NEWS AND COMMENTS:    Vincentian Matters,  Church and Society

350 YEARS SINCE THE DEATH OF ANTOINE PORTAIL  

This year we commemorate 350 years since the death of Vincent de Paul and St Louise de Marillac.  It is also 350 years since the death of Fr Antoine Portail CM  (1590-1660),   whose anniversary falls on February 14.   Antoine Portail was a faithful companion to Vincent de Paul for most of their lives. 

During his 16 months as pastor at Clichy, in 1612-13, Vincent became very aware of the need to offer more adequate training to candidates for the priesthood. He opened a school where he began to form a dozen young men  who wanted to become priests. Among these was Antoine Portail whom he met in 1612,  Portail had come to Paris to study at the Sorbonne.  

Antoine Portail was ordained in 1622. He was employed among the galley slaves, gave missions in the countryside and worked for the ordinands. He was chosen first assistant general, and Director of the Daughters of Charity  in 1642, spending most of the rest of his life at Saint Lazare.  As indicated above, he had joined Monsieur Vincent several years before and, on his advice, had been ordained to the priesthood. He was always obedient to the wishes and orders of Vincent, who referred to him often, particularly in the phrase "Would would M. Portail say ?.   . (Picture courtesy of FamVin Español)

 

 

For ongoing news concerning the Vincentian Family in Haiti, see the following Sites:   FamVin,   CMGlobal, and   Vincentian Encyclopedia          

 

10/2/10 Vinnies and other groups appoint Brennan  human rights champion for disadvantaged

AUSTRALIA:  A media report on Feb 8 announced that in an unprecedented move, respected human rights advocate Father Frank Brennan has been appointed an official advocate for four of Australia’s leading health, social services, aged care and education bodies.  As Catholic Advocate in Residence for the St Vincent de Paul Society, Catholic Health Australia (CHA), Catholic Social Services Australia (CSSA), and the Australian Catholic University’s Public Policy Institute (PPI), Fr Brennan will endeavour to raise awareness and drive change on the health and welfare of disadvantaged Australians.  READ MEDIA RELEASE

 

10/2/10    Frank Brennan - The Church as Advocate in the Public Square

CANBERRA:  The full text of the McCosker Oration by Fr Frank Brennan  SJ titled 'The Church as Advocate in the Public Square: Lessons from the National Human Rights Consultation",  Catholic Social Services Australia National Conference, 8 February 2010,  is now available on the Eureka Street Site.   It can be read through the link  Church Advocacy 

 

10/2/10    Catholics in Fiji still awaiting appointment of new Archbishop

SUVA:  Catholics around the country are still awaiting the appointment of a new Archbishop as the process of choosing one continues.  Vicar General Fr Beni Kaloudau said there is still no word yet from Rome on the appointment however adding this is normal and is part of the process. The first round of letters were given to some catholics in July last year around the country to chose at least three nominees for the Archbishop's position.  Another round of letters are expected to go out as this time, these Catholics will be asked to chose one of three nominees for the top Catholic position.  READ FURTHER   

 

10/2/10    Vinnies and Salvos combine to help unemployed in Young

YOUNG:  Welfare groups in Young, in south-west New South Wales, say there has been a huge increase in demand for food hampers and rent assistance after hundreds of workers were sacked from the town's abattoir, Burrangong Meats, last week.  The Salvation Army and Saint Vincent de Paul will meet tomorrow to discuss how they can cope with the need. Laurel Merryn, from the Young Salvos, says the situation is expected to worsen in coming weeks as people struggle without money.  READ FURTHER

 

 

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 9/2/10    Australia's Pell tops the chart as a rumour magnet

 KANSAS CITY MO:   The above heading is from National Catholic Reporter, where John Allen Jr wrote (Feb 6) concerning Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney  - "...... What I can say with some certainty is that Pell is perhaps the best living example of a certain species of ecclesiastical life that we might designate as the “rumor magnet."  ,,,,If Pell had actually received all the Roman jobs for which he’s been prominently mentioned, by now he would virtually be running the Vatican all by himself....."  READ FURTHER

 

7/2/10    Blessed Rosalie Rendu  DC

 

Today we celebrate the Memorial of Blessed Rosalie Rendu DC.    Jeanne Marie Rendu was born  September 9, 1786 at Confort, a district of Gex in the Jura Mountains in France.  She joined the Daughters of Charity, and  on leaving the Seminary  was sent to the Mouffetard neighbourhood of Paris, one of the most miserable in the city, where she served the poor for 53 years. She was very influential with the students of the Sorbonne who wanted to respond to the needs of the poor in their midst and bring about a more just society.  Among this group of students was Frederic Ozanam who dreamed of 'encircling the world in a network of charity'.  What followed was the founding of the first conference of charity in April 1833.   She died on  February 7, 1856 , after a brief acute illness  MORE DETAILS   

 See also:  Blessed Rosalie Rendu   (Vinspiration Series)

 

6/2/10    Some problems with this Site !

ASHFIELD NSW::  Due to  administrative problems and unforseen circumstances, this site is under re-construction.   Some of the menu items in the navigation bar above will not bring any useful response.  But the menu items "Home",  "Site", "Vincent", "CMs",   "News", "Liturgies" and "Contact" are functional.  Some pages under "CMs" are incomplete.  Others will become operative as reconstruction takes place and the mess behind the scenes is cleared up !   Thank you for your patience.   Tim Williams CM

 

350th Anniversary Logo - Click picture for details


ST VINCENT DE PAUL, MARSFIELD

 

The image above is a framed oil painting of Vincent de Paul with cassock, bare feet; three  children; name in large halo; The original is  at Marshfield, Sydney. It is reproduced here courtesy of the St Vincent de Paul Image Archive (John Rybolt CM), DePaul Univeristy, Chicago IL.

 

  FamVin     CM Global  

 


DECEASED VINCENTIANS - FEBRUARY
1 1934 Fr Vincent McQuillan 46
2 1911 Fr Thomas Lawless 48
5 1971 Fr Patrick Meenagh 81
6 1989 Fr Ronald McDonald 80
7 1970 Fr Dominic Phillips 66
9 1992 Fr John O'Rourke 65
15 1993 Fr Pelasio Vakarorogo 58
18 2008 Fr John Wilkinson 93
19 1974 Fr Mark Hall 88
19 1987 Fr John Carroll 87
23 1999 Fr Myles Hyland 87
Printable Table

 

 

 

 

 


   


  

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