of creativity and love for all people as we accompany one another on this journey of life.

How can I use my creativity and innovation to reach out to my community? What ways can I work towards a more just human community and world?

1) Prologue of Pope Francis, Let Us Dream: The Path to a Better Future (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2020).

2) 211, The Five Characteristic Virtues (Common Rules, Chap. II, Art. 14), 22 August 1659, CCD, 12:250.

Reflection by: Amanda Thompson, Director, Catholic Campus Ministry, Division of Mission and Ministry

Managing Life’s Transitions

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There is transition happening all around us.

Academically, we are nearing the end of the school year. Graduating students will be leaving and moving on to the next stage of their pilgrimage through life. Current high school seniors will graduate and join our community next year. Students who will transfer to or from DePaul over the summer are also preparing for their transition, as are potential adult students looking to advance their education and career development.

A large percentage of people have been vaccinated, or soon will be, and so many of us are preparing to regularly go back to our offices after more than a year of working from home.

In the Upper Midwest we are moving from spring to summer as the weather warms and the days become longer. In Chicago, we might even revel in the fact that we had an actual spring. Some years ago, I heard on the radio, “spring will fall on a Thursday this year!”

In the Christian liturgical tradition, the season of Easter has just ended. After celebrating Easter for 50 days Ordinary Time resumes.

We are certainly in the midst of many different transitions. But that doesn’t need to be a reason for us to fret, to become stressed out, to try to do too much, or to hurry the process.

In writing about one of the greatest transitions we face, at the end of our lives, Vincent de Paul once said, “In fact, experience has shown us that those who have gone to heaven most likely advanced the time of entering their new life by endangering their lives by too much hard work.”1 In other words, Vincent suggests that while entering heaven is certainly a goal for many people, we shouldn’t try to rush the process!

Our lives may be in a state of turmoil in going through so many different transitions at once—and it can be overwhelming—but the more we remain calm, the easier these transitions will be. So, before the school year begins again in earnest, do what you can to take some time this summer to relax, enjoy the warm weather, and just be. This will enable you to be more present and attentive to your life and the work before you. The transitions you are moving through will occur on their own time.

What kinds of transitions are you experiencing right now, both personally and professionally?

How will you make time for yourself in the coming weeks and months? How will you remain calm and grounded and avoid becoming too overwhelmed?

What are your practices of self-care when the busy-ness of life takes over?

1 Letter 2948, To François Feydin, In Richelieu, 24 August 1659, CCD, 8:103-04.

Reflection by: Matt Merkt, Chaplain for Liturgy/Music, Catholic Campus Ministry, Division of Mission and Ministry

How Vincent and Louise Challenged State-sanctioned Bias

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Today, both in public and private forums, bias is an unfortunate reality with which most of us are all too familiar. It may be the biases of others, who seem so easily to marginalize and discriminate, or our own prejudices that lead us to make easy judgments. Whether conscious or not, bias has often plagued humankind.

This was no different in seventeenth-century France. In fact, the era of Saint Vincent and Saint Louise was cruelly stained by explicit, state-sanctioned bias against those who were socio-economically poor. This was epitomized by the “War of the Great Confinement” which began in 1656 with a royal prohibition against all manner of public begging by the destitute poor.1 All forms of private almsgiving were also outlawed. Indeed, over the course of several years, more than five thousand poverty-stricken people were deprived of their freedom and forcibly contained in a series of institutions known as the General Hospital of Paris. Such actions were an explicit manifestation of sociocultural bias, enshrined in state policy and enforced by police and the judiciary.

Amidst such persecutory and punitive acts towards the poor, Vincent and Louise committed themselves to those whom French society had most abandoned and disenfranchised. Their ministry stood as humble testimony that another world was possible, a world in which the poor were honored and respected, not criminalized. In coming to know and love those whom society had shunned, Vincent and Louise were invited to stand in solidarity with those on the farthest margins. Their praxis testified to the inherent God-given dignity of all, but most especially to those who were poor. In seventeenth-century France, for some, this was a radical belief.

