Ministries
As we learn to "follow Jesus Christ evangelizing the Poor" (CM Constitutions, 1) we Southern Vincentians often speak of surprises. We discover a great deal about both our neighbors and ourselves, often needing to adjust our style and methods to a rapidly changing, diverse world. Happily, in our efforts to share the Gospel with people in the most need of good news, we ourselves are evangelized!
In
the five-state area of the Southern Province, we now are concentrated in
three "apostolic centers."
Our first center is in New Orleans, Louisiana where we've been since 1844.
There we minister at the downtown parish of
St. Joseph Parish and it's new outreach,
The St. Joseph Rebuild Center.
Our second center in Dallas, Texas, Vincentians work both in special ministries
such as area prison outreach and provincial administration and at Holy
Trinity Parish, where we've been for over 100 years.
Our third center, based in North Little Rock, Arkansas, consists of the
mobile Vincentian Evangelization Team. There, four of us minister at St.
Anne's Parish and work with Latino immigrants, Catholic leaders
and collaborators around the state of Arkansas as a special outreach in
the Little Rock diocese.
Our
Lord, Jesus Christ, gave his disciples rules for giving missions. He told
them to ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers to his harvest, and
he indicated the peoples to go to, how to behave on the way, what houses
to stay in, what to preach, what to eat and, finally, how to deal with those
who did not welcome them. We want to follow in their footsteps, as far as
our limitations allow, so we should be careful to live up to the following
rules, and to the advice usually given in the Congregation. These indicate
the proper program and method for our missions and other ministries. (St.
Vincent de Paul, Common Rules, XI, 1)
“You will find that charity is a heavy burden to carry, heavier
than the kettle of soup and the basket of bread. But you must keep you gentleness
and your smile. It is not enough to give bread and soup. This the rich can
do. You are the little servant of the poor, the maid of charity, always
smiling and in good humor.They are your masters, terribly sensitive and
exacting as you will see, but the uglier and dirtier they are, the more
unjust and bitter, the more you must give them of your love. It is only
because of your love that the poor will forgive you the bread you give them.”
—St. Vincent de Paul