mission

The Heart of Jesus In the Spirituality of Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac

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Former superior general Robert Maloney examines what the heart of Jesus meant to Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac. Vincent prayed that the Congregation would have the heart of Jesus, or the zeal, to bring God’s love to the poor. The missionaries were also to exercise gentleness and humility, the qualities Jesus attributed to his heart in Matthew 11:29. For Louise, this heart meant “charity that was both affective and effective.” She created many paintings of Jesus’s heart, some of which are described in the article with accompanying images. The historical development of devotion to the heart of Jesus, in which Francis de Sales played a role, is explained. Maloney explores five meanings Jesus’s heart has for us. It “heightens our awareness of the limitless love of God.” It calls us to be gentle and humble, makes us aware of our limitations, and helps us find wisdom and practice discernment. Finally, it encourages us to imitate Jesus’s love, which is “expansive” and “affective and effective.”

“The Heart of Jesus in the Spirituality of Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac” is an article published in the Vincentian Heritage Journal, Volume 32, Issue 1, Article 8 available at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/vhj/vol32/iss1/8

 

Give Me the Simple Life

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“Give Me the Simple Life” is a chapter in the book Saint Vincent de Paul: His Mind and His Manner (pp. 84-86) by Jack Melito, C.M., published in 2010 by the Vincentian Studies Institute at DePaul University in Chicago, IL.  Here Fr. Melito illustrates how Vincent de Paul urges us to live simply.  What does this mean?  How is it done? For Vincent the answers did not involve quantitative measures but qualitative ones which point to living as Jesus lived.  Even the great poet, Henry David Thoreau, though not ‘religious,’ stressed the importance of living simply.  Both the religious guide and the humanistic guru, then, counsel living simply and realizing, ultimately, its liberating openness to the inherent beauty of life itself.  Simple, deliberate living is a personal style.  There is no one-size-fits-all.  For Vincent, it was “the livery of Christ conceived in the Spirit of the poor.”

‘There Is Great Charity, But…’ Vincent de Paul and the Organization of Charity

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Vincent de Paul was able to accomplish great works of charity because he was an extraordinary organizer and manager. His early experience at Chatillon-les-Dombes showed him the importance of organizing charity so that it could have effective, long-term results. Vincent’s methods are analyzed according to modern nonprofit organization theory, with particular emphasis on what he said and did regarding “foundation, mission and structure.” He attached special importance to meetings and staffing issues. The article also addresses how his ways of organizing can be applied to charity in the twenty-first century.

“There is Great Charity, But…Vincent de Paul and the Organization of Charity” is an article by Thomas G. Fuechtmann, Ph.D., appearing in the Vincentian Heritage Journal, Volume 26, Issue 1, Article 5 available at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/vhj/vol26/iss1/5

 

There’s a Man Full of Mercy

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“There’s a Man Full of Mercy” is an article that appeared in the Newsletter of the Midwest Province of the Congregation of the Mission.  Reflecting on the life of Vincent de Paul, the author tells of the necessity of the virtue of mercy for anyone serving the poor.  Citing parallels between God’s mercy toward us and the mercy we should then pass on to those needing mercy, he speaks to Vincent’s stressing the need to be merciful in every situation, every day, throughout one’s life.

Vincent de Paul: A Saint Who Got His Worlds Together

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Thomas McKenna explains how Vincent de Paul “integrat[ed] the life of faith with so-called secular existence” and “examines his way of blending a spiritual vision with the hard-nosed world of finance and business.” For McKenna, this blending is the key to Vincent’s saintliness. He knew that human welfare had to include “spiritual and material aspects.” He used his business acumen, which is described in detail, to support his many ministries. These were intended to align society with the kingdom of heaven. Vincent focused on improving the lives of the poor because Christ was to be found in them, and they were to be first in the kingdom. McKenna discusses the questions that Vincent’s life raises in us, especially in our perceptions of the poor and how business should work. He also looks at the way the lives of the saints can influence modern faith. He says it is important to tell the stories of saints’ lives so that people can imagine themselves participating in the saints’ worlds. They can draw their own lessons from such an exercise.