We may sometimes think that the lives of those who have gone before us are encased in history, with little to say about our current reality. However, I choose to believe this is not so. If you are reading this, may I invite you to pause for a moment and consider the following?

Are there still strong societal biases today that marginalize or alienate some individuals or groups of people? How might your values and beliefs compel you to act to expose and work against these biases in order to affirm the dignity of all? Are there ways in which, like Vincent and Louise before, you are being called today to make real with your hands what your heart longs to see?

1 See Edward R. Udovic, C.M., “‘Caritas Christi Urget Nos:’ The Urgent Challenges of Charity in Seventeenth Century France,” Vincentian Heritage 12:2 (1991), 86, at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/‌vhj/‌‌‌‌vol12/‌iss2/1/

Reflection by: Siobhan O’Donoghue, Director, Faculty and Staff Engagement, Division of Mission and Ministry

Lawful Assembly – Episode 14:

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This is a podcast interview with Rev. Craig B. Mousin, an Adjunct Faculty member at DePaul University’s College of Law and The Grace School of Applied Diplomacy. President Biden recently responded to a national outcry protesting the limitation of refugee resettlement in this fiscal year to 15,000 refugees and reversed his decision, raising the goal to welcome 62,500 refugees.  This podcast encourages advocates to encourage the administration to achieve that goal and collaborate with resettlement agencies to revitalize the public-private partnership that will continue to benefit our communities.

President Biden’s announcement can be found at: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/05/03/statement-by-president-joe-biden-on-refugee-admissions/

The specific numbers allocated for this fiscal year can be found at: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/05/03/memorandum-for-the-secretary-of-state-on-the-emergency-presidential-determination-on-refugee-admissions-for-fiscal-year-2021-2/

Chicago refugee resettlement programs include:

Ethiopian Community Association of Chicago: www.ecachicago.org/project/give-clean-water/

Heartland Human Care Services: www.heartlandalliance.org/program/rics

RefugeeOne: www.refugeeone.org/

The Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago Refugee Resettlement Program: https://www.catholiccharities.net/GetHelp/OurServices/RefugeeResettlementServices.aspx

World Relief Chicagoland Refugee Resettlement: https://chicagoland.worldrelief.org/resettlement/

Susan Gzesh’s article on an alternative allocations for refugee resettlement can be found at:  https://www.justsecurity.org/75799/why-must-central-american-asylum-seekers-risk-their-lives-to-reach-the-us-there-is-an-alternative/

Louise-Style Creative Solutions to Organizing, Mutual Aid, Community, Self-Care, and Action

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From the devastation of COVID-19 to the manifestations of deeply rooted white supremacy and other hardships, the challenges we faced in 2020 have sparked a movement among communities to create social change. During a year of tragedy and refuge inside our homes, we have had to be innovative in efforts. Some of us have been introduced to the ideas of community activism for the first time. I found it surprising that a strict lockdown did not stop thousands from protesting in support of Black Lives Matter, serving meals for their community, and redistributing their wealth to folks in need when a large majority are experiencing personal financial hardship and when a need for individualistic decisions seemed to be at an all-time high. I can admit there were points throughout the pandemic that I was heavily concerned with my needs and my needs only, which can still be super important when our day-to-days drastically change. It would make sense for humanity to value individualism rather than collective good at a time like this, so it was magical and hopeful to see so many come together to selflessly fight for the betterment of our fellow humans—especially when our methods and practices have had to adapt to pandemic protocol in order to emphasize safety and health. This brings me to a question: have we had to radically transform the way we show up for justice, or perhaps are we going back to the roots of social change and directly serving the needs of the people?

