I have rarely if ever, thought of a 21st century 8-year-old as a Jesus figure.
Formation
Being The Beloved (Isaiah 40:11: Lk 3:22)
A gift – something given over freely, with good will and coming not from obligation but from good will and esteem. It raises the question: of all the gifts to receive, which would be the most valuable and precious?
If I were John the Baptist…
In the back of my head, I have wondered why Jesus was baptized. After all, Jesus is the Son of God. He is sinless. There had to be something more.
The Charism: What was Born in Châtillon?
What did it mean to say #IamVincent in the earliest days after the “birth” of the Vincentian charism? What spirituality was born and still lives? As we ready ourselves to celebrate our 400th anniversary as bearers of this particular gift of the Spirit, we need to ask,...
A Vincentian View: Human Stories
A Vincentian View: “Human Stories” This past Saturday at St. John’s University, we launched the first of our ongoing series on interfaith dialogue. In collaboration with the Diocese of Brooklyn, the Vincentian Center at SJU will attempt to put together a whole day...
Publicans who Confess and Plead
Jesus personifies the attitude of publicans who do as the publican in the parable of the Pharisee and the publican. The parable shows that Jesus is not unfair at all toward the weak. He hears the needy of all kinds, the marginalized, the excluded. Among these, of...
God’s Perfect Plan – The Puzzle in Our Lives
God’s Perfect Plan - The Puzzle in Our Lives - Vincentians Need to Pause - Vincentian Gratitude Vincentian Day of Prayer and Fast God's Perfect Plan God’s plan is so perfect that even sin, tragedy, and painful deaths are used to bring us to divine union. God wisely...
History of the First Confraternity of Charity
The National Council of the Vincentian Family in El Salvador (Central America) shares with us a presentation that has been developed with eyes on the 400th anniversary of our charism, which we will celebrate in 2017. It shows the story of St. Vincent de Paul and the...
“I Was in Prison….”
A group of women aim to break the cycle of incarceration in families in the U.S., caring for those who were formerly imprisoned much as St. Vincent and his collaborators were motivated by charity to care for the galley slaves in the 17th century.
A New Reality is Born! • “Contributions” #1
This is the first of a series of formation packages meant for individual or group study which was introduced last week in “The Contributions of the Vincentian Charism to the Mission of the Church: A Formation Journey.” In that article, we also suggested a “Lesson...
Could You Survive in Poverty – 18 Quick Questions
“Could You Survive in Poverty?” This checklist was developed by Ruby K. Payne, an author and researcher in the field of socioeconomics whose work I’ve followed for years — but it’s a perfect gauge for how well you’d do if worse literally came to worse. It’s not at all...
Louise de Marillac: The need for Respect, Understanding and Tolerance
“I can no longer hide the sorrow of my heart at hearing that much is to be desired in you. [...] Where is the spirit of fervor which animated you when you were first established in Angers and which led you to esteem your directors so highly? You looked upon their...
