It’s a New Day

On January 25, 2010, the Provinces of the South, Midwest and West were joined to become the new Western Province. As the day dawned nothing seemed different, yet everything was new.

Many of the faces gathered for the recent convocation in San Antonio at the end of January were familiar. Priests and brothers reunited, worked and prayed together.  Led by the Superior General from Rome, Very Reverend Gregory Gay, CM, Vincentians from points in the Midwest, South and West – and as far away as Kenya – celebrated Mass, gathered for reflection and opened their hearts to a new beginning.

The convocation, and the formal assembly that followed, culminated in the unification of the former West, South and Midwest Provinces of the Congregation of the Mission.

The new Western Province will lead the way as the Vincentians continue their mission to “evangelize the poor, following in the footsteps of St. Vincent de Paul.”

The new beginning offered by the Province provides an opportunity to articulate the vision, values and mission of the organization as a whole and members individually, says new Provincial Superior Father Perry Henry, CM. “St. Vincent de Paul still lights the way for the work of the Congregation of the Mission, but the organizational change signifies a new period of discernment, both for the Province and the individuals who comprise it: How will the new Province serve the will of God?” says Fr. Henry. Quoting from the letter to Timothy,

he called the Vincentians gathered to “stir into flame” the Spirit “that invites us beyond our past and broadens our vision.”

In the coming months, the Province will undertake a structured planning process to lay the foundation for the Province’s work going forward.

Assistant Provincial Father Mark Pranaitis, CM, says, “We won’t know until we’ve done the hard work of discernment who we are as members, what our gifts and strengths are, and how God calls us to put them at His service. Every member of the Province,” he added, “will be involved in the process of planning for the future.”

Some 120 of the Province’s 173 members were present at the January assembly to celebrate the birth of the new Province.

As they began a new day as members of the Western Province, all the Vincentian priests and brothers renewed their vows and received a special candle bearing the seal of the Congregation of the Mission and the birth date of the new Province. As they each lit their candle from the main candle held by Fr. Henry, the entire church was lit up with the flames of the Vincentian spirit to go out and preach the Good News.

“It was a vision to behold,” said Fr. Henry. “What a gift to our Church to see so many men committed to our Lord, Jesus Christ and excited to continue on their journey of serving the spiritual and material needs of the poor in the footsteps of St. Vincent de Paul.”

The Western Province encompasses 26 U.S. states and three countries. The former provinces of the Midwest, South and West are shown in different shades. The dots on the map indicate all the places where Vincentians currently serve.