With the approach of the new year, 2024, it is an opportune time for Vincentian missionaries to reflect and renew their spiritual and practical commitment. St Vincent de Paul, founder of the Congregation of the Mission, left a legacy of virtues that transcend time and are fundamental to living a life of authentic service and charity. This article proposes five propositions inspired by the Vincentian virtues, as an invitation for the New Year to guide Vincentian missionaries on their spiritual and practical journey.
Simplicity: Living with Authenticity
Proposition: Commit to living each day of 2024 with a simplicity that reflects the purity and authenticity of one’s intent. This means acting not for personal recognition or gain, but for the glory of God and service to others.
Practical Application: In daily life, this can translate into making decisions based not on self-promotion, but on love and the real need of the poor and marginalised.
Humility: The Foundation of True Greatness
Purpose: Cultivate a humble heart in 2024, recognising that every success and every gift comes from God. Humility invites one to put God and others at the centre, rather than oneself.
Practical Application: In daily interactions, practise active listening, value the opinions of others and accept constructive criticism, seeing it as an opportunity for growth.
Kindness: The Power of Kindness
Purpose: To choose meekness in relationships in 2024, treating others with kindness and understanding, even in difficult or conflict situations.
Practical Application: Facing challenges and difficulties with patience and calm, avoiding impulsive or aggressive responses, and always seeking peace and reconciliation.
Mortification: Beyond Self for Service
Purpose: Accept mortification as a means to overcome selfishness and focus on service to others in 2024. This includes giving up personal desires for the greater good.
Practical Application: Practice personal discipline, such as fasting or renunciation of certain comforts, to develop inner strength and empathy for those who suffer.
Zeal for Souls: Burning Love for the Next
Purpose: Burning the heart with a burning zeal for the salvation of souls in 2024, following Christ’s example in proclaiming the Gospel and serving with love and dedication.
Practical Application: To be proactive in seeking opportunities for evangelisation and service, showing a love that goes beyond words, turning into concrete actions that bear witness to God’s mercy and goodness.
The five Vincentian virtues offer a path to a life of deep charity and service. By integrating these intentions into daily life in 2024, Vincentian missionaries can aspire to a more fruitful mission, enriching not only the lives of those they serve, but also their own.
Prayer for Vincentian Missionaries
O Heavenly Father, source of all virtue and love,
we address this prayer to you with humble and trusting hearts.
For the virtue of Simplicity,
we ask you, Lord, to guide our Vincentian missionaries
to live with authenticity and purity of heart.
May they find in You their sole purpose and glory,
serving Thy children with sincere dedication.
Through the virtue of Humility,
we beseech Thee to instil in their hearts the true greatness
that comes from recognising Thee as the source of all good.
Help them to always put You and others at the centre of their lives,
welcoming every challenge as an opportunity to grow in Thy grace.
By the virtue of meekness,
We beseech Thee to give them the strength of kindness and understanding.
May they face every difficulty with patience and love,
bringing Thy peace and reconciliation wherever they go.
By the virtue of Mortification,
We ask You to help them overcome selfishness and dedicate themselves fully to service.
Grant them the strength to renounce self for the greater good,
finding in Thee their true satisfaction and joy.
By the virtue of Zeal for Souls,
We implore Thee to kindle in their hearts an ardent love of neighbour.
May their service and evangelisation be a reflection of Thy love and mercy,
bringing light and hope to a world thirsting for Thy Word.
O God, sustain our Vincentian missionaries with Thy wisdom and love,
that they may be living instruments of Thy will
and shining witnesses of Thy infinite love for humanity.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Girolamo Grammatico
Office of Communication
