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TODAY (27 September) is the 349th anniversary of the death of the patron of one of
our parishes here in Girardville. Next year (obviously) will
be the 350th anniversary of his death. It would be appropriate
if we (by which I mean the members of both parishes) would try
during the coming year to become more aware of the life and teachings
of this great man. Maybe next year, if God spares us, we will
have a special celebration in his honor.
By the way: Did you know that there is only one parish in the
Diocese of Allentown named “St. Vincent dePaul”. There
used to be more than one ……. but consolidations have
taken their toll! So, we here in Girardville have to carry the
banner for St. Vincent dePaul.
Saint
Vincent de Paul
Born: 24 April 1581 in a village near Ranquine,
Gascony, near Dax (southwest France)
Died: 27 September 1660 in Paris
Memorial on the Calendar of Saints: 27 September
A Few Facts about Him
He was born to a peasant family. A highly
intelligent youth, Vincent spent four years with the Franciscan
friars at Acq, France getting an education. He served as a tutor
to children of a gentlemen in Acq. He began his theology studies
in 1596 at the University of Toulouse and was ordained a priest
at the age of 20.
Taken captive by Turkish pirates to Tunis, he was sold into slavery.
He was freed in 1607 when he converted one of his owners to Christianity.
Returning to France, he served as parish priest near Paris where
he started organizations to help the poor, nursed the sick, found
jobs for the unemployed, etc. He served as Chaplain at the court
of Henry IV of France. With Louise de Marillac, he founded the
Congregation of the Daughters of Charity. He instituted the Congregation
of Priests of the Mission (Lazarists). He worked always for the
poor, the enslaved, the abandoned, the ignored, the pariahs.
His body was found incorrupt when it was exhumed in 1712. His
remains can be seen today in the house of the Vincentian Fathers
in Paris. His heart is incorrupt. It is displayed in a reliquary
in the chapel of the motherhouse of the Sisters of Charity in
Paris.
He was beatified (declared “Blessed”) on 13 August
1729 by Pope Benedict XIII and was canonized (declared “Saint”)
on 16 June 1737 by Pope Clement XII.
A
Selection from the Writings of
St. Vincent dePaul
• However great the work that God may
achieve by an individual, he must not indulge in self-satisfaction.
He ought rather to be all the more humbled, seeing himself merely
as a tool which God has made use of.
• We must love our neighbor as being made in the image of
God and as an object of His love.
• The Church teaches us that mercy belongs to God. Let us
implore Him to bestow on us the spirit of mercy and compassion,
so that we are filled with it and may never lose it. Only consider
how much we ourselves are in need of mercy.
• Extend your mercy towards others, so that there can be
no one in need whom you meet without helping. For what hope is
there for us if God should withdraw His Mercy from us?
• The most powerful weapon to conquer the devil is humility.
For, as he does not know at all how to employ it, neither does
he know how to defend himself from it.
• Free your mind from all that troubles you; God will take
care of things. You will be unable to make haste in this (choice)
without, so to speak, grieving the heart of God, because he sees
that you do not honor him sufficiently with holy trust. Trust
in him, I beg you, and you will have the fulfillment of what
your heart desires.
• It is our duty to prefer the service of the poor to everything
else and to offer such service as quickly as possible. If a needy
person requires medicine or other help during prayer time, do
whatever has to be done with peace of mind. Offer the deed to
God as your prayer. Charity is certainly greater than any rule.
Moreover, all rules must lead to charity.
• Human nature grows tired of always doing the same thing,
and it is God’s will that this because of the opportunity
of practicing two great virtues. The first is perseverance, which
will bring us to our goal. The other is steadfastness, which
overcomes the difficulties on the way.
• We should strive to keep our hearts open to the sufferings
and wretchedness of other people, and pray continually that God
may grant us that spirit of compassion which is truly the spirit
of God.
• Humility and charity are the two master-chords: one, the
lowest; the other, the highest; all the others are dependent
on them. Therefore it is necessary, above all, to maintain ourselves
in these two virtues; for observe well that the preservation
of the whole edifice depends on the foundation and the roof.
