Labor Day, the beginning of the academic year, and the liturgical calendar (September 8) merge in drawing Antoine-Frédéric Ozanam to my mind at the beginning of September.
Vincentian Family
A Vincentian View: A Covenant
by Pat Griffin, CM | August 2, 2023 | Formation, Reflections | 2 Comments
During the past month, I have celebrated three weddings… In preparation for the celebrations, one word kept emerging for me from the texts—“covenant.”
A Vincentian View: Sower, Seed, and Soil
by Pat Griffin, CM | July 19, 2023 | Formation, Reflections | 2 Comments
When I have the honor to preach to a Vincentian group, I sometimes take the opportunity to see if we have a record of Vincent speaking on the Scripture for that day.
A Vincentian View: Worthy of the Lord
by Pat Griffin, CM | July 5, 2023 | Formation, Reflections | 1 Comment
Suppose someone asked you in earnest to explain how the Lord holds the highest value in your life.
A Vincentian View: Psalm 100
by Pat Griffin, CM | June 21, 2023 | Formation, Reflections | 0 Comments
Sometimes, I need to preach on a Psalm. This past Sunday, our liturgy offered Psalm 100 as our response to the first reading.
A Vincentian View: The Spes Gregis
by Pat Griffin, CM | Aug 30, 2023 | Formation, Reflections
The “spes gregis” was one of the earliest terms that I heard applied to my classmates and me when we entered the high school seminary.
A Vincentian View: “Coming Down the Mountain”
by Pat Griffin, CM | Aug 16, 2023 | Formation, Reflections
A Scripture passage that frequently captures my Vincentian heart is that of the Transfiguration.
A Vincentian View: Embracing the Truth
by Pat Griffin, CM | Aug 31, 2022 | Formation, Reflections
This past weekend contained the “moving-in” days at St. John’s.
A Vincentian View: Being Vincent de Paul
by Pat Griffin, CM | Aug 17, 2022 | Formation, Reflections
“Being Vincent de Paul” can prompt our reflection. The intent, however, should not be to compare ourselves to him but to allow our love for the poor to be inspired by his witness.
A Vincentian View: Being Rich in What Matters to God
by Pat Griffin, CM | Aug 3, 2022 | Formation, Reflections
The blessing of abundance carries with it a responsibility. Jesus points out that truth when he tells the parable of the rich man with the abundant harvest.
A Vincentian View: The Better Part
by Pat Griffin, CM | Jul 20, 2022 | Formation, Reflections
One of Vincent’s instructions to the Daughters of Charity involved the decision on what to do when the obligation for prayer and the obligation for service collided.
A Vincentian View: Bearing the Marks of Jesus
by Pat Griffin, CM | Jul 6, 2022 | Formation, Reflections
Paul ordinarily employed a scribe to write down the letters that he dictated for the benefit of his local churches. Sometimes, however, he picks up the pen himself to write a last few lines.
A Vincentian View: The Body of Christ
by Pat Griffin, CM | Jun 22, 2022 | Formation, Reflections
On occasion, some college campuses run a program called “The Last Lecture.” We have done it a few times at St. John’s.
A Vincentian View: A Vincentian Heart
by Pat Griffin, CM | Jun 8, 2022 | Formation, Reflections
Each year, St. John’s University organizes a program around the Vincentian Chair of Social Justice (VCSJ).
A Vincentian View: All Are Welcome
by Pat Griffin, CM | May 25, 2022 | Formation, Reflections
In the middle of the Acts of the Apostles (c. 15), we find one of the first issues of exclusion in the young Christian community.
A Vincentian View: Acts of the Apostles
by Pat Griffin, CM | May 11, 2022 | Formation, Reflections
One of the great blessings of the Easter Season is the way in which the church directs our attention to the Acts of the Apostles in both the weekday and the Sunday readings.