vincentian values

Seasons of Renewal for a Weary World

Cassy Mission and Ministry, Mission Weekly , , , , , ,

Updates, resources, and events highlighting the integration of DePaul’s Vincentian mission into the daily life and work of the university community.

MISSION MONDAY

“Seasons of Renewal for a Weary World” 

How can the seasons of Ramadan and Lent help us overcome that feeling of simply being worn out?

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                              IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER

February 25 | Vincentian Managers’ Forum

Calling all managers of professional staff! Please join us for the Winter Vincentian Managers’ Forum.

How do we support our teams and take care of ourselves during this time of significant change at DePaul? What are effective managerial strategies for self and communal care?  Explore these questions and more with peer managers, incorporating Vincentian tools for discernment and pragmatic human flourishing.

Please RSVP and indicate whether you will be attending in-person or on Zoom.

February 9 | Busy Person’s Retreat

DePaul faculty and staff, you are invited to step away from your busy lives for a few moments a day and participate in DePaul’s annual, online Busy Person’s Retreat.  During the week of February 9th, you will receive a daily e-mail that will offer brief reflections to help you cultivate peace and find meaning amidst your day-to-day activities.   We hope you will join us for this enlivening DePaul experience!  RSVP

February 13 | Day with Vincent

DePaul faculty and staff, we invite you to join us at our annual Service Day with Vincent! Deepen your connection with our Vincentian mission and spend meaningful time with DePaul colleagues all while serving at some of our most dynamic community partners. Reflection, food and fun also included. We hope you will join us! RSVP

Lenten Group on Mondays 2026
February 23 – March 30

This Lent, the Division of Mission and Ministry will again facilitate weekly faith-sharing groups on Mondays for faculty and staff. We invite you to join us, alongside your peers, as we seek spiritual renewal during the Lenten season. RSVP

 

 

 

February 18 | Ash Wednesday

All are invited to join for the following prayer services on Ash Wednesday, February 18, 2026. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lenten Season in the Christian tradition—a season for prayer, fasting, and giving alms in preparation for Easter. Come for prayer, community, and ashes that remind us of our ultimate reliance on God.

 

 

 

 

 

Now available to download: Vincentian Studies 39:1

A tribute to the career and scholarship of Rev. John E. Rybolt, CM, featuring six new articles.

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NOTICE OF BEREAVEMENT

Bereavement Notice: Nancy Ellen Sinclair

It is with sadness that we have learned of the death of Nancy Ellen Sinclair, the mother of Katy Weseman of Student Affairs. Nancy passed away on December 28, 2025 at the age of 77.

read more…

DePaul University Bereavement Notices will now be found here.

 

“The Invitation of the Present Moment…”

Cassy Mission and Ministry, Mission Weekly , , , , ,

Updates, resources, and events highlighting the integration of DePaul’s Vincentian mission into the daily life and work of the university community.

MISSION MONDAY

“The Invitation of the Present Moment…”

While DePaul University may look and feel different today, our purpose has not changed and our commitment must remain steadfast.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                   IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER

January 28 | Lunch with Vincent: Peter Coffey and Amanda Thompson

DePaul faculty and staff are invited to Lunch with Vincent with Peter Coffey and Amanda Thompson, from DePaul’s Office of Community and Government Relations, who will share how DePaul’s advocacy and community engagement are shaped by our Vincentian mission. Join us in person or virtually for conversation and connection. Lunch will be provided for in-person guests. For questions, contact Tom Judge at tjudge@depaul.edu Please register to join.  We would love to have you! RSVP

February 9 | Busy Person’s Retreat

DePaul faculty and staff, you are invited to step away from your busy lives for a few moments a day and participate in DePaul’s annual, online Busy Person’s Retreat.  During the week of February 9th, you will receive a daily e-mail that will offer brief reflections to help you cultivate peace and find meaning amidst your day-to-day activities.   We hope you will join us for this enlivening DePaul experience!  RSVP

February 13 | Day with Vincent

DePaul faculty and staff, we invite you to join us at our annual Service Day with Vincent! Deepen your connection with our Vincentian mission and spend meaningful time with DePaul colleagues all while serving at some of our most dynamic community partners. Reflection, food and fun also included. We hope you will join us! RSVP

April 29 | Vincentians and the Papacy Symposium – Call for Papers

The Vincentian Studies Institute is planning to host an April 2026 symposium on Vincentians and the Papacy. For more information on our call for papers and possible participation, please see our post on Way of Wisdom. RSVP

“The Invitation of the Present Moment…”

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Reflection by: Siobhan O’Donoghue, PhD, Director of Faculty and Staff Engagement, Division of Mission and Ministry

The French quote reads, “Love one another. Be the eye for the blind, the foot for the disabled, the father of the poor, the support of the orphan.”

