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Succeeding The Jesuits: The Congregation Of The Mission And The Colégio Da Purificação In Evora, Sean A. Smith Ph.D.
Succeeding The Jesuits: The Congregation Of The Mission And The Colégio Da Purificação In Evora, Sean A. Smith Ph.D.
Vincentian Heritage Journal
Sean Smith uses the former Jesuit college in Evora, Portugal, as a case study in the transfer of Jesuit institutions to the Congregation’s direction. He examines whether the Congregation enjoyed the same patronage as the Jesuits, how the transition between the Jesuits and the Congregation was made, and whether “the Lazarists’ succession filled the educational and missionary gaps left by the Society of Jesus in Evora.” He traces the history of each community in Portugal and places it within the context of the communities’ changing fortunes throughout Europe. He concludes that, in Portugal at least, the transfer of power from …
Vincentian Pilgrimage Hospitality: Historical And Contemporary Perspectives, Edward R. Udovic C.M., Ph.D.
Vincentian Pilgrimage Hospitality: Historical And Contemporary Perspectives, Edward R. Udovic C.M., Ph.D.
Vincentian Heritage Journal
Edward Udovic narrates the history of Vincentian pilgrimages and the tradition of hospitality within it. He describes the significance of different Vincentian pilgrimage sites, especially Saint-Lazare. He explains the role of inclusivity within DePaul University’s mission and how the university “uses pilgrimages (or Heritage Tours) as a tool to enhance mission engagement” among specially selected faculty, staff, and students. The trips are an important aspect of the university community’s Vincentian formation. Participants, who may not be Catholic or members of any organized religion, are supposed to use the experience to discern how their own values harmonize with the university’s mission. …
Eight American Daughters Of Charity And The Chinese People’S Liberation Army In Jiangxi Province, 1928–1930, Lawrence F. Asma C.M.
Eight American Daughters Of Charity And The Chinese People’S Liberation Army In Jiangxi Province, 1928–1930, Lawrence F. Asma C.M.
Vincentian Heritage Journal
This article chronicles the lives of American Daughters of Charity in the Jiangxi Province of China. Some worked in a country mission in Taiwo and some worked in the city of Ganzhou. Sometimes using the sisters’ own words, the article describes their journey to their mission in Taiwo, their medical and spiritual ministry to the sick poor, and their flights from the communists in March and August 1930. During one of two sieges of Ganzhou, the sisters there continued to nurse the sick. The Daughters worked in Shanghai and elsewhere after leaving Taiwo and Ganzhou, but they ultimately had to …
The Era Of Boundlessness At St. Mary’S Of The Barrens, 1818-1843: A Brief Historical Analysis, Richard J. Janet Ph.D.
The Era Of Boundlessness At St. Mary’S Of The Barrens, 1818-1843: A Brief Historical Analysis, Richard J. Janet Ph.D.
Vincentian Heritage Journal
Richard Janet analyzes the early history of Saint Mary’s of the Barrens according to the historian Philip Gleason’s view of the development of American Catholicism. Gleason sees the arc of American Catholicism as moving from a period of “boundlessness,” in which institutions engaged in all types of works, to the mid-nineteenth-century period of “consolidation,” in which leaders tried to manage growth in a way that would stabilize those institutions. Gleason’s thesis is discussed in detail. The work of Felix De Andreis, Joseph Rosati, and John Timon is examined. They faced many problems inherent in maintaining a Vincentian community while ministering …
Jean-Baptiste Étienne, C.M. And The Restoration Of The Daughters Of Charity, Edward R. Udovic C.M., Ph.D.
Jean-Baptiste Étienne, C.M. And The Restoration Of The Daughters Of Charity, Edward R. Udovic C.M., Ph.D.
