Did you know that on the grounds of St. Vincent’s Seminary and the Vincentian Family Office in Philadelphia, adjacent to the Shrine of the Miraculous Medal, there is a more than 100-year-old oak tree grown from a seed of St. Vincent’s oak which still stands near his birthplace? I love that idea. Similarly, the seeds of the Vincentian Family’s legacy of charity have spread worldwide over the past 400 years.

It is a good time to refresh ourselves on the basics of Vincentian Spirituality. Fr. Pat Collins, C.M. writes:

“Over the years I have heard the question asked is there such a thing as Vincentian Spirituality? I’’m convinced there is. It involves a distinctive kind of religious experience which is influenced by the charism we have inherited from Sts. Vincent and Louise. I have no doubt that if any group of confreres or Daughters of Charity was asked to recount their religious experiences, many of them would talk about occasions when they encountered the living Lord in and through their service of the poor. While it is true that Vincentian Spirituality may not be as well known as some others, it is very real nevertheless.”

Learn more at the VinFormation website’s Vincentian Spirituality page, which describes Encountering Christ in the Poor, Characteristics of Vincentian Spirituality, and more. This information is also available as a series of eBooks (.pdf, .epub, or .mobi format). Scan the code to access via mobile phone: