The “shadow side” refers to an area where little light falls. It is often used to refer to aspects of ourselves which we often are not aware of or reflect on.

Fr. John Prager, CM on the difficulties many serving those who live on the margins face but rarely reflect upon.

“…maintaining the missionary spirit of St. Vincent has often been a struggle. That constant tension points to a reality which is frequently mentioned in passing, but rarely explored in any depth – the missionary vocation is difficult. Perhaps we idealize the goal and forget the innate problems involved in the process of becoming missionaries? Is it possible that we presume that the goodwill of those who come to serve the poor is enough to produce good missionaries?

In this weeks installment of Saturday Study Hall exploring some of the treasures of the Vincentian Encyclopedia we look at his article “The Shadow Side of the Vincentian Charism.” He offers a few simple reflections on the Vincentian mission and specifically its shadow side.

The section on General advice can serve as a framework for reflection on issues that we generally might not look at.  Are there any parts of this article that shed light on things needing attention?

• The Vincentian Missionary Vocation: Following Jesus among the Outcasts
• The Shadow Side of Mission
• Conversion: Moving from the Darkness to the Light
• General Advice
  • Self Knowledge
  • Having a guide
  • Community
  • Friends
  • Creating Personal Space
  • Advice from the Vincentian Tradition
  • An Attitude of Humility and Openness
  • An Attitude of Mortification and Flexibility
  • 4Simplicity and Clarity of Motives
  • Gentleness
  • Evangelical Zeal
  • Prayer
• Conclusion
• Footnotes