The Paths of God and the Poor:

The Spiritual Journey of Saint

Vincent de Paul
DECEMBER 31, 2016VINCENT DE PAUL LEAVE A COMMENT

CREDITS 

AUTHOR: VINÍCIUS AUGUSTO RIBEIRO TEIXEIRA, CM ·

TRANSLATOR: CHARLES T. PLOCK, CM. · YEAR OF FIRST
PUBLICATION: 2015.
ESTIMATED READING TIME:

The many branches that compose the Vincentian Family, groups spread out across the
five continents, have received a grace that has joined them together in carrying out a
specific mission in the midst of the Church and the world. As we celebrate the 350th
anniversary of Saint Vincent de Paul’s death, we remember that it was in his person that
the Spirit of God established a new way of following Jesus Christ through accepting the
responsibility to evangelize and serve the poor. Here we also refer to a specific way of
experiencing God’s love and communicating this love to one’s brothers and sisters. As we
travel along the paths that were opened by Vincent we encounter a wonderful, yet
challenging, journey to holiness, a journey that can lead us to a deeper understanding of
our life and our freedom, a journey that can enable us to clothe ourselves in attitudes of
gratitude and self-surrender and ultimately involve us in a process in which we integrate
prayer and action. As we engage in this journey we encounter a man of God, who
accompanied the poor, who identified himself with the person of Jesus Christ and who, as
a result of all of this, was sensitive to and in solidarity with the dramas and the hopes of
humanity. In this essay we attempt to accompany Vincent de Paul as He travels through
history; we attempt to understand the ways in which he read and interpreted the events of
life and as a result we hope to obtain some insight into Vincent’s spiritual journey that
will in turn enlighten our own spiritual journey.

1] A life that questions and attracts

I:1] A childhood like others
The majority of Vincent’s biographers agree that he was born on April 24, 1581 in the
small village of Pouy in southern France. More recent research, however, based on
Vincent’s own testimony has established 1580 as the year of his birth (cf., CCD:XI:365,
XIIIa:80, XIIIa:104) He was the third of six children born to peasant parents. At home, in
order to help with the expenses, everyone worked, each one according to their ability.
Vincent was given the responsibility of caring for the flock: I am the son of a humble
tiller of the soil, and lived in the country until I was fifteen (CCD:IX:67). The time spent
in the fields profoundly marked his manner of being and influenced the way he viewed
the world. It taught him to be honest, to value work, to seek no comfort, and to trust in
God. The environment and the circumstances in which an individual enters the world
determines, to a certain extent, his/her personality … Vincent was no exception.

I:2] Exploring talents

Jean de Paul recognized Vincent’s ability and began to make plans for his future,
foreseeing a profitable career for his son. The family used their limited resources to
finance Vincent’s studies in a school that was administered by the Franciscans in the
neighboring city of Dax. Aware of his parents’ expectations, he dedicated himself to his
studies. His intellectual abilities were noticed by M. De Comet, a lawyer, who was also a
judge in Pouy. M. De Comet invited Vincent to live in his house and tutor his two
adolescent children. With the money that he earned from this work he was able to pay for
his education and thus removed a heavy burden from his parents. Aided by M. De Comet,
Vincent began to seek for ways to better his social-economic situation and thus began to
consider an ecclesiastical career. Despite some youthful illusions, Vincent felt attracted to
the priesthood. Since he did not want to be a superficial or mediocre priest, like so many
of the priests in France at that time, he felt encouraged to continue his search for
knowledge. Gradually his motivations began to conform to the ultimate objective of his
vocation, even though these motivations were still clouded over. Paraphrasing
Shakespeare we could say that in the future his definitive affection would occupy the
place of his primitive desire.

I:3] Journey within

In this first phase of his life, Vincent was turned in on himself, focused on his ambitions
and the interests of his family. In order to create a career for himself as a priest, he began
his academic formation and provided for himself through honest work. He showed
himself to be quite flexible as he sought his objectives. When he was at the University
Toulouse he decided to provide lodging for university students who lived near him. In this
way he was able to obtain the resources that he needed to support himself while at the
same time guiding other young people in their studies.

On September 23, 1600 Vincent was ordained a priest. After much effort he had arrived at
the place where he wanted to be, a place where he hoped to be able to live a comfortable
life and provide for his family, especially his mother, who was now a widow. The
following year he was named pastor at Tilh, a parish close to his birthplace and this
appointment seemed to coincide with his aspirations: a remunerated position in a place
that was close to his family. But this first benefice would also be his first great
disillusionment. Vincent never took possession of this parish. The Council of Trent
(1545-1563) demanded that pastors reside in their parishes but Vincent had studied in
Toulouse and besides the Roman Curia had appointed another pastor. Vincent was
reluctant to enter into negotiations on this matter and did not want to show his
disagreement. He simply abandoned his attempts in this matter. During the same year he
traveled for the first time to Rome where he was impressed by the environment of
holiness (CCD:I:111-112). In 1604 he finished his studies and received a Licentiate in
Theology. He was prepared to obtain an honest benefice that would guarantee him a good
life and enable him to support his family. He continued his search. In this period we also
place the events that surround the controversy of his captivity. According to Vincent he
had been captured during a trip and sold as a slave. All the details of this were written out
in two letters (CCD:I:1-11) both of which were addressed to a brother of M. De Comet,
his former protector. In 1607 Vincent traveled for a second time to Rome with the hope of
obtaining a benefice … this time under the protection of a vice-legate of the Pope whom
he knew in Avignon. He remained in the Eternal City until the following year but
obtained nothing. In the midst of these failures and disillusionments he gradually became
aware of the need to listen to the voice of God.

Up to this time Vincent’s vision was very limited. Therefore he had to continue his
journey through life. With the passing of time he rediscovered his vocation as the true
path of holiness and not simply as a stepping stone that enabled him to climb the social
ladder. In his interior it became clear that the road to evangelical perfection was directly
opposed to his own personal plan of seeking a career. But in order to come to this
awareness Vincent had to pass through a profound purifying crisis; he had to confront
deceptions that resulted from the choices he made and he had to make a break with
previous realities in order to embrace a new plan for his life. In fact, the path of life does
not run in parallel lines. There are times when it is necessary to begin anew, to take a step
back in order to advance with more vigor. As the years passed Vincent’s mature
perception of his vocation led him to dissuade his young nephew who sought the
priesthood as a way to obtain status: If I had known what it was when I had the temerity
to enter it — as I have come to know since then — I would have preferred to till the soil
then to commit myself to such a formidable state of life (CCD:V:569). When dealing with
vocational discernment, Vincent showed himself to be practical and sensible, as in this
letter that was addressed to a lawyer who sought sacred orders: This example [of Our
Lord, the eternal priest] together with my experience of the disorders produced by priests
who have not made the effort to live according to the holiness or their specific character,
cause me to advise those who ask my opinion about receiving it, not to do so unless they
have a genuine call from God and a pure intention of honoring Our Lord by the practice
of His virtues and the other signs of His Divine Goodness is calling them to
it (CCD:VII:479-480). Until the end of his life Vincent remained convinced of this reality
and communicate this to others: I often say this to such applicants, and I have said it
more than a hundred times when preaching to the country folk (CCD:VII:480). As a
result of his various frustrated endeavors, Vincent’s horizons appeared confused, as
though he was enveloped in a dense cloud. But as the haze dissipated and the illusions
were calmed, Vincent was able to expand his vision and saw before him paths that
previously were not imagined or recognized.

I:4] Journey to the encounter with God and the

poor
After having traveled along torturous and dark paths in search of a profitable social
position, young Vincent arrived in Paris. It is now 1608, the beginning of a period of
intense discernment and new discoveries. He wrote to his mother and described his
situation: The prolonged sojourn which I must necessarily make in this city in order to
regain my chances for advancement (which my disasters took from me) grieves me,
because I cannot come to render you the services I owe you. But I have such trust in
God’s grace, that He will bless my efforts and will soon give me the means of an
honorable retirement so that I may spend the rest of my days near you (CCD:I:15-16).
The frustrations and the challenges that he mentioned brought about a true transformation
in his life. His perspective was change, his faith was purified and he discovered another
way to lead his life. Years later, this new vision enabled him to write the following words
to one of the Missionaries: Let us be steadfast in this precious trust in God, the strength
of the weak and the eye of the blind. And, although things may not go according to our
views and way of thinking, let us have no doubt that Providence will bring them to the
point necessary for our greater good (CCD:III:159-160).

