The Christ of Saint Vincent and Saint Louise
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Vincentian Heritage Journal Volume 19 Issue 1 Article 3 Spring 1998 Christological Aspects of Vincentian Leadership: The Christ of Saint Vincent and Saint Louise Kathryn LaFleur S.P. Follow this and additional works at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/vhj Recommended Citation LaFleur, Kathryn S.P. (1998) "Christological Aspects of Vincentian Leadership: The Christ of Saint Vincent and Saint Louise," Vincentian Heritage Journal: Vol. 19 : Iss. 1 , Article 3. Available at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/vhj/vol19/iss1/3 This Articles is brought to you for free and open access by the Vincentian Journals and Publications at Via Sapientiae. It has been accepted for inclusion in Vincentian Heritage Journal by an authorized editor of Via Sapientiae. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 29 Christological Aspects Of Vincentian Leadership: The Christ of Saint Vincent and Saint Louise BY KATHRYN LAFLEUR, S.P. Introductory Remarks: I need to say that in reflecting on the Vincentian tradition, I will speak of both Saint Vincent and Saint Louise because I am convinced that for us today it is the complementarity of their individual and shared spirituality and mission that give us the legacy of the Christological aspects of their leadership. This, I think, is one of their great gifts to us and to our times. "WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?" (MT. 16:13-18) When Jesus came to the neighborhood of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples this question: Who do people say that the Son of Man is? They replied, "Some say John the Baptizer, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." "And you," he said to them, "who do you say that I am?" "You are the Messiah," Simon Peter answered, "the Son of the living God!" Jesus replied, "Blest are you, Simon son of John! No mere person has revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father." This question which Jesus posed to his disciples is a question that at some point challenges the heart and spirit of every Christian. For each of us it is a question that if entered into deeply may call us to re evaluate our ministry, our leadership, our lifestyle; it might well bid us to a greater depth of conversion in our lives. Indeed, for both Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac, the personal lived reality of the unfolding mystery of the answer to Jesus' question "Who do you say that I am" became the focus and force of their spirituality, and in turn of their mission. We are invited to reflect on two aspects of this gospel question as related to our Vincentian tradition: Who was Christ for Saint Vincent and for Saint Louise, and what perspectives of Christian leadership did Vincent and Louise emulate? 30 To embark upon this journey into the spirituality of Saint Vincent and Saint Louise, I invite you to consider with me, first the spiritual milieu in which they lived, then to reflect briefly on who Christ was for Saint Vincent, who Christ was for Saint Louise, and finally to consider the legacy of some principles of the Vincentian tradition that animated their Christian leadership. THE SPIRITUAL MILIEU OF VINCENT AND LOUISE: Vincent (1581-1660); Louise (1591-1660) The seventeenth century in which Saint Vincent and Saint Louise lived is known historically as Le grand siecle, the great century; so too it might be termed Un grand siecle,a great century of spirituality. The spiritual framework in which Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac lived in seventeenth century France was that which is known as the French School of Spirituality. It was during this century that numerous saints made outstanding contributions to the field of spiri tuality and during it that the division of theology and spirituality which had occurred during the scholastic period was reunited into an integrated whole. Major figures of this period include Saint Francis de Sales, Saint Jane de Chantal, Pierre Cardinal de Berulle, Charles de Condren, Jean Jacques Olier, Saint John Eudes, Pere Lallement, Blessed Marie of the Incarnation, Blessed Madeleine of Saint Joseph, Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, Saint Louis Marie de Montfort, Saint Jean-Baptist de la Salle and of course Saint Louise de Marillac and Saint Vincent de Paul. As well, the seventeenth century was a period in which lay lead ership in spirituality was prevalent with such persons as Mme. Acarie and Michel de Marillac, uncle of Louise. Fruits of the period would include renewal of laity and clergy, foundation of seminaries, parish missions, spiritual direction, and the emergence of congregations de voted to apostolic works both within and beyond France. Father Raymond Deville in his book, L'ecolefranr;aise de spiritualite posits that a spirituality or spiritual tradition is a certain manner of hearing and living the gospel. This is conditioned by a time, a milieu, and some influential principles. This particular way of hearing and living the gospel is incarnated in a group of people and prolonged through history, enriching or impoverishing itself. 