Missions of Saint Vincent

Missions are public exercises in which, by means of simple but vigorous and effective instructions, one strives to lead the people to weep over their sins, to make good their mistakes by sincere repentance and to live in future in a holy manner. To produce good results these exercises require a certain order, certain and precautions with regard to the Pastors whose place in a sense the Missioners hold for the time being; with regard to the people, who must be instructed without fatiguing them too much; with regard to the evangelical workers themselves, who, if they are to sanctify others, have need of zeal and charity, or rather of all the virtues. Saint Vincent conceived the plan of his Missions in such a way as to satisfy all these various obligations.

With regard to the Pastors, besides the permission of the Bishop, which is always indispensable, he never settled anything without the consent of the Parish Priests.

As soon as a Parish Priest has given permission for a Mission in his parish, one of the Missioners opens it and announces in a sermon the visit of Mercy which God is preparing for His people, the multitude of graces which He is ready to shed upon all those who will render themselves worthy of them by being converted to Him; the unhappiness of those who refuse to listen to His voice, and the necessity of immediately breaking the chains of sin. A few days later the Missioners present themselves at the appointed place and settle down to the work at once. Every day they give three public instructions: one is given very early in the morning, so that the people may not lose a moment from their work; at one o'clock there is catechism for the children, and in the evening, after sunset, a more thorough instruction for adults.

The preaching at the Mission must be solid but plain. All metaphysical ideas must be banished, as those learned discussions serve no other purpose than to flatter the talent of him who is speaking. Here is a list of the most ordinary subjects of these sermons: the importance of eternal salvation, the last things, contrition, the forgiveness of injuries, restitution, the enormity of sin, hardness of heart, final impenitence, false shame, relapse, calumny, envy, intemperance and such other disorders which find their way more easily in country places; the good use of poverty and afflictions, the sanctification of Sundays and Feasts, the necessity of prayer; methods of praying, of approaching the Sacraments, of assisting at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass; the Imitation of Our Lord, devotion to the Blessed Virgin, the happiness of perseverance - in a word, all that a Christian must do to go to God, all that he must avoid in order to be happier after death than he can ever be during life.

Catechism has for its object the explanation of the principal articles of faith and the most essential truths of religion. At Catechism are treated: the Mystery of the Blessed Trinity, of the Incarnation of the Son of God, of the price of our Redemption; of the Commandments of God and of the Church, of the Sacraments, of the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and of the Angelus. The number of subjects is regulated by the length of the Mission, and the choice of them by the degree of intelligence amongst the audience. Each one who has laboured for the salvation of these souls should be able to say, when leaving them, what Saint Paul said to the faithful of Mileta: "I call you to witness that I am innocent of your perdition; I have done all that depended on me to prevent it"

The other Instruction, which is given from the pulpit, is intended for adults; for this reason a special one is arranged for the children. From the very first day they are invited in a homely Instruction to come regularly. Then in the following Instructions they are given the admonitions they need, speaking to them in a manner suitable to their understanding; deducing from the principles of faith those consequences likely to form or reform their manners; encouraging them with the thought of the recompense which will be the prize for their wisdom or their diligence. This important exercise finished with sacred hymns. Piety gained doubly thereby; for thus Christian Doctrine was taught in a pleasant way, and holy hymns made people forget dangerous songs.

As soon as the people appeared to be somewhat touched by the truths they heard, the priest installed himself in the confessional, where he had to spend some hours each day, morning and evening. Then came the visiting to console the sick, to win back hardened sinners, to extinguish feuds between families, to reconcile enemies, to teach school-masters and mistresses how to fulfill well their duties, to establish Associations of Charity to help the poor; in a word, to prevent evil and to do all the good that is possible - such was the end that the Founder of the Mission proposed to himself, and which he attained during the course of his life.

When the adults had received the most pressing attention which their state required, then those children were prepared for First Communion who were judged capable of receiving it profitably. Besides all the help that was given to their children throughout the Mission, on the eve of the great day of their First Communion an ardent, tender exhortation was given them, suitably fitted for preparing these young hearts to receive worthily the Lamb of God. The next day a little fervering would be given immediately before Holy Communion. That day, calculated to stir up the most tepid soul to Faith and Love, is usually fixed for the closing of the Mission. A solemn Procession of Thanksgiving brings the Mission to an end. The youngest children, who, though not thought capable of receiving Holy Communion, were unfortunately already too capable of offending God, have also their share in the fruits of the Mission. They too are instilled with a holy horror of sin; they are taught to behave modestly in the Church; to conceive regret for their faults; and, not being able for more, they are prepared for making their first confession with sincerity and confidence.

With regard to the Missioners, Saint Vincent required of them a lively faith and perfect confidence in God, so that they may not let themselves be held back by the contradictions which are frequently met with in this holy Ministry. Mortification too was expected of them under all trials, to bear the fatigue of the Mission, the inconveniences of the lodging, the inclemency of the weather. So also, invincible patience to bear with the incivility of those who should be the principal object of their care; simplicity, accompanied by prudence, in instructing them and bringing them to God; great indifference with regard to employments, places, times and persons, so as to have no other will than that of God; finally, a profound humility and invincible meekness, especially in their dealings with heretics.