In 1609 Vincent is unjustly and publically accused of theft by a compatriot who shared
lodging with Vincent. The situation could not have been more embarrassing. It affected
his personal reputation and also had repercussions on the circle of his friends and their
relationship with him. Later everything was clarified and the defamer asked for and
obtained Vincent’s forgiveness. This was a painful experience that left profound scars on
Vincent’s life. Accused of theft he experienced, like many poor people, abandonment and
misunderstanding, and was able to find solace only in God. His search for a better social-
economic situation continued but now this search was carried out with a new perspective
as a result of recent experiences. Much later he was able to express this new faith
perspective: Why are you fearful for the future? Does God not take care to feed the birds,
who neither sow nor reap? How much more will he have the goodness to provide for his
servants(CCD:VII:171).

In 1610 Vincent slowly progressed in the process of human and spiritual maturity. As the
result of a friend’s influence, Vincent became one of the chaplains of Queen Marguerite
de Valois. He was entrusted with the distribution of alms to the poor who came on a daily
basis to the door of the palace. At the same time he assisted the infirm at Charity Hospital
that was administered by the Brothers of Saint John of God. At the age of thirty Vincent
began to obtain firsthand knowledge of the world of the forgotten ones of society which
stood in stark contrast to the world of opulence that he knew at the palace. His heart was
restless in light of the situation of absolute destitution of that multitude of abandoned
individuals. In the hospital he confronted the harsh reality of suffering and the lack of
care. Slowly his heart was opened and he allowed himself to be challenged by the
presence of Christ in the least of these brothers or sisters (Matthew 25:40): Turn the
medal and you will see by the light of faith that the Son of God, who willed to be poor, is
represented to us by these poor people (CCD:XI:26). Allowing himself to be challenged
by the Lord, the young priest first opened his eyes to the reality around him. This enabled
him to see the poor in concrete, specific situations and as a result he was able to make
himself available to cover the reproach of destitution with the mantle of mercy.

Vincent came into contact with the principal currents of French spirituality under the wise
guidance of Father Pierre de Bérulle, the first of his great spiritual masters and one of the
holiest men that Vincent met (cf., CCD:XI:51-52). It was Father Bérulle who awakened
Vincent from his daydreams and accompanied him during a crisis, a most decisive
moment in his life. His second spiritual director was Father André Duval, a great Doctor
of the Sorbonne, and even greater because of the holiness of his life (CCD:XI:140).
Vincent confided in him and shared with him the great burdens of his conscience and thus
revealed a profound identification with the position of Duval, a wise and simple man
whose witness had a great impact on Vincent. With the help that he received from these
masters Vincent continued his pilgrimage toward God, moving forward through a process
of conversion, discovering new truths and clothing himself in new attitudes and practices.

Between 1611-1616, Vincent’s journey took him out into the dessert where he
experienced a profound spiritual crisis. A theologian, one of the Queen’s chaplains who
lived with Vincent in the same palace, confided in Vincent and shared with him his
concerns and anxieties which resulted from his temptations against the faith. Soon this
man became seriously ill. Fearful that the temptations aggravated his state of health and
that this theologian might suddenly die in this state of spiritual desolation, Vincent
decided to accompany the theologian as he attempted to overcome this problem. After
some time the theologian saw the clouds of doubt fade away and saw with a new clarity
the truths of the faith. This man died in an atmosphere of consoling peace. Then a time of
trial began for Vincent. His relationship with the theologian stirred up in him a series of
doubts that brought him to the brink of a serious existential conflict. Idle and caught up in
his illusions and anxieties, Vincent questioned his faith but never lost sight of that which
is essential. He experienced the crumbling of the spiritual edifice that he had built up from
the time of his infancy. Nevertheless he never lost hope that God would transform this
dessert into fertile land. For this reason he intensified his prayer life and became involved
in charitable service, visiting and consoling those who were hospitalized. The temptations
continued for three or four years and he was finally freed from this state when, under the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he made a firm resolution to consecrate his life to God in
service of the poor. During this time of trial Vincent’s spirit was being carefully formed
even though his vocation had not acquired a determined form that involved him in some
specific activity. He was searching and so the pilgrimage had to continue. He had learned
from his teachers that the great secret of the spiritual life is to abandon all that we love to
him by abandoning ourselves to all that He wishes, with perfect confidence that
everything will turn out for the best (CCD:VIII:298). So he would continue to deepen and
communicate this discovery until the time of his death.

In 1612, again through the influence of Father Bérulle, Vincent was appointed pastor in a
small village, Clichy, a geographically extensive parish but one whose population was
about 600 inhabitants, the majority of whom were poor peasants. Pastoral zeal consumed
Vincent. He restored the church and with great solicitude placed himself at the service of
the people in the parish: he preached with enthusiasm; he visited the sick; he listened
attentively to the people; he comforted the afflicted, assisted the poor and encouraged
those who were sad. Another of his initiatives was to gather together a small group of
young men (10-12) who were considering the priesthood as a vocation. One of these was
Antoine Portail who would become one of his most trusted collaborators and who would
spend his life at Vincent’s side. Both died in the same year, 1660. Vincent’s dedication
was noticed by neighboring parishes and encouraged the priests in these areas to exert
similar effort in the exercise of pastoral charity toward the faithful of their parish. Day by
day the parishioners in Clichy grew in their esteem for their pastor whose horizons
became broader with the passing of time. Once again Bérulle would serve as the mediator
of the divine will when at the end of 1613 he invited Vincent to leave Clichy in order to
minister on the estate of one of the most illustrious families in France: the de Gondi’s.
With great sadness Vince said farewell to his parishioners whom he had come to love. For
some after he continued to hold the title of pastor and occasionally returned to visit the
parish. It was also at this time that the spiritual and missionary dimension of Vincent’s
life began to take form as he balanced his intimate relationship with God with his service
toward the poor. His words became more credible and he was esteemed by all. We can
understand how in light of his own experience he was able to affirm in 1635 the following
words that he wrote to M. Portail: do what we will, people will never believe in us if we
do not show love and compassion to those whom we wish to believe in us (CCD:I:276-
277).

On the de Gondi estate Vincent became responsible for the education of the three de
Gondi children, a work that he was familiar with from the time he was in Dax. As
chaplain he also accompanied the family as they traveled to the towns and villages that
were part of this large estate. Slowly Vincent found a focus for his ministry in these rural
villages. There he visited the poor and the sick; he listened to them, catechized them,
preached to them and exhorted them to become reconciled with God and with their
brothers and sisters. He settled disputes and instilled people with hope. In this way
Vincent also won over the de Gondi family who saw him as a providential gift from God.
Marguerite de Silly, the wife of Philippe-Emmanuel de Gondi, wanted Vincent to become
her spiritual director. Vincent encouraged her to become involved in charitable works and
he helped her live her life united with God. He also enabled her to overcome her self-
centeredness and led her to great interior freedom.

I:5] Two symbolic experiences

The year 1617 was a decisive time in the life of Vincent de Paul. In January he found
himself in the village of Gannes, near Folleville where the de Gondi’s had one of their
homes. A sick man, also an honest and virtuous man, asked for a priest because he
thought he was dying. Vincent listened to this man’s confession, a confession of his
whole life. The consolation and joy that resulted from this confession were so intense that
the dying man stated that without confession he would have remained in a state of
condemnation. Madame de Gondi, surprised by the words of this man asked her
director: what can we do?Vincent took up her concern and wrestled with this situation.
Then on the feast of the conversion of Saint Paul, Vincent preached in the church of
Folleville and exhorted the people to make a general confession. Vincent said later to the
members of his Congregation that that was the first sermon of the Mission (CCD:XI:4).
His words touched the hearts of many who listened to him and who desired to experience
the gift of divine mercy through reception of the sacrament of reconciliation. Confession
became a privileged moment for evangelization. In that era even the Mass could easily
become a social act but confession involved a personal profession of faith. Therefore this
new situation obliged Vincent to take on the responsibility of spiritually assisting these
poor people. The priests were concentrated in the cities, as occurs even in our own time,
and those who remained in the countryside were often as ignorant as the people. This
sentiment was echoed by Vincent in his conference of January 25, 1655 when he spoke to
the Missionaries and expressed the lament of Madame de Gondi: when Madame de Gondi
went to make her confession to her pastor, she noted that he did not give her absolution;
he mumbled something between his teeth and did the same at other times when she went
to confession to him (CCD:XI:163). In Folleville Vincent discovered the reality of people
who were hungry for God and who had been spiritually abandoned by the Church of that
era. This situation was even sadder when one took into consideration the precarious moral
and pastoral state of the clergy who were often ignorant of the basic elements of their
ministry. The great majority of the ecclesiastics at that time preferred to be related in
some way to the nobility, submitting themselves to the whims of the nobles in order to
enjoy privileges, titles, pomp and advantages. What at one time had been most attractive
to Vincent now became repugnant. His former desire for ambition became clouded in the
darkness of vague memories.

