Graduates of the Vincentian Mission Certificate Program and members of the current cohort deepened their understanding of St. John’s Vincentian heritage during a special trip to Paris. There they literally followed in the footsteps of Vincent de Paul, Louise de Marillac, Frederic Ozanam and other major figures in the Vincentian family. It was especially significant in this 350th anniversary year of the deaths of Vincent and Louise.
Held last August, the tour gave VMC participants the opportunity to experience the heart of the Vincentian charism by visiting sacred sites where Vincent, Louise and others conducted their ministry and from where the Congregation of the Mission and Daughters of Charity sprang.
The group stayed at St. John’s University’s Paris location, on the Maison Mère in the St. Germain district of Paris, and enjoyed all the amenities available to students in our popular Global Studies program.
Reverend Patrick Griffin, C.M., Executive Vice President for Mission and Vincentian Chair of Social Justice observed, “This heritage trip to Paris offered more than a cultural and historical enrichment. It also offered a spiritual deepening in the Vincentian charism. The experience of our colleagues benefits the entire University community as they return to us with greater commitment and understanding of our mission. My great hope would be for all the members of our University to have this opportunity.”
Tracing the Path of Vincent
Suzanne Scacalossi, Program Coordinator for University Ministry, noted that the trip was designed to allow VMC participants to experience the Vincentian charism in a special way by visiting these holy sites. “It was a chance for them to see places they learned about and experience the charism in a deeper way.”
The sites included the Shrine of the Miraculous Medal, St. Nicholas de Chardonnet (the first house of the Daughters of Charity), the Chapel of St. Vincent de Paul and churches where Vincent served as a parish priest, among many others.
Reverend John Kettelberger, C.M., University Chaplain and Campus Minister, traveled with the VMC participants and was principal celebrant at many of the Masses held at the sites. “It was a real thrill because as you’re celebrating you’re conscious of where you are and what happened in those places.”
One of the churches where Fr. Kettelberger celebrated Mass possessed a relic of Vincent de Paul and he observed that for him that was a powerful reminder of why they undertook this journey of faith together. “In a sense all of us are relics of Vincent. We’re supposed to be living reminders of him, and the trip just fired you up to make you want to do that and do it better.”
Lucy Pesce, who is Director of Leadership Development for Student-Athletes, stressed that while they had previously learned about these places during their studies, experiencing the sites in person made all the difference. “By the time you’re celebrating Mass there you really get it,” she stressed.
Service in the City of Lights
Ms. Pesce observed, “Everything we did is accessible to our students. You can just hop on the train and travel to all these great places or find them right next door. I’m still overwhelmed we were there and that our students have the opportunity to experience that.”
Kathleen Meehan, Associate Vice President for Athletics, said the location of the campus was perfect. “It’s very easy to get around,” she said. In the evenings people were free to see the sights of Paris. “At breakfast it was fun to hear where people went (the night before),” Fr. Kettelberger commented.
Mark Andrews, Associate Director of Alumni Relations in the Office of Institutional Advancement, said traveling to Paris is “a great opportunity to get students out of their comfort zone. It’s something they definitely should take advantage of.”
In addition to visiting the Vincentian sites and touring Paris in their free time, the group performed two nights of service at an outdoor mobile soup kitchen run by the Salvation Army. Despite the language barrier the participants found that the experience of serving others is a universal one. “It’s the same work, the same service and you have that same desire to connect with people that helps them and helps you,” said Ms. Pesce.
According to Mr. Andrews, a wonderful bond formed among the participants. “It really speaks to the character of the people that work here and who are part of the St. John’s community.” Ms. Meehan added, “It was a very diverse group but it was clear how well we blended.”
Participants all agreed that the experience gave them a much deeper understanding of Vincent and now they were emboldened to share the experience with their colleagues at the University. “We’re ambassadors for the program,” Mr. Andrews stressed. “I will continue to inform people about the Vincentian mission. I can’t say enough about what a wonderful opportunity it was. It exceeded my expectations.”
Ms. Meehan added that her colleagues were eager to hear about the trip, “and this opens the door for you to explain more about the Vincentian mission.”
Tags: Paris, St. John's University
