Prayer in the Vincentian Tradition

Prayer and action go hand in hand in a healthy Vincentian spirituality. Divorced from action, prayer can turn to escapism – lost in fantasy and creating illusions of holiness. Similarly, service or “busy-ness” divorced from prayer can become shallow. A spirituality is at its best when it holds prayer and action in tension with one another. St. Vincent defined prayer as “an elevation of the mind to God by which the soul detaches itself, as it were, from itself so as to seek God in himself. It is a conversation with God, an intercourse of the spirit, in which God interiorly teaches it what it should know and do, and in which the soul says to God what He himself teaches it to ask for.”

Through your encounter with the Christ of gentleness and compassion in prayer, you become more prepared to encounter and assist the same Christ when you return to renewed service of the poor.

Vincentian Spirituality in the Workplace

You are invited to participate in the Vincentian mission by who you are and what you do. Through your work you can be a living example of Vincent, Louise, and Elizabeth’s legacy in today’s world. In your workplace- how do you stay true to your values, your ethics, your faith stance? What values are strongest in your department or organization? What do you want to strengthen? Good supervision, coaching, and mentoring can help. One of the best ways is by treating each challenge we face in the workplace as an ongoing learning experience, and then reflecting on our experiences.

Apostolic Reflection and Discernment

At the end of the day, or as often as you can, go back and think about where you have met Christ that day. God was there– within you, in front of you, in this person, this child, these circumstances, these events. God is there in poor persons, in our experiences. Share your reflections with fellow Vincentians or others in your life. A key in apostolic reflection is the sacredness of every person in the group; each is a member of the Body of Christ, and, consequently, a gift.

Who Is My Neighbor?

“And who is my neighbor?” This quote prompted the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10: 29-37) which was a story of special personal significance to Frederic Ozanam, founder of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. This parable asks us to stop and think about our brothers and sisters in need– those who have been beaten, abused, and marginalized by an oppressive world. We are asked to look to our brothers and sisters in the world and to see the face of Jesus in them. Our neighbor is the one in need, the one who looks to us with hope and faith, the one who hopes for Christ. Do I see Christ in the face of my neighbor– and does my neighbor see the face of Christ in me?