The seed that was planted by the spirit in the fertile ground of Vincent’s heart blossomed
and gave birth to the Congregation of the Mission whose objective was the evangelization
of the poor people in the rural areas (the most abandoned people of that era). Today in
order to carry on this missionary endeavor of our holy Founder we must ask ourselves
where we find the poor who are most abandoned, those people whose dignity is
continually trampled upon, those people whom no one wants to serve. We will soon come
to the realization that they are not just living in the rural areas, in fact there is an exodus
from the rural areas which has led to an incredible growth in the metropolitan areas and
resulted in increased violence, abandonment and exclusion in these areas.

Faithful to his conscience and desiring to draw closer to the world of the poor, Vincent
decided, with the support of Father Bérulle, to leave the de Gondi estate. Following the
advice of his spiritual director Vincent went to the parish at Châtillon-les-Dombes. The
situation of the parish required much work (CCD:XIIIa:50). There Vincent encountered a
situation in which all the members of one family were ill and there was no one to take
care of them. The situation of this family was simply a reflection of what was happening
throughout this area where people were hungry and lacked those resources that were
necessary in order to live with dignity. Once again Vincent made a decision to speak
about this problem in his sermon and so he exhorted the parishioners to assist this family.
The proclamation of the Word, in order to be prophetic, must take into account the joys
and hopes, the pains and anguish of the community for it is only in this way that the Word
can lead people to become the protagonists of a process of transformation that will change
their history. Prophecy does not speak in the void of generalities. Vincent later spoke
about this event and stated: That touched me to the heart. During the sermon, I made sure
to commend them zealously to the congregation, and God, touching the hearts of those
who heard me, moved them with compassion for those poor afflicted
people (CCD:IX:192). The whole community went into action in order to assist this
family. The house was filled with food. Vincent affirmed the great generosity of the
parishioners but also realized the need to organize their charity so that it would be
effective and enduring. He gathered together some women from the area and formed the
first Confraternity of Charity. A rule was written up and approved on December 8 of the
same year (CCD:XIIIb:8ff). The Confraternities spread rapidly throughout the de Gondi
estate, in all the places where Vincent preached missions (Villepreux, Joigny, Montmirail,
etc.). In the future the Missionaries would establish, visit and encourage the members of
the Confraternities to insure the solidification of the fruits of the mission through the
practice of charity. As time passed, Vincent realized that it was not enough to simply
establish these Confraternities but it was also necessary to encourage these efforts in an
on-going way in order to maintain their dynamic movement. Thus Vincent exerted
significant effort in order to encourage and inspire the women as he continually invited
them to assist the poor in their time of need and to do this in creative and effective ways.
In every era it is necessary for someone to take the lead in awakening people’s conscience
and thus bring to the surface that which is best in people, thus making them sensitive to
the dramas of humankind who lack God and bread and love.

In Folleville and Châtillon Vincent discovered that the evangelization of poor women and
men would not be effective unless their material needs were taken into consideration and
unless ways were sought to help these people overcome their situation of abandonment
and misery. Thus, charity ought to be a visible expression of the content of the mission
and service should be a clear expression of the Good News that is proclaimed. In addition,
as Vincent reflected on the ministry of evangelization and human promotion he
discovered that the laity played a central role. His compassionate and tender vision, like
that of Christ, was definitively focused on the poor and their needs. Vincent no longer
desired to occupy the places of honor that would guarantee him a comfortable and calm
life. Now he took up the cause of the gospel; he became all things to all people; he
became weak with those who were weak and did this for the purpose of showing them
that the Kingdom is theirs (cf., 1 Corinthians 9:22). He defined the place for the
Congregation of the Mission in the following way: One important reason we have for
this, then, is the dignity of the matter: to make God known to poor persons; to announce
Jesus Christ to them; to tell them that the kingdom of heaven is at hand and that it is for
persons who are poor. Oh, what a great thing that is! But it goes beyond our
understanding that we should be called to be associates and sharers in the plans of the
Son of God (CCD:XII:71).

I:6] Deepening his vocation and expanding the

mission
In December 1617, after some resistance, but on the advice of M. Bérulle, Vincent
returned to the de Gondi’s, to Marguerite de Silly who had been tormented during his
absence. With sadness he left Chatillon-les-Dombes. Nevertheless, a vast horizon was
opened for his apostolic activity. He promised to remain with Madame de Gondi until her
death but he also placed some conditions on their relationship: he wanted greater freedom
in order to dedicate more time to his missionary project which involved evangelizing the
poor country people through the preaching of missions and then following up this work
with the establishment of the Confraternity of Charity. Between 1618-1625 Vincent
preached missions in some thirty distinct places on the de Gondi estate. At different times
he was assisted by other priests who joined him in this work which was extended to
places such as Villepreux, Joigny, Montmirail, Folleville, Courbon and Montreuil (to
name just a few). In each of these places the Confraternity of Charity was established in
order to continue the work of human promotion. It should be pointed out that Madame de
Gondi constantly worked beside Vincent, encouraging, sustaining and providing incentive
to this missionary activity. Together they visited the infirm and those who were poor; they
settled disputes and personally intervened in some difficult situations. Vincent’s guidance
helped this generous woman, Madame de Gondi, to achieve greater human and spiritual
maturity. Since the de Gondi estate was spread out over an area that included several
French dioceses, the name Vincent de Paul and his apostolic zeal became well-known in
all of these places. He expanded his activity as he grew in his own awareness of having
been chosen by God to follow Jesus Christ and to continue Jesus’ mission of evangelizing
and serving the poor. As people came in closer contact with Vincent, they were also more
profoundly impacted his witness. Many women and men, lay and religious, were attracted
by his missionary vigor. When he spoke to the poor, he spoke not as a theorist but as one
who knew them by name, as one who understood their situation and as one who shared
their pain and their deepest desires. Proof of this is seen in the advice that he gave to a
brother who had been sent to an area devastated by war:Now, to discern this correctly,
these poor people should be observed in their own homes so you can see for yourself who
are the most needy and who are less so (CCD:VI:388). Once again Shakespeare comes to
our assistance to translate Vincent’s words: you cannot speak about that which you have
not experienced. Vincent knew what he has saying and to whom he was speaking.

After the symbolic experiences of Folleville and Châtillon, Vincent, led by the hand of
divine Providence, journeyed along a path that enabled him to deepen the significance and
the scope of his missionary vocation. His convictions are clarified; his hopes, nourished;
his plan and efforts were put in motion and all of this moved him toward the future
energized, however, with a clearer vision. Phillip Emmanuel de Gondi was also the
General of the Galley which were large ships that enabled France to explore and dominate
other lands. These ships were also one of the most powerful instruments of war that
France possessed during the seventeenth century. During that era there were two ways of
being punished for serious crimes: the imposition of the death penalty and being forced to
work on the ships (this was a slower death that was preceded by incredible suffering).
When Vincent visited these condemned individuals he took a significant step forward in
his journey through the world of the poor. Here he came face to face with the most
forgotten members of society, individuals whom no one cared about and who were out of
everyone’s sight. Forty years later he spoke to the Daughters of Charity, some of whom
were involved in ministry to these men: I’ve seen those poor men treated like animals
[and] that caused God to be moved with compassion. They inspired pity in him; as a
result, his goodness did two things on their behalf: first, he had a house bought for them;
second, he willed to arrange matters in such a way as to have them served by his own
daughters, because to say a Daughter of Charity is to say a daughter of
God (CCD:X:103).

The confrontation of his life with the demands of the gospel led Vincent to a more radical
option. In addition to visiting these poor men who were treated inhumanly and deprived
of their fundamental rights, Vincent intervened on their behalf. He spoke to the General of
the Galleys and pointed out the unhealthy and dark cells in which the prisoners were
placed and the infected beds on which these men were forced to sleep. Vincent’s
compassion was effective: he became a neighbor to these individuals; he filled them with
hope, promoted freedom and shared with them the balm of mercy: Even convicts, with
whom I have spent some time, are not won over in any other way. Whenever I happened
to speak sharply to them, I spoiled everything; on the contrary, when I praised them for
their resignation and sympathized with them in their sufferings; when I told them they
were fortunate to have their purgatory in this world, when I kissed their chains, showed
compassion for their distress, and expressed sorrow for their misfortune, it was then that
they listened to me, gave glory to God, and opened themselves to salvation (CCD:IV:58).
M. de Gondi quickly took charge of implementing the changes that Vincent had proposed
and in 1610 created the position of Chaplain General of the Galleys and appointed
Vincent, a man of incredible human sensitivity, to this position. As Vincent continued his
journey in the midst of the world of the poor, he experienced a progressive spiritual
evolution in the very depths of his being. Through the mediation of different events and
individuals Vincent was led by divine providence along the path of holiness: old things
had to be left behind and new things had to be embraced. Above all else, however,
Vincent was influenced by the poor for in them he discovered Christ (cf. Philippians
3:12). In this way Vincent shows us that every spiritual journey has to be undertaken in a
way that enables us to experience the harsh realities as we travel the road on which God
leads us. At the same time, however, our heads must be held high as we contemplate, with
clarity, optimism and hope, the infinite greatness to which we are called. The inevitable
mistakes should not constrain our most authentic desires for holiness.