Vincentian Heritage Journal
The nineteenth-century superior general Jean-Baptiste Etienne has often been given the title of “Second Founder” of the Congregation and the Daughters of Charity. Edward Udovic argues that this title is deserved, not because of any similarity to Vincent de Paul, but because of Etienne’s faithfulness to the communities’ primitive spirit. Etienne made that the guiding principle of the communities’ re-establishment. Etienne’s background, experience, agenda for restoration and reform, and worldview are all examined. According to Udovic, Etienne and his leadership are best described as “Vincentian-centric, Romantic, Gallican, and authoritarian.” A French nationalist and imperialist, he was particularly concerned with remaining …
Demographics Of Entrants: Sisters Of Charity Of St. Joseph’S, 1809–1849 And Daughters Of Charity, Province Of The United States, 1850–1909, Betty Ann Mcneil D.C.
Demographics Of Entrants: Sisters Of Charity Of St. Joseph’S, 1809–1849 And Daughters Of Charity, Province Of The United States, 1850–1909, Betty Ann Mcneil D.C.
Vincentian Heritage Journal
A project began in 2002 to develop a database tracking all the admissions to the Sisters of Charity of Saint Joseph’s (1809–1849) and the Daughters of Charity (1850–1909) in the United States. This article explains how the project was conducted, what sources were used, and what the study’s major findings were. The database encompassed many different demographics: family backgrounds, birthplaces, and age of entrants, their marital and/or convert status, their years of entrance, and whether they had relatives in the community. Military service, withdrawals, transfers, separations, and burial places were also tracked.
Pioneer And Prophet: Frédéric Ozanam’S Influence On Modern Catholic Social Theory, Thomas W. O'Brien
Pioneer And Prophet: Frédéric Ozanam’S Influence On Modern Catholic Social Theory, Thomas W. O'Brien
Vincentian Heritage Journal
Thomas O’Brien provides a “contextual theological analysis of some key elements of [Frederic] Ozanam’s beliefs and practices, especially as these influence the birth of Catholic social theory and its subsequent developments.” O’Brien addresses Ozanam’s advocacy of direct service to the poor as part of discipleship for all Christians (part of what is known today as the option for the poor). The formation of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul was both conservative because it continued the Church’s tradition of charity and radical because it organized laypeople and allowed them positions of leadership hitherto reserved for priests and religious. Ozanam …
A Challenge To Napoleon: The Defiance Of The Daughters Of Charity, Elisabeth Charpy D.C.
A Challenge To Napoleon: The Defiance Of The Daughters Of Charity, Elisabeth Charpy D.C.
Vincentian Heritage Journal
With the Revolution, religious congregations were suppressed in France. The Daughters of Charity were restored in 1800 to staff hospitals. In 1807, they submitted their statutes to the Minister of Cults; a long conflict began about who had authority over them. Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac had placed the Daughters under the Congregation’s superior general; placing them under the bishops would have cloistered the Company, ending their direct service to the poor. Napoleon wanted women’s congregations under the jurisdiction of bishops he controlled. The superior general insisted that maintaining the original relationship between the Congregation and the Daughters …
Vincent De Paul: The Principles And Practice Of Government, 1625–60, Alison Forrestal Ph.D.
Vincent De Paul: The Principles And Practice Of Government, 1625–60, Alison Forrestal Ph.D.
Vincentian Heritage Journal
Alison Forrestal explains how the government of the Congregation developed and functioned, and how it operated in relation to the Ladies of Charity and the Daughters of Charity. Vincent de Paul devoted a great deal of attention to governance for all three groups. For them “to share a sense common of identity and familial fraternity,” he emphasized that they were united through their common purpose. He expected everyone involved in government to be guided by trust in providence and the imitation of Christ. He also paid special attention to the formation of leaders for all three groups and treated those …
Catholic Philanthropy And Civil Society: The Lay Volunteers Of Saint Vincent De Paul In Nineteenth-Century Mexico, Silvia Marina Arrom Ph.D.
Catholic Philanthropy And Civil Society: The Lay Volunteers Of Saint Vincent De Paul In Nineteenth-Century Mexico, Silvia Marina Arrom Ph.D.
