Vincentian Family

The Daughters of Charity in Colombia fight human trafficking through the Defenders of Lives Network. Since 2009, they have promoted training in schools and communities to prevent, detect, and respond, supporting minors and families. Inspired by the Vincentian charism, they foster a culture of care and collective commitment.

St. Louise de Marillac is often presented as a woman who is very anxious and unsure, is easily upset and indecisive, and who needs constant guidance from St. Vincent de Paul. Yet Louise was a natural leader, a gift that Vincent recognized very early in their relationship.

Most Vincentians are aware that we should not use the word “client” to refer to the neighbors we assist, but this is more than a matter of preference for specific labels, or even euphemisms. The reason we don’t say “client” is not that the word itself is particularly offensive, but simply that it is the wrong word.

Ján Havlík was a Slovak seminarian who, despite communist persecution in Czechoslovakia, remained steadfast in his faith and endured imprisonment, torture, and forced labor in uranium mines. His martyrdom was recognized by the Church, and in 2024, he was beatified as a testament to resilience and fidelity to his religious vocation.