DePaul University, Department of Geography: Map of the Month

bcicirel Vincentian History

Gabet and Huc’s travels through China, 1844-1846 by Aaron Faulkner.

As part of his GEO 398: Internship focusing on Digital Humanities and Historical GIS, under the supervision of St. Vincent de Paul Professor Alex Papadopoulos, undergraduate student Aaron Faulkner has been transforming narratives from the Vincentian archives into maps.  This map was created for the fourth volume of The Vincentians, A General History of the Congregation of the Mission, to be published in the spring of 2014.  Aaron’s map shows the 1844-1846 travels of the French Vincentian missionaries Evariste Regis Huc, C.M., and Joseph Gabet, C.M., through the Chinese Empire, including Inner and Outer Mongolia, Tibet, and Portuguese Macau.  The outgoing trip, shown in white, took the missionaries to seven stopover sites, traveling across plains, steppes, and eventually the Himalayas.  From Lhasa they traveled east following the Yangtze River wherever possible before heading south and terminating their trip in Macau. This cartographic reference was created by studying period maps and extracting key data, in the form of trails, text, and place marking to create a contemporary rendering with the help of digitization.

For more information contact: Prof. Euan Hague, Chair, Department of Geography, ehague@depaul.edu; Prof. Alex Papadopoulos, Department of Geography, apapadop@depaul.edu.

 

Exploring Vincent de Paul’s Mediterranean. Western Europe and the Barbary Coast, 1580-1760

bcicirel Vincentian History

 

Autumn 2013
A Joint Exhibition of Richardson Library, Special Collections and Archives
and
The Society of Vincent de Paul Professors of DePaul University.
Opening Reception: Thursday, November 7, 2013 3:00-6:00 pm
Special Collections and Archives
Richardson Library
DePaul University
2350 N. Kenmore Avenue
Chicago, IL 60614

For more information: 773-325-7864

New Scholars. New Reflections.

bcicirel Uncategorized , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Over the summer, a group of our interfaith scholars headed to New York City in order to experience each other’s faith in such a way that we could move past any preconceived notions and actually grasp what the others believed. For most college age students, a trip to New York is all about the kind of shenanigans that can be accomplished and summer is about losing all responsibility and just relaxing. This summer shifted our focus because we were not letting time idly pass by. We were pushed out of our comfort zones in an effort to bring all of us closer together. We had the rest of the summer to reflect and decide if that plan worked or not. 

Each scholar was asked to reflect on:

  • What experience was inspiring?
  • What was surprising?
  • What challenges were confronted?
  • What made you care?

Interfaith Scholar extraordinaire Kamieshia Graves gave us her reflection:

“New York. (insert happy sigh here) The city of wonders and great opportunities. The place to be with all its magnificent city lights illuminating the picturesque skyline. All the snazzy people with ambitions and dreams that are out of this world. Forget Home, Dorothy! There’s no place like New York!!!!!!”

Yeah… definitely not how I felt initially. May I offer a bit of my reality?

I never had the burning desire to go to NY. In fact, I was so dedicated to being a Chicagoan that I was almost positive that I would never partake in the blasphemous act of going to New York. It sounds ridiculous because it was ridiculous– don’t judge me. I think NY simply terrified me causing the lack of motivation to visit; however, I agreed to go with Interfaith Scholars 2013-2014 (woot woot!) and the adventure began.

You see, the day of travel came and butterflies are too cute to describe how I felt. I hadn’t previously met any of my team members with whom I would be riding all the way to NY. I’m a pretty easygoing person, but the thought of not being accepted into the group worried me quite a bit and I must say that first day was quite a challenge for me. It was like transferring to a new high school during senior year—I know from experience. Everyone was already comfortable and easily initiated conversations and laughed. Meanwhile, I fought to find a cool way to just jump in, which I never figured out. Instead, I randomly would ask a question, like a dork, never realizing that the focus was on the Game of Thrones, which I knew nothing about. (PS. Thanks guys for inspiring me to watch it. It is good!) Needless to say, I slept most of that ride.