Encounters with people are often decisive in our journey. Saint Vincent’s journey was
characterized by encounters and confrontations. One of those encounters involved Francis
de Sales, the bishop of Geneva, who led Vincent to a confrontation with himself and with
the demands of his vocation. This encounter occurred between 1618-1619 and left an
indelible mark on the life of this restless pilgrim. Vincent had experienced another form
of contact with the Bishop of Geneva as a result of his published works: Introduction to
the Devout Life (1608) and Treatise on the Love of God (1616). Vincent and Francis
formed a relationship of sincere friendship and seemed to be in spiritual harmony with
one another. Vincent was impressed with the goodness that seemed to flow from Francis’
heart. During the process of beatification for the Bishop of Geneva, Vincent stated in
1628: I shall recall here that his abundant, gentle goodness overflowed on those who
enjoyed his conversation because of the example of his devotion. I myself shared in those
delights, and I recall that, when I was sick in bed about six years ago, I often reflected
and mused to myself on God’s great goodness! “How good you are, O God, my God, how
good you are, since indeed in my Lord Francis de Sales, your creature, there is such
great gentleness (CCD:XIIIa:91). At the same time Francis entrusted Vincent with the
direction of the Visitation Sisters that had just been established. Vincent accepted this
responsibility in 1622 and would continue in this role for the next thirty-eight years, until
the time of his death. As a result he also formed a relationship with the co-founder of this
Institute, Saint Jane Frances Chantal (cf. CCD:II:25, 41, 43, 47, 72, 83, 147).

Vincent was to enter more fully into this process of discernment and so in 1621 he made a
spiritual retreat in Soissons. During this retreat he was enlightened by the meekness of the
Bishop of Geneva and at the same time was moved by a sincere desire to come to a
deeper understanding of Providence. As a result he asked the Lord to make him more
gentle, to change his manner of being and acting and interacting with other people.
Vincent’s journey was characterized by a continual search to overcome his own defects.
No, he was not some super-man, in fact, he was very aware of his frailty and all the
ambiguities that this implied. Yet we never find him accommodating himself to these
imperfections and weaknesses. With the passing of time he became very affable and was
a model of serenity to all those who approached him. We call attention to the way in
which he was able to establish long term relationships of friendship. Like his spiritual
director whose gentleness was a reflection of the goodness of the Creator (cf.
CCD:XIIIa:80-96), so too Vincent wanted to reflect God’s kindness to everyone: I
addressed myself to God to beg him earnestly to change this curt and forbidding
disposition of mine for a meek and benign one. By the grace of our Lord and with some
effort on my part to repress the outbursts of passion, I was able to get rid of this black
disposition (Abelly, vol. III, p. 163). In fact, gentleness would be one of the five virtues
that Vincent presented to the members of the Congregation as virtues that should
characterize their lives.

Another spiritual legacy of Francis de Sales, one which Vincent adapted as his own, was
the recognition of the fact that holiness is a gift and a commitment that is extended to all
Christians and not only clerics and religious. In fact, the Christian life is the state of
perfection but the Christian life itself is lived out in many different ways. Three hundred
years later the Second Vatican Council would reaffirm this idea: It is therefore quite clear
that all Christians in any state or walk of life are called to the fullness of Christian life
and to the perfection of love, and by this holiness a more human manner of life is fostered
also in earthly society (Lumen Gentium, 40). The Salesian doctrine encouraged Vincent
and helped him to make a commitment to the task of finding lay men and women who
were willing to become involved in charitable action. At the same time he continued with
his plan to gather together a group of priests who would become involved in the
evangelization of the poor country people. It was for this reason that he encouraged
everyone to read the works of the Bishop of Geneva.

Vincent continued to preach missions on the de Gondi estate. In 1620 Marguerite de Silly
asked Vincent to assist and guide three heretics who lived within the boundaries of the
parish of Montmirail. She hoped that Vincent would be able to convert these individuals
and thus lead them once again back to the Church. On a given occasion one of these men,
the most reticent of the three, presented the following objection: You told me, Monsieur,
that the Church of Rome is led by the Holy Spirit, but I find that hard to believe because,
on the one hand, we see the rural Catholics abandoned to pastors who are ignorant and
given over to vice, with so little instruction in their duties that most of them hardly know
what the Christian religion is. On the other hand, we see towns filled with priests and
monks who are doing nothing; there are perhaps ten thousand of them in Paris, yet they
leave the poor country people in this appalling state of ignorance in which they are lost.
And you want to convince me that all this is being guided by the Holy Spirit! I will never
believe it! (CCD:XI:21). These words stirred up in Vincent an even greater zeal in
proclaiming the Good News to the poor. In 1621, a year after preaching the mission in
Montmirail, Vincent passed through some neighboring towns and villages where he once
again met the same heretic who clearly remembered Vincent. He had heard Vincent
preach and he was impressed with Vincent’s humility, with the simplicity of his
preaching, with his ability to adapt to the situation of the people. He approached Vincent
and expressed to him his desire to return to the church: Now I see that the Holy Spirit is
guiding the Roman Church since such care is taken in the instruction and salvation of
poor village people. I am ready to enter it whenever it will please you to receive
me(CCD:XI:22). After dealing with some further hesitations and after further instruction,
the heretic, attracted by the authentic witness of Vincent de Paul, expressed his faith in
the presence of the community that had gathered together. Later, when Vincent spoke
about this event to his confreres, he stated: Oh! What a happiness for our Missioners to
verify the guidance of the Holy Spirit on his Church by working, as we do, at the
instruction and sanctification of poor persons (CCD:XI:30). Our openness to the gift of
the Spirit can be verified by the strength of our commitment to the poor. Vincent saw a
clear sign that the Holy Spirit was guiding the Church as he observed the ways in which
those abandoned by society were being served. To separate oneself from the lowly ones
of society implies that one has closed oneself to the transforming action of the Spirit.
Pope Paul VI, in Evangelii Nuntiandi, described Vincent’s manner of acting when he
wrote: The first means of evangelization is the witness of an authentically Christian life,
given over to God in a communion that nothing should destroy and at the same time given
to one’s neighbor with limitless zeal. As we said recently to a group of lay people,
“Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to
teachers, it is because they are witnesses” (Evangelii Nuntiandi, 41). At all times and in
all places people are not persuaded or convinced by someone who teaches them the truth
in an infallible manner … they want someone who will listen to them and understand
them since they themselves do not understand themselves.

I:7] Birth and consolidation of his works

Vincent experienced God in the events of life: he experienced God’s grace as comfort and
God’s powers as revitalizing, God’s presence as enchanting and God’s mystery as
awesome. From these experiences he formed certain convictions that became clearer with
the passing of time. Vincent did not retain in some exclusive way the gifts that were given
to him. He shared these gifts through his foundations. We have already seen the
importance of the events of Folleville and Châtillon and how the Confraternities of
Charity came into existence in 1617 as a result of these experiences. Eight years later, in
1625, the Congregation of the Mission was officially established. There, Divine
Providence intervened through the instrumentality of two individuals. The first person
was Marguerite de Silly, Madame de Gondi, to whom is attributed the initiative of
forming a community of priests to support and expand the apostolic activity of Vincent
among the poor country people. The other was M. André Duval who prudently and wisely
guided Vincent through the process of discernment, helping him to recognize God’s call
as it was revealed in different events and people and in his own interior. Seduced by the
God of the poor and God’s poor people, Vincent resolved to accept the challenge. Slowly
he endeavored to accomplish these things but he did not want to anticipate
Providence. Later he revealed the secret of his prudence in a letter that he wrote to one of
his confreres: I have a particular devotion to following the adorable Providence of God
step by step(CCD:II:237). On April 17 Vincent and the de Gondi’s signed the contract of
establishment. Thus Vincent accepted the commitment to dedicate himself to the salvation
of the poor people in the countryside. He undertook this responsibility and at the same
time other priests joined him and together they formed a missionary community. The de
Gondi family accepted the responsibility of providing financial support to the work of
Vincent and those who would collaborate with him in the ministry of evangelizing the
poor. For the beginning the aim of this community was very clear: Some priests who
commit themselves and come together to devote themselves, by the way of the mission, to
catechize, preach, and exhort the poor country people to make a general
confession (CCD:XIIIa:222). At the age of forty-five, Vincent de Paul, sure of God’s will
for him, felt prepared to accept the challenges and the tasks that awaited him in the world
of the poor. This was the time of creative maturity.

