Vincentians and potential members of the Vincentian family can thank their founder and spiritual leader for speaking on this topic of discernment. Here are the many words St. Vincent offered on the process of discerning a vocation:
“Oh Monsieur, what happiness to will nothing but what God wills, to do all that is in accord with the occasion Providence presents, and to have nothing but what God in His Providence has given us.” – Vincent de Paul: Correspondence, Conferences, Documents (CCD) Vol. 3: 193
“The infallible signs of readiness for this good disposition we call ‘discernment’ are a sense of abiding cheerfulness, calmness, and peace of heart.” – Vincent de Paul CCD: Vol. 7, 589
“Do not worry yourself over much … grace has its moments. Let us abandon ourselves to God’s Providence and be very careful not to run ahead of it.” – Vincent de Paul, CCD: Vol. 2, 453.
“Grace has its moments. The things of God come about by themselves and that wisdom consists in following Providence step-by-step.” – Vincent de Paul, CCD: Vol. 2: 499, 521.
“It’s characteristic of God always to prompt us to do what is good.… All the good we do is done by inspiration and the good use we make of it.” – Vincent de Paul, CCD, Vol. 11,162-163.
“You are God’s and God is yours. Thus, God has great plans for you, directed toward helping you do what Jesus Christ did when He was on earth.” – Vincent de Paul CCD: Vol. 8, 615.
“Entrust yourselves to God, call upon Him, and rest assured that He will be your strength, your consolation, and, one day, the glory of your soul.” – Vincent de Paul CCD: Vol. 4, 169.
“Put your trust in Him, I beg you, and your heart’s desire will be fulfilled.” – Vincent de Paul, CCD: Vol. 1, 184.
“Allow yourself to be guided, and rest assured that God will be the one who guides you; but where? To the freedom of his children, to a superabundance of consolations, to great progress in virtue, and to your eternal happiness.” – Vincent de Paul, CCD: Vol. 7, 589.
“The infallible signs of readiness for this good disposition we call ‘discernment’ are a sense of abiding cheerfulness, calmness, and peace of heart.” – Vincent de Paul CCD: Vol. 7, 589
“If it pleases God to give us consolation in our calling, it is this: that we have tried to follow His great Providence in everything.” – Vincent de Paul, CCD: Vol. 2, 453.