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Vincentian Family celebrate 400th anniversary


Pope greets SVP at special audience

Pope greets SVP at special audience

More than 11,000 members of the Vincentian Family have been in Rome for the past week to celebrate their 400th anniversary. On Saturday they met Pope Francis in St Peter's Square.

Since St Vincent de Paul founded the Vincentian Congregation and the Sisters of Charity in 17th century France, the Vincentian Family has grown to 225 members and affiliate groups, including religious communities and lay associations, working in more than 80 countries around the world, in health care ministry, education and faith formation. They care for the homeless, refugees and displaced persons, orphaned and abandoned children, and single mothers.

In his address to the Vincentians on Saturday, Pope Francis said: "St Vincent gave rise to a charitable charism that has endured for centuries… Today I would like to encourage you to continue this journey."

The Holy Father focused on three forms of action, which he said epitomised the Vincentian charism and are of the essence to Christian life in general: adoration, welcome, and being on the way as pilgrims in the world. To adore the Lord, "is to place oneself before Him, with respect, with calm and in silence, giving to Him the first place, and abandoning oneself to Him in faith and trust," Pope Francis said. "To be welcoming means to resize one's self, to straighten out one's way of thinking, to understand that life is not one's private property, and that time does not belong to any one of us…. Love, is dynamic: it goes out of itself; one who loves does not sit in his chair and watch, waiting for the advent of a better world; rather, with enthusiasm and simplicity, he rises and is on his way," he said.

This Jubilee year, the leadership of the Vincentian Family are encouraging members to participate in four special activities:

- The pilgrimage of the relic of the heart of St Vincent – which began on 25 January 25th in Folleville, was present at the audience on Saturday in St. Peter's Square and venerated by Pope Francis, and is being received in each of the 80 countries where Vincentian Family has a presence;

- Projects to end homelessness throughout the world in all its forms;

- An International Symposium – which took place in Rome this weekend – to reflect on the Vincentian mission and charism;
An International Film Festival focusing on the life of St Vincent de Paul.

Read more about all members of the Vincentian Family here: http://vinformation.org/en/who-what/family/

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