To be a Vincentian...

John Freund, CM
November 12, 2010

Fr. Manny Ginete, CM, outgoing liaison of the Congregation of the Mission to the Vincentian Family, has written the following reflection entitled “To be a Vincentian”…

TO BE VINCENTIAN

To be Vincentian is to follow Christ,

  • to continue his work,
  • to continue his style of life,
  • to accept his plans,
  • to live according to his spirit as expressed in the Beatitudes.

To be Vincentian is to share Jesus’ cause

  • the construction of the kingdom
  • the liberation of all women and men
  • the great utopia of God
    • where men and women can live as brother and sisters
    • where all people can live with dignity and justice and peace.

To be Vincentian is to be part of the Vincentian Family,

  • a community of love
  • a community that is united in proclaiming the Good News to the poor
  • a community that is united in serving those persons who are most poor.

To be Vincentian is to bring to life the path of Jesus

  • to live anew the process of Jesus
  • to maintain Jesus’ options
  • to sow with Jesus the seeds of his Kingdom
  • to build active and prayerful communities
  • to give witness to the Word
  • to live his commandment of love.

To be Vincentian is to live from the perspective of our charism

  • to be animated by the Holy Spirit
  • to have our hearts filled with the Spirit of God
  • to say “yes” with Mary to the things that the Father asks of us
  • to have the strength of the Spirit so that we can respond to the plans of God for our lives.
  • To be Vincentian is to live in the Spirit of the Lord
  • to hope for that which seems impossible
  • to realize that for God nothing is impossible
  • to unite our hands and efforts in creating a better life for all people
  • to begin, like Jesus, with the those who are viewed as least and unimportant

To be Vincentian is discern the signs of the times

  • to discern the signs of God in our own time
  • to discern with clarity
  • to be courageous in our discernment
  • to announce and denounce all that is opposed to the Kingdom of God.

To be Vincentian implies accepting conflict and risk in order to follow Jesus

  • to mature during the time of crisis
  • to grow in sincere fidelity
  • to live anew the passion of Jesus
  • to embrace the cross
  • to be men and women of integrity in our words and actions
  • to live with simplicity
  • to allow ourselves to be freed from power and consumerism
  • to allow ourselves to be freed in order to grow in faith
  • to allow ourselves to be freed in order to hope and build
  • to allow ourselves to be freed in order to love and free others.

Editors note:  How well did you do?


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2 Comments

  1. Sr. Sheila O'Friel, DC

    Excellent summary! Thanks for sharing.

  2. Kathy(Mooney) Davidson

    Thanks Mannie its always nice to be inspired, and look beyond and within, an old friend.