Javier F. Chento
Author
![Anecdotes of the Vincentian Family: A Male-Only Society in its Beginnings](https://b704496.smushcdn.com/704496/en/files/2018/07/famvin-default-social-cell.jpg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1)
Anecdotes of the Vincentian Family: A Male-Only Society in its Beginnings
In times of Frédéric Ozanam, women were virtually absent from the university. That is why, having emerged the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul in the vicinity of the Parisian university, in its early days women did not participate in it. The first female Society of...
![Anecdotes of the Vincentian Family: How did Frederic Ozanam Visit the Poor?](https://b704496.smushcdn.com/704496/en/files/2017/08/visita-pobres-anectodario.jpg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1)
Anecdotes of the Vincentian Family: How did Frederic Ozanam Visit the Poor?
The service of the poor occupies such a prominent position in Ozanam's life that it becomes of interest to know how he performed it. It was essentially a service of love. His manner towards the poor was considerate and deferential as towards his equals. He invariably...
![Anecdotes of the Vincentian Family: Why the Conferences Are Called “Conferences”?](https://b704496.smushcdn.com/704496/en/files/2016/05/conferences-fb.jpg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1)
Anecdotes of the Vincentian Family: Why the Conferences Are Called “Conferences”?
From the Conferences of History (a weekly meeting of young students at Mr. Bailly's), a group of six young people, under the protection of Emmanuel Bailly*, decides to take action to help the poor. At the end of one of their first meetings, the question of naming the...
![Anecdotes of the Vincentian Family: The Chest of Drawers of the Poor Family](https://b704496.smushcdn.com/704496/en/files/2017/08/comoda-anecdotario-fv.jpg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1)
Anecdotes of the Vincentian Family: The Chest of Drawers of the Poor Family
One New Year's Eve, Frederic Ozanam was telling his wife Amélie about a poor family who had known better days, but were now reduced to such shifts that they had been compelled to pledge a handsome chest of drawers, the last remnant that remained to them of former...
![Anecdotes of the Vincentian Family: The hive and the bee](https://b704496.smushcdn.com/704496/en/files/2016/05/The-hive-and-the-bee-fb.jpg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1)
Anecdotes of the Vincentian Family: The hive and the bee
"The Hive" is the name with which Don Santiago Masarnau — first president of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul in Spain — baptized the headquarters of the National Council, for their hard work and gentleness. This name reminds me of a publication that Frederic...
![Anecdotes of the Vincentian Family: Frederic Ozanam and beer](https://b704496.smushcdn.com/704496/en/files/2016/05/ozanam-y-cerveza.jpg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1)
Anecdotes of the Vincentian Family: Frederic Ozanam and beer
Frederic always had pretty poor health. At age 7, he fell ill with typhus. For fifteen days, he was plunged into a deep sleep. The fifteenth day — as it is said in his biography by Mrg. Baunard — he awoke and asked for beer! Ozanam heard from his parents that they...
![Anecdotes of the Vincentian Family: The Original Service of Frederic to the Poor](https://b704496.smushcdn.com/704496/en/files/2016/08/first-service-ozanam-anecdotes.jpg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1)
Anecdotes of the Vincentian Family: The Original Service of Frederic to the Poor
At first, the original members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul were organized so that each one was in charge of a family to help. Frederic Ozanam was entrusted with a family of a mother, who worked ceaselessly, with five children, and a father who, as she told...
![Anecdotes of the Vincentian Family: The Virgin of the Miraculous Medal and Our Lady of Lourdes](https://b704496.smushcdn.com/704496/en/files/2016/07/milagrosa-y-lourdes.jpg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1)
Anecdotes of the Vincentian Family: The Virgin of the Miraculous Medal and Our Lady of Lourdes
The Virgin appeared to Sister Catherine Laboure three times; the first time in 1830. Almost no one knew who the seer was until the death of Sister Catherine: only her confessor knew, who was collecting testimony. The Miraculous Medal was originally called the "Medal...
![Five Faces of Justin De Jacobis](https://b704496.smushcdn.com/704496/en/files/2016/07/five-faces-justin-jacobis.jpg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1)
Five Faces of Justin De Jacobis
If I had to pick a single Daughter of Charity to present to the sisters as a model, I would pick Rosalie Rendu. If I had to pick a single missionary to present to the confreres, I would pick Justin de Jacobis.
![Vincentian Lent, a Pilgrimage to the Heart: A Journey Made up of Questions (Part Two of Two)](https://b704496.smushcdn.com/704496/en/files/2019/03/201903201903cross-106416_1920.jpg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1)
Vincentian Lent, a Pilgrimage to the Heart: A Journey Made up of Questions (Part Two of Two)
Part Two of Two of an examination of conscience, in the form of questions, which can be useful for all of us Vincentians.