Vincentian Bishop Highlights Deep Connection Between St. John’s University and St. Vincent de Paul

St. Vincent de Paul had a “dual vision” of eyes and heart. He created and organized support networks to care for those in need materially, physically, and spiritually.

He also had a vision for dignity and justice. His heart led him to create several institutions, and today, organizations identified with him still carry on his mission.

“That vision continues to have a profound influence on higher education here at St. John’s University, identifying its mission and shaping its values and practices in concrete ways since 1870,” said Most Reverend David M. O’Connell, C.M., J.C.D., D.D., Bishop of the Diocese of Trenton, NJ. Bishop O’Connell gave the Vincentian Heritage Lecture on September 23 during St. John’s University’s annual Founder’s Week celebration.

His lecture, “Through St. Vincent’s Eyes and Heart: Vincentian Catholic Higher Education Today,” was held in the Belson Moot Courtroom housed in the School of Law. Bishop O’Connell is a former St. John’s administrator, holding several positions, including Dean of St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

“At St. John’s University, we see Catholic higher education through St. Vincent’s eyes and heart,” Bishop O’Connell stressed.

From its inception, Bishop O’Connell noted, St. John’s College (as it was known then) embodied Vincentian values in the Catholic education it imparted, stemming from the vision, ideals, and works of St. Vincent de Paul.

“St. Vincent’s legacy and heritage continue to inform the St. John’s University experience, as it combines academic excellence with abundant opportunities to cultivate faith and engage in service with passion and purpose,” he explained.

While St. John’s has undergone several changes since he arrived in 1990 (including a diminishing number of Vincentian priests in high-ranking positions), Bishop O’Connell noted that its Vincentian identity, character, and mission have remained the same. “In many respects, they seem to me stronger than ever,” he said.

Despite a decline in Vincentian priests, Bishop O’Connell explained that the mission of St. John’s is maintained through various programs and opportunities that engage the University community in service and education. Students, administrators, and staff are introduced to St. Vincent de Paul “as a central source of inspiration, mission, and motivation.”

The Vincentian Center for Church and Society and programs like Founder’s Week, the Vincentian Chair of Social Justice lectures, and the Vincentian Mission Orientation program, among others, bring St. Vincent to vivid life for the St. John’s community through concrete experiences that encourage deep reflection.

“These initiatives help ensure that the Vincentian mission is integrated into the University’s activities and that members of the University community can articulate and embody it in their roles,” Bishop O’Connell said.

A question-and-answer period followed the lecture, which included St. John’s students, faculty, administrators, and staff. In response to a question about how Catholic, and even more specifically, Vincentian universities, make their “language” tenable to non-Christians, Bishop O’Connell said, “I think our mission is very attractive, and would be attractive to just about anybody, in terms of service to the poor and service to human dignity.”

He continued, “I think we must  present what we believe, in the way we believe it, to the campus community. We present St. Vincent to the campus. We invite people to know and understand our grasp of the truth and our sense of faith, and we encourage them. We’re not trying to convert people, although if they do join us, that’s a wonderful thing, but we speak the truth as we know it. And where do we find our truth? We find it in the scripture. We find it in the tradition. We find it in the teaching. We find it in the practice of good people who continue to serve and worship in the Church. I think you just keep talking about it and encouraging people to listen.”

Responding to a question about the essential nature of our Catholic identity, Bishop O’Connell said, “You can’t shy away from it. You must present it. This is what we are. This is what we will continue to be—and we want you to join in that pursuit. We’re talking about our faith. We’re talking about our teaching. We’re talking about our tradition.”

He continued, “What difference does it make to be Catholic? It’s not just a name. It’s not just identity. It’s not just a throwaway. It is something that we have to pursue with passion.”