With the beginning of September, a deeply significant month for the Vincentian Family, we begin a formation series dedicated to one of our fundamental pillars: Vincentian Consecration.

This time invites us to contemplate the witness of the Blessed Vincentian Martyrs of the French Revolution (Louis-Joseph François, Jean-Henri Gruyer and Pierre-René Rogue), who remained faithful to their priestly and missionary consecration, sealing their commitment of love with their own blood rather than betraying their evangelical vocation. Their example is the greatest proof that consecration is a radical act of love that sustains us in times of difficulty.

What Does It Mean to Consecrate Ourselves in the Spirit of Saint Vincent de Paul?

Vincentian consecration is not an abstract theory, but a dynamic path of following Jesus Christ as the evangelizer of the poor. Saint Vincent de Paul fervently insisted on the need to “put on” this spirit:

“How important it is to put on the Spirit of Jesus Christ! This means that, in order to grow in holiness, to be useful in helping people, and to serve the clergy well, we must strive to imitate the perfection of Jesus Christ and attain it.” (Saint Vincent de Paul, Complete Works, vol. XI, p. 395).

Consecration is a call to prophetic, synodal and missionary action in today’s world. It is not limited to external practices, but also concerns the spiritual quality with which we serve:

“It is not enough to serve our neighbor, to fast, to pray, to work in the missions… We must also do these things well, that is, in the spirit of Our Lord, in the way Our Lord did them, humbly and with purity of intention.” (Saint Vincent de Paul, Complete Works, vol. XI, p. 190).

The Three Pillars of Our Total Self-Giving

Vincentian Consecration is nourished by three practical and theological pillars that give a foundation to our daily lives:

1. The Centrality of the Trinity and the Incarnation: Saint Vincent instructed the Congregation to “venerate in a very special way the ineffable mysteries of the Most Holy Trinity and the Incarnation” (Common Rules of the Congregation of the Mission, Ch. X, Art. 1).
2. Fidelity and Renunciation of Our Own Will: Consecration urges us to work continually toward “renunciation of our own will” (Common Rules of the Congregation of the Mission, Ch. X, Art. 4), in order to embrace God’s will through the order and discipline of daily life.
3. A Strong and Active Marian Devotion: We express our consecration by celebrating with fervor the feasts of the Immaculate Virgin Mary and by “making known the particular message manifested… in the Holy Medal” (Common Rules of the Congregation of the Mission, Ch. X, Art. 4).

Mystics of Charity in a Changing Era

In this historic moment of change, as we look toward the 44th General Assembly in 2028 (“The Little Company in this Changing Era: What Must We Be and Do?”), the Vincentian response involves renewing the identity of the Congregation so that it can continue responding to the needs of communities.

The Superior General of the Congregation of the Mission, Father Tomaž Mavrič, CM, invites us to live our consecration as a daily renewal:

“May every day be, for each one of us, a time of conversion, renewal, and an enthusiastic return to Jesus Christ, our ‘First Love,’ so that, following the inspirations of Saint Vincent de Paul, we may obtain the grace to become ‘Mystics of Charity’ in the 21st century and beyond.” (Letter from Fr. Tomaž Mavrič, CM, to the Vincentian Family).

How Can We Respond to This Call Today?

Vincentian Consecration is not reserved exclusively for priests; through baptism, we are all consecrated to become disciples of God’s love in the midst of the world:

1. Simplicity and Consistency: Strive to ensure that your words correspond to your actions. Saint Vincent encouraged the cultivation of a simplicity in which “our yes should mean yes and our no should mean no” (Common Rules, Ch. II, Art. 4).
2. Seeing with the Eyes of Faith: Ask God for the grace to see the poor not only as recipients of assistance, but as true members of Christ and teachers of life.
3. Prayer of Abandonment: Entrust your daily concerns to Divine Providence. Begin your day with a moment of silence, offering your work so that it may become a channel of peace and justice.