Saint Vincent de Paul: A Creative Reconciler

Vatican II emphasized the need for Catholics and Catholic religious communities to focus on their beginnings (their primitive spirit). Margaret John Kelly uses this imperative to show how the roots of “the modern charities movement” are found in the work and leadership of Vincent de Paul. She explains why it is important to remember Vincent. The many parallels between his time and Church and our own are discussed, as is his relevance. Kelly calls him “a creative reconciler” because he was able to harness competing interests and make them work together in concrete ways for the service of the poor. Examples are given, with special attention paid to his work in reconciling the sometimes conflicting ministries of the Church: charity and social justice. Vincent’s ability to unify different economic classes and to collaborate effectively with laypeople were hallmarks of his leadership. The elements that led to his formation as a creative reconciler are examined

The Relationship of Saint Vincent and Saint Louise from Her Perspective

Louise de Marillac began as Vincent de Paul’s directee and became his collaborator and dear friend. More complicated and stable than most have believed, she was not totally dependent on him. She did turn to him for spiritual and personal support, but in general they complemented each other and relied on each other in their ministries. She reminded him to tend to practical matters, especially his health, and he helped her focus on God’s goodness and providence. With time, she assumed more responsibility for making decisions, although she always respected Vincent’s authority. This article is quite detailed. It explores the many facets of Louise’s relationship to Vincent through references to her spiritual writings, her letters to him, her letters about him, the minutes of council meetings, and Vincent’s conferences

Louise de Marillac: The Gentle Power of Liberation

Louise de Marillac was a pioneer social worker, educator, and advocate. She experienced riches and poverty and had academic education and domestic training. She therefore understood the poor and their needs and was an able administrator and founder of works for their benefit. She prayed for “gentle power,” the ability to see Christ in all people and to use an infinite love for them to fulfill their needs. Her spirituality enabled her to see the need for individuals to change themselves and the need to address social problems. She promoted women by training them and matching their gifts to their work; she also made sure they were recipients of service. Rescue and foster care for foundlings, institutional care for young children, work with prisoners, and housing for the elderly were just some of the areas in which Louise served. Her projects were implemented according to surprisingly modern standards of care and were the basis for other developments in their respective fields

Her Doing Heart: Key Relationships in Elizabeth Seton\u27s Life: 1809–1821

Margaret Kelly summarizes the many categories of important relationships in Elizabeth Seton’s life from 1809 to 1821 and how she viewed relationships in general. During this period, Elizabeth was fulfilling two main roles: she was a parent and a foundress. John Carroll, Simon Gabriel Brute, and Antonio Filicchi helped her in these roles, and Kelly uses them as a “prism” for understanding Elizabeth’s other relationships. In her correspondence with Carroll, we see Elizabeth’s simplicity and determination as well as specific problems she faced while founding the Sisters of Charity. She shows many facets to Brute, her guide and disciple: “her playfulness, here spiritual maturity, and her personal suffering.” Filicchi was a source of stability for her. He saw her through the major events of her life after her husband’s death and supported the Setons and the Sisters in many ways. Kelly explains how these relationships were reciprocal

Toward a Vincentian Culture in Higher Education

According to Margaret Kelly, culture is “the way a group of individuals, a corporate body, or an institution values and behaves.” Universities must ask whether their actions follow Vincent de Paul’s example and must pass on their Vincentian culture to their faculty, staff, and students. Kelly summarizes the elements of this culture as the leaders of different Vincentian schools see them. She writes, “At the core of Vincentian culture are beliefs about God, the dignity of the human person, the humanizing effect of education, the advancement of the common good, the value of direct experience with poor people, the creation of Gospel communities, advocacy for the marginalized, and responsibility for the vulnerable and needy.” She identifies five themes that universities should implement across their curricula and among all departments: “transcendence and prayer, integral development, imagination, stewardship, and learning communities of service.” These are explained in detail

Decision Making: Councils of the Daughters of Charity (1646–1659)

Margaret Kelly uses the early council meetings of the Daughters of Charity to examine Vincent de Paul’s method of discernment and decision making. The steps of the method are given contemporary wording and examples of specific situations are offered to illustrate it. The opinions of all council members were considered, with the final decision resting with Vincent or Louise de Marillac. The structure of the meetings is described. The values that guided decision making were God’s glory, the interests of the Company, and the interests of the individual. Vincent stressed the importance of giving reasons for or against any proposition and doing so as objectively as possible. He also divided an issue or a question into parts to better address the whole. When necessary, he brought in councilors or outsiders who had “special competence or direct involvement in the case.