Without a doubt, this past December will be remembered as one of the most difficult moments in DePaul’s 128-year-old history. The loss of 114 cherished colleagues will continue to be profoundly felt. No matter one’s position or tenure at the university, each person who departed played a unique role in making DePaul the place it is today. We are a university that believes another world is possible, a more just world in which all should have access to a quality, justice-oriented and transformative education, particularly those on the margins of society. And we will continue to be grateful to all our colleagues and friends who contributed their best selves to the realization of DePaul’s Catholic, Vincentian mission. This mission continues to be our compass and our North Star in charting a course ahead amidst the choppy waters of higher education.

As we begin to set our sights on the terrain before us, how might the wisdom of Vincent guide us? After all, our founder was no stranger to navigating the tumultuous times of his era. So, what might we learn from him? Two timeless truths may speak to us.

Vincent once advised a struggling priest, “please be steadfast in walking in the vocation to which you are called.”[i] He wanted to reassure him of the value and purpose of his calling. Such sentiments would have been very familiar to Vincent’s confreres. Whenever they encountered difficulties caused by external circumstances over which they had little control, Vincent would remind his community of their fundamental purpose, core identity, and inherent worth. Their purpose was to serve those on the margins of society through the light of their faith. By reminding them of the value of their commitment while clarifying their purpose, Vincent served to anchor and reorient the community, inspiring them with a renewed sense of zeal.

In addition to reminding his followers to remain steadfast, Vincent would also motivate them by talking about love. “Love is inventive to infinity.”[ii] Such inspirational words continue to beckon to us today, calling us to imagine new possibilities and respond creatively in a spirit of love, approaching any challenges with an openness of mind and heart. As we face difficulty, allowing ourselves to indulge our imaginations calls forth our ability to dream and explore what is possible in this new reality, rather than just accepting the limitations of the status quo. Seeing the current moment as the next step of the journey urges us on to forge a new path ahead. This invitation lies at the very heart of our Vincentian DNA.

So, perhaps, if Vincent were to share some wisdom with us now, and considering the many challenges in higher education, he might urge us to keep seeking new, bold ways to serve. He would want us to ensure that the mission flourishes through innovation. And, moreover, he would want our efforts to always be grounded in love for the dignity of those we seek to serve.

Thus, while our university undeniably looks and feels different post-December, and the losses of this transitional moment will continue to be felt, our purpose as a mission-based institution has not changed and our commitment must remain steadfast. In our essence, we will continue to be a Catholic, Vincentian institution that strives to genuinely welcome and serve diverse faculty, staff, and students, inviting each person to become part of a values-based learning community that is inclusive and accepting of all.

Reflection Questions

1. What seeds of hope might you take from Vincent’s words as we are challenged by the contemporary hurdles in higher education today?

2. How, in your current reality, might you find evidence that “love is inventive to infinity?”

[1] Letter 1824, To a Priest of the Mission, January 2, 1655, CCD, 5:256.

[2] Conference 102, Exhortation to a Dying Brother, 1645, CCD, 11:131.

“First the heart and then the work”: Vincentian Advice for New Year’s Resolutions

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Reflection by: Miranda Lukatch, Editor, Vincentian Studies Institute

If you’re a perfectionist like me, making New Year’s resolutions is exhilarating and exhausting. The year’s end often prompts me to make an extensive assessment of how life is going and how it—and I—can be improved. I end up with a long list of things I want to change or things I want to do. It’s exciting to think about the end result—a new, improved self—but exhausting trying to figure out the steps to get there. Trying to make my grand goals into things that are actually achievable is a less interesting and far more daunting task. So often my aims are about doing more. Saints Louise de Marillac and Vincent de Paul were champions at accomplishing things. So, facing resolution time this year, I decided to see what kind of wisdom they might have to offer so that I might be able to avoid my common pitfall.

