June 18, 2026

Thank you for opening Vincentian Voices. The United States of America's 250th birthday offers us a moment to consider our role, guided by faith, in our nation and the world at large. How does your faith guide you?

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message

from

Father

Joe

Fitzgerald,

Dear Friends,

May the grace and peace of Christ be with you.

From June 8 to 12, a group of 67 Vincentians gathered for our Provincial Retreat at Immaculate Conception Seminary in Huntington, NY. We were blessed by the presence of our seminarians, as well as Vincentians from other provinces who are with us in various capacities. Facilitated by Fr. Danny Pilario, CM, from the Philippines, the retreat focused on synodality.

Synodality is not merely an administrative shift or a contemporary catchphrase. For us Vincentians, it is a call to return to the very spirit of St. Vincent de Paul, who constantly sought God’s will through listening to the community, collaborators, and those on the margins of society.

This was a graced opportunity for Vincentians to come together in prayer, reflection, and fraternity.

Yours in St. Vincent,

Fr. Joe Fitzgerald, CM

Provincial, Congregation of the Mission, Eastern Province

News

around

the

province

Regional Superior of Panama

Fr. Emmet Nolan, CM, has been confirmed by the Superior General as the new Regional Superior of Panama. We thank Fr. Nolan for his willingness to serve in this new capacity and ask all to pray for him and the Region of Panama in this time of transition.

Bishop David O'Connell, CM, connects

America's 250th birthday to Catholicism

The Diocese of Trenton Bishop David O'Connell, CM, wrote a piece on America's 250th birthday. In it, he draws parallels between the values of the Church and those of the United States.

His words offer us an opportunity to take a step back from daily life in modern America and consider what it means to be Catholic in our comparatively fledgling country. He writes, in part:

"Our nation was born from a bold conviction: that every human being possesses an inherent dignity bestowed not by kings or governments, but by the Creator. This truth, so central to the Declaration of Independence, resonates profoundly with the Church’s teaching on the dignity of the human person."

Represent your state on our Miraculous Day of Giving

On June 30, the Central Association of the Miraculous Medal (CAMM) asks your support as we hold our Miraculous Day of Giving. The first Miraculous Medal, originally known as the Medal of the Immaculate Conception, was minted on this date in 1832. This year, as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the U.S., we are asking people from each state to make a gift to our campaign.

Your gift to CAMM will help us share more Miraculous Medals and bring Mary's love and hope to those in need.

Will you make sure your state is represented?

Count my state

VinSights

Vincentian insights from the province

Fr. Aidan Rooney, CM

"I'm just so happy this week because the second reading is my favorite reading in all of the Scriptures. It contains the wonderful line from St. Paul: 'While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.'"

Watch >

Fr. Tom McKenna, CM

"We all know what it is like when something suddenly dawns on us. Just when we think we understand a situation, a new insight breaks through and opens up an unexpected perspective. Dawn is a fitting image for this."

Read >

We want to hear from you!

How can our newsletter better serve you? Send a message and share your thoughts and suggestions for engaging stories or Vincentian topics you would like to read or learn more about.

Prayer requests

Please pray for the repose of the souls of:

All the Vincentian priests and brothers who have gone before us

Please remember in your prayers:

Our priests and brothers in St. Catherine’s Infirmary

All those affected by war

All those affected by natural disasters

All victims of violence and their families

From our Vincentian universities

Niagara University hosts charity dinner for 21st year

St. Vincent Health Sciences Center earns energy accolade

Trivia time!

1. In which year did St. John's men's basketball begin playing?

1907

1927

1957

2. What's the name of the dam, New York's largest producer of electricity, located next to Niagara University?

Devil's Hole Dam

Niagara Power Project

Riverdale Hydro

3. The Vincentians were asked to manage St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in the mid 19th century. Where is it located?

Lower Gwynedd, PA

Philadelphia, PA

Wynewood, PA

last week’s results

1. In which year did the Vincentians arrive in Baltimore, establishing their first presence in the United States?

1816

1879

1915

19 guesses | 14 correct answers

2. In which year did Fr. Joseph Skelly, CM, found the Central Association of the Miraculous Medal?

1816

1879

1915

16 guesses | 12 correct answers

3. In which year did the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception, known today as The Basilica Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Philadelphia, open to the public?

1816

1879

1915

13 guesses | 11 correct answers