• As it is most certain that the teaching of Christ cannot
deceive, if we would walk securely, we ought to attach ourselves
to it with greatest confidence and to profess openly that we
live according to it, and not to the maxims of the world, which
are all deceitful. This is the fundamental maxim of all Christian
perfection.
• We have never so much cause for consolation, as when we
find ourselves oppressed by sufferings and trials; for these
make us like Christ our Lord, and this resemblance is the true
mark of our predestination.
• Perfection consists in one thing alone, which is doing
the will of God. For, according to Our Lord’s words, it
suffices for perfection to deny self, to take up the cross and
to follow Him. Now who denies himself and takes up his cross
and follows Christ better than he who seeks not to do his own
will, but always that of God? Behold, now, how little is needed
to become as Saint? Nothing more than to acquire the habit of
willing, on every occasion, what God wills.
• He who allows himself to be ruled or guided by the lower
and animal part of his nature, deserves to be called a beast
rather than a man.
• Whoever wishes to make progress in perfection should use
particular diligence in not allowing himself to be led away by
his passions, which destroy with one hand the spiritual edifice
which is rising by the labors of the other. But to succeed well
in this, resistance should be begun while the passions are yet
weak; for after they are thoroughly rooted and grown up, there
is scarcely any remedy.
• The first step to be taken by one who wishes to follow
Christ is, according to Our Lord’s own words, that of renouncing
himself - that is, his own senses, his own passions, his own
will, his own judgement, and all the movements of nature, making
to God a sacrifice of all these things, and of all their acts,
which are surely sacrifices very acceptable to the Lord. And
we must never grow weary of this; for if anyone having, so to
speak, one foot already in Heaven, should abandon this exercise,
when the time should come for him to put the other there, he
would run much risk of being lost.
• We ought to deal kindly with all, and to manifest those
qualities which spring naturally from a heart tender and full
of Christian charity; such as affability, love and humility.
These virtues serve wonderfully to gain the hearts of men, and
to encourage them to embrace things that are more repugnant to
nature.
• It ought to be considered a great misfortune, not only
for individuals, but also for Houses and Congregations, to have
everything in conformity with their wishes; to go on quietly,
and to suffer nothing for the love of God. Yes, consider it certain
that a person or a Congregation that does not suffer and is applauded
by all the world is near a fall.
• Even though the poor are often rough and unrefined, we
must not judge them from external appearances nor from the mental
gifts they seem to have received. On the contrary, if you consider
the poor in the light of faith, then you will observe that they
are taking the place of the Son of God who chose to be poor.
Although in his passion he almost lost the appearance of a man
and was considered a fool by the Gentiles and a stumbling block
by the Jews, he showed them that his mission was to preach to
the poor: “He sent me to preach the good news to the poor.”
We also ought to have this same spirit and imitate Christ’s
actions, that is, we must take care of the poor, console them,
help them, support their cause. Since Christ willed to be born
poor, he chose for himself disciples who were poor. He made himself
the servant of the poor and shared their poverty. He went so
far as to say that he would consider every deed which either
helps or harms the poor as done for or against himself. Since
God surely loves the poor, he also love whose who love the poor.
For when on person holds another dear, he also includes in his
affection anyone who loves or serves the one he loves. That is
why we hope that God will love us for the sake of the poor. So
when we visit the poor and needy, we try to be understanding
where they are concerned. We sympathize with them so fully that
we can echo Paul’s words: “I have become all things
to all men.” Therefore, we must try to be stirred by our
neighbors’ worries and distress. It is our duty to prefer
the service of the poor to everything else and to offer such
service as quickly as possible. Charity is certainly greater
than any rule. Moreover, all rules must lead to charity. With
renewed devotion, then, we must serve the poor, especially outcasts
and beggars. They have been given to us as our masters and patrons.
LET US DECLARE THAT THIS
COMING YEAR (27 Sept 2009 to 27 Sept 2010)
will be THE YEAR OF VINCENT here in Girardville. Let us try to live according
to his example. He is an image of Jesus Christ our Supreme Lord. |
Saturday,
26 September