A new Advent to reaffirm commitment to new Vincentian values

Recently, our Catholic Church, Mother and Teacher, offered her children a new Advent Season to look to God and to their brothers and sisters. Certainly, this invitation involves maintaining an intimate and constant connection with God through prayer, reflection and participation in the sacraments. It is also service to others, acting with love and compassion in all interactions, seeing each person as a reflection of the poor Christ and treating them with dignity and respect. It is advocating for social justice and equity, fighting inequalities and promoting a more just and humane world, living Christian values.

As Catholics, we Vincentians are also called in this new Advent Season to look towards God and our brothers and sisters, reaffirming our commitment to the new Vincentian values. We cannot deny that in the Vincentian tradition there are fundamental values inspired by the life and teachings of St. Vincent de Paul, a French priest who dedicated his entire life to the service of God’s favourite people: the poor. These values are:

• Charity: This is love for others, especially the poor and marginalised, and the central value of Vincentian spirituality. It involves not only giving material help, but also offering comfort and emotional support (Cf. IX, 534; Cf. IX, 145).
• Humility: This means recognising the equality of all people before God and acting modestly and without arrogance (Cf. XI, 207; Cf. XI, 272).
• Simplicity: It is to act with transparency, honesty and purity of intention. To be genuine in thoughts and actions (Cf. IX, 538-539).
• Meekness: Means to show kindness and patience, even in difficult situations. To be gentle and to treat everyone with respect and gentleness (Cf. XI, 474-478).
• Zeal: To have an ardent desire to serve God through service to others, striving always to do good and to improve the lives of those in need (Cf. XI, 552-553).
• Respect for human dignity: To appreciate and defend the intrinsic value of each person, recognising his or her dignity and rights (Cf. VI, 310; Cf. VI, 420; Cf. VII, 90-91).
• Spirituality: To foster a deep relationship with God through prayer and participation in the sacramental life as a source of strength and guidance for service to others (cf. RC, 1,1).

These values mentioned above have endured in time and space, thus guiding many people and organisations in the service of the least of these. They have, over many years, formed the basis of the Vincentian mission and have motivated its followers to act with compassion, justice and love in all their initiatives.

However, while these values continue to be useful, new values are emerging today, inspired by the Vincentian charism and adapted to the challenges and needs of our time. They are values to consider, especially in this Advent Season. These new values are presented below.

The first value inspired by the spirit of St. Vincent to consider is sustainability. It is a theme much loved and studied by our Pope Francis in his encyclical “Laudato Si” on the care of our common home, the environment. Today, commitment to caring for the environment and promoting sustainable practices that ensure a habitable planet for future generations is a necessity. In this sense, Vincentians, guided by the spirit of St. Vincent de Paul, are called to make responsible use of resources and defend ecology. Any gesture, however small, in favour of the health of the environment can make a difference. Indeed, a Vincentian is always called to make a difference.

The second value would be social innovation. St. Vincent de Paul was always concerned to seek lasting solutions to the social problems of his time. His life was distinguished by a spirit of invention and creativity (cf. V, 185; cf. I, 550). He used to repeat that “love is inventive”. For this reason, he exhorted his missionaries to encourage creativity in the search for solutions to the social problems of his time. Today, social problems have increased. Faced with such a situation, Vincentians can do something. This could involve the use of new technologies and approaches to address poverty, inequality and social exclusion.

The third value could be inclusiveness. This value has been present in the life of St. Vincent de Paul. His constant struggle against poverty and his dedication to social inclusion were recognised in his time. Today more than ever, Vincentians are called to promote inclusion and respect for diversity in all its forms, ensuring that all people, regardless of their origin, gender or beliefs, are treated with dignity and respect.

Other values to consider could be:

• Social justice: A value dear to the heart of our saint. Throughout his life, he worked actively to combat inequalities and defend human rights, always advocating practices that promote equity and justice for all (Cf. V, 372-373; Cf. VII, 525).

• Community empowerment: This value has also been present in the activities of St. Vincent de Paul. His various decisions and actions showed his effort to strengthen the newborn communities. His desire has been to promote community participation and leadership so that the missionaries would be able to overcome their own challenges (Cf. X, 773; Cf. XI, 44).

In this new Advent Season that we have already begun, as Vincentians, these values can serve as a guide for our actions and decisions today. Vincentian values remain relevant and effective in our time. Applying these values would help to create a more humane and healthy world, where solidarity, compassion, fraternity and social justice are paramount.

By Jean Rolex, Cm