We shall finish this chapter by an analysis of one of Saint Vincent's discourses to his Priests on the necessity of giving Missions. After having declared with Saint Paul that each one must walk worthily of his own vocation, he remarked that Missions were the principal role of his Congregation, the work of the Seminaries and the Ordinandi having no other aim but to prepare priests who were capable of preserving the good results of these Missions in the parishes. For this purpose he quoted to them the example of warriors who, after having seized a fortress, left a garrison there. He asked them to stir themselves up and give good Missions, remembering that it is God Who says to each one of them: "Go forth, you Missioners; go wherever I send you. Here are poor souls waiting for you whose salvation depends so much on your sermons and catechisms. . . ." But what shall we answer to God if it should happen that, through our fault, some one or other of these poor souls were to die unconverted and be lost? Should we not have reason to reproach ourselves for being in some way the cause of their damnation through not having helped them as we might have done? And should we not fear that He might ask of us an account of this neglect at the hour of our death? On the other hand, if we fulfill faithfully the obligations of our vocation, shall we not have reason to hope that God will lavish His Graces upon us day by day, that He will increase vocations to our Company more and more and will give to it men of suitable dispositions who would act in His Spirit and so bless all our labours? Besides, all those souls who will obtain their eternal salvation through our ministry will be like so many witnesses of our fidelity to our duties before the Throne of God.

After having concluded from the Gospel text "Evangelizare pauperibus misit me" that the salvation of the poor was one of the principal occupations of Our Lord, Saint Vincent explained to his Priests how dangerous it would be for them to abandon these members of Jesus Christ, as precious in the Eyes of God as they seemed contemptible to the world. Then he applied to them those words of Saint Ambrose, "If you have not fed them you have killed them", words "which, though, actually meant for corporal refection, can still be applied to those who are spiritually starved, with just as much truth, and perhaps a greater reason. Consider then how justly we should tremble if we were to fail on this point; or if perhaps on account of age, or indeed under pretext of infirmity or indisposition, we should begin to slacken . . . forgetting that God has placed in our hands the salvation of the poor, and that we had undertaken the responsibility in His Sight."

The Saint then put forward an objection in favour of those who take too much care of their health, viz., that the labour of the Missions may shorten their days. But the holy Priest, like Saint Paul, was desirous of one thing only, namely, death, in order to be more quickly united to Jesus Christ. So he answered the objection thus: "What! is it a misfortune for him who is travelling in a foreign land to hasten his journey and get nearer home? . . . Can it be a misfortune for a faithful soul to go and see and possess its God? Is it a fearful mishap for Missioners to receive without delay the glory which their Divine Master has prepared for them by His sufferings and through His death? What! are we to be afraid of that happening which we could not desire too strongly, nay, pine away because of its long delay in coming?

"Now, what I say here to the Priests I say also to those who are not Priests. . . . No, my Brothers, do not think that because you are not employed in preaching that therefore you are exempted from the obligation we are under of working for the salvation of the poor, for you can do it in your own way. You are obliged thereto, being members of one and the same body with us and members of the Sacred Body of Jesus Christ. Each one co-operates in his own way in the work of our Redemption; for, as the Head of Jesus Christ was pierced with thorns, the Feet were also pierced with nails which attached Him to the Cross; and if, after the Resurrection, this Head was rewarded, the Feet have also shared in that Reward."

He was only obeying a Divine Call in preaching, for he said, as for himself, he would have been very happy to end his days under a bush, or as a labourer in some village.

A good number of ecclesiastics, who were noted for their learning, their piety, even for their noble birth, being attracted by his example, associated themselves in his labours. "Who can calculate," exclaimed the author of his Life, "the amount of good which resulted from these Missions for the Glory of God and the advantage of the Church? Who could tell the number of persons living in culpable ignorance of the things necessary for salvation, who became enlightened on these truths, which they were bound to know? How many others, whose life was stagnating in vice, were freed by good general confessions? What hatreds have been completely uprooted! what cruel usury abandoned! How many the restitutions made! what scandals removed! And, on the other hand, what religious practices and charitable works established there, where the very words Religion and Charity seemed to be unknown! What alms bestowed by persons who hitherto seemed inaccessible to compassion! Consider then the number of souls sanctified, who, instead of enjoying the glory of Heaven, would be today amongst the devils in the abyss of hell!"

Practice - Let us never fail in going to hear a sermon on Sundays and Feast days. If unable, then let us recite five Paters and five Aves in honour of the five Wounds of Our Lord, to ask that not one of those who will die today may go to hell.

- text taken from Virtue and Christian Refinement According to the Spirit of Saint Vincent de Paul, by Saint John Bosco