Contemplation – Trust to God for the Rest
If we truly trust in providence, truly abandon ourselves to the will of God, does that mean we are called to simply let things happen? On the contrary, Frédéric taught,…
read moreIf we truly trust in providence, truly abandon ourselves to the will of God, does that mean we are called to simply let things happen? On the contrary, Frédéric taught,…
read moreIt is perhaps the central irony of our Vincentian vocation that while our “ideal is to help relieve suffering for love alone, without thinking of any reward or advantage for…
read moreIn serving the neighbor, we are reminded by the Rule [Part I, 1.9] that we do not judge them, but seek instead to understand them as we would a brother…
read moreIn our dedication and zeal, we sometimes feel as if we cannot rest as long as there are neighbors in need of our help. As laudable as this sentiment may…
read moreBoth the Society and the church celebrate our long traditions and ancient texts; both the Gospels and the Rule govern our actions; we seek models in the Saints and Blesseds…
read moreGiven that our Rule [Part I, 2.2] reminds us that our “ideal is to help relieve suffering for love alone,” it seems fair to say that the heart of our…
read more“Simplicity,” St. Vincent once said, “is the virtue I love most” [CCD I:265] and our Rule lists it first among our five Essential Virtues. [Rule, Part I, 2.5.1] So what…
read moreThe Rule of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a beautiful spiritual document. Despite what its title may lead us to believe, it is not a set of…
read moreOne of the central tenets of our Vincentian spirituality is our call to see the face of Christ in those we serve. It seems so simple, and yet at times…
read moreFormation is not a single thing we do; it is a lifelong process of becoming. In all that we read, in all that we contemplate, in all those we meet,…
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