Reflection for the Week of 09/24/06:
“Vincentian Simplicity”
By Sr. Joanne Vasa, DC

T he celebration of the Feastday of St. Vincent de Paul, model and patron of our parish, is an invitation to reflect prayerfully on the life and lessons of this 17th century French peasant. He is well known for many valiant qualities, but one that makes him particularly "accessible" to us is the virtue of SIMPLICITY. In 1634, very early in his priestly ministry to the sick and abandoned poor of Paris, he writes to a collaborator, "Simplicity is the virtue I love the most, the one to which in all my actions I pay the most heed, so it seems to me. And if it were permissible for me to say it to you, it is the one virtue in which by God's mercy I have made some progress." It is rare to find a quote in which Vincent actually admits that he has made some progress in the spiritual life, however SIMPLICITY was most near and dear to his heart. With his roots in the pastoral setting of rural France, Vincent ultimately remained a "peasant" his whole life, even though he frequently found himself in the company of kings and queens as he sought funding for his numerous charitable endeavors. SIMPLICITY informed his conversations and his style of service. There was no pretense in his words, and this lead him to a deep confidence in just being himself. It was frequently noted that "Monsieur Vincent was always Monsieur Vincent." He writes, "I have a particular devotion and consolation in saying things as they are." As "simple" as this may sound, it is not easy to be this transparent. Often in our language we protect ourselves instead of humbly admitting our weaknesses and failures. Vincent used this same philosophy in addressing God in prayer. He offers no complex methodology or elaborate scheme to connect with God. Rather, he chose to deepen his awareness of God's loving presence in everyday, ordinary events.

Finally, how might we carry SIMPLICITY into our own life experience?
~ Make it a daily practice to speak the truth by saying things just as they are, so that what you say and what you believe are the same.
~ Reflect on friends/family members who seem to have this endearing quality of simplicity; they are easy to be with since they have let go of their need to prove anything. Spend some time with them and learn from them! Often children and the elderly have a natural affinity to SIMPLICITY.
~ Remember that the most important reason Vincent de Paul loved SIMPLICITY was because he found it to be an essential element of our vocation to serve q persons who are poor. Let us pray for the grace of this virtue so close to the heart of St. Vincent: "God gives me such a great esteem for simplicity that I call it my gospel."

Parish Mission Statement

We, the people of St. Vincent's Parish in the Archdiocese of St. Louis, Missouri, are committed to following Christ, evangelizer of the poor. We do this through:
- Worship and continued spiritual formation for both laity and clergy
- Serving the poor and oppressed
- Preaching the Gospel by word and action in an ecumenical spirit