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By Timothy Williams, Senior Director of Formation and Leadership Development  Championship teams are often described as having a “culture of winning.” Our neighbors in generational poverty are sometimes described as living in a “culture of poverty.” Cultures are formed by shared beliefs – for the winning team, a belief that they are winners leads them…

By Timothy Williams, Senior Director of Formation and Leadership Development  Charity, Blessed Frédéric explained, was the strongest tie of friendship, but charity “is a fire that dies without being fed, and good works are the food of charity.” [82, to Curnier, 1834] This would make no sense if charity were a synonym for good works,…

By Timothy Williams, Senior Director of Formation and Leadership Development  The word “courage” often brings to mind images such as a firefighter rushing into a burning house to save a child, or a soldier making his way under fire to help a downed comrade. Among our Vincentian saints and blessed, few examples are more vivid…

By Timothy Williams, Senior Director of Formation and Leadership Development  “All those who have experience of public charity,” wrote Bl. Frédéric in 1848, “know that the poor are never better helped than by the poor.” [To Good People, L’ere Nouvelle, 1848] Those who have suffered deprivation and indignities themselves will not only dig deeper to…

By Timothy Williams, Senior Director of Formation and Leadership Development  It is probably the case that while most members join the Society in response to a call from the Holy Spirit, they don’t yet fully understand the Society as a vocation. And although we do not take solemn vows like members of the clergy or…