The first thing I found in my quest was that Louise de Marillac also battled perfectionism, and it sounds as if she made many resolutions, some of which survive now in her Spiritual Writings. (These often concern meditations she wanted to make on spiritual topics or acts of adoration she wanted to do. An ambitious soul, sometimes she drew up a daily schedule for them.) But she learned that “once a year is quite enough to delve into this kind of research . . . recognizing our weakness.”[1] She added, “We’re under an illusion if we think ourselves capable of perfection, and still more so if we think ourselves capable of perfection by watching closely the slightest movement or disposition of our soul. . . . It’s useless, even dangerous, to be forever analyzing our soul and picking it apart.” She cautioned her followers not to be “like those persons who become bankrupt instead of amassing riches because they refine everything in the effort to find the philosopher’s stone.”[2] This got me thinking that one way to understand the “riches” I already have in myself might be to list the resolutions I would like to make, but then also list the foundation that I have for this goal or steps I’ve already taken, perhaps without realizing it, to make the desired result of them real.

The other piece of advice I found comes from Vincent. It is a reminder to pace myself, and interestingly, it was written at year’s end in December 1630. Vincent said to Louise, “Be careful not to do too much. It is a ruse of the devil, by which he deceives good people, to induce them to do more than they are able, so that they end up not being able to do anything. The spirit of God urges one gently to do the good that can be done reasonably, so that it may be done perseveringly and for a long time. Act, therefore, in this way, Mademoiselle, and you will be acting according to the spirit of God.”[3] As it does so often, Vincent’s wisdom echoes down the years and almost holds a mirror in front of me. Because what so often happens as a result of comprehensive resolutions? I burn out.

As Louise and Vincent cautioned, moderation is the key to success. Limiting myself to one or two resolutions might help me actually put them into effect long term. But, to return to my original question of how to do more, I found that Vincent de Paul had advice for that too. We often formulate it here at DePaul as “it is not enough to do good. It must be done well.” He also said, “God asks first for your heart, and only then for your work.”[4] Doing more should not necessarily be the goal. It’s doing something well, out of a sincere intention of doing good, that matters most. Armed with this knowledge, I think I can set a reasonable—and sustainable—goal for doing good this year, and not just for myself, but for the part of the world that I can impact. What about you? How can the Vincentian advice in this reflection help you set your aspirations for the year ahead?

Reflection Questions

How can you set yourself up for success when setting goals for yourself? How can you make your expectations of yourself reasonable and your goals achievable?

Reflection by Miranda Lukatch, Editor, Vincentian Studies Institute

[1] Quoted in Margaret J. Kelly, D.C. “The Relationship of Saint Vincent and Saint Louise from Her Perspective,” Vincentian Heritage Journal 11:1 (1990): 80. Available online at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/vhj/vol11/iss1/6.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Vincent de Paul, Letter 58, “To Saint Louise, in Beauvais,” 7 December 1630, CCD, 1:92.

[4] Conference of Vincent de Paul to the Daughters of Charity, “The Purpose of the Company,” 18 October 1655, ibid., 10:108.

How can we stay grounded and resilient during challenging moments like these?

jkirby3 Mission and Ministry, Mission Weekly , , ,

Updates, resources, and events highlighting the integration of DePaul’s Vincentian mission into the daily life and work of the university community.

MISSION MONDAY

How can we stay grounded and resilient during challenging moments like these?

This is a difficult time for us, yet we will move through it together when we do so with care for ourselves and others.

 

                                   IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER

DECEMBER 9 | Pop-Up Gathering for Staff and Faculty

Please join us for a very special faculty and staff gathering!

Tuesday, December 9
Beginning at 12:00pm
Loop DePaul Center
DePaul Club – Room 11018

Feel free to bring your lunch and anything else you might like to share.  We will provide beverages and desserts.

We hope this will be an opportunity for fellowship and support during these challenging times at our university as well as a way to nurture our spirits during this season of hope.

We will also have a service opportunity available if you would like to write out a holiday card or decorate a gift bag for our community partners at Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly.   These will then be given to their elderly friends throughout the Chicagoland area.

Please register to join.  We would love to have you!

RSVP

 

DECEMBER 11 | End–of–Year Faculty & Staff Connection: Caring for Our Community

Take a moment to pause and connect as we close out the calendar year. Bring your lunch—or just yourself—and join fellow DePaul faculty and staff for an open-house lunch hour with warm beverages, conversation, and mutual support. This is a space to share care, strengthen connections, and foster the spirit of our community.

Thursday, December 11
Stop by between 11:00am – 1:00pm
LPC Student Center Room 220

Registration is optional, but if you know you’ll be attending please let us know.

