We live in a time of many challenges. There is much fragmentation in our communities and relationships can be strained or merely functional. In his recent encyclical Pope Leo calls us to recognise the dignity that is inherent in each person, something which our technological age can often diminish or ignore.

At the heart of our Christian faith is the belief that all people are made in the image and likeness of God. Pope Leo goes on to remind us that the fundamental dignity of each person “is neither acquired nor earned, nor does it need to be justified”. In our Vincentian tradition we talk about ‘seeing the face of Christ’ in people, especially those most in need. This was a challenging idea in Saint Vincent’s time when society blamed the poor for their poverty. In the following words, Blessed Frédéric Ozanam reminds us not only of the dignity of people experiencing poverty but that we should be in awe of how they have overcome so much suffering:

Both men and the poor we see with the eyes of the flesh; they are there and we can put finger and hand in their wounds and the scars of the crown of thorns are visible on their foreheads; and at this point incredulity no longer has place and we should fall at their feet and say with the Apostle, “You are our masters, and we will be your servants. You are for us the sacred images of that God whom we do not see, and not knowing how to love Him otherwise shall we not love Him in your persons? …how much charity, devotion and patience do we not need at present to heal the sufferings of these poor people …”

In the recorded report of the Society’s first Conference, we read Blessed Frédéric’s call for us to reach across the divide in society:

Gentlemen, humanity is divided into … the class of the rich and the class of the poor ... The day when the rich and the poor help each other will be the day of general peace: a day of rest for all mankind. We who are rich, gentlemen, let us hasten with all our power this great epoch. When the poor want to shake our hand, do not refuse to respond by extending our own. Approach him so that he will feel welcome … Let us recall that the angel of God struck the powerful of Egypt and saved the poor and afflicted Israelites. (first written Conference report)

Vincentians answer this call each day as they reach out to people experiencing hardship in our society.