Glory to God

Video April 6, 2019March 27, 2020 bcicirel Media, Mission Resources, Seeds of Mission, Spirituality podcast, Prayer, reflection, vincentian values

What motivates your work of service? Vincent de Paul’s guidance is clear: our work must be motivated by love of God and it is to cause others to love God also.

So, how do you respond when the result of all your efforts is a grand success? Conversely, what if your project fails miserably? Is either outcome important? Vincent’s attitude is that neither matters. What is important is the motive behind one’s work. Is your action spurred on by selfless love of people, or by a selfish, self-congratulatory motive?

“Glory to God” is a chapter from the book Windows on His Vision (pp. 129-130) available at https://via.library.depaul.edu/windows/2/

It is also available as an ebook here: https://via.library.depaul.edu/vincentian_ebooks/8/

Vincent and Louise: A Model for Teamwork

April 1, 2019October 30, 2023 bcicirel Louise de Marillac, Mission Monday, Relationships, Vincent de Paul, Vincentian stories louise de marillac, relationships

When Louise de Marillac first discovered that Vincent de Paul had been assigned to be her new spiritual director, she stated, “It was repugnant for me to accept him.” While it is hard to know exactly what was behind Louise’s sentiments, it is clear that she was not pleased by the idea of working together with this Gascon peasant. However, as time went on, Vincent and Louise developed a deep and effective collaboration that would transform service to the poor and marginalized in seventeenth-century France and beyond. From a less than promising start, their friendship lasted 35 years, and their work together created a living legacy of which we are all part.

Think back to an instance when your initial perception of a work relationship changed over time. What did you learn from this experience?

A.2, Light, in Louise de Marillac, et al., Spiritual Writings of Louise De Marillac: Correspondence and Thoughts (New City Press, 1991), 1.

Reflecting Our Values to the World

March 25, 2019August 16, 2019 bcicirel Mission Monday Community, love, mindfulness, Service

…we are as it were a mirror for the world on which it pauses to look and easily does what we do. St. Vincent de Paul The world of Vincent de Paul seems a distant mirror to us today. Yet these words he shared with his community in 1654 are worth pondering even now. Occasionally, it is good to reflect on the way in which we live our lives. What comes to mind if you imagine yourself as a mirror to the world? How do your actions reveal the values that are important to you? What are your favorite Vincentian values? Does your work at DePaul mirror those that mean the most to you?

On Scandal. Conference of October 9, 1654, Conferences of Vincent de Paul to the Daughters of Charity

Love is Inventive to Infinity

March 25, 2019October 30, 2023 bcicirel Mission Monday, Vincent de Paul, Vincentian stories chatillon, Community, love, mindfulness, Service

“Love is inventive to infinity” – Vincent de Paul

In the year 1617, in Châtillon, France, the new pastor Vincent de Paul preached about a sick and impoverished family who were in need of assistance. Vincent’s appeal proved so persuasive that it led many more people to respond to the family’s needs than was necessary. In witnessing such an overwhelming response, Vincent became convinced that if good works are to be effective they need to be well organized. This incident was the catalyst that led Vincent to found conferences of charity to care for the poor and marginalized in parishes throughout France, and eventually all over the world.

Vincent’s experience in Châtillon helped him see the need to make substantial changes to the way charity was administered. In the good work being done at DePaul, how do you see ways that might help us fulfill our mission in a more sustainable or effective way?

Every Day is a New Opportunity

March 11, 2019October 30, 2023 bcicirel Elizabeth Seton, Mission Monday Holiday

“Take every day as a ring which you must engrave, adorn, and embellish with your actions…” St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

Have you ever found yourself spending too much time worrying about the future or regretting the past…and therefore not attending to what is before you in the present? In her quote above, Elizabeth Ann Seton, Sister of Charity and Saint in the Vincentian tradition, reminds us to look on each and every day as a new opportunity: to learn, to grow, to love, to serve, to take action. In this spirit, perhaps you can resolve to take a moment every day this week to pause and focus on the present in order to make the most of what is in front of you – at work, outside of work, and in relationships.

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, in Bechtle, et al, Elizabeth Seton: Collected Writings (2006), 3a:488.

Season of Lent

March 4, 2019October 30, 2023 bcicirel Lent, Mission Monday Holiday

Wednesday, March 6 marks the beginning of the Christian season of Lent. For many Christian communities throughout the world, Lent is an important time of reflection and sacrifice, spiritual renewal and transformation. This period of 40 days before Easter provides an opportunity for introspection and for reconciling our lives against our ideals by way of spiritual practices such as prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

During Lent, millions of Christians will commit themselves to 40 consecutive days of developing or reestablishing a positive habit, abstaining from some negative ones, or seeking to grow in their own personal integrity. Regardless of your spiritual background, Mission and Ministry invites you to participate in one or more of these practices during this Lenten season as a way for personal growth.

Praising Others

February 25, 2019October 30, 2023 bcicirel Mission Monday, Relationships Community, mindfulness

“They will not forget to say a good word to them occasionally…”
– 12. Service of the sick poor, in Common Rules of the Company of Sisters of Charity

Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac created the Common Rules of the Sisters of Charity as a seventeenth-century “code of conduct” for their community. When discussing how to care for the sick and poor, Louise and Vincent encouraged the Sisters to intentionally compliment or share words of appreciation with those that they serve. Louise and Vincent recognized that it is easy to become caught up in our daily tasks and work, and that we can forget to share kind words with those whom we see on a daily basis. This week consider intentionally complimenting or appreciating a student, peer, or colleague as a small way of contributing to the Vincentian legacy today.

Newsnote: Saint Vincent de Paul Society Centennial Holy Card (1833-1933)

February 24, 2019March 27, 2020 bcicirel Vincentian Heritage, Vincentian History archives, Holy Card, ozanam, rare item acquisition, st vincent de paul society

The Vincentiana collection at the Archives/Special Collections Department of DePaul University’s John Richardson LIbrary has recently acquired this example of a holy card celebrating the centennial (1833-1933) of the foundation of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

The image shows Frederic Ozanam ministering to the poor in whom he finds Christ. His work is blessed and inspired by Saint Vincent de Paul.

That Beautiful Virtue

Video February 20, 2019March 27, 2020 bcicirel Media, Mission Resources podcast, reflection, vincentian values, virtue

Vincent de Paul’s awareness of his own sinfulness taught him the beauty of Mercy. How, then, is Mercy beautiful?

It is an attribute of God
It binds communities to God and humans to one another
It is the seedbed of compassion

Practicing mercy and compassion at every moment is a perfect way to repay one’s debt of gratitude for the mercy and compassion one has received in life.

“That Beautiful Virtue” is a chapter from the book Windows on His Vision (pp. 139-140) available at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/windows/2/