Vincent de Paul: The Principles and Practice of Government, 1625–60

Alison Forrestal explains how the government of the Congregation developed and functioned, and how it operated in relation to the Ladies of Charity and the Daughters of Charity. Vincent de Paul devoted a great deal of attention to governance for all three groups. For them “to share a sense common of identity and familial fraternity,” he emphasized that they were united through their common purpose. He expected everyone involved in government to be guided by trust in providence and the imitation of Christ. He also paid special attention to the formation of leaders for all three groups and treated those leaders as collaborators. The way he managed and trained personnel is described. He made sure the Congregation’s government was flexible enough to respond to needs of the individuals within it and to use their gifts effectively. Flexibility was also essential to cope with new situations. Forrestal cites specific applications of Vincent’s governing principles

Vincent de Paul as Mentor

When leading the Congregation or advising individual members, Vincent de Paul acted from spiritual principles as well as an understanding of psychology. He believed that everyone should follow God’s will by loving others and helping them to imitate Christ’s example of charity. By doing this, each served as a mentor to one another. He guided from both a paternal and fraternal perspective. While discipline and judgment were sometimes necessary, he more often dispensed advice and wisdom. Humility, empathy, gentle persuasion, suggestion, affirmation, and flexibility were the cornerstones of his leadership

Slavery on the Frontier: The Report of a French Missionary on Mid-Seventeenth-Century Tunis

This document is a report sent in 1654 by Jean Le Vacher, member of the Congregation of the Mission, vicar apostolic of the Holy See and acting French consul in Tunis, to the cardinals of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, in Rome. It describes his missionary work in and around Tunis. Le Vacher’s letter focuses on the life and conditions of the Christian slaves (mostly Catholic, but Protestant too) in the region and on his efforts to provide spiritual and material assistance to them. It offers insights into early modern slavery in North Africa, the efforts of the Catholic Church to strengthen its presence in the area, and the culture and organization of societies on the border between Islam and Christianity. This presentation includes the full text of Le Vacher’s report in an English translation, followed by the original Italian, with an introduction, commentary, and editorial notes

“So that they may be able to live and die as good Christians”: The Early History of the Nom de Jésus Hospital in Catholic Reformation Paris”

The Hôpital de Nom de Jésus was an important establishment associated with Louise de Marillac, Vincent de Paul, and their communities. The Daughters of Charity were responsible for staffing this hospital beginning in1653, and it survived until the mid-eighteenth century. However, scholars have not had any records of it to study until now. Here, Alison Forrestal presents the Rule of Nom de Jésus, with an English translation, “offering a commentary on its historical context and its composition.” The Rule gives scholars insight into how the hospital developed and shows concern for the corporal and spiritual well-being of those it served. During this time in France, “hospital” was a broad term that referred to “any institution that provided either shelter or medical care, or both, to pilgrims, the indigent, the ill, or the elderly on a short- or long-term basis.” Sometimes such institutions forcibly confined the poor, but this was not the case with Nom de Jésus. Instead, it was a “residential home and workshop for Catholics who could not live independently because of age, infirmity, or extreme poverty.” Along with the Rule, Forrestal explores the foundation and early operation of this hospital and describes the demographics of its residents