Go-Then
The Vincentian mission starts not from a place of theory, but instead out in the world. After taking time to listen, learn, and understand the stories of people in our communities, we then return to make meaning. We call this approach, “Go, then.” The Vincentian mission calls us to go into the world, to serve and accompany those who are most marginalized. Then, we begin to ask questions of systemic change. When they co-founded the Daughters of Charity, Louise and Vincent realized the need for the Daughters to be out in the streets, in direct contact with those they were serving. Vincent advised that “Daughters of Charity have to go everywhere… for chapel, the parish church; for cloister, the streets of the city.” [1] They put the lives of those on the margins at the center of their work.
Direct relationship, care, and interconnectedness are central to the Vincentian charism. We see our community as co-educators and do not assume that we have all the answers. We trust that each person is the expert in their own lived experience. We encourage students involved in community service to listen deeply to the stories of those on the margins and allow those stories to shape their understanding of the world. We strive to form mutual relationships with a sense of humility that allows us to be served and taught in return. At DePaul, this holds true especially in our commitment to the city of Chicago. We strive to create opportunities for students to connect to this city and its people in meaningful, transformative ways.
[1] #111, Rules for the Sisters in Parishes, CCD, 10:530.