vincentian values

First the Heart, Then the Work

Video bcicirel Media, Mission Resources , ,

 

Ever been asked: “Who are you?”  What was your response?  In answer to that question, hear how Vincent de Paul, the mystic of Charity, challenges us to consider the motives of one’s heart as defining one’s self, no matter one’s title, job description, salary level, or type of work.  After listening, ask yourself the question: “Who am I?”

“First the Heart, Then the Work” is a chapter from the book Windows on His Vision (pp. 158-159) available at https://via.library.depaul.edu/windows/2/

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

 

 

Glory to God

Video bcicirel Media, Mission Resources, Seeds of Mission, Spirituality , , ,

 

What motivates your work of service?  Vincent de Paul’s guidance is clear: our work must be motivated by love of God and it is to cause others to love God also.

So, how do you respond when the result of all your efforts is a grand success?  Conversely, what if your project fails miserably?  Is either outcome important?  Vincent’s attitude is that neither matters.  What is important is the motive behind one’s work.  Is your action spurred on by selfless love of people, or by a selfish, self-congratulatory motive?

“Glory to God” is a chapter from the book Windows on His Vision (pp. 129-130) available at https://via.library.depaul.edu/windows/2/

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

That Beautiful Virtue

Video bcicirel Media, Mission Resources , , ,

 

Vincent de Paul’s awareness of his own sinfulness taught him the beauty of Mercy.  How, then, is Mercy beautiful?

  • It is an attribute of God
  • It binds communities to God and humans to one another
  • It is the seedbed of compassion

Practicing mercy and compassion at every moment is a perfect way to repay one’s debt of gratitude for the mercy and compassion one has received in life.

“That Beautiful Virtue” is a chapter from the book Windows on His Vision (pp. 139-140) available at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/windows/2/

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

 

 

Two sides of one Vincentian Mission coin: Personalism and Professionalism

Video bcicirel Media, Mission Resources , , , ,

 

To any member of the Vincentian Family, the question “What must be done?” is a familiar one.  Vincent cautioned us by advising that whatever it is, it must be done well.  Yet, this begs the question: What does doing it well mean?

Here, Ed Udovic, C.M., explores the mutually indispensable aspects of Vincentian Personalism and Vincentian Professionalism that continue to guide us in our mission to increase the measure of charity and justice in our world “well.”

Vinny Prize 2018 – First Place – Inside Out

Video bcicirel Media, Seeds of Mission, Social Justice , , ,

1st Place Vinny Prize: Inside Out

Ella Lubienski

This film narrates the writings of incarcerated students from DePaul’s Inside Out “Think Tank” class on their life in a maximum-security prison. Through their words, we experience the social, mental, physical, and emotional impact of incarceration, and ponder its effectiveness.

Vinny Prize 2018 Second Place – The Third Pillar of Islam

Video bcicirel Community, Media, Seeds of Mission , , , ,

2nd Place Vinny Prize : Akram Shibly

The Third Pillar of Islam: How a Mosque Transformed a Community through Kindness

Six years ago, a vacant Catholic church in a low-income Buffalo, New York neighborhood was purchased by a Muslim community and turned into a mosque. The location was specifically chosen in order to serve surrounding families facing poverty. This film provides an example of how Islam’s third pillar of charity has transformed the area both by decreasing crime and creating a warm and welcoming community center for families.

Christmas Compassion

Video bcicirel Media, Mission Resources, Seeds of Mission, Spirituality , , ,

 

Compassion is a year-round virtue, but many of us suffer “compassion fatigue” when faced with the endless stream of stories of the lonely, the sick, the destitute, the abandoned, and the displaced in our world today.  What are we to do?  Jack Melito, C.M., discusses Vincent de Paul’s instruction about living a life of compassion:

First of all, we must remind ourselves that our first experience of compassion was the compassion we were sown by God.  As a result, we must make every effort to be compassionate to ourselves and to others.  We must pray for a spirit of Compassion and Mercy.  A life of compassionate action will result in a heart open to carrying the sufferings of the poor.  Though there may be times when regret creeps in, you must remember that, though you may judge yourself as having neglected opportunities to be merciful and compassionate, you did your best.  Therefore, always pray for a spirit of compassion and mercy.

“Christmas Compassion” is a chapter from the book, Windows on His Vision, (pp. 112-113) available at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/windows/3/

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

 

 

Education With a Heart

Video bcicirel Community, Media, Mission Resources, Seeds of Mission , , ,

 

Gregorio Banaga, C.M., explains how Catholic education in the Philippines created and became limited to the elite. He describes the history of Adamson University and what it is doing to increase poor persons’ access to education, raise students’ awareness of poverty, and create motivation for social change. Adamson fosters social responsibility and has made service part of all students’ learning. All of this is part of Banaga’s definition of Vincentian education, which he says is “of the poor, from the poor, with the poor, and for the poor.” In addition to the actions mentioned above, this philosophy requires the university to be attuned to the experience of persons who are poor and to construct curricula that will best use their gifts and promote their growth.

“Education With a Heart” is an article in the journal Vincentian Heritage available at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/vhj/vol28/iss2/7/

 

“Caritas Christi Urget Nos”: The Urgent Challenges of Charity in Seventeenth Century France

Video bcicirel Media, Mission Resources, Vincentian Heritage, Vincentian History , ,

 

A 1656 royal decree outlawed begging and private almsgiving in Paris and forcibly confined persons who were poor in various institutions of the General Hospital. These measures were later mandated throughout France until 1715. The poor were treated as enemies of the state because of their numbers and the violence, crime, and social unrest that accompanied poverty. This was a radical shift in society’s perspective. During the Age of Faith, poverty was a sign of election since Christ chose to be poor. The poor had a right to seek charity and the rich were obligated to give it. In the Age of Reason, poverty was evidence of moral failure that was to be “corrected” in institutions. Though slow to respond at first, the Church revived its Christocentric theology of charity and became a powerful ally to poor persons. The efforts of Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac led this response. The Vincentian charism developed to serve the most abandoned and marginalized of the poor. The Vincentian discernment process is discussed, as is the legacy of charity. The diverse forms and causes of poverty in France are explained in detail.

“‘Caritas Christi Urget Nos’: The Urgent Challenges of Charity in Seventeenth Century France” is an article published in the journal Vincentian Heritage available at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/vhj/vol12/iss2/1/