Celebration of the Jubilee Year of the 400th Anniversary of the Vincentian Charism in the parish of St. Vincent de Paul, Kharkiv

On January 25, 2017, on the holiday of the conversion of St. Apostle Paul and the day of Congregation of Mission foundation, our parish together with the Vincentian Family of all over the world began celebration of the 400th anniversary of Vincentian Charism. It would be appropriate to state that our whole parish is Vincentian Family!  Fathers Missionaries of St. Vincent de Paul serve here; here are Daughters of Mercy, Vincentian Marian Youth, Association of Charities (AIC), Depaul Ukraine. Each parishioner is very closely associated with Saint Vincent, since our parish is under his protection and everyone is well acquainted with this saint.

The celebration of the anniversary began with placing a logo in the temple on the ambon and on the doors at the entrance, we explained to the parishioners the meaning of it in the sermon at the festive St. Mass, as well as the essence of the celebration of the anniversary.

In February the preparation and conducting of a carnival for children began, the topic of it was “My holy patron”. Each child and adult came in a costume symbolizing their holy patron and presented them to all in a few words. But the main saint of the holiday was the patron of the parish – St. Vincent de Paul. Vincentian Marian Youth together with Fr. Jan prepared a video comic book about the life of St. Vincent and then a funny contest to learn that the children remembered from what they had seen and heard. Adults were very surprised that children knew very well who Saint Vincent was and what he did in his life, why he became a saint!!! All representatives of the Vincentian Family in Kharkiv participated in preparation and conduct of the carnival.

During the Great Lent and Easter holidays, during the sermons parishioners could hear a lot about the life of St. Vincent de Paul, about his living his way of Christianity, his way to holiness, working on himself and cooperating with other people.

In March in Chatillon, representatives from Ukraine (groups from Kharkov, Bukovyna, Perechyn and Brody) participated in celebration of the 400th anniversary since establishment of the Brothers of Mercy (AIC).

There was the VIII National Pilgrimage of the Movement of Catholic Foreign Students of Ukraine in our parish at the end of April, the topic of it was “St. Vincent de Paul and his spirituality”. Students learned a lot about the historical and spiritual life of our saint, as well as about the wealthy religious heritage of the Vincentian Family. An additional decoration was made in the temple in front of the altar with the portrait of St. Vincent; it was painted by Fr. Sherin from India, who works in the parish in Kharkiv.

The month of May was special in this jubilee year, it was all penetrated with Vincentian spirituality. At first, we were preparing for the celebration of May 9th, the date of the memories of St. Louise de Marillac, the assistant and coworker of St. Vincent de Paul. All together we prayed a novena and a portrait of this saint (drawn also by Fr. Sherin) was placed in front of the altar. In the holiday we gathered as Vincentian Family to the Holy Mass. Then (on May 18th) all the consecrated persons of the Kharkiv Dean’s Office (priests, sisters, maids) gathered in the parish for a decanal meeting the spiritual topic of which was St. Vincent de Paul and Vincentian Charism. In addition to the conference on the life and activities of our holy patron, all present persons watched (with a translation into Russian) video-reflections of the Superior General of the Congregation of Mission Fr. Tomaz Mavric, CM, produced specially for the celebration of the 400th anniversary of Vincentian Charism.  After this (on May 20), there was a decantation of patients day in our parish, and all the representatives of Vincentian Family also participated in preparation and conduct of this event. And, of course, the topic of the feast was St. Vincent; people could hear about his spirituality in the sermon and learn about life and activities from the video comic book.

I would like to say a few separate words about the comic! This is a small book translated from German and made so far in electronic form. We have already sent a request to authors for permission to publish it in translation into Russian and Ukrainian, so to make a present this year for the whole vice-province from our Kharkiv Vincentian Family, as a small contribution and a memory of the celebration of the 400th anniversary of Vincentian Charism.

At the end of May we participated in the VIII Pilgrimage to the Blessed Martha Vetska in Sniatyn which was also timed to the jubilee year. There were representatives of all branches of the Vincentian Family in our group.

Now we are preparing for the summer camp for children and youth of the parish, the topic which will be St. Vincent and his Charism.

And before the feast of St. Vincent de Paul, on September 27, two special events and two special meetings of all representatives of the branches of the Vincentian family based in Kharkiv are being planned and prepared in August and September. The events are aimed to share our spiritual and charitable experience, our experience of the jubilee year, to offer our ideas for further joint cooperation for the glory of God and for our neighbor’s sake.

We want to share our tremendous wealth and legacy left us by St. Vincent de Paul, namely to bring his Charism to people with our affairs and words.

                                   Vincentian Family of the parish of St.Vincent de Paul, Kharkiv.