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François Lallier (1814–1886): “One Of The Pillars Of The Building Started”, Raymond Sickinger Ph.D.
François Lallier (1814–1886): “One Of The Pillars Of The Building Started”, Raymond Sickinger Ph.D.
Vincentian Heritage Journal
François Lallier, a successful lawyer, judge, and chevalier, was a close friend of Frédéric Ozanam and a founder of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul. In the words of Raymond Sickinger, he was “a perfect example of a professional person who is deeply engaged in his community and who helps to transform it, just as Ozanam and the early members of the Society had envisioned.” Lallier’s life, friendship with Ozanam, and contributions to the Society are recounted. He served as secretary general and also established a new branch of the Society in Sens. Excerpts from his letters to …
Frédéric Ozanam: Systemic Thinking, And Systemic Change, Raymond L. Sickinger Ph.D.
Frédéric Ozanam: Systemic Thinking, And Systemic Change, Raymond L. Sickinger Ph.D.
Vincentian Heritage Journal
The terms “systemic thinking” and “systemic change” were not used in Frederic Ozanam’s day, but aspects of his perspective and some of his methods for combating poverty fall under those categories. Peter Senge’s framework for systemic thinking is applied to Ozanam’s work. This article also describes how Ozanam’s efforts correspond to strategies identified in the Vincentian publication Seeds of Hope: Stories of Systemic Change. In Ozanam’s view, poor persons should be treated with dignity, and he had a practical understanding of how poverty could be alleviated. The organizational model and processes of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul …
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 …
Frédéric Ozanam's Tactical Wisdom For Today's Consumer Society, Thomas Mckenna C.M.
Frédéric Ozanam's Tactical Wisdom For Today's Consumer Society, Thomas Mckenna C.M.
Vincentian Heritage Journal
From Thomas McKenna’s perspective, consumerism reduces everything, including religious tradition and altruism, to commodities that are removed from their original contexts and lacking in meaning. Elements of consumerism are identified; their combined effect leads individuals to only value short-term engagements with what appeals to them, makes them feel noble, or makes a statement about their identity. McKenna examines how Frederic Ozanam’s life and work can be used to counteract this. According to Ozanam, Christians should mediate between the rich and the poor to alleviate class conflict and ensure justice for poor persons. His mandate for direct service means that neither …
The Most Important Question, Reverend Craig B. Mousin
The Most Important Question, Reverend Craig B. Mousin
Vincentian Heritage Journal
Craig Mousin examines what Vincentian universities can do for persons who are poor beyond providing them with education, since education alone is not enough to ameliorate poverty. Such institutions must answer the question of what must be done to reduce poverty with concrete action. Universities are the best place to research and debate solutions. Moreover, they can create communities of faculty, staff, and students who are aware of the poor’s dignity, who are motivated to serve them, and who will use their talents to bring about broader social reform. Service is done in partnership with poor persons themselves and with …
What Would Saint Vincent De Paul Do About Today's Global Poverty? Personalism Vs. Paternalism: Social Work's Role Within A Vincentian Institution, Troy Harden
Vincentian Heritage Journal
DePaul University’s mission and values statement and the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics are compared with the goal of forming lasting community/university partnerships for poverty eradication. In particular, DePaul’s social work program is examined. The university’s relationship to Chicago communities is explored. The article emphasizes importance of listening and responding to the needs of community organizations, rather than performing service based on our perceptions of those needs. The true value of service lies in transforming the outlook of those who serve and their resulting commitment to justice. Learning from the communities being served is just as essential …
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 …
Being Creative In Vincentian Leadership: The Case Of The Society Of Saint Vincent De Paul, Eduardo Marques
Being Creative In Vincentian Leadership: The Case Of The Society Of Saint Vincent De Paul, Eduardo Marques
Vincentian Heritage Journal
The purpose of this paper is to present an example of an international society based on Vincentian leadership principles which has been in existence for 180 years. I intend to introduce my concept of a model of Vincentian leadership and present an overview and evolution of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul (SVdP). Subsequently, an analysis of the adequacy of the Society as a model of Vincentian leadership is offered, articulating the sustainability of the Society based on this model. Finally, based on the SVdP experience, some recommendations are proposed to DePaul University’s project on Vincentian leadership.
In The Face Of Adversity: The Response Of The Vincentian And Charity Families To 9/11, Regina Bechtle S.C.
In The Face Of Adversity: The Response Of The Vincentian And Charity Families To 9/11, Regina Bechtle S.C.
Vincentian Heritage Journal
The response of the Vincentian and Charity Families to the attacks of 9/11 is chronicled, using people’s own words wherever possible. On the day itself and during the aftermath, Sisters of Charity and Vincentians prayed with and counseled grieving people, first responders, and rescue workers. Personnel from Saint Vincent’s Hospital and Medical Center were among the earliest to arrive at Ground Zero, and the Saint Vincent Catholic Medical Centers treated over one thousand victims. Among other things, Sisters of Charity served as New York Police Department chaplains, answered calls to hospital information lines, and worked at a DNA collection site …
Frederick Ozanam: Lay Evangelizer, Shaun Mccarty S.T.
Frederick Ozanam: Lay Evangelizer, Shaun Mccarty S.T.
Vincentian Heritage Journal
Frederic Ozanam’s life and career are recounted in detail, including his crises of “faith, career, and state in life.” He worked for poor persons through concrete action and the world of ideas, wanting to transform society with both. Throughout his life, Ozanam defended Christianity as the source of all good and of civilization’s advancement. He believed that help for the poor would come from the Church rather than from social reforms, but because of anticlericalism, it was up to lay people to reintroduce charity to society. He was not opposed to social reforms, but he thought they should be based …
The Charitable Endeavors Of Archbishop John Joseph Lynch, C.M., Gerald Stortz
The Charitable Endeavors Of Archbishop John Joseph Lynch, C.M., Gerald Stortz
Vincentian Heritage Journal
Archbishop John Joseph Lynch, C.M. successfully ran existing charities and founded new ones for Irish Catholic immigrants in Toronto. He partnered with the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul and delegated leadership of other charities to its members. Lynch was the main financial support of the House of Providence, which housed orphans and the elderly. He established the Saint Nicholas Home for Newsboys and the Notre Dame Institute, a home for working Catholic girls. He worked with the Saint John Temperance Society and the Toronto Savings Bank; the latter was supposed to help persons who were poor save money. Other …
Frédérick Ozanam, A Layman For Now, Frederick J. Easterly C.M.
Frédérick Ozanam, A Layman For Now, Frederick J. Easterly C.M.
Vincentian Heritage Journal
Frederic Ozanam’s life and work are explored in detail. He provides an example of how spirituality is “the lived Gospel in response to a contemporary cultural situation.” His life was a combination of ideas and action; as a writer and professor, he was an apologist for the Church and sought to prove that Providence and Christianity were responsible for humanity’s advances throughout history. He put his faith into practice, founding the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul to serve the poor. To him, charity was the way to reach lapsed Catholics and to establish an egalitarian society. This article is …