Vincentian Heritage Journal
The history of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul and the Association of the Ladies of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul in nineteenth-century Mexico counters the argument that “civil society and philanthropy are new to Latin America.” Both organizations operated in cities nationwide, with tens of thousands of members helping hundreds of thousands of persons who were poor. Their activities, which are described in detail, encompassed traditional forms of charity and efforts to address the causes of poverty. Their contributions to the development of Mexican society are explained. Differences between the Mexican and French branches of these groups …
The Sisters Of Charity In Vincennes, Indiana, Ellin M. Kelly Ph.D.
The Sisters Of Charity In Vincennes, Indiana, Ellin M. Kelly Ph.D.
Vincentian Heritage Journal
The history of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth and those from Emmitsburg in Vincennes, Indiana, is described. The Sisters of Charity of Nazareth opened a school for girls there in 1813. They eventually had problems staffing it, and the Sisters of Charity from Emmitsburg were asked to help, which they did from about 1838 to 1843. Details about the proposed union between the Nazareth and Emmitsburg communities and the persistent staffing problems for the school are given. Simon Gabriel Brute became the bishop of Vincennes in 1834 and played a major role in bringing the Emmitsburg sisters to the …
The Clergy Of Early Seventeenth-Century France: Self-Perception And Society's Perception, J. M. Hayden, Malcolm R. Greenshields
The Clergy Of Early Seventeenth-Century France: Self-Perception And Society's Perception, J. M. Hayden, Malcolm R. Greenshields
Vincentian Heritage Journal
To understand the nature of the seventeenth-century French church, one must understand the rural clergy and their parishioners; the majority of the population was rural. One glimpse of how the clergy perceived themselves and how others viewed them is given in the cahiers de doleances prepared by each estate for the Estates General of 1614. The article also explores the First Estate’s role in society and the reformation of the clergy proposed by all three estates. The elite are best represented in the cahiers of the First and Third Estates, while a cross-section of the Second Estate is represented. Nonetheless, …
The Role Of Women And The Vincentian Culturescape, Betty Ann Mcneil D.C.
The Role Of Women And The Vincentian Culturescape, Betty Ann Mcneil D.C.
Vincentian Heritage Journal
Betty Ann McNeil “considers examples of the primary strategies and resources that Vincentian leaders have used to empower others to commit themselves to mission and to communicate the founding charism across boundaries of time and cultures.” Her focus is on the contributions that women have made to the Vincentian culturescape. Daughters of Charity and Sisters of Charity who have had major roles in passing the charism down through their communities are profiled. McNeil writes that one way the charism is successfully handed on is through stories of individuals who lived it. In particular, Elizabeth Seton’s introduction of the charism to …
The Decline And Fall Of Saint Mary's Of The Barrens: A Case Study In The Contraction Of An American Catholic Religious Order - Part Two, Richard J. Janet Ph.D.
The Decline And Fall Of Saint Mary's Of The Barrens: A Case Study In The Contraction Of An American Catholic Religious Order - Part Two, Richard J. Janet Ph.D.
Vincentian Heritage Journal
This article, continued from the second issue of volume 22, details the dilemma after Saint Mary’s closure of what to do with the lands, archives, rare books, objets d’art, etc., that belonged to the house. The province wanted to preserve the house’s heritage without having it become a drain on current and future provincial apostolates. Confreres and the town and county of Perryville were concerned that the province would sacrifice too much of the past. This situation provided a case study in the conflict between individual confreres’ identity and the emerging identity of the province. The many complicated proposed …
By What Authority? The Founding Of The Sisters Of Charity Of Cincinnati, Judith Metz S.C.
By What Authority? The Founding Of The Sisters Of Charity Of Cincinnati, Judith Metz S.C.
