community

Encourage one another

brass Guided Reflections, Vincentian Tradition

Reflection questions with Louise quotes:  

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“Encourage one another and may your mutual good example speak louder than any words can.”  – St. Louise de Marillac 

In her letters, Louise often tells her sisters to “encourage one another.” The word encourage comes from the Old French encoragier—“make strong, hearten.” It means “to inspire with courage, spirit, hope.” Louise knew what she was asking her community to do was not easy and that they would need each other and courage in their hearts. Time and time again you see in her letters to the Daughters of Charity Louise helping them navigate the joys and struggles of living in community with others and serving the needs of the world. 

Reflection Questions:  

  • As you build your VIA community, what are ways you can encourage one another?  
  • How might you offer encouragement to those you encounter in service today?  

Founding of the Daughters of Charity: The Streets are my Chapel

brass Guided Reflections, Vincentian Tradition ,

When Vincent founded the Vincentian priests, he called them the Congregation of the Mission: a community gathered for the sake of mission. Louise de Marillac took this vision even further when she co-founded the Daughters of Charity. 

She formed a community out of the poorest of the poor, creating home for them. She actually invited young peasant women into her personal space. She saw their potential, taught them to read and write and equipped them to make change in their communities. This kind of hospitality for a noble woman was unprecedented during her time, breaking social class barriers and opening new opportunities for women. 

This new vision included Daughters of Charity going out beyond the cloister to serve the community and meet people where they were at — in their homes or in the streets.  

“The Daughters of Charity have… for a convent, the houses of the sick; for cell, a rented room; for chapel, the parish church; for cloister, the streets of the city; for enclosure, obedience; for grille, the fear of God; and for veil, holy modesty.” CCD:X:530 

Reflection Questions:  

  • How might you create spaces of radical hospitality just as Louise did?  
  • What new vision of Vincentian service do we need to respond to the needs in our world today?  
  • How does your VIA engagement go out beyond or break social barriers?