What keeps your heart afire? Christ in your life! Fr. Gerry Kelly Claudia Pieske Jeanne M. Harper

What keeps What keeps your heart your heart

afire? Christ in afire? Christ in your life!your life!

Fr. Gerry KellyClaudia Pieske

Jeanne M. Harper

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Serving in Hope Serving in Hope The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is an

international Catholic organization of lay persons founded in 1833 by Frederic Ozanam and his companions. Placed under the patronage of St. Vincent de Paul, the Society derives its inspiration from his thinking and work. It seeks, in a spirit of justice and charity and by person-to-person involvement of its members, to help those who are suffering. Rule Chapter I.1

ANGELS can fly….ANGELS can fly….

Because they take themselves LIGHTLY!

anon

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Serving the poor is anServing the poor is an

opportunity to encounter

the suffering Christ – to see his face in them

– to make the love of God a reality in their lives

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Seeing the miraculous in Seeing the miraculous in details of everyday life…details of everyday life…Source: Gary Eckstein, Community Care Resources, Inc. v4, p 5Source: Gary Eckstein, Community Care Resources, Inc. v4, p 5

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Vincentians seek their holiness in the service of the poor

- the poor are our reason for

existence!

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SPIES+F Affects of SPIES+F Affects of Stress and Change: Stress and Change:

mind, body & spiritmind, body & spirit

SocialPhysicalIntellectualEmotionalSpiritualFinancial

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The Fire and the Light of The Fire and the Light of St. Vincent’s and Blessed St. Vincent’s and Blessed Frederic’s charism is lived Frederic’s charism is lived

on in our actions – by on in our actions – by serving the poor person-serving the poor person-

to-person showing to-person showing respect for the dignity and respect for the dignity and integrity of the poor as we integrity of the poor as we

serve in charity and serve in charity and justice.justice.

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Ways of inspiring Ways of inspiring ourselves to be all that ourselves to be all that the father asks of us…the father asks of us…

Fast, Eat, Sleep & Live healthyRetreats, daily mass, sacramentsMusicMeditationPrayerful readingsConference mtgsOther….

Bl. Frederic’s Bl. Frederic’s deepest deepest

desire to set desire to set his heart afire his heart afire

was towas to“Embrace the “Embrace the whole world whole world in a network in a network of charity”of charity”

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EXPERIENCEEXPERIENCE: “It is necessary : “It is necessary to give oneself to God…in order to give oneself to God…in order

to serve the poor” SVdPto serve the poor” SVdP

“We must begin by establishing the kingdom of God in OURSELVES and ONLY then in others..tend to our interior life..if we fail to do that, we miss everything!” SVdP

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FaithFaith: Fire in our Hearts: Fire in our Hearts

Comes from loving openly the Christ in others so that it can take hold in own heart!

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Without the detachment and Without the detachment and humility which empties us of humility which empties us of

SelfSelf

We cannot truly live in Christ nor can Christ act in us. It is in the empty of self that Christ not only dwells, but acts and bears fruit!

Practical WisdomThree

Precepts:

Purity of intention and Purity of intention and singleness of purposesingleness of purposePurity of intention and Purity of intention and singleness of purposesingleness of purpose

It is not enough for me to love God, if my neighbor does not love God.It is not enough for me to love God, if my neighbor does not love God.

Action – firm and invariable concerning the goal, gentle and flexible concerning the means

Action – firm and invariable concerning the goal, gentle and flexible concerning the means

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Spirit and Spirit and Mystery of CharityMystery of Charity

Let us be committed and keep our hands to the plow.

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Firm but flexibleFull of vital energyStrong and rich by open desire

for communion with allLet sunlight of divine kindness

melt the steel plated armour of self-love

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The poor will The poor will disturb our disturb our

consciences…consciences…It is THEY who It is THEY who can light a fire can light a fire which does not which does not

go out!go out!

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Our doctrine is…Our doctrine is… Our doctrine is…Our doctrine is…

silently offering

the Bread of the poor

Blessed FredericBlessed FredericBlessed FredericBlessed Frederic

Sons and daughters of St Vincent de Paul,

let us learn of him to forget ourselves, to devote ourselves to the service of God

and the good of men. Let us learn of him

that holy preference which shows most love to those who

suffer most.

On your Vincentian Journey to

Holiness be an

“Evangelizer of the poor” – be about

bringing the Good news to the poor

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Let us pray together:Let us pray together:How blest are the poor in spirit; the reign of

God is theirs.Blest too are the sorrowing; they shall be

consoled.Blest are the lowly; they shall inherit the land.Blest are they who hunger and thirst for

holiness; they shall have their fill.Blest are they who show mercy; mercy shall be

theirs.Blest are the single-hearted for they shall see

God.

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Blest too the peacemakers; they shall be called children of God.

Blest are those persecuted for holiness sake; the reign of God is theirs.

Blest are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of slander against you because of me.

Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is great in heaven; they persecuted the prophets before you in the very same way.

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Thank you!