Christ the King - Year A - 26th November 2017
Every saint has a past……
Vincent de Paul (1581-1660) certainly had a past. As a proud Gascon, born near Dax in southwest France, to humble parentage. he would walk a few paces behind his poor limping father, despite his father making many sacrifices to have him educated. Vincent also had himself ordained at the mere age of nineteen for mostly ambitious reasons.
……but every sinner has a future!
However, God placed him under good leaders who sent him to minister to people who were both materially and spiritually poor. In fact, there is ample evidence that Vincent was converted by those who suffered social and spiritual poverty in 17th century France.
The Vincentian Charism today
For St. Vincent de Paul the message is simple. Our God did not simply be-come a person, but rather a person who was poor in every sense of the word. Vincent could now see Christ in a poor man or in a poor woman and, the poor person, in Christ. (Indeed, Vincent saw himself as the poorest among the poor, often calling himself “a wretch”, a poor sinner.)
VIVAT – Celebrating Vincentian values
St. Vincent saw women and men, disempowered by life, as his teachers. Fr. Aidan McGing c.m. former parish priest of Sacred Heart parish, commissioned the painting of Vincent at table, as an equal among equals, the painting which now hangs in our church.
Vincentian Family Day, December 2nd
In Sacred Heart parish we are privileged to host the last celebration of the 400 years of the Vincentian charism on Saturday, December 2nd. We need people representing all ages in the parish, to be present, especially those who will carry our church into the year 2030, we call it 20-30 vision! Why not make this a truly Vincentian family Day?
Timetable for the Day:
12.00: Eucharist
13.00: Refreshments/tea/coffee
14.00: Input on Vincentian values (VIVAT) in the parish hall by Sr. Margaret Barrett D.C., former Provincial and General Council-lor of the Daughters of Charity, with first-hand experience of the world-wide Vincentian family.
15.15: Adoration of thanksgiving and private intercession for the Vincentian family by those who have time to remain on in the church after the main conference ends.
16.00: End of Celebration.
Fr Michael’ McCullagh C.M.
Comments