An unexpected event: On June 23,1625, two months after the contract was signed,
Marguerite de Silly died at the age of forty-two. Vincent kept her memory alive and
referred to her as our first foundress (CCD:III:390). Vincent’s mission with the de
Gondi’s was now concluded and so with the members of his newly established
community he moved to the Coll?ge des Bons-Enfants which was offered to him by Jean-
François de Gondi, the Archbishop of Paris and the brother of the General of the Galleys.
On April 24, 1626 the Congregation received the approval of the Archbisop of Paris and
so on September 4th of the same year, Vincent de Paul, Antoine Portail, François du
Coudray and Jean de la Salle signed the Act of Association. On January 12, 1633 Pope
Urban VIII signed the Bull, Salvatoris Nostri, which granted pontifical approval to the
Congregation of the Missions. The task of clothing oneself in the spirit of Christ is in
accord with the Pauline recommendation (Romans 13:14) and would always be a dynamic
dimension of the vocation and the mission of the Company: So the Rule states that, in
order to do this, as well as to tend to our own perfection, we must be clothed with the
Spirit of Jesus Christ. O Sauveur! O Messieurs! What an important matter it is to clothe
ourselves with the Spirit of Jesus Christ. This means that to grow in holiness, to be useful
in helping people, and to serve the clergy well, we have to work at imitating the
perfection of Jesus Christ and to strive to attain it. It also means that, of ourselves we can
do nothing in this matter. We must be filled and animated with this spirit of Jesus
Christ (CCD:XII:93).

The Company of the Daughters of Charity was founded eight years after the official
establishment of the Congregation of the Mission. Once again Providence used women to
reveal its plans to Vincent. The first of these was Louise de Marillac. Around 1624
Vincent became the spiritual director of this restless widow who possessed many great
qualities that had as yet not been utilized to their fullest. Between the two of them there
would always be an exchange of gifts. Vincent wanted to actualize Louise’s virtues and
talents, thus he directed her dynamism and creativity toward the service of the poor. At
the same time Louise was Vincent’s most indispensable collaborator in various charitable
works. With her keen sensitivity she helped Vincent discover new paths and thus they
both became involved in new projects. The second instrument of divine Providence was
Marguerite Naseau. In 1630 Vincent met this young lively woman who desired to
dedicate her life to the service of the poor. Marguerite’s witness provided Vincent with
the greatest inspiration that eventually led to the establishment of the Company of the
Daughters of Charity. Then there was another sign. Vincent began to notice that the
Confraternities of Charity that had been initiated in Chatillon and that in 1629 were begun
in Paris … these Confraternities were no longer serving the poor as they had previously
done. After a period of initial enthusiasm, the women began to see the service they were
providing as too difficult and exhausting. Therefore, they entrusted these tasks to their
servants who engaged in this work with impressive skills, zeal and dedication. As Vincent
and Louise looked for ways to restructure the Confraternities they broadened their
horizons. They began to consider establishing a group of young women who would
consecrate themselves to God and engage in disinterested and humble service on behalf of
the most forgotten members of society. As always, Vincent waited for some sign from
Providence. Soon other young women were attracted by the example of Marguerite
Naseau and wanted to join her in this work. When they arrived in Paris they were
entrusted to Louise who offered them a solid human, spiritual and apostolic formation.
Gradually they became a community of women, consecrated to God; animated by the
charity of Jesus Christ they worked on behalf of those persons who were poor (cf., 2
Corinthians 5:14). After this time of preparation, these women collaborated with the
Ladies of Charity in the parishes. At the beginning, since they had no autonomous
juridical status, they were joined to the Confraternities. At the same time Louise began to
choose and guide the young women who would become members of the Company. On
November 29, 1633 a small group of women took up residence in Louise’s house to begin
a community whose fundamental objective was to commit themselves to God in order to
serve the poor: The main purpose for which God has called and brought the Daughters of
Charity together is to honor our Lord Jesus Christ as the source and model of all charity,
serving him corporally and spiritually in the person of the poor (Constitutions and
Statutes of the Daughters of Charity, p. 28). The originality of this fundamental intuition
was based on breaking with a model of religious life that was counter-productive and that
had run its course. Up to that time women religious were isolated from the world and
enclosed in cloisters where austere and often sterile practices had been formalized. At the
vanguard of this new understanding of consecrated life, its founder did not hesitate to
outline the profile of the Company that highlighted charity as the defining objective of
their identity: They shall have for their monastery only the houses of the sick; for their
cell, a hired room, for their chapel, the parish church; for their cloister, the streets of the
city and the wards of the hospital; for their enclosure, obedience; for their grille, the fear
of God; for their veil, holy modesty (CCD:XIIIb:148, n.3). On February 24, 1633, a few
months before the foundation of the Company, Marguerite Naseau died. Yet Vincent,
with good reason, called her the first Daughter of Charity (CCD:IX:66). The confession
of the dying man at Gannes and the sermon at Folleville were pivotal experiences for the
Congregation of the Mission. So, too, the witness of Marguerite Naseau and the events at
Chatillon were pivotal experiences for the Daughters of Charity. Vincent saw events as
situations which revealed the mystery of God: You know that the will of God cannot be
made known to us more clearly in events that when they happen without intervention or
in a way other than we requested (CCD:V:459). To penetrate the inexhaustible divine
mystery that becomes present in history will always be the great adventure of human
existence.

Vincent was convinced that the origin of each one of his establishments was due to the
movement of the Spirit. He never attributed the initiative of their establishment to himself
(cf., CCD:IX:192). He saw these establishments as work of God on behalf of the poor,
works that were entrusted to the Missionaries and the Daughters who freely and
generously responded to the initiatives of  God [who] loves the poor, consequently, he
loves those who love the poor (CCD:XI:349). Vincent frequently told the Daughters of
Charity: It can be said that God is the one who willed to bring this Company into
existence (CCD:IX:166). Vincent wanted to offer the Church men and women who were
deeply rooted in God and filled with a great love for the poor. The perspective with regard
to his vocation led to this beautiful, heartfelt prayer that was spoken during a repetition of
prayer with his confreres: Lord, send your Church good workers, but they should be
really good ones; send good Missioners, men such as they should be, to work hard in
your vineyard; persons, my God, truly detached from themselves, their own ease, and
worldly goods; they can be a smaller number, provided they are good. Grant your
Church this grace (CCD:XI:321-322).

I:8] Formator of the clergy

In light of the challenges of an emerging modern era the Council of Trent proposed to
redefine the life and the mission of the Church. At that time, several reformers, competent
individuals with a profound ecclesial sense, came to the forefront and were convinced of
the urgent need to provide more adequate formation to the clergy. Thus, in accord with
the spirit of the Council, these individuals sought for ways to offer the Church pastors
who were spiritually and apostolically prepared for ministry. Among these individuals we
mention here: Pierre de Bérulle, Toussaint Bourdaise, St. John Eudes, Jean-Jacques Olier
and Vincent de Paul … all of whom founded communities dedicated to the formation of
good priests. For Vincent this was an indispensable task in order that the evangelizing
mission might be efficacious and produce fruit, that is, offer life and holiness to those
who are poor. Vincent was convinced that evangelization of the poor could only be
effective and enduring if there were good pastors who would continue to accompany
people and thus continue the work that the Missioners had initiated. On behalf of the
poor, Vincent’s first love, he accepted the great challenge of forming zealous, holy and
wise priests: Now, to work for the salvation of poor country people is the main purpose of
our vocation, and all the rest is only accessory to it; for we would never have worked in
ministry for the ordinands and in seminaries for the clergy if we had not judged that this
was necessary to maintain the people and preserve the fruits of missions given by good
priests (CCD:XI:121).

Another event would provide an indicative sign of God’s will: in 1628 Vincent met with
the Bishop of Beauvais who called his attention to the need to prepare those young men
who presented themselves for ordination. Vincent began by giving a retreat to those who
were about to be ordained. Soon this type of retreat was adopted in many dioceses. In
1631 the Archbishop of Paris entrusted Vincent de Paul with the preparation of his
seminarians who were seeking ordination. This was the beginning of the retreat for
ordinands, Vincent’s first initiative in the area of reforming the clergy. In Paris, the
retreats were eleven days long and usually involved the participation of seventy to ninety
candidates. This was the first step in an incredible undertaking whose point of reference
was the continual discovery of the excellence of the vocation to the priesthood and its
intrinsic demands, for example, an integrated, consistent and practical preparation. In all
the places where the Congregation was established the missionaries were charged with the
spiritual accompaniment of the ordinands. In the following years the retreats would
become a time for a lengthy and careful process of formation. This would continue until
1643 when the first diocesan seminaries were established.