RSVP

How can we stay grounded and resilient during challenging moments like these?

jkirby3 Mission and Ministry, Mission Monday , , , , ,

Reflection by: Mark Laboe, Interim VP for Mission and Ministry

Some version of this question has often been posed to me and my colleagues in Mission and Ministry over the past several weeks, as the university community braces for the impact of budget and staffing cuts. Unfortunately, there is no magic pill or solution that will serve to help every person or situation. These are hard moments for all. Many are feeling bad and maybe hurting. We may feel let down, angry, and without much hope in sight. We may wish things were otherwise. This is the reality before us. Yet, we can and will move through it together when we do so with care for ourselves and others.

In seeking some sense of support and orientation from our Vincentian heritage, a few pieces of wisdom may provide some sustenance or insight to aid us through the current realities with continued resilience and hope. Also, in thinking about this question, it becomes clear that what is suggested here are mostly practices that are, ideally, always some part of our way of life. They just become even more important in times of challenge, stress, and difficulty.


1. Remember Who You Are

Vincent de Paul encouraged his followers: “Please be steadfast in walking in the vocation to which you are called.” (CCD 5:256) A good starting point is to remember, especially in moments of difficulty, that you are (still) a person who has much to offer to the world and those around you. You have a life of experience, learning, and successes. You have overcome challenges before. The external circumstances of your life do not change that fact. You also have a vocation (a purpose) to live out in whatever setting or situation you find yourself, and you are far more than just your work life. You have core values that are important to you and that you want to embody in your life. You are not just a machine producing widgets, but a human being who hopes and dreams, who loves, who has much to offer to those around you.

Though we may feel shaken, it is important that we do not allow difficult moments to lead us to forget or stray from our fundamental vocation and identity. Rather, we must use the occasion to reach even deeper into what is at the core of who we are and to find our roots there. This moment may simply be an invitation to grow stronger in understanding and conviction about what exactly that core identity and vocation is for us.

You may find that taking a moment to look at the “long view” of your life may help—using the well-known adage to “begin with the end in mind.” That is, envision who you want to have become as a person at the end of your life, then consider how you can continue to be true to that and to move in that direction even through this difficult moment.

2. Never Go It Alone

One of Vincent de Paul’s key insights came in the recognition that the mission to which he was called, or that he was entrusted with, was much bigger than he could fulfill on his own. He needed others, if his mission would ever be realized. We are all like Vincent in this way, even if we may lose sight of it when things are going smoothly. In a society that urges one to be an independent achiever, the fact remains that we are interdependent creatures. We each have a life to lead and a mission to fulfill as individuals, AND we can’t do it alone. At times like these it’s good to reflect on the fact that who we have become is a result not just of our own efforts and accomplishments but of the help and support of many other people around us. This is the human way, and it is the Vincentian way. So, especially in times of difficulty, don’t forget that, or pretend it can be otherwise.

Ask yourself who your people are, who you can lean on, who you can develop a stronger relationship with, and how you can put yourself in spaces to be surrounded by a community of support. This may require vulnerability. It may require a recognition of our limits. It will require an acceptance of our interdependence with others in our life and work. Who are your companions on the journey of life? Who are the people who understand you and what you are all about? Who can you lean on? Who helps you remember who you are and what you are all about? Who do you learn from or draw strength and comfort from? Who can you have fun and laugh with? Surround yourself with the people who bring you life along with the support and companionship you need right now—and all the time!

Additionally, one of the best ways to remain grounded and resilient in challenging times is to try and look for ways you can be supportive of and care for others. This is a very important piece of wisdom, and very Vincentian. Often when we are faced with difficulty, looking for ways that we can be of service to others will end up being exactly what WE need, more so than focusing only on ourselves. Interdependence means others are also counting on us to be a support to them. It’s both-and and not either-or.

3. Take One Step at a Time

Vincent de Paul advised his followers that “Wisdom consists in following Providence step by step.” (CCD 2:521) He reiterated that we should not seek to step on the heels or run ahead of Providence. My wife and I have our own similar phrase we share with one another and with our children during tough times: “just do the next thing.”

A common piece of Vincentian spiritual insight is that we need to look for and find God in the reality before us, the person before us, and with each present moment. In that moment or encounter, right in the midst of that reality, lies the opportunity to put charity and love into practice, or to practice who we seek to be and become.

As much as we’d like to sometimes, we can’t fast forward through our lives. Doing so wouldn’t be very helpful, either. Much anxiety is derived from stories created in our own mind about some imagined future outcome that has not yet happened. Such stories are often fear-based, or self-protective, and not often accurate.

So, can we “trust the process” and the unfolding journey of life? Vincent de Paul’s understanding of Providence portrayed a trust and belief that what was needed to live our vocation, to fulfill the purpose entrusted to us, has been given or will be given. It is incumbent on us to trust in this and to open our eyes to the gifts made available to us in the current moment and with each step along the way. One step at a time. Just do the next thing.

