solidarity

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?  

The Story of the White Tablecloth: Vincentian Hospitality

brass Guided Reflections, Vincentian Tradition ,

A common Vincentian story told at DePaul is often referred to as the story of the white tablecloth. This story serves as an example of Vincentian hospitality and holistic care. Vincent de Paul believed in creating spaces of connection and serving both the physical and spiritual needs. 

In the foundational documents and rules established for the Confraternity in Châtillon-les-Dombes in 1617, Vincent de Paul explained the careful attention necessary when seeking to serve those in need. He recommended that missioners lay out a white cloth before serving food to a person in need, and that they engage in kind and cheerful conversation to better understand the context of that person’s story. (1)   

The attentive care communicated through laying down a tablecloth and engaging in conversation reflect a recognition of the sacred dignity of those being served, as well as the essential relational dimension of human interaction, breaking down the distinction between “us” and “them.” 

The VIA Way of Dialogue cannot be accomplished unless we create space in our hearts to listen to the stories of those we encounter. In our interactions, we are invited to practice hospitality and holistic care knowing that sometimes the smallest things can make a very big difference. 

Questions for reflection: 

  • Share a story of how someone has spread a white tablecloth of hospitality for you. How did it feel?  
  • How might you create a space of welcome and hospitality? How do you envision practicing Vincentian hospitality in your service?  
  • When did you experience a moment when you felt the barriers of “us” and “them” were broken down?  

1) See Document 126, Charity of Women, (Châtillon-Les-Dombes), 1617, CCD, 13b:13; and Document 130, Charity of Women, (Montmirail – II), CCD, 13b:40. At: https://‌via.‌library.‌depaul.‌edu/‌vincentian‌_ebooks/‌38/. 

Vincentian historian, Fr. John Rybolt, C.M., tells the full story in this video, describing the spirit with which Vincent wanted his followers to care for the poor: 

The Story of the White Tablecloth (youtube.com) 

Quotes on Solidarity

arampone Quotes

Guy Standing: “Collective action remains the best way of renewing the march towards the great trinity of liberty, equality, and solidarity.”

Ellen Key: “When the sense of solidarity has been developed to such a point that each one feels the cause of all others as his own, we shall be drawing near to international and to social peace.”

Linda Sarsour: “We must stand together united against the targeting, demonization, and the vilification of any group of people.”

David Dellinger: “I enjoy life this way. I enjoy life being in solidarity with people who are fighting for a better world.”

Claire Denis: “I can’t imagine a place with absolutely no solidarity. For me, it’s a nightmare. And I don’t want to live in a place like that.”

Second Transformation

arampone Quotes, Vincentian Tradition
Paraphrased from Theodore Wiesner

“We come to experience poverty and oppression not only as an individual problem but also as a structural one. Poverty is the result not so much of the lack of talent or drive of individuals as it is of conscious political and economic policies.

Poverty is seen as the deliberate exploitation of people and whole countries for the economic or military advantage of others. Poverty becomes a matter of injustice and oppression, and not just an unfortunate but unavoidable situation. Poverty is a structural problem, a problem of unjust and oppressive institutions and systems, and we are a part of it.

Our first reaction to this heightened awareness is that of anger—anger against the rich, the powerful, the huge corporations, the politicians, the governments. This anger becomes a part of the crisis of this second transformation. We need to acknowledge and express it in appropriate ways. We are challenged to expand the virtue of compassion to include not just those who are unjustly oppressed, but also those who are the cause of the oppression and against whom we experience such strong feelings of anger.”

Fr. Theodore Wiesner, CM, is a Vincentian priest whose work helped shape the Vincentians in Action framework.