Louise was all about throwing out the old plan when it no longer worked and creating a new one to adapt to the needs of the people. She understood the change happening around her and knew that there was no use in sticking to tradition if it was no longer making any progress. However, she also knew she couldn’t do this alone. This was a woman who was very self-aware and who had a clear sense of her strengths. Therefore, she was able to find the right people to fill in where support was needed. Louise founded the Daughters of Charity and devoted her time to building strong caretakers and activists out of women with a variety of skills that wouldn’t have been recognized or used to their potential otherwise. I can only imagine the deliverables assigned to the Daughters—perhaps sewing garments for folks in need of clean clothes, or serving warm food to those without, among other necessities that fit both her seventeenth century and our twenty-first.

It is an unfortunate truth that many members of our own communities lack the same basic human needs we visualize when we think of the people Louise and her Daughters served. We must remember that these harsh realities are not so far removed from us as we may think (know that when I use “we” language, I am speaking on behalf of folks who hold privileged racial and class identities like myself). The pandemic has cost people their jobs, daycare, and partnerships, as well as putting an enormous strain on our spirits. We need each other, and we need each other quick. Many folks in need are not in the position to wait for an annual fundraiser to count their donations, or for a kitchen to serve their holiday meal with their once-a-year volunteers. We are witnessing the importance of mutual aid as a form of direct action, a tool I think Louise probably used but with different language to describe it. Redistributing our resources and applying our unique gifts are valuable steps to becoming an agent of social change in our current world.

When I try to imagine what my service looks like, I remember that skills I wouldn’t think translate into social justice work actually have the potential to come in handy. Louise and her mentees had skills that were looked down upon by the men of that era. It was unlikely that many women would be taken seriously in activist movements of the time because our patriarchal society only saw them as mothers. Louise truly opened the doors for women to step into themselves as change agents and to use their talents for justice without having to change or try to be like men. While I believe we have advanced beyond this gendered way of labeling our skills and achievements, I honor the sentiment that talents from all backgrounds of work and experience can be useful in a social movement. The student activist groups I’ve seen in the last few months feature leaders from varying majors, departments, and life experiences. Everyone has something special to bring to the table.

As I’m nearing my college graduation in a few weeks, I’m reflecting on all the coursework and hands-on experience I’ve had centered upon social justice and identity politics and understanding and meeting the needs of a community. I’m also witnessing the ever-present realities of oppression and injustice in our society. It is easy to get bogged down by the doom and become overwhelmed by it all. When thinking back to Louise and her work, I remember that she experienced doubts about what her purpose in the movement was as well. She was a woman of many hats, as we like to say, and while she is known for wearing her leadership hat, she also was not afraid to rely on her Daughters and lean on them for support. She could not have done the work on her own. When a community is hurting, it is not the job of a sole individual to heal it—how could one person have all the answers? I believe there is power in community and collaboration, filling in the gaps, and leaning on each other for support. The needs of the collective are best met through the collective.

Written by: Grace Jacques, DePaul Class of 2021

For the entire Louise Week Lineup including our daily events and 6-day virtual pilgrimage visit:

St. Louise and Mental Health

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In February 2021 my godmother passed away, leaving me with an overwhelming sense of grief and loss. I had lost family members before, but never one quite as close to me. My godmother was the reason I survived my birth, my role model, and one of my biggest supporters. Her love carried me through my childhood and helped me grow because it was unconditional. Losing her has been one of the most painful things I have ever had to experience. When she first passed, it was difficult to picture a world without her and thinking of a life without her presence felt so painful. I didn’t know where to go from there. And at times, months later I still feel overwhelmed with grief and guilt. I felt guilty that I didn’t do enough to appreciate her when she was alive. I felt hopeless.

A number of things helped me process the grief I was feeling. I reached out to mentors, such as Karl Nass, and talked with them about my godmother. It was nice to lean on others for support and to feel like I had community to help me ease the pain. My friends also helped a lot; they wrote me cards, and my dear friend Gabby drew me a picture of my godmother. One of the things I found most helpful in processing my grief was very unexpected. Not too long after my loss, I attended a meeting in which there was a presentation on Saint Louise de Marillac. The presenters talked about the grief and loss she experienced.