The second great initiative of Vincent with regard to the formation of the clergy was the
Tuesday Conferences (1633). These conferences were directed toward priests who had
participated in the retreats and who felt the need to deepen the formation that they
received through on-going reflection on the nature of their ministry and the moral,
spiritual and apostolic implications of their ministry. At Saint-Lazare (a great priory that
the Missionaries had received in 1632 as a gift from a community of canons that way
dying) the priests prayed, shared their ideas and listened to the instruction of Vincent.
Bishops and prominent individuals among the French clergy participated in these
meetings. In addition to deepening their spirituality, the participants received apostolic
formation: those who gathered together for these conferences were expected to engage in
some service on behalf of those who were poor. This might be some form of spiritual
assistance to those who were in the General Hospital in Paris, visits to those who were
imprisoned and to the family members of those imprisoned. These priests should also be
concerned about missions in the city, preparing themselves to confront the pastoral
challenges in their own diocese while the Missionaries cared for the people who lived in
the countryside. Various groups were established in different areas of Paris and groups
were also established in otyher dioceses and this was done for the purpose of promoting
among the clergy a process of on-going formation with regard to their vocation and
mission as men of God and humble servants of the people.

Besides these two initiatives which we have just mentioned, Vincent supported the
creation of seminaries while maintaining some restrictions with regard to the admission of
adolescents. Vincent favored candidates who had shown some maturity in their decision
to embark upon this path of life: The Council’s ruling is to be respected as coming from
the Holy Spirit. Experience shows nevertheless that the manner of carrying it out with
regard to the age of seminarians has not been successful either in Italy or in France.
Some left before the time, other had no inclination for the clerical life, others went to
Communities, and still others fled the places to which they were in obligation bound by
their training, preferring to seek their own fortune elsewhere (CCD:II:505-506).
Beginning in 1643 Vincent began to choose seminarians between the ages of 20-25. As a
result of Vincent’s influence which was appreciated and also needed, several seminaries
were established. Thus a significant effort on behalf of authentic formation for the clergy
of France during the seventeenth century moved forward under the clear sighted guidance
of Vincent de Paul and other reformers. At the same time many communities began to
become concerned about the formation of the clergy and as a result there was great
interest in the emerging seminaries. Vincent wrote to the missionaries about this: We
simply have the consolation of seeing that our modest works have spurred on a number of
good workers, who are devoting themselves to doing them — not only in the missions, but
also in seminaries, which are multiplying quickly in France. Even retreats for ordinands
are being given in several dioceses. Let us ask God to sanctify His Church more and
more (CCD:VIII:366). The fruit of Vincent’s work in the area of formation of the clergy
is seen in the ministry that was carried on by the Missionaries in many different countries.
Today we are also concerned about priestly formation, concerned about a process to
counteract a form of clericalism that is unconcerned about content, authenticity and a
critical sense, a clericalism that reveals a great existential void. At the same time that we
are concerned about all of this we are also hopeful. We hope to see blossom forth
Christian pastors who are steadfast in prayer, courageous as prophets, generous in service,
self-sacrificing in their commitment and zealous in building up the kingdom … pastors
who give witness to the unconditional love of God in providing for the little ones and for
those who are poor.

I:9] Broadening the sphere of his action

Vincent dedicated much time and energy to the development of the communities that he
founded. Both establishments prolonged and extended his incredible missionary and
charitable activity. In 1638 he advised the Daughters of Charity as they decided to accept
the ministry of caring for children who were abandoned. This work was undertaken in
collaboration with the Confraternities and with the support of the missionaries. At the
same time unsettling news began to arrive at Saint-Lazare, news about the provinces that
were devastated by the war and the plague, news about provinces where the misery
reached unimaginable proportions. Soon, relief came to these provinces as Vincent sent
the Missionaries and the Daughters there (Lorraine, Picardy and Champagne). In addition
Vincent denounced these situations to the civil and ecclesiastical authorities while
engaging in activities to obtain financial support from institutions and individuals that
would enable him to continue the relief work that had been begun. Vincent insisted on the
need to unite spiritual and material assistance, giving priority to one or the other
depending on the circumstances. During the civil war of the Fronde (1648-1653) Vincent
had the opportunity to reveal his charitable zeal, this time officially appointed by the
authorities to provide assistance to the victims of this war. Once again he allowed himself
to be influenced by the urgent needs of the poor in whom he saw the movement of
Providence. Vincent’s activity took on a national dimension and so no one was surprised
to see him in the forefront of the events surrounding the death of King Louis XIII. After
the death of the King, Queen Anne of Austria formed the Council of Conscience and
included Vincent in this group. As a result of this appointment his activity acquired a new
dimension but this never prevented him from speaking the truth. He was always
committed to the defense of the poor and was outraged by all forms of corruption, thus
attracting friends and enemies. During the year 1643-1653 Vincent intervened in matters
concerning the distribution of benefits, rising above conflicts and the denunciation of
political intrigues which often had prejudicial effects on the poor. Thus Vincent
continually tried to balance determination and firmness with sensitivity and tenderness.
Providing continuity to his work in the area of formation of the clergy, Vincent was
careful to select men of integrity for the position of bishop. This too was in accord with
his missionary plan that was focused on the poor and the clergy. Vincent was a prophet
inside and outside the Church. He denounced every form of injustice and exploitation that
kept many people in a state of misery and ignorance. He proclaimed a God who was in
radical solidarity with the hopes and the activity of those who were poor; a God who
broke the chains of slavery and who in light of the change in structures demanded by the
present poverty, advocated transformative action. Charity that was experienced and
accepted as the supreme rule and irreplaceable action guided every hour and every day of
Vincent’s life. In fact charity became an illuminated path that led Vincent to the discovery
of himself, the poor and God.
Vincent began to broaden his vision. After sending the Daughters to the devastated areas,
he accepted other areas where the Congregation could minister. In 1647 he sent
Missionaries to North Africa where many Christians were being enslaved. Two year later,
at the request of the Pope, he sent Missionaries to Ireland to assist Catholics who were
being persecuted. In 1651 Missionaries arrived in Scotland and Poland. Many of these
missionaries died in these foreign countries and a number of them died while traveling to
these distant lands. Vincent was moved by the premature death of his confreres and
quickly replaced them. The poor deserve the best and cannot wait. Vincent sent virtuous,
intelligent and self-sacrificing missionaries to these challenging and demanding missions
and reminded the confreres that everyone should experience themselves as called by the
poor in distant lands. Vincent felt that everyone should live in this state of tension,
cultivating a willingness to respond to the urgent needs of the Church and go wherever
they were needed. He wanted to be the first to give witness to this reality: I myself, old
and infirm as I am, must, nonetheless, have this disposition, even to go to the Indies to
win souls to God there, although I were to die on the way or on board
ship (CCD:XI:357). Martyrdom, understood as conforming oneself to the life and mission
of Jesus, should also be part of one’s horizon: God grant, my dear confreres, that all
those who present themselves to join the company will come with the thought of
martyrdom, desiring to suffer martyrdom in it and to devote themselves entirely to the
service of God, whether in far off lands or here, wherever it may please God to make use
of the poor Little Company! Yes, with the thought of martyrdom! How often we should
ask Our Lord for that grace and the disposition to be ready to risk our life for His glory
and the salvation of the neighbor, each and every one of us — Brothers, seminarians,
priests — in a word, the entire Company (CCD:XI:334-335). Vincent wanted his
missionaries to be men of integrity, transparent, detached, filled with zeal and the
tenderness of the spirit of Christ.

Vincent was seen as a tireless worker. Enflamed by charity he emptied himself for the
benefit of other and never lost time by engaging in useless activity. His activity was
intimately tied up with the fulfillment of the mission that was entrusted to him as a way of
participating in the mission of Christ. His life developed and unfolded as he engaged in a
process that led him to greater maturity, a process that led him to a continual search for
holiness: Perfection consists in a constant perseverance to acquire the virtues and
become proficient in their practice, because, on God’s road, not to advance is to fall back
since man never remains in the same condition (CCD:II:146). Thus Vincent discovered
that God speak to us in the midst of our seeking, in the midst of our personal and
community history, in the midst of the experiences that make us more human.

I:10] His journey to heaven

The year 1660 left profound marks on the Vincentian Family. On February 4th, M.
Antoine Portail, a worker from the first hour in the vineyard of the Mission, died. One
month later, on March 15th, Louise de Marillac entered into her heavenly home. Finally,
as September 27th was drawing to a close, Vincent de Paul, seated in a chair near the
fireplace heard the definitive call of the One to whom he had consecrated his life: Well
done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give
you great responsibilities(Matthew 25:21). A life that had been sewn together with the
thread of compassionate and effective love, a love that every human persons longs for, a
love that is concretized in the total gift of self and that finds eternal rest as it returns to its
source: the heart of God whose fidelity transcends the limits of history … this life arrived
at its final destiny. On that day the poor rejoiced in heaven and received with open arms
the one who had served them. Thus what Vincent had intuitively felt many years before
and what he had written about to one of his friends now became a reality: We cannot
better assure our eternal happiness than by living and dying in the service of the poor, in
the arms of Providence, and with genuine renouncement of ourselves in order to follow
Jesus Christ (CCD:III:384).