4. Trust that Love is Inventive to Infinity

“Love is inventive to infinity,” said Vincent de Paul! (CCD 11:131) His words offer an invitation to see and act creatively and to approach every moment and situation with an openness to what is possible. We can always do something coming from a heart of love. Do the next thing, or in this case, take the time to imagine and act on the next thing. Create the next thing. Actively explore what is possible. The current moment is not the end of the road, but the beginning of the next step of the journey.

There is a common piece of practical wisdom accredited to various public figures that says, “it is easier to walk our way into a new way of thinking” than to “think our way into a new way of walking.” The practice of design thinking suggests that we need to experiment and explore new ideas through our actions and not just in our heads.

When safe spaces are created to brainstorm together with others, new ideas can often surface. Many find the practice of creative arts like drawing or doodling, painting, journaling, dancing, or perhaps walking meditation can “loosen up” our thinking and help us to see in new ways. I find long runs are helpful breeding ground for new insight. Imagine various possibilities. Be open to the invitation to find ways to “love to infinity.”

5. Practice Gratitude

“You should not open your mouth except to express gratitude for benefits you have received…”, said Vincent de Paul. (CCD 5:51) Gratitude is the ultimate antidote against falling into despair or helplessness or escaping a mind that is caught in a spiral of anxiety, stress, or hurt. Yet, somewhat counterintuitively, sometimes the practice of gratitude, or truly allowing ourselves to feel gratitude, requires intentionality. It may take some regular practice or inner work on our part, especially when we are feeling anxiety, stress, or hurt. If we are feeling shut down or closed, we may need to consciously engage our will and our desire to work at locating gratitude in our minds and heart. For a little while, we may need to “fake it until you make it,” as the common 12-step wisdom suggests. Or, we might need to “act as if” we can, as a therapist may tell us, even if we are not feeling up to it in the moment.

In whatever way we manage to get there, allowing ourselves moments to sit with and feel gratitude for small or big things in our life, that we appreciate or recognize as good or beautiful, can be healing, grounding, nourishing, and re-orienting. It is a practice worthy of our time and energy, individually and collectively, especially as we move through difficult experiences.

 

Reflection Questions:

  1. When you ask what is most essential to who you are as a person, what comes to mind and how can you ground yourself more deeply in these values, commitments, or characteristics?
  2. What does accepting our interdependence mean to you in this moment and how can you recognize and live that out?
  3. What is one step that you can take forward right now… with love for yourself and others? With creativity and hope?
  4. List and spend a little time pondering on those things that you are grateful for in this moment.

 

Our Unwavering Commitment

Pradnya Mission and Ministry, Mission Weekly , , , , , , , , , ,

Updates, resources, and events highlighting the integration of DePaul’s Vincentian mission into the daily life and work of the university community.

 

MISSION MONDAY

Our Unwavering Commitment

The more things change, the more they remain the same

READ MORE

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

Your Cells Could Save a Life

Join us on May 28 for an on-campus NMDP registry recruitment event in support of blood cancer patients like DePaul faculty member Doug Long. Stop by the Student Center Atrium between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to learn how you might be someone’s cure!

 

Baccalaureate Lunch and Mass

Join us for a special lunch prior to DePaul’s Baccalaureate Mass (which we hope you will also join us in attending). 

Friday, June 13th, 2025
1:00-3:00pm
Lincoln Park Student Center 325

This gathering offers a meaningful opportunity for faculty and staff to come together in community before the university-wide celebration of Baccalaureate Mass.

Enjoy light refreshments, connect with colleagues, and reflect on the end of the academic year as we honor our graduates and the shared work that brought them to this moment.

Please RSVP HERE to let us know if you will be attending the lunch.

Faculty and staff are then invited to attend Baccalaureate Mass wearing academic regalia. Separate seating will be reserved at the front of the church and we ask that you be seated in the designated pews by 3:45 p.m. To RSVP to attend Mass, please go here.

If you have questions about the Baccalaureate Lunch, please contact Siobhan O’Donoghue, Faculty and Staff Engagement. 

