Founder’s Week 2011
September 24 –30

Be Vincentian: Embrace Charity; Promote Peace
“Charity demands that we sow peace where it does not exist.”  – St. Vincent de Paul

Living the spirit of St. Vincent demands that we are filled with charity, a love of God and love of our neighbor. Charity must express itself in practical love, which has real effect.  One effect of charity is that we become promoters of peace, striving to build a world of love and justice. Vincent de Paul, the Apostle of Charity is our inspiration to be a person of peace with God as the center of our lives enabling us to serve our neighbor and bring God’s peace to our families, communities and to the world.  

In the wake of the 10th anniversary of the iniquitous events of 9/11, we celebrate this 18th Annual Founder’s Week for the first time during the week of the Feast of St. Vincent de Paul, September 27. St. Vincent de Paul (1581–1660) is the founder of the Congregation of the Mission (1617), the order of priests and brothers who sponsor St. John’s University. St. Vincent was an extraordinary man of great faith and humility who cared very deeply about people who were poor.  He sought new and creative ways to meet the spiritual and material needs of the marginalized of 17th-century France and beyond its borders. We celebrate his feast day on September 27, the day of his death in 1660.

We will begin Founder’s Week on September 24 with the 10th Annual University Service Day and celebrate the Feast Day with a special University Mass. The Vincentian Chair of Social Justice Lecture and Vincentian Convocation will be held on September 26.  For the many other activities planned for students, faculty and employees of St. John’s, click on your campus location.