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Proposed Logo for the celebration of the 350th anniversary of the death of St. Vincent de Paul and St. Louise de Marillac

The logo attempts to depict a universal vision of the Vincentian Family: International Association of Charities, Congregation of the Mission, Daughters of Charity, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and other branches.

The variety of the charism’s expressions in the Vincentian Family presents the first difficulty: how to translate this diversity into one image and at the same time celebrate the life of the founders?

In their time St. Vincent and St. Louise lived the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and were led by the power of this Spirit, a power that was shown in their zeal and charity and in a dynamic mission. The Congregation of the Mission, the Daughters of Charity, the Ladies of Charity were living testimony of this creativity born out of the Spirit.

After their death in 1660, the Spirit of the Lord continued to release its creative force, giving rise to movements and communities who saw in the Vincentian charism a solid spirituality, forever young, and above all a living response to Church and society.

The logo does not pretend to be exhaustive - it simply suggests. The symbol consists of “flames” of various colors, in four sets, as in four horizons, suggesting the world of diversity. These flames are so located as to suggest a “dove,” the biblical symbol of the Holy Spirit just as the flames themselves are. The flames are also symbols of charity as are clearly shown in the logo of the D.C.

The symbol is completed with the text. First, the theme: “Charity – Mission” – the theme proposed for reflection during this Vincentian year. Below this are the names of the founders, the dates of their death up to 2010. Finally, the reason for the logo.

The letter type suggests dynamism, joy and youthfulness. This represents well the spirit of the Vincentian Family.