Our Unwavering Commitment

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Written By: Siobhan O’Donoghue, M. Div., Director of Faculty and Staff Engagement, Mission & Ministry

“When the roots are deep, there is no reason to fear the wind.” Drawing on the wisdom of such a profound African proverb, Julianne Stratton, Lieutenant Governor of Illinois and DePaul alum, thus began a recent reflection at DePaul. Along with Valerie Johnson, associate provost for diversity, equity, and inclusion, and Dania Matos, vice president for diversity, inclusion, and belonging, Stratton was serving on a panel to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing higher education today. As part of the President’s Dialogue series, all three panelists emphasized the importance of community and leaning into our mission at an uncertain time. This is even more important when some of our core values may feel under attack. “So, for now, do what you’ve been doing, maintain your mission, understand why it’s important. We’ll get through this together.” [1]

During his lifetime, Vincent de Paul also often encountered attacks on some of the core values and beliefs upon which his life and ministry were grounded. This was especially true during the War of Great Confinement, [2] which was a time when more than five thousand poverty-stricken individuals were institutionalized for the crime of being poor.

Specifically, in the words of a decree established by the State:

We expressly prohibit and forbid all persons of either sex, of any locality and of any age, of whatever breeding and birth, and in whatever conditions they may be, able-bodied or invalid, sick or convalescent, curable or incurable, to beg in the city and suburbs of Paris, neither in the churches, nor at the doors of such, nor at the doors of houses nor in the streets, nor anywhere else in public, nor in secret, by day or night … under pain of being whipped for the first offense, and for the second condemned to the galleys if men and boys, banished if women or girls. [3]

Almsgiving was also prohibited at this time. Indeed, those who were poor without anywhere to hide or escape were considered enemies of the state. Accordingly, they were hunted down by the Parisian militia, commonly known as the “archers of the poor,” [4] and forced into mandatory institutions of the General Hospital of Paris.

Yet amid such turmoil, the call of Vincent and Louise remained clear and their response undaunted: to “defend, honor and lovingly serve the most abandoned of the poor.” Thus, they, along with the confraternities and institutions that they had founded, continued to administer charity to the most abandoned, despite the challenges they faced during this tumultuous time.

Centuries later, in Chicago in 1898, while the context was very different, a similar impetus would prompt the Vincentians to establish Saint Vincent’s College. Since education was seen as a way to help families out of poverty, the Vincentian purpose was clear. To educate “the sons of Chicago’s burgeoning Catholic immigrant population.” [5] This establishment would lead to the diverse and vibrant university we know as DePaul today.

And now, every month, the Division of Mission and Ministry helps orient an array of new staff to the university. An integral part of this orientation is to reflect together on some of the milestones along our Vincentian path of 430+ years. As a regular facilitator of these orientations, I am always amazed at how, while the terminology we use to describe DePaul’s core values has evolved, the values themselves have not changed. Our commitment remains steadfast. In our essence, DePaul remains a Catholic, Vincentian institution that strives to genuinely welcome and serve diverse faculty, staff, and students, inviting each person to become part of a values-based learning community that is inclusive and accepting. [6] This creates a true sense of belonging for all, grounded in a deep respect for human dignity. Such a commitment is part of a living legacy, of which we are all part. Indeed, as Vincent and Louise might have attested, “Plus ça change, plus c’est la meme chose,” or, in more familiar terms, “The more things change, the more they remain the same.”

Reflection Questions

  1. What do you value most about working at DePaul?
  2. In what ways do you identify with these values of Sts. Vincent and Louise?

Reflection by: Siobhan O’Donoghue, M. Div., Director of Faculty and Staff Engagement, Mission & Ministry

[1] Russell Dorn, “DePaul Hosts Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton for Dialogue on Building Belonging,” March 3, 2025, DePaul University Newsline, at: https://‌‌resources.depaul.edu/newsline/sections/campus-and-community/Pages/building-belonging-25.aspx.

[2] See Edward R. Udovic, C.M., “‘Caritas Christi Urget Nos’: The Urgent Challenges of Charity in Seventeenth-Century France,” Vincentian Heritage 12:2 (1991): 86. Available online at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/vhj/vol12/iss2/1/.

[3] Ibid., 85–86.

[4] Ibid., 101.

[5] Dennis P. McCann, “The Foundling University: Reflections on the Early History of DePaul,” in DePaul University Centennial Essays and Images, ed. John L. Rury and Charles S. Suchar (Chicago: DePaul University, 1998), 52. Available online at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/vincentian_ebooks/20.

[6] Edward R. Udovic, C.M., “Vincentian Pilgrimage Hospitality: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives,” Vincentian Heritage 33:1 (2016). Available online at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/vhj/vol33/iss1/4.

How Do We Operationalize Dignity?