Fast-forward:

We arrived and had arrangements to stay in the Bronx! I loved the Bronx immediately because it gave me a sense of comfort when I needed it most. I felt more connected with the residents of that area more so than I did with the individuals I was to live with. I felt that if I walked into a random group of New Yorkers they would listen to me, but I did not feel that way with my own team. Then all of a sudden, a bright light broke through the sky and we had a “Haaaaaaallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelu-u-u-u-jahhhh” moment and one person from my group struck up a conversation with me and then another and we just clicked, which actually surprised me! Although I believe that the foundation of Christianity with regards to behavior towards others is to be Christ-like by loving everyone despite differences, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I, a nondenominational Christian, had so much in common, including some religious beliefs, with the two young women who are both Muslim. The shared commonalities even extended to the other faith practices represented in the group. Can you imagine the look on my face when I met the Greek Orthodox priest and learned that he is just as crazy hilarious as my own pastor?! I’m sorry, but when I first heard Greek Orthodox I let my preconceived notions nurture the idea of taking a nap before going to that church. I expected it to be boring, but I happily admitted my error after learning that the St Nick is Santa. I had to send silent prayers of forgiveness to each of the faith practices many times that trip; I wouldn’t have changed it though because I learned a great deal about others as well as myself.

Though some may disagree, I would be comfortable saying that we are all working toward the same goal, but simply using different paths. I love it!

During a free day, I got to explore this a bit more when the leaders of the group gave us the challenge of initiating a conversation with a native and, if not too strenuous, centering the conversation on religion. I, along with the same two young ladies, found it rather easy to achieve this at Union Square with a bunch of random men from different faith practices. We got into this really crazy discussion (borderline debate at times) about Christianity, Atheism, and Islam with a man who identified himself as atheist. More and more people joined, and we developed this cycle of discussing religion and being silly. In the midst of all this enjoyable chaos, there was an older Islamic woman whose mere presence was awe-inspiring. This woman was selling water to make a profit. A couple of the guys bought water, and one said that he had done it because he felt sorry for her. The crazy thing is this lady was joyous and goofy. At least for the moment, she had not let life steal her love of living. I remember that she had jokingly asked one of the men why he hadn’t made a pass at one of us ladies and she laughed with us. It seems so simple, but I found it inspirational because life has dealt some crazy cards to me and I had allowed it to start having an effect on my perspective, but her presence reminded me of what I do have- laughter. (I have this crazy obnoxious laugh but I love it because it makes others laugh too.) I let the hard stuff blur my positive and optimistic outlook, but her presence.

Jumping gears to a not so religious moment that I have to share because it touched me:

I cannot remember where we were or why we were there but we were at a very small park- it was literally a fountain with benches around it- and there was this little girl who was in her own little world. She danced and danced without a care in the world, and all of us just watched her, but not in a creepy way. She eventually realized she had an audience and she stopped and returned the favor. She just looked at me… and looked… and looked until she smiled a big cheerful smile provoking me to do the same. She waved at me giddily twice before her mother looked back to check on the fuss. Her daughter ran to her and pointed at me and waved again. Our group had turned to leave, but before leaving to proceed to our next destination I turned to see her awaiting a goodbye. We waved one last time and I walked away touched by the purity of that carefree child.

I could go on and on about the IFS trip to NY, but I think I have already talked waaaaay too much. What can I say? Because of the memories I was gifted, I had a lot to say about the remarkable city of New York. As of right now, there is no place like it.

 

Barbara Diefendorf to receive the Pierre Coste Prize

bcicirel Vincentian History ,

 

A modern day scholar of French history will be honored for her distinguished contributions to Vincentian historiography on Sept. 27, the feast day of St. Vincent de Paul, the 17th century French priest who devoted his life to serving and caring for others.

Barbara Diefendorf, a Boston University history professor, is the 2013 recipient of the Vincentian Studies Institute Pierre Coste Prize. Named for the Rev. Pierre Coste, C.M., a 20th century French Vincentian historian known as the father of modern Vincentian studies, the award recognizes distinguished contribution in Vincentian scholarship.

“Fr. Coste was responsible for publishing the definitive French edition of ‘Saint Vincent de Paul: Correspondence, Conferences and Documents,’ 14 volumes, and an acclaimed three volume biography of the saint published in 1933,” said the Rev. Edward R. Udovic, C.M., secretary of DePaul University, where he also serves as senior executive for university mission and vice president for teaching and learning resources.