As we celebrate the 350th anniversary of the death of Saint Vincent de Paul let us allow
the words that John Paul II directed to the Congregation in 1986 … let us allows these
words to resonate in our hearts: We also turn our spirits and our hearts to Saint Vincent
de Paul, a man of action and prayer, of organization and imagination, of love and
humility, a man of the past and of the present. That the peasant of the Landes who
became, by the grace of God, a genius of Christianity, might help us to put our hands to
the plow once again, never looking backwards, for the one task that counts —
proclaiming the Good News to the Poor! (Address of John Paul II to the General
Assembly of the Congregation of the Mission, June 30, 1986). In this way we will learn to
expand the limits of our heart so that in Vincent we encounter a love that does not count
the cost, total surrender, unlimited goodness, true humility, keen sensitivity, disinterested
friendship and the joy of gratitude.
II] A spirituality of enthusiasm and
availability
In intimate union with Jesus Christ, the Word who became incarnated into the poverty of
humanity, clothed in the spirit and the attitudes of Christ, Vincent journeyed along the
path of holiness in a tireless search for the will of God, engaged in a daily struggle to
overcome his own limitations and to commit himself wholly to the least of the brothers
and sisters of Jesus. For Vincent, to be holy was basically to do the will of God in all
things(CCD:II:47) something that he had expressed to Louise. To those who would
attempt to excuse themselves from this obligation, Vincent stated once again: We can do
the will of God at all times, if we are willing. Oh, what a happiness, what a happiness,
Messieurs, to do God’s will always and in all things! Is not that doing what the Son of
God came on earth to do … The Son of God came to evangelize the poor. And are not we,
Messieurs, sent for the same purpose? Yes, Missioners are sent to evangelize the poor.
Oh, what a happiness to do on earth the same thing Our Lord did there (CCD:XI:283-
284).

The core of Vincent’s spiritual experience was the following of Jesus Christ who was sent
to evangelize and serve the poor (cf., Luke 4:18). Thus Vincent attempted to become like
Christ imitating his unconditional fidelity to the Father in order to continue the mission of
Jesus in the midst of the challenges of the present time. Vincentian spirituality is like a
clear and powerful river that flows between two places: dynamic identification with the
person of Jesus and a radical option for the most poor. All authentic spirituality leads one
to a specific mission. The way of holiness that was proposed by Vincent is intimately
united to fulfilling the mission that was entrusted to him: Let us love God, brothers. Let
us love God, but let it be with the strength of our arms and the sweat of our
brows (CCD:XI:32).

II.1] Clothing oneself in the spirit of Christ

Jesus Christ is the focal point and the source of the dynamism of Christian spirituality.
Reflecting on the challenges present in Latin America, the bishops reaffirmed the original
and decisive character of the encounter with Christ in the experience of the missionary
disciples. Christ is the one who reveals the merciful Love of the Father, and the vocation,
dignity, and destiny of the human person (Aparecido Document, 6). Therefore, knowing
Jesus Christ by faith is our joy; following him is a grace, and passing on this treasure to
others is a task entrusted to us by the Lord, in calling and choosing us (Aparecido
Document, 18). In conformity with Christ, the vocation, the freedom and the uniqueness
of each person is rediscovered as a gift of God in order to serve the world, to defend the
rights of the weakest members of our society and to promote a dignified life for all people
(Cf. Aparecido Document, 111-112).

For Vincent Jesus Christ constituted the life of his life and was the only desire of his heart
(CCD:VI:189); the love which nourished and strengthened (CCD:VIII:20); the
fundamental and first rule of the Mission (CCD:XII:110); he is our father, our mother,
our all (CCD:V:537); he is the model of all virtues (CCD:VIII:308); the one to whom we
ought to conform our actions (CCD:XI:201). The task of the Missionaries and the
Daughters of Charity is to continue the mission of Jesus Christ who was sent by the
Father to evangelize and serve the poor According to Vincent de Paul the will of God is
revealed in the word and the actions of Jesus and therefore the accomplishment of Jesus’
will consists of conforming ourselves to Christ, clothing ourselves in his values and
attitudes in order to continue his saving work. Utilizing Saint John’s image of the vine
(cf., John 15:5) Vincent exhorted the members of his Congregation: God has bestowed a
great favor on this insignificant, wretched Company in giving us the happiness of
imitating Him, for like branches united to the vine we continue the mission of Jesus
Christ (CCD:XI:237). One of Vincent’s most eloquent exhortations, one that was directed
to M. Portail, (one of his first followers) leaves no doubt about Vincent’s progressive
identification with Christ through the on-going dynamic relationship between reflection
and action: Remember, Monsieur, we live in Jesus Christ, through the death of Jesus
Christ, and we must die in Jesus Christ through the life of Jesus Christ, and our life must
be hidden in Jesus Christ and filled with Jesus Christ, and in order to die as Jesus Christ,
we must live as Jesus Christ (CCD:I:276).

Under the guidance of his spiritual masters Vincent was able to maintain his focus on the
Lord (cf., Hebrews 3:1), and followed the way of God, clothing himself more and more in
the spirit of Christ by taking on two fundamental values*: 1] love and reverence for the
Father and contemplation of Jesus who found no greater satisfaction than faithfully
following the will of the One who sent him*; 2] compassionate and effective charity
toward the poor, without which we become dehumanized* and thus unable to love God
concretely*. These two structural principles of Vincentian spirituality join together
docility and divine Providence which, in Vincent’s vision, have maternal
characteristics: We ought to have the same trust in Divine Providence seeing how
Providence provides for everything in the same way that a mother cares for her child*.
Throughout his life Vincent allowed himself to be awed by the nearness of the Lord. He
knew that the providential glance of God watched over him and his establishments and
most of all watched over those people who were most poor. This experience strengthened
his faith, confirmed his vocation and renewed his missionary endeavor. He liked to
say: Grace has its moments(CCD:II:499). He showed himself to be convinced that God
walked with us* and that the truths of God never deceive (CCD:IX:199). Vincent
frequently spoke about Providence. On one occasion he said to Louise de
Marillac: Follow the order of Providence. Oh! how good it is to let ourselves be guided
by it (CCD:I:283-284). Vincent had a concrete and practical understanding of the love of
God whose will he sought on a daily basis and embraced in the events of life. He followed
the will of God step by step and with great confidence entrusted himself to God as an
instrument called to serve the poor.

In imitation of Jesus (cf. Mark 7:24-30) Vincent attempted to maintain himself in a

situation of attentive listening to the calls of God in the reality that surrounded him, in the
cries of the poor, in events and in the persons with whom he interacted*. In order to
affirm the action of the Spirit his discernment led him to ask the same restless question of
the apostle Paul on the road to Damascus: What shall I do Lord? (Acts 22:10). Based on
the gradual unfolding of the mystery of Christ, Vincent suggested to a young confrere
(twenty-seven years old) in the Congregation who had just been appointed superior of his
local community: When there is a question of doing some good work, say to the Son of
God, “Lord, if you were in my place, how would you act on this occasion? (CCD:XI:314).
The Missionaries must embrace the challenge of following Jesus and living as Jesus did,
that is, in the freedom of the Spirit, in conformity with the plan of the Father and in a state
of active vigilance before the signs of the time: Today we contemplate Jesus Christ as the
gospels transmit him to us so that we may know what He did and discern what we must
do in the present day circumstances (Aparecida Document, 139).

Vincent’s journey was defined by the gospel. In light of the gospel Vincent expressed his
convictions, reaffirmed his faith and reflected on his experience. In the Common Rules of
the Congregation of the Mission (1658), rules that were formulated over the course of
thirty-three years, Vincent wrote: Let each of us accept the truth of the following
statement and try to make it our most fundamental principle: Christ’s teaching will never
let us down … That is why the Congregation should always try to follow the teaching of
Christ himself and never that of the world-wise (Common Rules II:1). Clothing oneself in
the spirit of Christ, accepting Christ’s teaching, engraving his value in our hearts and our
lives, taking on Christ’s attitudes, embracing as our own Christ’s fundamental option for
the kingdom and nourishing ourselves with Christ’s love … all of these are elements of
Vincentian spirituality, conditions that make any missionary endeavor possible. Vincent,
mature physically and spiritually, spoke to the priests and the brothers: The intention of
the Company is to imitate Our Lord to the extent that poor, insignificant persons can do.
What does that mean? It means that the Company aspires to take him as a model in the
way he acted, what he did, his ministries and his aims. How can one person represent
another, if he does not have the same characteristics, features, manners, and looks? That
cannot be. So, if we are determined to make ourselves like this divine model, and feel in
our hearts this desire and holy affections, it is necessary, I repeat, it is necessary to strive
to model our thoughts, works, and intentions on his(CCD:XII:67-68).

