The inspiration of Saints Vincent, Louise & Blessed Ozanam: (November 2010)

As the 350th anniversary year of the deaths of St Vincent de Paul and St Louise de Marillac closed at the end of September, special celebrations were held in many parts of the world. Not least was a special Mass in St Peter's in Rome honouring these two great saintly apostles of charity. It would be a pity if the marking of this anniversary of their deaths were only or simply a commemoration.

St Vincent and St Louise were above all activists concerned with addressing the real needs of the poor. The most fitting way to honour their memory is to allow ourselves to be inspired by their concern and zeal in finding solutions to the never ending issues of poverty.

While truly activists - one remembers St Vincent's assertion that love must not be merely affective but effective - the source of their zeal and energy is equally important. Their commitment to the service of the poor flowed from a profound appreciation of the mystery of the incarnation. For many a spirituality based on the contemplation of the transcendence of God leads to a life of contemplation and mysticism.

Fr Perry Gildea - Vincentian Fathers

Cliftonville Road, Belfast 15

This was not the understanding or spirtuality which motivated Vincent and Louise. They were overwhelmed by the appreciation of the real presence of the devine in and through the presence of the Son of God in our world. It was also the manner of this presence which inspired them.

They took to heart the injunction of St Paul to the Phillippians:-

"In your minds you must be the same as Christ Jesus: His state was divine. Yet he did not cling to his equality with God but emptied himself to assume the condition of a slave, and became as men are, he was humbler yet. Even to accepting death, death on a cross" (Phil. 2: 5.8)

They understood the continuing presence of the self giving and suffering Christ to be active and challenging in our world. Paradoxically, they experienced this presence of Christ in two ways. First as a call to a living discipleship of the imitation of Christ who proclaimed himself to among us as "one who serves".

They were to be Christ to others. In the second place they also had a profound understanding of another saying of Jesus:- "in so far as you did this to the least of my brothers of mine, you did it to me" (Matt. 25:40). They were called to love and serve Christ in others. These others were especially the poor and the poorest of the poor.

They frequently instructed thier own companions and co-workers to see Christ in the face of the poor and to treat the poor as "our lords and masters".

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This was a spiritually profound respect for those who frequently were disregarded even despised. We as inheritors of the charism of St Vincent, St Louise and Blessed Frederic Ozanam are challenged by this. Who in our society today are the most despised, reviled or disregarded? They should be the object of our special concern and love.

For Vincent, Louise and Frederic the source of their spiritual insight and charitable strength was the daily encounter with the person of Christ in the Eucharist and prayer. For them Christ was not soley an inspiration and challenge but a personal friend whom they encountered in prayer and sacrament. It was from this encounter with Christ they drew their inspiration and strength.

This too should be the source of our inspiration and charitable energy. Anniversaries come and go but the example of these great saints should continually encourage and inspire all who recognise the greatness of their special charism to the Church and the human family.

Fr Perry (November 2010)

St Louise de Marillac - St Vincent de Paul - Blessed Frederic Ozanam