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 […]
“Courage then, my dear Sisters! Let us serve with hearts filled with the pure love of God which enables us always to love the roses amidst the thorns.” (L.426, To the Sisters of the Hospital of Angers, Spiritual Writings, 36.) These words from Louise really strike me as we live in a time of great uncertainty wherein […]
“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 […]
“God does not ask you to go beyond the means he has given you.” Vincent de Paul (CCD, 7:523) One of Vincent de Paul’s frequently mentioned beliefs is that Providence can be relied upon to guide us and to come to our aid. Despite troubles that afflict us or feel overwhelming, Vincent clearly believed that […]
“If love of God is a fire, zeal is its flame; if love is a sun, zeal is its ray.” 211, The Five Characteristic Virtues, 22 August 1659, CCD, 12:250. Vincent de Paul once stated, “If love of God is a fire, zeal is its flame; if love is a sun, zeal is its ray.” […]
“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 […]
“We must go forward without becoming discouraged…” — Vincent de Paul As the days get shorter and the weather gets colder, many of us reflect upon the past year and on what lies ahead. In numerous spiritual traditions, we are encouraged to pay attention to the environmental changes around us as signs and reminders of […]
St. Vincent once said to Saint Louis, “It seems to me that you are killing yourself from the little care you take of yourself.” (Vincent de Paul , n.d. [c.1632], CCD 1:145.) As the quarter comes to an end it is important for all members of DePaul’s community to be mindful of taking care of themselves. Solid and […]
“I would truly like to know how you really are.” Take a moment to remember how many times you have greeted somebody over the last day. How many times have you asked the question, “How are you?” In our fast-paced society, it is easy for this question to get lost in the flurry as we […]
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 […]