II:2] Advocating on behalf of the poor

As Vincent continued his journey, he embraced the request that the apostle Paul made
during the Jerusalem Council: We are to be mindful of the poor, which is the very thing I
am eager to do (Galatians 2:10). The poor were at the center of Vincent’s vocation and
mission. The identity of his various establishments and his own identity was bound up
with service to the poor. In the conference of December 6, 1658, Vincent expressed his
most intimate convictions with regard to the dedication of the Missionaries to the
poor: But, Monsieur, we are not the only ones who instruct poor people; do Pastors do
anything else? What about preachers in towns and villages? What do they do in Advent
and Lent? They preach to the poor, and they do it better than we do. True, but there isn’t
a single Company in the church of God that has for its portion persons who are poor,
devoting itself totally to the poor and never preaching in large towns. That is what
Missioners profess to do; it is their special characteristic to be, like Jesus Christ,
committed to the poor. So, our vocation is a continuation of his, or, at least, it is similar
to it in its circumstances. Oh, what happiness, brothers, but what an obligation we have
to be attached to it (CCD:XII:71).
In fact, the option for the poor is common to the whole Church and is a gospel imperative.
The Document of Aparecido addresses this fundamental conviction as it presents the poor
as the privileged place of the encounter with Christ and the option on behalf of the
disinherited of history as an intrinsic demand of Christological faith. We also encounter
Him in a special way in the poor, the afflicted, and the sick (cf. Mt 25:37?40), who
reclaim our commitment and give us testimony of faith, patience in suffering, and
constant struggle to go on living. How many times do the poor and those who suffer
actually evangelize us! In the recognition of this presence and nearness, and in the
defense of the rights of the excluded, the Church’s faithfulness to Jesus Christ is at stake.
The encounter with Jesus Christ in the poor is a constitutive dimension of our faith in
Jesus Christ. Our option for them emerges from contemplation of his suffering face in
them and from the encounter with Him in the afflicted and outcast, whose immense
dignity He himself reveals to us. It is our very adherence to Jesus Christ that makes us
friends of the poor and unites us to their fate (Document of Aparecido. 257).

From the perspective of faith that was adopted by Vincent, the option for the poor was
clothed in a universal visceral character, referring to that which is most essential in his
foundation. In this option is found a very particular way of being like Jesus Christ, that is,
a characteristic manner of following him. Vincent discovered Christ in the poor and the
poor in Christ: Turn the medal and you will see by the light of faith that the Son of God,
who willed to be poor, is represented to us by these poor people (CCD:XI:26). He was
convinced that the poor are our brothers [and sisters] whom God commands us to
help (CCD:VII:115). Therefore, the service of the poor must be preferred to everything
else (CCD:IX:171). There is a profound identification between Christ and the poor.
Through means of them the Lord questions our human sensitivity since he regards what
is done to the poor as done to himself, for they are his members (CCD:IX:256). Therefore
when Vincent spoke to the Daughters of Charity he told them: In serving persons who are
poor, we serve Jesus Christ. How true, Sisters! You are serving Jesus Christ in the person
of the poor. And that is as true as that we are here. A Sister will go ten times a day to visit
the sick, and ten times a day she will find God there(CCD:IX:199). Here we find the true
meaning of charity: to give the poor the love that we ourselves have received in Jesus
Christ
Vincent also learned to view the poor in the same way as Christ did, recognizing their
dignity and allowing himself to be evangelized by them, by their manner of being and
acting, because their style of life is that which is required if one wishes to enter into the
kingdom and also Jesus of Nazareth assumed their lifestyle and recommended this way of
life to his disciples. The mystery of the Incarnation constitutes the surest way to
legitimize the way of being of the poor: For you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus
Christ, that for your sake he became poor although he was rick, so that by his poverty
you might become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9). If Jesus wanted to be poor and act in the same
way as the poor and choose the ways of the poor, it was to point out a path to his
followers. Therefore, to follow Jesus consists in living and acting as Jesus did. In the
spirit of the beatitudes (Matthew 5:3) Vincent assured us: What I retain from my
experience of this is the discernment I have always made that true religion — true
religion, Messieurs, true religion is found among the poor. God enriches them with a live
faith; they believe, they touch, they taste the words of life(CCD:XII:142)

Care for the poor is the gift par excellence of the Vincentian communities: Sisters, if you
only realized what a grace it is to serve those who are poor and to be called by God for
that purpose! … When a good Daughter of Charity devotes her entire life to the service of
God, leaves everything, no longer possesses anything in the world — father, mother,
goods, possessions, and no knowledge except of God or for God — there is good reason
to think that such a Sister will one day be with the blessed (CCD:X:272). We are dealing
with a gift which is embraced with humility, creativity and enthusiasm for human
freedom: Come then, my dear confreres, let us devote ourselves with renewed love to
serve persons who are poor, and even to seek out those who are the poorest and most
abandoned; let us acknowledge before God that they are our lords and masters and that
we are unworthy of rendering them our little services (CCDXI:349).

On this journey it is most important to unite the spiritual and the material dimension of
ministry thus guaranteeing the poor a service of human promotion that is integral, a
service that enables them to be the protagonists of their history. Vincent recommended
this as a way for the Sisters to give witness to the apostolic aspect of their vocation, a bold
idea in an ecclesial context which deprived women of ministerial opportunities to grow in
their faith. With some few examples, the ministry of women was one of manual labor and
silence. Vincent said: Do you think, Sisters, that God expects you simply to bring his poor
persons a piece of bread, a little meat, some soup, and some medicine? Oh no, Sisters!
That was not his plan in choosing you from all eternity to render him the services you do
for him in the person of the poor. He expects you to provide for their spiritual needs as
well as for those of the body. They need heavenly manna; they need the Spirit of God; and
where will you find it in order to share it with them? In Holy Communion, Sisters. Both
important persons and the simple need this, Sisters (CCD:IX:189). Vincent also reminded
the missionaries who were engaged in the ministry of evangelization that was seen as a
response to the missionary command to proclaim the Good News of the kingdom … he
reminded them about the risk of a proclamation that did not include acceptance,
compassion and care for those who were poor (signs that reveal the presence of the
kingdom in history: If there are any among us who think they are in the Mission to
evangelize poor people but not to alleviate their sufferings, to take care of their spiritual
needs but not their temporal ones, I reply that we have to help them and have them
assisted in every way, by us and by others, if we want to hear those pleasing words of the
Sovereign Judge of the living and the dead, “Come, beloved of my Father; possess the
kingdom that has been prepared for you, because I was hungry and you gave me to eat; I
was naked and you clothed me; sick and you assisted me” (Matthew 25:34-36). To do this
is to preach the Gospel by words and by works, and that is the most perfect way; it is also
what Our Lord did, and what those should do who represent him on earth, officially and
by nature, as priests do(CCD:XII:78).

Therefore, Vincent proposed to his confreres a process of humanization, a process in

which he himself had become involved. Such a process means that they place themselves
in the mist of the world where human life is often trampled upon and human dignity
frequently vilified. Quoi! To be a Christian and to see our brother suffering without
weeping with him, without being sick with him! That is to be lacking in charity; it is being
a caricature of a Christian; it is inhuman; it is to be worse than animals (CCD:XII:222).
Thus, following the example of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:33-35) one attempts to
clothe oneself with an attitude of mercy. Vincent stated: When we go to visit poor
persons, we have to sympathize with them in order to suffer with them, and put ourselves
in the disposition of the great apostle, who said ‘omnibus omnia factus sum;’ I have made
myself all to all … For that purpose, we have to try to stir our hearts to pity, make them
sensitive to the sufferings and miseries of our neighbor, and ask God to give us the true
spirit of mercy, which is the characteristic spirit of God(CCD:XI:308). From a Vincentian
perspective, holiness is a participation in life of Jesus’ God who reaches out to the “little
ones” and the poor and who is only satisfied with a merciful love: O Sauveur! O my
brothers! How fortunate we are to be on the path to holiness! O Savior, grant us the
grace to walk straight on it without growing lax (CCD:XII:69).

III] Conclusion
The saints never grow old. Therefore it is not enough for us to contemplate the movement
of those who have journeyed before us along the path of faith. The greater challenge
consists in viewing them as sources of inspiration in the following of Jesus Christ so that
the same seeds toke root in us … seeds which in them blossomed forth into life. As we
celebrate the 350th anniversary of the death of Saint Vincent de Paul we cannot limit
ourselves to recalling his incredible personality and/or the heroic events of his life. This
year ought to be viewed as a privileged time to rediscover the fundamental experience
that led Vincent to consecrate his life to God and to place himself at the service of those
people who are poor, thus making use of the many gifts which had been bestowed on him
by the Creator. There is no doubt that the encounter with Jesus Christ transformed
Vincent into a tireless messenger of the gospel of life and hope.

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