An Invitation to Love and Solidarity

As Louise de Marillac endured a particularly difficult trial in her life, Vincent once told her “Que j’ai peine de votre peine!” [How sorry I am about your suffering!] (CCD, 1:138.) While Vincent may have wished to eradicate the cause of Louise’s suffering, it was beyond his power. Instead, Vincent chose to accompany her, reassuring […]

Learning to Discern Well

“Virtue loves discernment and can never be excessive—neither too little nor too much.” (Document 57, Journal of the Last Days of Saint Vincent, 5 June 1660, CCD, 13a:196.) “…in the final analysis, virtue is not found in extremes, but in prudence.…” Letter 881, To Etienne Blatiron, In Genoa, 26 October 1646, CCD, 3:101-02. As the […]

Meekness, the Charming Virtue

“How good you are, a God, my God, how good you are, since indeed in… (Saint) Francis de Sales, your creature, there is such great gentleness” (29, Deposition at the Process of Beatification of Francis de Sales, 17 April 1628, CCD, 13a:91.) In telling of his own spiritual journey, Saint Vincent de Paul described being […]

The Story of the White Tablecloth

Sometimes the smallest things can make a very big difference…. Many have shared the “Story of the White Tablecloth” around our DePaul community to emphasize the reverent dignity and care Vincent de Paul expected to be modeled by his followers in their service of others. In the Foundation documents and the Rules established for the […]