A heartfelt thanks to all our supporters who donated to Depaul International’s 2018 Winter Appeal. The Appeal raised £9,625 (and counting!) and will go towards Depaul’s services in Paris.
The Appeal told Gerard’s story, whose descent to the streets began after the death of his wife. It was 15 years before he slept in a bed again, made possible only by the dedication of Depaul’s staff and volunteers.
Homelessness in Paris is in crisis, with almost 3,000 people sleeping rough on any one night across the city. The money raised by the Appeal will fund Depaul’s vital day centre and outreach work, which offers hygiene, healthcare, meals and one-on-one counselling support to dozens each day.
Thanks again to all those who donated so generously.
The course covered a range of topics, focusing initially on St Vincent and his extraordinary life of charity and generosity, and the lessons we can learn from it. St Vincent, despite social and political upheavals and massive poverty in 17th century France, never stopped caring and never lost faith in his cause, and that devotion to service no matter what is something core to Depaul’s mission.
In 1625, St Vincent founded the Congregation of the Mission, and in 1634, with Louise de Marillac, set up the Daughters of Charity, bringing food and shelter to tens of thousands of the most marginalised – those St Vincent called the ‘poorest of the poor’. The Daughters of Charity was one of the first of many orders, lay movements and organisations which share his selfless ethos, a Vincentian Family governed by those values of which Depaul International is very proud to be a part.
Participants were humbled to visit the tomb of St Vincent, the place where the Congregation of the Mission is based, and the Mother’s House of the Daughters of Charity. It was an enriching experience for all who attended, and we hope that St Vincent would be very pleased to see his spirit lives on in the work of the Depaul Group, and the generous donors who enable us to reach so many people in need.
