In celebration of the Feast of St. Vincent DePaul, and the 200th anniversary of the Vincentian Mission in America, the congregation of St. Vincent DePaul took the following pledge. At this celebration of the Feast of St. Vincent DePaul, in this 200th year of Vincentian presence in the United States, we commit ourselves as a…
The book definition of meekness states that “it is an attribute of human nature and behavior. It has been defined several ways: righteous, humble, teachable, and patient under suffering.” As a Christian, meekness is an attribute of a true disciple. The Apostle Paul gave us an example of meek behavior when he was writing to…
“Meekness,” for Vincent does not convey the full meaning in English. More adequate might be “firm gentleness,” meaning the right balance between being gently strong and strongly gentle. This is a trait Vincent sees in Jesus and often advises his followers to put into practice. A servant who would gain the confidence of the poor…
As a cantor and someone who considers herself a “recovering perfectionist,” I have yet to experience a perfect Mass—to finish one liturgy without a single missed cue, wrong word, or abandoned harmony. I used to cringe at every mistake, but I have come to appreciate the distinction between feeling mortified and experiencing mortification—by which I simply…