Saint Vincent de Paul as a Leader of Change

 

An examination of noteworthy change efforts enacted by Vincent de Paul underscores the importance of believing in the higher purpose of one’s goals. Empowered “followers” need to believe and find meaning in the “leader’s” vision, in order to buy into and support the change efforts. The empowerment of Louise de Marillac as a Vincentian leader was critical to the accomplishment of many great works. Organizations undergoing change or renewal can look to Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac for examples of servant leadership, and the change roles they enacted are integrated with a well-regarded organizational change model for the twenty-first century.

“Saint Vincent de Paul as  Leader of Change: The Key Roles of a Higher Purpose and Empowerment” is an article by Margaret Posig, Ph.D. appearing in the Vincentian Heritage Journal, Volume 26, Issue 1, Article 4 (2008) available at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/vhj/vol26/iss1/4

 

Vincent the Alchemist

 

As an “alchemist,” Vincent de Paul manipulated common elements to transform them into precious realities.  Fr. Jack Melito, C.M. points out how Vincent’s “Tunisian captivity” can serve as a metaphor for his life’s work of changing evil into good, challenge into blessing, the non-intelligible into an understandable Gospel message, the uneducated into the empowered, and the simple poor into our Lords and Masters.

“Vincent the Alchemist” is a chapter from the book Windows on His Vision (pp.  37-42) available at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/windows/5/

It is also available as an ebook here: https://via.liabrary.depaul.edu/vincentian_ebooks/8/

 

The Sisters Sent a Message… Prayer: Part 3

Two remarkable women have taught us the power of perseverance, presence, and prayer. Feeling the pain that detention and deportation inflict not only on those caught within the system, but also upon their families, friends, and communities, Sisters Pat Murphy, RSM, and JoAnn Persch, RSM, have combined a compassionate spirit with a passionate advocacy for immigrant rights as human rights. Through decades of involvement in healing ministries for those experiencing persecution, pastoral care for the detained, prayer vigils for the deported, and providing faithful education to politicians and government officials, they have modeled engaged, faithful living for generations of DePaul University students and other students and seminarians throughout the nation. We celebrate this link between generations strengthened by a common love for the dignity of each person through this three part documentary, “The Sisters Sent a Message…Perseverance, Presence and Prayer.” We invite you to join their call for compassion and care.

If you would like more information or if you would like to volunteer with the Interfaith Community for Detained Immigrants, see: www.icdichicago.org. We also give thanks to the staff and volunteers of the other organizations that helped us to produce this video: DePaul University Office of Mission and Values: https://offices.depaul.edu/mission-an… El Refugio, Lumpkin, Georgia: http://elrefugiostewart.org/; the National Immigrant Justice Center: www.immigrantjustice.org; and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights: http://www.icirr.org/. [ICIRR Is incorrectly identified in the credits under it’s old name Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Protection, we apologize for the error]

The Sisters Sent a Message…Part 2: Presence

Two remarkable women have taught us the power of perseverance, presence, and prayer. Feeling the pain that detention and deportation inflict not only on those caught within the system, but also upon their families, friends, and communities, Sisters Pat Murphy, RSM, and JoAnn Persch, RSM, have combined a compassionate spirit with a passionate advocacy for immigrant rights as human rights. Through decades of involvement in healing ministries for those experiencing persecution, pastoral care for the detained, prayer vigils for the deported, and providing faithful education to politicians and government officials, they have modeled engaged, faithful living for generations of DePaul University students and other students and seminarians throughout the nation. We celebrate this link between generations strengthened by a common love for the dignity of each person through this three part documentary, “The Sisters Sent a Message…Perseverance, Presence and Prayer.” We invite you to join their call for compassion and care.

If you would like more information or if you would like to volunteer with the Interfaith Community for Detained Immigrants, see: www.icdichicago.org. We also give thanks to the staff and volunteers of the other organizations that helped us to produce this video: DePaul University Office of Mission and Values: https://offices.depaul.edu/mission-an… El Refugio, Lumpkin, Georgia: http://elrefugiostewart.org/; the National Immigrant Justice Center: www.immigrantjustice.org; and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights: http://www.icirr.org/.

The Sisters Sent a Message…Part 1: Perseverance

Two remarkable women have taught us the power of perseverance, presence, and prayer. Feeling the pain that detention and deportation inflict not only on those caught within the system, but also upon their families, friends, and communities, Sisters Pat Murphy, RSM, and JoAnn Persch, RSM, have combined a compassionate spirit with a passionate advocacy for immigrant rights as human rights. Through decades of involvement in healing ministries for those experiencing persecution, pastoral care for the detained, prayer vigils for the deported, and providing faithful education to politicians and government officials, they have modeled engaged, faithful living for generations of DePaul University students and other students and seminarians throughout the nation. We celebrate this link between generations strengthened by a common love for the dignity of each person through this three part documentary, “The Sisters Sent a Message…Perseverance, Presence and Prayer.” We invite you to join their call for compassion and care.

If you would like more information or if you would like to volunteer with the Interfaith Community for Detained Immigrants, see: www.icdichicago.org. We also give thanks to the staff and volunteers of the other organizations that helped us to produce this video: DePaul University Office of Mission and Values: https://offices.depaul.edu/mission-an… El Refugio, Lumpkin, Georgia: http://elrefugiostewart.org/; the National Immigrant Justice Center: www.immigrantjustice.org; and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights: http://www.icirr.org/.

Third Place, 2017 Vinny Prize – Fostering Connections

Third Place, 2017 Vinny Prize, Office of Mission and Values at DePaul University

Determined to break a vicious cycle of abuse, a young mother fights to create new beginnings for her biological and adopted children with the support of an innovative, multigenerational community.

Abused and neglected as a teenager, Micci Grainger fights to provide her biological and adopted children the safe and nurturing home she never experienced. The work is difficult; her adopted children themselves have been victims of abuse, neglect, and the professional indifference of the foster care system. Micci’s most difficult children are home-schooled, and she also operates a daycare center in her home. The work—raising and caring for so many children—is simply too much for Micci and her husband, Tim to handle on their own.

But Micci has help from an unlikely source: the ‘surrogate grandparents’ of Hope Meadows, an intentional, intergenerational community where senior citizens volunteer to work with adoptive families to help raise at-risk youth. Hope Meadows is a unique community, where neighbors do not just share cups of sugar; instead, they share the responsibility of raising children.

The film explores possible solutions to larger social issues – the involvement of the elderly in the care of children in the foster care system. It examines the life-altering possibilities adoptive families, at-risk youth and seniors experience when working toward a common goal.