“Dr. Diefendorf is being honored for her signal contributions to the religious historiography of 17th century France, which have in turn greatly contributed to the contextualization of Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac and the foundation of the Vincentian tradition,” said Fr. Udovic, who also is an associate professor of history at DePaul.

Diefendorf, who attended the University of California, Berkeley and has an undergraduate degrees in French and history, and graduate and doctoral degrees in history, has taught European history at Boston University since 1980. She is the author of “Paris City Councillors in the Sixteenth Century: The Politics of Patrimony;” “Beneath the Cross: Catholics and Huguenots in Sixteenth-Century Paris, which was awarded the New England Historical Association and National Huguenot Association book prizes; “From Penitence to Charity: Pious Women and the Catholic Reformation in Paris,” which was awarded the J. Russell Major Prize by the American Historical Association; and “The Saint Bartholomew’s Day Massacre: A Brief History with Documents.”

“I came to study 17th century French spirituality as a way of exploring the Catholic revival that followed France’s Wars of Religion, an earlier subject of my research,” said Diefendorf. “Although my first interest lay in the penitential and ascetic spirituality that grew out of the wars, I quickly realized that I needed to account for very different spiritual currents as well.

“The apostolic charity that lay at the heart of the work of Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac in particular intrigued me, because of its contrast with the inward-looking asceticism that followed on the heels of the wars,” Diefendorf said. “I first attempted to bring these diverse strands of piety together in a paper presented at the Vincentian Heritage Symposium held at DePaul University in 1992. I had no idea of it at the time, but the title I chose for that paper, “From Penitence to Charity,” would offer not only the title but also the essential narrative of my next book. The fact that I first presented this work at DePaul makes the Pierre Coste Prize especially meaningful for me.”

The Pierre Coste Prize was established in 2003 in preparation for the 25th anniversary celebration of the Vincentian Studies Institute. Previous honorees include, Sister Marie Poole, D.C., editor of the Vincentian translation project (2004); the Rev. Stafford Poole, C.M., a Vincentian historian (2006); Sister Louise Sullivan, D.C., author of several Vincentian works including “Saint Louise de Marillac: Spiritual Writings” (2010); and the late Rev. Paul Henzmann, C.M., the archivist at the Maison-Mere of the Congregation of the Mission in Paris (2010).

Founded in 1979 by the 10 provinces of the Congregation of the Mission and Daughters of Charity in the United States, the Vincentian Studies Institute serves as the premier international resource for Vincentian scholarship. Sponsored by DePaul University in Chicago since 2007, the institute has continued its traditional research, publication and continuing education missions and expanded these resources through a variety of online and digitization projects. It is housed in DePaul’s Office of Mission and Values. Additional information is at http://mission.depaul.edu/VincentianIdentity/vsi/Pages/default.aspx.

– See more at: http://newsroom.depaul.edu/NewsReleases/showNews.aspx?NID=2681#stha…

Louise de Marillac’s Statue in St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome

bcicirel Vincentian History , ,

The Vincentiana Collection in Archives/Special Collections at DePaul University’s John T. Richardson Library has recently acquired this 1947 press photo. The text reads:

“SCULPTURE READIED FOR ST. PETER’S BASILICA ROME: Professor A. Silva, official Vatican artist puts the finishing touches to the head of the sculpture of the recently canonized Louise de Marillac, founder of the order of the Sisters of Charity. The statue, which is made after model at top right, will be twenty feet high, in accordance with the normal size of statutes in St. Peter’s Basilica, where it will be erected.”

ACME Photo by Julius Humi, Staff Correspondent, 9/27/47

Rare St. Vincent de Paul Society item acquired

bcicirel Vincentian History ,

The Vincentiana Collection at DePaul University’s Richardson Libarary’s Archives and Special Collections Department has recently acquired an early example of a St. Vincent de Paul Society fundraiser for the poor. The lottery took place in Bordeaux in 1855-1856.  The various prizes for the lottery are listed on the ticket which cost one livre.  From its origins, the Society employed a number of different types of fundraising to support its ministries to the poor.