“Let us love God, my brothers, let us love God, but let it be with the strength of our arms and the sweat of our brows.” –St. Vincent de Paul
Pastoral ministry is Christ-centered service clergy, religious, and the laity offer to God’s people through the Church. In the Vincentian charism, it is service to the poor following the way of St. Vincent de Paul, who instructed his followers to “see Christ in the poor, and the poor in Christ.” Pastoral ministry for Vincentians is Christ-centered, following Jesus, evangelizer of the poor, who came “to serve and not be served” (Mk. 10:45)
Vincentians serve in parishes, missions, higher education, seminary formation, retreats, outreach to under-served groups, and promote devotion to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. We seek to alleviate the spiritual and material suffering of the members of the Body of Christ. We advocate for the poor to make others aware of their plight, in order that the Christian community will welcome and assist them as brothers and sisters in Christ.
“To preach the Gospel to the poor does not simply mean to teach what is needed for salvation but… to make the Gospel into a reality.“ – St. Vincent de Paul (CED, Vol. Xll, 195)
Resources to learn more about Vincentian Pastoral Ministry:
- Overview: View Resource
- Parish Life: View Resource or View Resource
- Education: View Resource
- St. John’s University: View Resource
- Niagara University: View Resource
- De Paul University: View Resource
- Panama Mission: View Resource
- Kenya Mission: View Resource
- Devotion to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal:
- Eastern Province: View Resource
- Western Province: View Resource