Vincentian Heritage Journal
Judith Metz explores what motivated a small group of Sisters of Charity to become a diocesan community, the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati. American culture encouraged women to think independently and to be self-sufficient. Margaret George, the superior in Cincinnati, had a friendship with Elizabeth Seton that predated the founding of the Sisters of Charity, and she understood Elizabeth’s vision for the community. She and the other sisters had come to expect the flexibility and spirit of collaboration that had been present in the community’s government from its earliest days. Instead, it seemed that Emmitsburg was following the letter of …
The 1846 Separation Of The New York Sisters: Conflict Over Mission Or Clash Of Wills?, Regina Bechtle S.C.
The 1846 Separation Of The New York Sisters: Conflict Over Mission Or Clash Of Wills?, Regina Bechtle S.C.
Vincentian Heritage Journal
In 1845, the leaders of the Sisters of Charity decided that they should withdraw from institutions for boys to stay faithful to the community’s original charism of educating girls. At the time about sixty sisters were responding to an urgent need for orphanages for boys and girls in New York. The boys had nowhere else to go. The sisters could either return to Emmitsburg or remain in New York, forming a new community under the bishop. Past studies of this separation have only considered the perspectives of Emmitsburg’s ecclesiastical superior and the bishop, thus seeing the sisters as caught up …
The Sulpicians And The Sisters Of Charity: Concentric Circles Of Mission, Betty Ann Mcneil D.C.
The Sulpicians And The Sisters Of Charity: Concentric Circles Of Mission, Betty Ann Mcneil D.C.
Vincentian Heritage Journal
This article focuses on the Sulpicians’ role in the establishment of the Sisters of Charity and their union with the Daughters of Charity. It also “discuss[es] mission determinants and their implications for contemporary ministry.” The Sulpicians became the superiors of the Sisters of Charity to meet the needs of the Church in the United States, an adaptation of the Sulpician charism of educating the clergy. They introduced the Rules of the Daughters of Charity to the Sisters, which they adapted to suit life in the United States and to suit their community as an independent American foundation. The Sulpicians also …
A Study In The Spirituality Of Louise De Marillac: As Reflective Of The French School Of Spirituality, Kathryn Lafleur S.P.
A Study In The Spirituality Of Louise De Marillac: As Reflective Of The French School Of Spirituality, Kathryn Lafleur S.P.
Vincentian Heritage Journal
This detailed article gives extensive information on the French school of spirituality, especially its major influences and characteristics. Pierre de Berulle was one of its founders, and great attention is paid to his background, his spiritual doctrine, the principles of his spirituality and the way his successors developed them further, and the language used within the school. The school was known for being “theocentric and Trinitarian, Christocentric, Marian, pastoral, and ecclesial.” Important figures of the French school profiled in this article are Jean-Jacques Olier, Jean Eudes, Francis de Sales, and Vincent de Paul. Finally, Louise de Marillac is placed within …
Unfolding The Legacy—Key Figures In The Tradition, Betty Ann Mcneil D.C.
Unfolding The Legacy—Key Figures In The Tradition, Betty Ann Mcneil D.C.
Vincentian Heritage Journal
Betty Ann McNeil surveys the stories of major figures in the Vincentian Family, including Catherine Laboure, Rosalie Rendu, Frederic Ozanam, Elizabeth Seton, and modern superiors and superioresses general. She traces the workings of providence in their lives and in their responses to events, as well as its role in the overall history of the Vincentian Family. In doing so, she “highlight[s] the mission of charity century by century” and “reflect[s] on the role of zeal, collaboration, and servant leadership for ministry today.” Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac’s understanding of providence is discussed, as is God’s call to ministry …
The Charism Of Charity Transcending Centuries And Cultures, Dorothy Macdougall S.C.
The Charism Of Charity Transcending Centuries And Cultures, Dorothy Macdougall S.C.
