Universidad de Sta.

Isabel
GRADUATE SCHOOL
City of Naga

REFLECTION PAPER ON
VINCENTIAN SPIRITUALITY

JOY CAEBA CHAVEZ

Ph.D. Student

A Reflection Paper Presented to

DR. FE PRADO
Professor

In partial fulfillment of the requirements in

HDM 303A
VINCENTIAN PHILOSOPHY

February 13, 2017

Our spirituality underpins our approach to God, to how we live and how we die.
This is true of all spiritualties, Ignatian Spirituality, Franciscan Spirituality, Dominican
Spirituality, and Vincentian Spirituality and so on.
 In this paper we are considering Vincentian Spirituality and we ask the questions:
What is Vincentian Spirituality? What are the core values of Vincentian Spirituality? How
are the signs of the times influencing this spirituality?

Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac, felt called by God to live their lives in
total dedication to the Father in the Spirit as revealed in Jesus Christ, Who emptied
Himself to become human. For them, Christianity was a love story between God and
humanity by reaching out in total and respectful involvement and friendship in the lives
of the least, the lost and the last, materially and/or spirituality. Vincent looked on the
people who were poor as his lords and masters. The social conditions of their times
shaped their response as contemplatives of charity and as mystics.

Many disciples were attracted to their spirituality and joined the Fathers and the
Daughters. Later Frederic Ozanam and a small group of students founded the Society of
St. Vincent de Paul, a lay association, who decided to answer the call of Christ by
bringing bread and friendship to the people who were poor.

Todays signs of the times guide us on how we respond to Social Justice by the
Christian virtues and Vincentian characteristics of love, friendship and prayer. People
suggests these are the signs of the times: A more universal awareness of the extent of
poverty and marginalization in our world, Growing gap between rich and poor.
Vincentian Spirituality Some Reflections by Way of a Response, Awareness that the
situation need not be so, A call to action by a broader spectrum of people to tackle this
situation, Globalization and The sacredness of creation and the dignity of all creatures;
care of the earth.

As a final point, St. Vincent doesn't offer us a spirituality, a teaching on prayer or

the spiritual life. He offers us a Spiritual Way. He shows us how we can meet our God in
everyday experiences, in the events, the persons, the circumstances of our life. His Way is
the way of the Church, a way of experience, of faith, of practical wisdom that all
embraced in a spirit of love. Also, it focuses to a Way of Charity where Vincent
experienced true Charity, the love that led God to send his Son among us to bring the
good news to the poor. A Way of Mission, Vincent responded to God's love and call, and
saw himself and his followers as being sent also 'to bring good news to the poor. A Way
of Prayer in Action for Vincent, Prayer was a way of developing and deepening a
personal relationship with God, with Jesus Christ. Vincent experienced God in his life.
He had a deep faith and trust in God's providential care for him and for all people,
especially the poor. He encouraged his followers to share their faith, their experience of
God in prayer and in their life experience and A Way of Practical Love, Vincent
encouraged his followers to be contemplatives in action, to respond to God in practical
love both of God and one's neighbors, practical love, especially of the poor.