VINCENTIAN STUDIES COURSE

BOQUERON, CHIRIQUI, PANA

JOHN P. PRAGER, C.M. 1995

 

INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE

GOALS:

1)Explain the course outline.
2)Show the importance of studying the Vincentian tradition and itshistory.
3)Look at some of the famous interpretations of St. Vincent's life.

READINGS FOR THE TEACHER:

Coluccia, G., La Espiritualidad Vicenciana, Espiritualidad la Acción, (Salamanca:CEME, l979), p.92-9.

Dodin, A., "Etat des etudes Vincentiennes au moment du
Quadricentenaire de la naissance de St. Vincent de Paul," Bulletin de Société de Borde (l982), p.1-16.

 "Las Diversas Interpretaciones de la Espiritualidad Vicentina," CLAPVI 32 (l981), p. 310-321.

 Leonard, C., "The Major Studies on Vincent de Paul," Vincentian Heritage 6 (l985), p. 49-65.

 Mezzadri, L., "L'historiographie Vincentienne selon les Epoques Culturelles," Vincentiana 28 (l984), p. 292-313.

 --, "Storiografia Vincenziana" Vincentiana 31 (l987), p. 368-391.

 Román, J.M., San Vicente de Paúl, vol. 1: Biografía,(Madrid:BAC, l981)., p. 3-10.

 Rybolt, J., "Documentary Evidence for the Life and Works of St. Vincent de Paul," Vincentiana 31 (l987), p.392-437.

READINGS FOR THE NOVICES:

Davitt, T., "Vincent de Paul: What and How to Read about Him," Vincentiana 37 (l993), p.509-520

Prager, J.P., "The Poor as the Starting Point for Vincentian Studies: A Liberation Hermeneutic," Vincentiana 35
(l991), p.140-145

 Sobrino,J., The Resurrection of the True Church (N.Y.:
Orbis, l984), p. 312-317.
 
 

NOTE: Many of the students have not had good experiences of
history in high school or the university. It's important to listen to these
experiences and respond to any difficulties or problems that they
might express.
 
 

FIRST STEP:Each novice chooses five events from the life of St. Vincent and writes them on a piece of paper or in his
notebook.

SECOND STEP:Each novice places the events in his list in
order of importance.

THIRD STEP:Write the lists on the board or on newsprint.

FOURTH STEP:A dialogue about the historian's task: RESEARCH, INTERPRETATION, COMMUNICATION. The fact that the novices are able to name five events implies some sort of
research in a simple way. Their reasons for putting the events in order of importance is the interpretation. Writing the lists on the board is the communication.

POINTS FOR DIALOGUE:

1)Vincentian studies are important because they allow us to understand the charism and live it today.
2)Every Vincentian study is an interpretation. Not all of them, however, are of equal value. Much depends on the depth of the author's research and point of view.
3)The problem, not to say danger, with superficial investigations and interpretations is that they lead to serious errors in the manner of understanding the charism.