“Vincent de Paul: A Saint Who Got His Worlds Together” is an article by Fr. Thomas McKenna, C.M., published in 1997 in the Vincentian Heritage Journal and is available at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/vhj/vol18/iss1/1

Vincentian Pragmatism: Toward a Method for Systemic Change

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Scott Kelley creates the term Vincentian Pragmatism and defines it as “Vincent [de Paul]’s way of proceeding . . . [it is] an integrated and holistic way of knowing that is capable of systemic change.” He writes, “Vincentian Pragmatism must also inform the way we engage, identify, explore, interpret, and decide in response to the complex systems that exacerbate poverty. It must unite action and contemplation.” Kelley identifies questions we must ask to pursue Vincentian epistemology and explains how Vincent developed it from his own experience. The process of overcoming our biases and forming a Vincentian worldview is also examined. Vincentian Pragmatism has five components of action: “begin attentively, explore openly, interpret imaginatively, decide responsibly, and act courageously.” These are discussed in detail. Together, they are a way of truly understanding the causes and nature of poverty and strategizing for effective solutions. Different aspects of strategy are described.

“Vincentian Pragmatism: Toward a Method for Systemic Change” is an article by Scott Kelley, Ph.D., published in 2012 in the Vincentian Heritage Journal, Volume 31, Issue 2, Article 2, pp. 41-63, and it is available at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/vhj/vol31/iss2/2

Vincent the Charismatic

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“Vincent the Charismatic” is a chapter from the book, Saint Vincent de Paul: His Mind and His Manner, by Fr. Jack Melito, C.M., published in 2010 by the Vincentian Studies Institute at DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois.  Reflecting on the tremendous accomplishments of Vincent de Paul’s life, the author labels that body of work as “ministry with impact.”  The “fire” of love for the poor that burned so fiercely in Vincent’s heart was the impetus that drove his life’s action.  However, unlike the flashy “charismatic” one might encounter today, Vincent de Paul’s humility ruled the day and allowed him to see the true nature of his being as merely an instrument of God’s working.

Saint Vincent de Paul: His Mind and His Manner is currently out of print.

 

The Vincentian Question

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As a church historian specializing in the history of the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians), Fr. Edward R. Udovic, C.M. addresses the historical context for the development of the “Vincentian Question: What Must Be Done?”  In this original essay, he speaks to the conditions of early 17th Century France and the responses of those involved in the Catholic Reformation of that time and how Vincent became the most prominent guide for channeling that spiritual movement into effective, practical action.

A modern-day application and recasting of this talk by Fr. Udovic is available at: youtube.com/watch?v=MK7sMN11p6s

 

Vincent’s Values: A Spiritual Perspective

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In an original essay, Fr. Edward R. Udovic, C.M., reflects on those traditional five virtues that Vincent de Paul identified as requisite for living like Jesus, the Evangelizer of the Poor.  Notifying the need for each era to translate those virtues into meaningful terms that inspire personal conversion, he suggests re-framing them as follows:  humility is lived by being realistic; simplicity by being honest; meekness by being approachable; mortification by being self-disciplined; and zeal by being hard-working.

Reflections on Service to the Poor

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Fr. James Cormack, C.M., reflects on the Vincentian charism from his own experience. Vincentian service is a call from God’s love to return that love. It requires seeing Christ crucified in persons who are poor. It takes faith but also deepens faith. As Cormack sees them, the main qualities of the charism are compassion, courage, weakness, a commitment to smallness, and a change of heart. Weakness is necessary because we must recognize that we, too, need help and that the strength to serve comes from God. A commitment to smallness entails being satisfied with doing ordinary things; if we desire personal fulfillment too much, we risk ignoring the poor’s needs. A change of heart means not only loving but also being open to having love and service reciprocated. The charism requires people who can work without seeing the goals of their service fulfilled and who are consumed by the desire to serve.

“Reflections on Service to the Poor” is an article published in the Vincentian Heritage Journal, Volume 13, Issue 2, Article 5 (1992) and is available at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/vhj/vol13/iss2/5