Vincentian Heritage Journal
According to Dorothy MacDougall, “the charism of charity has transcended centuries and cultures to the extent that our foundresses and Community members and lay associates have been willing to break through biases of culture to reveal God’s love to the world.” The charism requires “inclusivity, imagination, and risk.” She offers examples from the history of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth in Kentucky that illustrate this. For instance, the Sisters removed segregation from their hospitals before the Civil Rights era. They also opened a hospital specifically for African Americans because they were not properly served or not comfortable going elsewhere; …
Elizabeth Ann Seton And The Church, Josephine Burns D.C.
Elizabeth Ann Seton And The Church, Josephine Burns D.C.
Vincentian Heritage Journal
Elizabeth Seton’s last words were “Be children of the Church.” Josephine Burns explores what she meant, asking “What was the Church for her? What was her understanding of the way in which God was present in the Church and its ministers?” A sketch of the Church during Elizabeth’s time is provided, but she never commented on its organization or the issues that it faced. Her faith was personal, meaning that it was based on her own experience of God and on the God she found in others. She experienced the Church through the sacraments and her relationships with the clergy, …
Elizabeth Seton's Church And Ours, Mary L. Brink S.C.
Elizabeth Seton's Church And Ours, Mary L. Brink S.C.
Vincentian Heritage Journal
Mary Brink employs two definitions of “church.” One refers to the Catholic Church. The other definition is “the community of believers who believe in God revealed in Jesus and follow Jesus in helping to spread the reign of God.” A portrait of the American church to which Elizabeth Seton belonged is given and her relationship with it is explained. However, the article’s final emphasis is that the Sisters of Charity should use Elizabeth’s relationship with her Church in their own relationship with the modern Church. Elizabeth was deeply involved in the concerns of her day, as the Sisters must be …
The Journal Of Mother Rose White: The Earliest History Of The Sisters Of Charity Of Saint Joseph's, Emittsburg, Maryland, Betty Ann Mcneil D.C.
The Journal Of Mother Rose White: The Earliest History Of The Sisters Of Charity Of Saint Joseph's, Emittsburg, Maryland, Betty Ann Mcneil D.C.
Vincentian Heritage Journal
Rosetta Landry White was the assistant to Elizabeth Seton and succeeded her as superioress of the Sisters of Charity for two nonconsecutive terms. Her journal, which covers the period from June 1809 until sometime around 1817, is given here. It records the community’s beginning in Baltimore, the hardships of the sisters’ first winter in Emmitsburg, and their adoption of the rules of the Daughters of Charity (with modifications). It also includes the sisters’ first novitiate and vows, and the first missions outside of Maryland, which were orphanages in Philadelphia and New York. Betty Ann McNeil’s introduction to the journal gives …
A New Approach: The Filles Séculières (1630–1660), Elizabeth Rapley
A New Approach: The Filles Séculières (1630–1660), Elizabeth Rapley
Vincentian Heritage Journal
The early history of the Confraternities of Charity and the Daughters of Charity is recounted and placed within the context of seventeenth-century France’s religious trends and social needs. Care for poor persons was not the duty of priests or religious; it was the duty of the laity, necessary for their salvation. The most important part of charity was saving souls. Simple religious instruction and direct forms of care for the poor, such as nursing, fell in the domain of women. Since Daughters of Charity evolved from the Confraternities of Charity, the community was initially secular. Although the Daughters rapidly acquired …
Decision Making: Councils Of The Daughters Of Charity (1646–1659), Margaret J. Kelly D.C.
Decision Making: Councils Of The Daughters Of Charity (1646–1659), Margaret J. Kelly D.C.
Vincentian Heritage Journal
Margaret Kelly uses the early council meetings of the Daughters of Charity to examine Vincent de Paul’s method of discernment and decision making. The steps of the method are given contemporary wording and examples of specific situations are offered to illustrate it. The opinions of all council members were considered, with the final decision resting with Vincent or Louise de Marillac. The structure of the meetings is described. The values that guided decision making were God’s glory, the interests of the Company, and the interests of the individual. Vincent stressed the importance of giving reasons for or against any proposition …
"An Active And Energetic Bishop": The Appointment Of Joseph Glass, C.M., As Bishop Of Salt Lake City, Stafford Poole C.M.
