Reflections of a translator Part II: The Vincentian Family and ministry with the poor
After having examined the ways in which the different branches of the Vincentian Family define their ministry and after listening to various voices explain their experience of poverty, I concluded the previous reflection with a question: who are these individuals with whom the Vincentian Family is called to minister?
The Second Vatican Council challenged religious communities to engage in a process of renewal: the adaptation and renewal of the religious life includes both the constant return to the sources of all Christian life and to the original spirit of the institutes and their adaptation to the changed conditions of our time (Documents of Vatican II, Perfectae Caritatis, #2). As the Missionaries responded to this challenge there was intense and passionate debate about the question of the poor. There was, and still is, the temptation to classify our ministry as a service toward one specific group of men and women who are poor, for example the rural poor, immigrants, the urban poor.
I must admit that there was a time when I attempted to view Vincentian ministry from such a perspective. With the passing of time, however, I have come to understand that using such categories limits and confines our ministry and is also contrary to Vincent’s vision which was broadened with the passage of time. In fact as a result of direct contact with different forms of poverty the circle of poor people whom Vincent heard crying out for assistance continually expanded.
In 1617 Vincent dedicated his life to serve the poor and in the beginning this included the sick poor and peasants. Soon thereafter he was appointed to the position of chaplain of the galley slaves and so this group of men became part of the circle of people to whom Vincent proclaimed the Good News.
The circle of poor men and women grew. In 1634 the sick poor in public hospitals cried out for attention and were cared for by the Ladies of Charity and the Daughters of Charity. Then in 1638 again the Daughters of Charity and the Daughters of Charity responded to the cries of abandoned children.
As a result of war France was devastated and there were countless men and women fleeing their homes and seeking refuge in Paris. In 1639 Vincent, with the collaboration of the Daughters of Charity, began to provide for these people.
This was followed by organizing efforts to assist and free Christian salves in North Africa (1645) as well as responding to the request of the Holy See to serve the people of Madagascar (1648).
War seemed to be an ever-present reality in seventeenth century France and once again in 1649 Vincent found himself organizing relief efforts for the victims of war … and again the Ladies of Charity and the Daughters of Charity collaborated with the Missionaries in providing assistance to those people living in the devastated areas, as well as those people who had become refugees as a result of this situation.
Then in 1654 a new situation arose: soldiers who were wounded in war needed extended hospital care and without hesitation the Daughters of Charity ran to provide for this new group of poor men, men who were their “lords and masters”. At the same time the elderly were abandoned and forgotten … but not by the Daughters of Charity and the Missionaries who provided loving care to these men and women during the final stage of their life.
At this time we must also make mention of the thousands of beggars, the noble families from Ireland who were ruined by persecution and forced into exile, and the many men and women religious who were fleeing the devastation of the war and living in precarious situations … all of these individuals experienced the loving compassionate care of the Vincentian Family as it existed in the seventeenth century.
It is quite clear that we cannot point to any one single group of people when speaking about the poor whom Vincent and Louise cared for. As men and women raised their voices and cried out, their shouts were heard and they were provided for and, as previously stated, Vincent’s vision of the poor was expanded.
This should make us, the followers of Vincent and Louise, very cautious and in fact we might ask: who are the people who are crying out to us today, crying out and begging to be cared for? Who are these men and women, our new “lords and masters” who today demand our attention?
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Tags: poverty, Translator
