FAMVIN: The International Vincentian Family

Project Seton is our 4 day winter Outreach trip of service. We will travel to Brownsville, TX and Mexico to serve the poorest of the poor. Our work will be the construction of simple (cinder block) homes for homeless families. No previous experience necessary. Just a desire to help and willingness to live simply and work hard!

Fr. Robert Maloney, CM offers his thoughts about some lesser known qaulities of Saints in the Vincentian Family. The saints are human like us. In order to accent the humanity of our Vincentian saints, I want to focus on a few of their very human qualities.

In the lower right side of the famvin.org page there is a calendar devoted to Vincentian Family events. In this Bicenntenial year it will provide and opportunity for a comprehensive listing of such events around the country.

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On 9 April 1993, Good Friday Lindalva Justo De Oliveira  was brutally murdered by a resident of Dom Pedro II Home for having defended her virginity. Because the date of her death, 9 April, generally falls during Lent or Easter, her memorial has been set for the date of her baptism, 7 January. See the Vincentian Encyclopedia for more details.

Sisters of Charity have completed the revision of their website.  Among the current features is a section on the Sisters of Charity and the movie “Doubt” as well as nicely organize News pages presenting recent events and future events.

On January 3 approximately 450 members of  four of the Sisters of Charity Federation congregations gathered at Convent Station to inaugurate the Bicentennial Year of the founding of the Sisters of Charity in Emmitsburg during the summer of 2009. - On January 10 sisters across the Midwest and Northeast will celebrate   her feast day  at 2 p.m. at the St. Joseph Motherhouse, 5900 Delhi Road, Cincinnati.

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After waiting for almost 20 years since the last Paiwan Aboriginee was ordained, last Januray 1, 2008, a new priest from their tribe was ordained. The ordination which was held in a Vincentian administered mission-parish of Jinlun. Here are the pictures:

The current financial crisis challenges us to find new economic models to address “a poverty that impedes people and families from living according to their dignity, a poverty that offends justice and equality and, as such, threatens peaceful coexistence,” said Pope Benedict in his January 1 homily. Read the rest

New Year’s Day is an anniversary of inauguration of Polish Vincentians in New England.  January 1, 1904 first three priests were introduced to St. Stanislaus church in New Haven, CT. This event started the history of New England Province and the New Haven parish is still run by Vincentians. Read the rest

The end of the year issue of your international news bulletin which gives you an overview of CGI’s work this year and of important facts of 2008.

If you earn $156 per year you do not live in poverty according to the new poverty line adopted by the Chinese government. This newly “increased” standard has increased the number of poor people to 43.2 million. Earlier data, based on a yearly income of 785 yuan ($115), put the number at 14.79 million.

Well known Dutch vacation facility has Vincentian roots. Over 100 years ago, in 1904, the French “Lazarist” order acquired an 11 hectare plot behind Beringe. In 1905, building work began for a hall where meals could be taken at lunch time. This is the characteristic “Patershof” monastic building near the entrance to the camp site. In 1908, the area was named “Emmaüs”, and until 1965 remained the weekly leisure venue for the priests and novices.

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Joining a growing number of Daughters of Charity in the blogosphere, Sr. Denise LaRock reflects … December 31st is a worldwide day of retreat for the Daughters of Charity. …There is something about being in retreat–together, but separate–with 19,000 other women who share your values and life vocation! Visit her blog Spirit of the Daughters of Charity for the rest of her reflections.

Sr. Sharon Horace, a Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul on mission in Harlingen, Texas has posted a video reflection on the words of Catherine Laboure.  Scan down the page to see the video in both English and Spanish.