"An Active And Energetic Bishop": The Appointment Of Joseph Glass, C.M., As Bishop Of Salt Lake City, Stafford Poole C.M.
Vincentian Heritage Journal
Vincentian Joseph Glass was the bishop of Salt Lake City, Utah, from 1915 to 1926. He was appointed because he was considered “vigorous and competent,” and the diocese desperately needed that kind of leadership. His appointment was also due to the influence of Bishop Thomas Conaty of Los Angeles and the fact that Archbishop Patrick Riordan of San Francisco died “at a crucial point in the search” for a bishop for Salt Lake. Controversy during Glass’s career prior to his elevation, the problems of the diocese of Salt Lake, and the troubles surrounding other proposed successors to the bishopric are …
Her Doing Heart: Key Relationships In Elizabeth Seton's Life: 1809–1821, Margaret J. Kelly D.C.
Her Doing Heart: Key Relationships In Elizabeth Seton's Life: 1809–1821, Margaret J. Kelly D.C.
Vincentian Heritage Journal
Margaret Kelly summarizes the many categories of important relationships in Elizabeth Seton’s life from 1809 to 1821 and how she viewed relationships in general. During this period, Elizabeth was fulfilling two main roles: she was a parent and a foundress. John Carroll, Simon Gabriel Brute, and Antonio Filicchi helped her in these roles, and Kelly uses them as a “prism” for understanding Elizabeth’s other relationships. In her correspondence with Carroll, we see Elizabeth’s simplicity and determination as well as specific problems she faced while founding the Sisters of Charity. She shows many facets to Brute, her guide and disciple: “her …
Elizabeth Seton: Her World And Her Church, Judith Metz S.C.
Elizabeth Seton: Her World And Her Church, Judith Metz S.C.
Vincentian Heritage Journal
The first part of this article gives the political, social, economic, and religious context of the world in which Elizabeth Seton lived. The second part describes the establishment and work of the Sisters of Charity. Education for all was important to early Americans, largely because everyone was supposed to read the Bible. Women had more agency than their European counterparts, although their influence was still mostly confined to the home. They were charged with instilling morality in children, and through them, in society in general. This was reflected in the curriculum of Elizabeth Seton’s school, Saint Joseph’s Academy. The outlook …
Vincentian Pioneers Of The Mississippi Valley (1818–1900), Dennis P. Mccann
Vincentian Pioneers Of The Mississippi Valley (1818–1900), Dennis P. Mccann
Vincentian Heritage Journal
This article pertains to an exhibit at DePaul University’s library that was meant to educate people about DePaul’s Vincentian identity. Dennis McCann discusses the history of the Congregation and of the Daughters of Charity in the United States and explains what the items in the exhibit reveal about that history. There are twelve groups of objects with themes that include: the Congregation’s early mission in the United States, the linkage of the American mission with its French Vincentian Heritage, Vincentian iconography, life at Saint Mary of the Barrens, the history of the Basilica of Saint Louis (Old Cathedral), the institutions …
"A Brave New World": The Vincentians In Pioneer America, Stafford Poole C.M.
"A Brave New World": The Vincentians In Pioneer America, Stafford Poole C.M.
Vincentian Heritage Journal
This article discusses the Vincentian mission in the United States from 1816 to the Civil War. The Vincentians came to America at the behest of the first bishop of Louisiana for the purpose of founding a seminary and giving local or parish missions. The history of Saint Mary’s Seminary is recounted. Until 1843, it was the Vincentians’ only canonical house in the United States and served many functions. After the mission became a province in 1835, the Vincentians were offered the direction of almost all the American diocesan seminaries, although this did not last. The Vincentians tried to give missions, …