Pope Francis in his Apostolic Exhortation "Evangelii Gaudium", when talking about the social inclusion of the poor, tells us that "stems from our faith in Christ, who became poor and always approached the poor and marginalized, the concern for the integral development of the most abandoned of society "(# 186). He continues: "Every Christian and every community are called to be instruments of God in the service of liberation and promotion of the poor so that they can be fully integrated into society; this supposes being sweetly attentive to hear the cry of the poor and help him."(# 187) When we started the Year of Charity in our archdiocese, we opened with the Trezena of" San Sebastian, disciple of love and charity, "reflecting on the text of l Cor 13.3: "If you do not have love, it is no use." We are called to reflect on episodes and people that marked their lives working with the poor. In 2013 we celebrate the bicentenary of the birth of Anthony Frederick Ozanam, the blessed apostle of charity, one of the intercessors of the World Youth Day held in 2013 in Rio de Janeiro. "
Interesting how he describes, seven months before his death, the ideas that, facing the challenges of young atheists and critics of the Church, drove the founding of the conferences of the St. Vincent de Paul:
Talking to you is one of those eight students who met 20 years ago under the inspiration of St. Vincent de Paul, at the capital of France. We felt the need to persevere in the faith amid the harassment coming from several theories of false prophets. And we said: let’s work, do something to show the strength of our faith. However, what could we do to be real Catholics but to set ourselves to do what pleases God the most? Therefore, let us help our neighbor as Jesus Christ did. In order to receive God’s blessing on our ministry we lack one thing: charity. The blessing of the poor is God's blessing. "
So, more than 180 years ago, at 20 years old, this young university student founded the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, in Paris, France, with the help of a small group of young people who communed the same dream of Frederick Ozanam "Building a large worldwide network of charity", having as spirituality and model of love the service to the poor, the big father of charity, St. Vincent de Paul. And yet, under the protection of the dear Virgin Mary, that for the Vincentians is the model of the mother Church, which meets their children to serve and sanctify, as the example of the charitable visit she made to her cousin Elizabeth. Here in Brazil the first Vincentian conference was founded in Rio de Janeiro, under the patronage of St. Joseph, on August 4, 1872, therefore 141 years ago.
Pope Francis in his Apostolic Exhortation still reminds us that "in the heart of God the poor occupy a preferred place, so that by He 'became poor' himself(# 197)". And he confesses a pain: "I wish to state, with regret, that the worst discrimination faced by the poor is the lack of spiritual care" (No. 200). He recalls that "what Jesus teaches us is to first find us, and in the encounter, help. We need to know how to find ourselves. We must edify, create, build a culture of encounter. "It's the famous question that the Pope refers to when asking people if they give alms: "when you give alms, do you touch with your hand or throw the money" "And if you did not touch, you did not meet him."
Therefore, it is not just a food distribution, but commitment to each other in all dimensions. For it presupposes a spirituality. In this sense, in the Church, we have many groups that work well. Today we reflect on the inspiration of Ozanam.
Frederic Ozanam, born into a holy family, devoted great love to God, manifested in service to the poor, was endowed with many virtues: loving son and obedient to parents, devout, faithful to the teachings of the Church, exemplary student, husband and dedicated father, teacher and painstaking lawyer, with refined spirit of leadership, engaged layman, supportive and fraternal with everyone, especially to the poor father. "The order of society rests on two virtues: justice and charity."
Firm on this truth, Frederic Ozanam devoted body and soul for 20 years (1833-1853), to structure, solidify and expand the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, with the blessing of the Church granted by Pope Pius IX. As that good seed sown in fertile ground, the dream of Ozanam has produced abundant fruits in various parts of the world. Their ranks are swelled by: children, teenagers, adults and seniors of all social classes, that united and strengthened the bond of charity, forming a large family in the world.
No work of charity is foreign to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Some of them such as: hospitals, kindergardens, institutions for the aged, dispensaries of food and clothing, vocational training centers and religious training, etc.
Remember the mystique of Vincentians: "the great mission is the home visit (weekly) for the participants of the conference." In this time of so many issues of virtual communication, as the Holy Father reminds us, the classroom work is required. "It is necessary to share the goods that we have received, announcing Christ as our true hope, to have personal contact with the poor, and more than sharing material goods, to offer the gift of ourselves, a charitable and fraternal relationship, enlivened by the Holy thought of St. Vincent de Paul: "the poor are our masters and lords." Where there is well structured Vicentian work, it is a living force for the missionary and social work of the Church.
We are living the Year of Charity within the scope of our Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro. There are many attitudes towards greater coordination of this work in our church. There are many activities and many groups. The Vincentian conferences are still invited to join in this fellowship, bringing its beautiful experience of spirituality, to walk "feeling like church" in this special year. As one of the expressions of the Church’s charity, the apostolic work of the Vincentians, in significant numbers present in our archdiocese, adds to this dimension of the evangelization characteristic of their charism. In the weekly home visits by Vincentians, I want to rely on the personal commitment of all Vincentians in the evangelizing work and on the experience of fraternal charity.
Thus, we will with all other groups respond to the call of Pope Francisc in his Apostolic Exhortation: "no one can feel relieved of concern for the poor and for social justice" and added: "I fear that these words also are subject of only some comments, without real practical effect "(# 201).
Frederic Ozanam finished his mission early. He died on 09/08/1853 in France. But his dream and his work remain firm throughout these 180 years. It is one of the movements with the longer existence in the life of our Church, open to all lay people of good will, who with generous hearts meet God's call to love Him and serve Him in the poor and the wronged, that are so many and always very close to us.
The Vincentian Family worldwide lived a great joy to see the beatification of Antonio Frederic Ozanam, occurred in France, at Notre Dame, by then Pope John Paul II, holy today, on 22 August 1997. When there happened the great World Youth Day of that year, and Ozanam was presented to the young as a model of "young missionary and servant of the poor." We have also chosen him as one of the intercessors of our holy and blessed WYD Rio2013. Therefore, one of the fruits of the biggest event of the year 2013 should be a joint work inspired by this spirituality, which has been deepened so much by Pope Francis
We beseech God, through the intercession of Blessed Frederic Ozanam and all the saints and patron saints of all the scattered Vincentian units worldwide also trusting to his powerful intercession, to bless and sanctify all that they are connected to, so that in this Year of archdiocesan charity, the dream of Ozanam in building "a large network of charity in the world" take place on our daily lives, and that the size of our love to God is measured
