Fr. Marcantonio Durando, CM invited the Vincentian Family to (1) revive the spirituality of St. Vincent de Paul through popular missions, clergy formation, raising up vocations, and collaborating with the laity; (2) be faithful to Vincentian virtues like humility, simplicity, and charity through ordinary ministry; and (3) rethink their presence through creativity during times of transition, collaborating with all people, and trusting in Divine Providence while addressing problems.

1. Three Invitations of
Blessed Marcantonio
Durando, C.M.
to the Vincentian Family
based on an article by Bruno Gonnella, C.M.

2. An invitation to revive the spirituality
of Saint Vincent de Paul
• Fr. Marcantonio Durando, CM, was always “fascinated” by the
spirituality of St. Vincent de Paul. Like St. Vincent de Paul, he:
• began his priestly ministry with the preaching of popular missions
• formed the clergy especially as a spiritual guide of priests
• “raised up vocations,” especially among women (Daughters of Charity,
Daughters of Mary, the foundation of the Nazarene Sisters)
• enhanced the role of the laity, directing them toward collaboration with
the Daughters of Charity in many “charitable groups” he started in
Turin (the Misericordie)
• committed himself to the missionary spirit: wherever he could he sent
confreres; he supported the work of the “College for Clerics of the
Foreign Missions”
• collaborated with and supported the Propagation of the Faith, whose
purpose was not only to raise funds, but to form people in a
missionary spirit
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3. An invitation to be faithful to the
characteristic Vincentian virtues
• Fr. Durando grew in holiness by following, as he himself loved to
say, a normal life. He found the path to holiness in ordinary
ministry, often keeping silent and keeping himself out of the
limelight. His holiness was hands-on, concrete, not abstract (like
the well-known phrase of St. Vincent: … with the sweat of one’s
brow…). He had the kind of holiness where nothing appeared
extraordinary.
• He was practical; he worked on “reeducating people, rather than
complaining about institutions”
• He taught that the love of God is exemplified in accepting his will,
remaining faithful to one’s commitments, practicing charity toward
the neighbor, but a delicate charity, especially toward the sick. He
recommended to preach more with good example than with
words.
• In becoming an example of gratuitousness and availability, he
interpreted in the best way possible the five Vincentian virtues:
(prudence in) humility, simplicity, meekness, mortification, and zeal.
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4. An invitation to rethink our presence
as the Vincentian Family
• The many courageous intuitions that Fr. Durando left us invite us to
be “creative”
• He lived during a time of “transition”: after the French Revolution and
after the fall of Napoleon Bonaparte. The confreres were few in
number, the “laws of suppression” provoked the scattering and even
the abandonment of the Congregation. In so many “difficult”
moments he remained convinced that “everything is in God’s hands.”
• He collaborated with everyone without distinction: in the ecclesiastical
world of Turin (bishops, priests, saints), with the civil-political world
(Kings Carlo Alberto and Vittorio Emmanuele II), and with the Christian
people (the Misericordie foundation).
• He found a solution for helping poor girls who wished to give
themselves to God in service but were not accepted by any
Congregation: for them he instituted the Company of Jesus of
Nazareth, the Crucified.
• He was vigilantly “present” in events that happened, as if the solution
to problems depended on us, yet with the greatest trust in Divine
Providence! A secret as we rethink our presence as Vincentians
today.
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5. Source: Vincentiana.
Author: Bruno Gonnella, C.M. · Translator: Robert Stone, C.M.
image: cmtorino.org