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Written By: Siobhan O’Donoghue, PhD, Director of Faculty and Staff Engagement, Division of Mission and Ministry

Some of you reading this may be familiar with the Chicago street named Ozanam Avenue, but how many know who this street is named after? Frédéric Ozanam was a French Catholic literary scholar, lawyer, professor, social advocate, and lay Catholic leader. Of all the Vincentian Family members, Ozanam has always had a special place in my heart. For me, he models something essential about how we can make our Vincentian mission concrete through our actions.

I first learned of Ozanam when I was a teenager at school in the UK. Inspired by the idea of a faith that does justice and eager to engage in community service, I had joined a school-based conference of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Ozanam, as I soon learned, was the principal founder of the original society. He had founded the organization with a group of friends in 1833 while a university student. They named it after St. Vincent de Paul because he was considered “a national hero of social service” and admired by many in France, even those who were anti-Church. [1] The members’ goal was to help those who were poor, while at the same time developing their own faith. Keen to learn more about him, I happened upon a biography about Ozanam called Apostle in a Top Hat. Today, I might be inclined to be more discerning when choosing a biography. But at that time, the idea of interrogating a text for its authenticity was beyond me. For me, Ozanam represented a social justice icon and a man who was set on fire by a quest for faith and justice. His journey spoke deeply to my idealistic self. I devoured the book and have never forgotten the cover: a Victorian gentleman tipping an impossibly large top hat!

As I think back, our school-based St. Vincent de Paul Society was a modest entity. A motley crew of awkward, if well-meaning teenagers who, while moderately concerned about the state of the world, were primarily driven by the idea of long summer afternoons of not having to be in class. Our mission was to visit people in their homes who were seeking some kind of support, listen to them, and try to alleviate some of their needs with our adolescent vigor, then report back to the group on their well-being. We would also pray for, and sometimes with, those we visited. Our group was supported by a school chaplain, who could provide a higher level of intervention, if it was warranted.

Often, such home visits meant simply sitting with people in the humblest of homes and, in a show of true British hospitality, sharing a cup of tea, biscuits, and a listening ear, while they recounted the trials and tribulations of their days. While hardly backbreaking work or enacting any admirable social change, it was a powerful act of recognizing the dignity of another, and a way of saying, “We see you and we care.” We were grateful for the experience. We even got to feel somewhat proud of our adolescent selves, out serving in the community, no matter our real motivation for such engagement. In his time, Ozanam came to believe that face-to-face contact with poor families provided him with invaluable experiential learning, which in turn caused him to profoundly reshape his perceptions. My own experience of being a member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society also challenged my preconceived (and sometimes ill-informed) notions of poverty and social deprivation and reinforced for me the essentiality of interpersonal connection.

Today, the St. Vincent de Paul Society continues to be active in 155 countries. It has 800,000 members across 48,000 conferences, along with 1.5 million volunteers and collaborators. They serve over 30 million people worldwide every day. Conferences are based in churches, schools, community centers, hospitals, etc. [2] Their mission continues to be to offer support to people in need, particularly those living in poverty. The home visit remains an integral part of the service they provide. In this way, their ministry harkens back to the time of Ozanam when members would take firewood, food, and money to the homes of those who were poor. Yet, even in the days of the original conferences, it was never about the firewood, or the provision of goods, or funds. Rather it was about the compassionate spirit with which the members approached the visits. While certainly home visits were never the most efficient way to deliver assistance, they served as an important way to honor the dignity of the other by providing a moment of true presence and care, in a world that was often too busy to take the time to invest in such relationality. It is the spirit of love, respect, justice, hope, and joy that still defines this work, through which the members strive to shape a more just and compassionate world.

Admittedly, making home visits can be personally inconvenient and can even feel a little awkward. However, this simple act of humanity can transform a transactional service delivery into a meaningful encounter of mutuality, thus inviting a bond of intimacy, which no technological operation could ever provide. As Ozanam recognized, personal visits were a point of mutual exchange where both the visitor and the visited were beneficiaries. [3] This model of the home visit further hearkens back to the legacy of Vincent de Paul and the familiar story of the white tablecloth, a metaphor that calls us to approach all we do with the utmost care for the dignity of others. [4]

So, what wisdom might the humble home visit offer to us at DePaul today? In addressing this, I find myself recalling a question that a faculty member once posed to me after she had read DePaul’s new mission statement: “Dignity is a great concept, but how do we operationalize it?” I believe that the wisdom of the home visit can help us address this complex question, since the same personalism lies at its very heart and is modeled at DePaul each and every day. For, while the provision of concrete resources to help address a need is essential, it is the gift of sincere listening and a compassionate heart that defines us and makes all the difference.