Louise’s story helped me answer the big question that lingered with me: “Where do I go from here?” Not only was I experiencing loss when I encountered Louise’s story, but I was (and still am) dealing with some difficult mental health issues. Louise’s story gives me hope that these difficult moments will one day lead me to where I am supposed to be, or my lumière moment as Louise experienced. I learned from Louise that moments of grief, loss, and pain don’t last forever. I hold this with me now as I struggle to manage my depression. There are days in which I can’t seem to see the light at the end of the tunnel. When I feel this way, I remember everything Louise went through and how she persevered. Louise leaned on others for support, such as her counsellor Francis de Sales, in order to deal with the grief of losing her husband. She dealt with her depression by seeking support from others, and this is something I believe we can all learn from. There are times where we need others to navigate the difficulties of life, and there is power in doing so, as we hear in Louise’s story.

Some of the greatest people, such as Louise, are not the people who seem to have it all together. They are people who are vulnerable and open about their difficulties, because we all encounter difficulties in our lives. Louise’s vulnerability teaches us the power of sharing our story with others. Because Louise’s story has brought me hope and company in a time that feels dark and lonely, I am grateful that it is documented through her writing and that we can all learn from her resilience.

Written by: Gisselle Cervantes, DePaul Class of 2021

For the entire Louise Week Lineup including our daily events and 6-day virtual pilgrimage visit:

Holy Perseverance

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While it is not exactly historically documented, one of my favorite Vincentian stories is how Saint Louise de Marillac made one single decision that drastically preserved the way the Daughters of Charity lived their mission and which continues to prevail even today. A true lesson in perseverance. Holy perseverance. The relative norm for religious women during the seventeenth century was to be cloistered and out of the public eye. However, Saint Louise and her sisters lived a life that was very much a public ministry. They went about doing the practical business of God’s work when and where it was required, without a need to separate themselves from the poor. The story goes that Saint Louise was given a letter requiring the Daughters of Charity to become a cloistered order. Interestingly enough, that letter was never seen… It seems that our beloved and strategic Saint Louise “lost” the letter!

Ultimately, it was Saint Louise who had a clear vision for what the mission was meant to be. The hierarchical authorities at work might have much preferred the sisters busy but out of sight. Yet, quite frankly, Saint Louise simply knew better. We should take some notes from our foundress. How could the Daughters minister in hospitals or establish schools for young girls if they were not permitted to be out in the world? It is a tricky thing to heed authority sincerely, all the while knowing that sometimes no one sees the heart of our mission more clearly than we do. One of the ever-present buzzwords of our day is “systems.” We have an affinity for relegating our societal problems into indecipherably overpowering frameworks that no one person can dismantle alone. “Systems” is the word we use these days as a catchall for intricacies that keep people bound.

No one lives outside of these systems. We are all universally participants in one system or another: there’s simply no societal way around it. But we can actually turn the system on its axis if we work within it to create effective change in the small ways we each hold agency. We can enlist our systems in a fashion that facilitates the greatest good we can achieve; upholding the dignity of others. That’s precisely what Saint Louise did! She may have “lost” the letter, but she kept the mission vibrant.

Working within systems can be a taxing mess, yet often we are called to promote change with our very persistence. We must put our hope into action with steady progress toward what we can influence. While the tasks may be tedious and the hierarchy well-intended, we all have a letter to lose. May Saint Louise be a reminder to us that no one is exempt from systems, and may we draw solace from her words, “I hope that our good God will grant you holy perseverance.”1

1 L.19, To Monsieur L’Abbé de Vaux, 3 May 1640, Spiritual Writings of Louise de Marillac, 28.

Written by: Azucena De La Torre, Ministry Coordinator, Division of Mission and Ministry

For the entire Louise Week Lineup including our daily events and 6-day virtual pilgrimage visit: