Vincent didn’t always see the face of God.
He spent almost half his life before he began to see it.
Then his life was changed forever!
St. Vincent’s primary heritage is a spirituality based on evangelizing the poor, on discovering and serving Jesus Christ in the poor, and in being saved as Christian through one’s relation with the poor.
This heritage continues to challenge thousands to a special identification with the poor in their search to be identified with Jesus Christ as “evangelizer of the poor.” Therefore we commit ourselves
- to work within the world of the poor, not just with isolated persons
- to work on the level of structures, not just in responding to particular situations
- to work to confront injustice, not just to meet the needs of individual poor people
- to work with groups (small communities), so that the poor person is a subject, and not merely an object, of evangelization
Although there is great variety we consider a work to be Vincentian when
- it calls for us to do and then to teach.
- it is focused and practical.
- it is non-violent and constructive.
In order to do this we need to unite action and contemplation.
Learn more about Vincentian Spirituality.