Molecular analysis of the distribution and phylogeny of the soxB gene among sulfur-oxidizing bacteria - evolution of the Sox sulfur-oxidizing enzyme system

The soxB gene encodes the SoxB component of the periplasmic thiosulfate-oxidizing Sox enzyme complex, which has been proposed to be widespread among the various phylogenetic groups of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) that convert thiosulfate to sulfate with and without the formation of sulfur globules as intermediate. Indeed, the comprehensive genetic and genomic analyses presented in the present study identified the soxB gene in 121 phylogenetically and physiologically divergent SOB, including several species for which thiosulfate utilization has not been reported yet. In first support of the previously postulated general involvement of components of the Sox enzyme complex in the thiosulfate oxidation process of sulfur-storing SOB, the soxB gene was detected in all investigated photo- and chemotrophic species that form sulfur globules during thiosulfate oxidation (Chromatiaceae, Chlorobiaceae, Ectothiorhodospiraceae, Thiothrix, Beggiatoa, Thiobacillus, invertebrate symbionts and free-living relatives). The SoxB phylogeny reflected the major 16S rRNA gene-based phylogenetic lineages of the investigated SOB, although topological discrepancies indicated several events of lateral soxB gene transfer among the SOB, e.g. its independent acquisition by the anaerobic anoxygenic phototrophic lineages from different chemotrophic donor lineages. A putative scenario for the proteobacterial origin and evolution of the Sox enzyme system in SOB is presented considering the phylogenetic, genomic (sox gene cluster composition) and geochemical data

Satisfactory cross cultural equivalence of the Dutch WOMAC in patients with hip osteoarthritis waiting for arthroplasty

Background: Cross cultural validity is of vital importance for international comparisons. Objective: To investigate the validity of international Dutch-English comparisons when using the Dutch translation of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis index (WOMAC). Patients and Methods: The dimensionality, reliability, construct validity, and cross cultural equivalence of the Dutch WOMAC in Dutch and Canadian patients waiting for primary total hip arthroplasty was investigated. Unidimensionality and cross cultural equivalence was quantified by principal component and Rasch analysis. Intratest reliability was quantified with Cronbach's α, and test-retest reliability with the intraclass correlation coefficient. Construct validity was quantified by correlating sum scores of the Dutch WOMAC, Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales (Dutch AIMS2), Health Assessment Questionnaire (Dutch HAQ), and Harris Hip Score (Dutch HHS). Results: The WOMAC was completed by 180 Dutch and 244 English speaking Canadian patients. Unidimensionality of the Dutch WOMAC was confirmed by principal component and Rasch analysis (good fit for 20/22 items). The intratest reliability of the Dutch WOMAC for pain and physical functioning was 0.88 and 0.96, whereas the test-retest reliability was 0.77 and 0.92, respectively. Dutch WOMAC pain sum score correlated 0.69 with Dutch HAQ pain, and 0.39 with Dutch HHS pain. Dutch WOMAC physical functioning sum score correlated 0.46 with Dutch AIMS2 mobility, 0.62 with Dutch AIMS2 walking and bending, 0.67 with Dutch HAQ disability, and 0.49 with Dutch HHS function. Differential item functioning (DIF) was shown for 6/22 Dutch items. Conclusions: The Dutch WOMAC permits valid international Dutch-English comparisons after correction for DIF

Synthesis, biological profiling and mechanistic studies of 4-aminoquinoline-based heterodimeric compounds with dual trypanocidal–antiplasmodial activity.

YesDual submicromolar trypanocidal–antiplasmodial compounds have been identified by screening and chemical synthesis of 4-aminoquinoline-based heterodimeric compounds of three different structural classes. In Trypanosoma brucei, inhibition of the enzyme trypanothione reductase seems to be involved in the potent trypanocidal activity of these heterodimers, although it is probably not the main biological target. Regarding antiplasmodial activity, the heterodimers seem to share the mode of action of the antimalarial drug chloroquine, which involves inhibition of the haem detoxification process. Interestingly, all of these heterodimers display good brain permeabilities, thereby being potentially useful for late stage human African trypanosomiasis. Future optimization of these compounds should focus mainly on decreasing cytotoxicity and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity