A Formation Journey: A study of Vincentian Father Corpus Delgado’s “The Contributions of the Vincentian Charism to the Mission of the Church,” is a ten-part series for individual or group study within the Vincentian Family. It is also our first large-scale collaboration, joining the forces of the

	.famvin News and Information Network, the
	Vinformation Media Network, and the
	Vincentian Formation Network.

Corpus Delgado presented this article in “Vincencianismo y Vida Consagrada, (XXXIX Vincentian Studies Week), Editorial CEME, Santa Marta de Tormes, Salamanca, 2015” and it has been translated for us to English by Charles Plock, C.M. and to French by Yasmine Cajuste Caen. We are grateful to the CEME editorial staff, and to all who collaborated on this project.

Delgado’s study demonstrates the great impact of the Vincentian charism on the life and history of the Church. Religious life, theology of mission, lay involvement, a spiritual way for missionaries (both lay and religious), and the preferential option for the poor and all its ramifications for the life of and mission the Church are among some of the most important contributions.

Vincentian Father John Freund will guide us in studying them all. Why? Not because as a Vincentian Family we have a right to be proud, but because we have a duty to preserve and to deepen this gift. We are its custodians.

But this does not mean that our contribution — our spiritual patrimony — was meant to be closeted away and dusted off from time to time. No, as one wiser than this author once said:

Patrimony is meant to be used, not worshiped!

How will we proceed? Here’s a little “lesson plan”

We are asking that every Vincentian become a formator.

READ • VIEW • REFLECT • GIVE

See you next week!