Essentially, it is the spirit of love, respect, care, and empathy, and the commitment to right relationship that must inform how we support our students—and each other—at DePaul. Personalism must never be overshadowed by a mentality of just getting the job done in the most efficient way possible if it crowds out the personhood of those standing in front of us. Indeed, personalism must continue to define any institution that calls itself Vincentian. While efficiency and effectiveness are certainly important, personalism must continue to shape who we are and inform who we are called to be, just as it did in the time of Ozanam, and certainly in the days of Vincent and Louise before him. We come from a rich tradition, and it is up to us to live out its rich legacy.

Reflection questions:

  1. When was the last time you encountered personalism at DePaul?
  2. What might it look like for efficiency and personalism to exist seamlessly at DePaul?

Reflection by: Siobhan O’Donoghue, PhD, Director of Faculty and Staff Engagement, Division of Mission and Ministry

[1] Thomas McKenna, C.M. “Frédéric Ozanam’s Tactical Wisdom for Today’s Consumer Society,” Vincentian Heritage 30:1 (2010): 11. Available at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/vhj/vol30/iss1/1.

[2] “Where Are We?” International Confederation of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, accessed January 29, 2025, https://www.ssvpglobal.org/where-we-are/.

[3] McKenna, “Frédéric Ozanam’s Tactical Wisdom,” 16.

[4] See “The Story of the White Tablecloth,” posted August 15, 2011 by Mission and Ministry DePaul University, YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CgJVAC7Na8.

Living Content Among Reasons of Discontent

Pradnya Mission and Ministry, Mission Monday , , , , ,

Written By: Miranda Lukatch, Editor, Vincentian Studies Institute

Photo by Aaron Burden.

The winter quarter months of January, February, and March often seem interminable. Joyful holiday events are over, the optimism with which we’ve greeted the new year may be waning, and our ability to keep our New Year’s resolutions may lessen with every passing day. Spring break can seem far away as we stare down the maw of winter.

For me, the worst aspect of this season is feeling that my productivity is impaired while knowing that there’s so much yet to accomplish. The antidote is finding that I’m not alone and that even immensely dynamic people feel the same way. I’m accustomed to hearing stories about this from those around me—but it may surprise you, as it did me, to know that people from our Vincentian past knew this feeling well. In an 1835 letter, Frédéric Ozanam, the founder of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, wrote: “I feel inspiration withdrawing from me as it were in warning…. I cannot will, I cannot do, and I feel the weight of daily neglected responsibility gathering on my head.… I fell into a state of languor from which I cannot rouse myself. Study now fatigues me …. I can no longer write. Strength is not in me. I am blown about by every wind of my imagination.” [1] Reading these words, I think it’s no coincidence that this letter was dated in February!

How are we to cope with feelings like this? Do the founders of our Vincentian Family have any advice to offer?

Although he didn’t address the winter doldrums specifically, Vincent de Paul once offered Louise de Marillac wise counsel when she was experiencing profound restlessness. From the perspective of their shared faith, he encouraged her to bear ambiguity and dissatisfaction patiently with grace, saying, “Try to live content among your reasons for discontent and always honor the inactivity and unknown condition of the Son of God. That is your center and what He asks of you for the present and for the future, forever.” [2] Although these words were written about a particular situation (Louise was worrying over finding her vocation), they work for our scenario as well. In modern terms, we need to accept our feelings of negativity. Denying them only makes things worse; it makes us fight against ourselves. Realizing that these feelings have a purpose—even if we don’t currently understand it—is also helpful. Vincent was encouraging Louise to be at peace with dormancy, recognizing that it might be a part of the development of something. With that in mind, we can see the languor of winter as a necessary period of quiet preparation, anticipating the refreshed spirit and renewed activity of spring.

Reflection Questions:

If you’re experiencing seasonal discontent, can you identify any specific causes? Can these tell you anything about what might be developing within you? To put it another way, how might your winter be laying a positive foundation for your coming spring?

Reflection by: Miranda Lukatch, Editor, Vincentian Studies Institute

[1] Frederick J. Easterly, C.M., “Frédérick Ozanam, A Layman For Now,” Vincentian Heritage 4:2 (1983): 163. Available online at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/vhj/vol4/iss2/4/.

[2] Letter 29, “To Saint Louise,” [between 1626 and May 1629], CCD, 1:54. Available online at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/vincentian_ebooks/25/.