1 1 Raymond Deville, L'ecolefranraise de spiritualite - Bibliotheque d'Histoire du Christianisrne, n.11 (Paris: Desclee, 1987), 102. 31 Deville suggests that a particular school of spirituality or tradition has certain aspects of faith and life in the Spirit which it emphasizes and is distinguished by a certain manner of prayer and a certain approach to mission. The basic aspects of faith and life in the Spirit which the French School of Spirituality emphasized are: Trinitarianism, Christocentricism, Marian, Pastoral and Ecclesial. It is an accepted fact that the major initiator in the development of the French School of Spirituality was Pierre Cardinal de Berulle. The most characteristic principle of Berulle's spirituality was its Christocentricism, which focused on the Incarnate Word, Jesus. Through Jesus' humanity, persons enter into a new order. Humanity is deified through Jesus, who became man to make us gods. For Berulle the pre-eminent state of the human Jesus was that of his servitude because in emptying himself of his divinity to become hu man, he assumed the state of one who was to be God's servant. It is Jesus who has come to heal the rupture of the relationship between God and humans. He, as the perfect adorer and servant, incorporates humans into his life and love and empowers them to imitate him in adoration and servitude of God. For the French School, experience of Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word of God was fundamental to the reunion of spirituality and theology which Berulle stressed and was central to all the ensuing doctrine of the school and its lived-out experience. Hence, praxis was regaining its importance in the field of theology. For Vincent de Paul particularly, the lived reality-the experience of Christ-was more important than theory. As we have heard, Deville says that a spirituality or spiritual tradition is a particular way of hearing and living the gospel which is incarnated in a group of people and prolonged through history, en riching or impoverishing itself.2 How has the gospel been incarnated in the Vincentian tradition? Both Vincent and Louise exhibited in varying degrees, but with their own nuances, the principles of the French School of Spirituality and left to us the heritage of a Vincentian tradition-a certain manner of hearing and living the gospel, a certain approach to mission. 2 It is essential to recall that the French School of Spirituality is the term applied to the doctrine of spirituality developed in France during the Seventeenth Century. In the strict sense it is limited to the disciples of Berulie who had an awareness of his originality and who followed the themes characteristic of his doctrine. 32 For our purposes we will focus on only one of these principles, the Christological aspect of their spirituality. Let us begin with Saint Vincent. Reverend Robert Maloney, C.M., states: "Vincent does not speak or write about Christology as such, but he often speaks and writes of Christ. Even more clearly, he develops a way of 'living' Christ and teaches it to his followers." 3 In keeping with the French School of Spirituality, Vincent's Christ begins with the Trinity. Vincent's trinitarian theocentricism was ex pressed in his constant desire to do the Will of God, his complete trust in the Providence of God, his sensitivity to the Spirit and his imitation of Jesus. For Vincent, belief in the mystery of the Holy Trinity was necessary for salvation and he found and knew "his Christ" only in the union of the Son with the Father. 4 That the Trinity was central for Vincent is seen in his placing his congregation under the patronage of the Trinity and his frequent reference to the unity of the Trinity as the best model for a life of unity within Community. 5 From within the Trinity, Christ was the foundational focus of Vincent's active spirituality, hence his Christocentricism. 6 In Jesus Christ, Vincent saw the Savior come to do the Father's Will which He accomplished through His self-emptying service to the poor and the salvation of all through His death on the cross. This mission of Christ the evangelizer fulfilling the Father's Will, was for Vincent, the begin ning, the direction and the end of his spirituality concretized in deeds of charity and justice. Dodin writes: The Christ whom Vincent contemplated and adored is not a representation of an eternal truth, but a living hu man being united with humankind in history, on a mis sion from his Father to save humanity.7 3 Robert P Maloney, C.M., The Way of St .