Rooted in service: The St. Louis Vincentian family celebrates a long history of service-minded charism

Printer-friendly versionSend to friend

Rooted in service: The St. Louis Vincentian family celebrates a long history of service-minded charism

When Brandon Trapp became involved in Vincentian Marian Youth four years ago, he was a skeptic.

Invited by a friend to go on a weeklong service trip to help the poor in Chicago, the now 18-year-old wasn't sure what to expect.

"It was warming to see the look of gratitude on the people's faces who we were helping," said the recent graduate of St. Vincent de Paul High School in Perryville. That feeling is what keeps him coming back to the Perryville-based youth ministry outreach.

"I feel like we can change the world one step at a time," he said.

St. Vincent de Paul and St. Louise de Marillac would be pleased.

This year marks the 350th anniversary of the deaths of the two French saints, founders of the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians) and the Daughters of Charity, respectively.

Those who follow in the ways of Sts. Vincent and Louise desire to serve the poor and most abandoned. They are considered part of the Vincentian family.

Father James Garcia Ward, a Vincentian priest for 33 years who resides in Perryville, said, "The charism of St. Vincent is to see the face of Christ in the poor." In other words, "Those who are poor are not a problem to be solved, but a people to be loved."

The roots of the Vincentian family in the Archdiocese of St. Louis are deep. In 1818, several years before Missouri became a state, the Congregation of the Mission arrived in Perryville, in southeast Missouri. The small group of Vincentian missionaries, including Father Joseph Rosati, were sent from Bardstown, Ky., to minister there. Father Rosati established the first church structure, a small log cabin, which today is preserved on the campus of St. Mary's of the Barrens. Father Rosati was appointed the first bishop of the Diocese of St. Louis in 1826.

Two years later, four Sisters of Charity (later to become the Daughters of Charity) arrived from Emmitsburg, Md. The group came at the request of Bishop Rosati to administer a hospital in St. Louis, a two-room log cabin, where they received patients beginning in 1828.

The Vincentians have two other important connections to St. Louis. In 1845, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, a charitable network that provides services to those in need, began its U.S. foundation at the Old Cathedral Downtown. The Ladies of Charity, a lay ministry that provides outreach to the poor, also began its U.S. foundation in St. Louis in 1857.

Today, there are approximately 3,000 members of the Vincentian family in the region. Their works of charity reach far and wide, including within Vincentian-administered parishes, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Vincentian fathers and brothers, Daughters of Charity, Ladies of Charity, Gateway Vincentian Volunteers, Vincentian Service Corps, Affiliates of the Vincentians and Daughters, the Association of the Miraculous Medal and others.

Since the Vincentians made their foundation in this area, countless individuals have had their physical, emotional and spiritual needs met because of their charitable acts.

That's why Vincentians such as Cathy Peirick, co-director of Vincentian Marian Youth, feel it's essential to start teaching others at a young age what it means to see the face of Christ in the poor. VMY does that through a weeklong summer service project, a weekend service project in the spring and a retreat in the fall. The activities are made available to youth groups in the Perryville and surrounding areas.

"We are trying to teach our teens not only the charism of service, but we are also trying to teach them some social justice issues," she said. "I think it's real important the teens realize that there's a whole world outside of Perryville and there are a lot of ... persons who are poor in the world. This gives them a concept of other people and other places in the world."

Trapp, who will be a freshman in college this fall, said being a Vincentian has "tremendously" affected his Catholic faith. Without a youth organization such as Vincentian Marian Youth, "I don't know where I'd be" in life, he said.

St. Vincent de Paul Born to a family of farmers in France in 1581, St. Vincent de Paul was founder of the Congregation of the Mission, Daughters of Charity, Confraternities of Charity and Ladies of Charity. The French saint was considered a man of deep faith, intellect and creativity, and became known as the “Apostle of Charity” and “Father of the Poor.” His contributions to the training of priests and organizing parish missions and other services for the poor have helped shape the Catholic Church’s role in the modern world. He died in 1660 and was canonized a saint in 1737. St. Louise de Marillac Born in France in 1591, St. Louise de Marillac was a young widow of an aristocrat. After her husband’s death, she met St. Vincent de Paul, who became her spiritual adviser. She was inspired and directed by his spiritual leadership and eventually became his collaborator in founding the Daughters of Charity. Together they organized hospitals for the sick poor, asylums for the orphaned, workshops for the jobless, furthering literacy for the uneducated, among other ministries. She died in 1660 and was canonized in 1934.

St. Vincent de Paul

Born to a family of farmers in France in 1581, St. Vincent de Paul was founder of the Congregation of the Mission, Daughters of Charity, Confraternities of Charity and Ladies of Charity. The French saint was considered a man of deep faith, intellect and creativity, and became known as the "Apostle of Charity" and "Father of the Poor." His contributions to the training of priests and organizing parish missions and other services for the poor have helped shape the Catholic Church's role in the modern world. He died in 1660 and was canonized a saint in 1737

St. Louise de Marillac

Born in France in 1591, St. Louis de Marillac was a young widow of an aristocrat. After her husband's death, she met St. Vincent de Paul, who became her spiritual adviser. She was inspired and directed by his spiritual leadership and eventually became his collaborator in founding the Daughters of Charity. Together they organized hospitals for the sick poor, asylums for the orphaned, workshops for the jobless, furthering
literacy for the uneducated, among other ministries. She died in 1660 and was canonized in 1934.