from our confreres

On June 11, 2022, the Congregation of the Mission Western Province will gather at 10 a.m. (CDT) at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Perryville, MO, to honor six priests who celebrate their 40-year jubilees: Fr. Tony Dosen, C.M., Fr. Miles Heinen, C.M., Fr. Gerard Kelly, C.M., Fr. Kevin McCracken, C.M., Fr. Binh Nguyen, C.M., and Fr. Ray Van Dorpe, C.M.

I found this on Facebook, written by a friend whom I admire greatly. I am passing it along for more of us to learn her lesson during the month of mental health awareness.

Daughter of Charity St. Jeanne Antide Thouret endured endured persecution and danger during the French Revolution and the years that followed to follow the Vincentian ideal to care for the poor, sick, and abandonned.

“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye… Men have forgotten this truth,” said the fox. “But you must not forget it.”

Why didn’t the United Nations prevent the war in Ukraine? Isn’t it supposed to keep the peace? And why isn’t it using its army now to stop the violence and destruction?

We remember the good times, the blessings in life and the moments wherein we share those memories that refresh us, sometimes for years to come.

There is no doubt that we face great challenges in our world and in our Church. It always gives me solace to know that every age of our world and church has confronted similar or even greater challenges than we have today.

What do Howard Schultz of Starbucks, Steve Jobs of Apple, Walt Disney, and Bill Marriott, Jr., have in common with Vincent de Paul? They demanded excellence in serving their customers—defining ridiculously high standards and exhorting their people to exceed expectations, take swift action and strive constantly for improvement.

St. Louise de Marillac (1591-1660) was a great friend and valuable collaborator of Vincent de Paul and co-founded the Daughters of Charity with him. 

At his very core, John Richardson was a humanitarian, a progressive, a Christian, and a Vincentian Catholic priest. Later in his career, John became a missionary in Kenya after a full life at the age of 73; he went to serve in Nyeri, Kenya. We all remember the wonderful letters he wrote from Kenya. Those beautiful letters showed us the depth of the man, his values, and what was important to him.