Bishop: Pastoral Council members are heirs to the vision of St. Vincent de Paul
September 29, 2025 at 11:25 a.m.
Following is the homily text prepared by Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., for the Mass celebrated during the Convocation of Parish Pastoral Council, Sept. 27. It was delivered by Father Peter James Alindogan in St. Catharine Church, Holmdel.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, members of our parish pastoral councils and staffs:
Grace and peace to you on this blessed feast of St. Vincent de Paul.
Today, the Church lifts up one of her most luminous saints — a man whose heart beat in rhythm with the poor, whose mind was sharpened by the Gospel, and whose hands were never idle in the service of Christ. St. Vincent de Paul, born into humble circumstances, became a towering figure of charity, reform, and ecclesial renewal. He was not content with good intentions; he built structures of mercy. He did not merely lament injustice; he organized love.
And so, it is fitting that we gather today — those entrusted with the pastoral and spiritual stewardship of the parishes of our diocesan Church — under the patronage of this great apostle of practical holiness.
A Saint of Systems and Spirit
Vincent understood something we must never forget: that the Church’s mission is both spiritual and structural. He founded the Congregation of the Mission and the Daughters of Charity not just to preach, but to serve. He inspired lay movements like the Society of St. Vincent de Paul to bring Christ into the streets, the prisons, the hospitals and the homes of the forgotten.
He knew that charity without organization is fleeting and that organization without charity is sterile. Vincent held both together — spirit and system, heart and ledger, prayer and planning.
You, dear council members, are heirs to that vision.
Stewardship as a Sacred Vocation
To serve on a pastoral council is not merely to sit at a table — it is to kneel at the feet of Christ. It is to ask, “Lord, what would You have us do with these resources, these buildings, these budgets, these people?” It is to recognize that every dollar is a seed, every meeting a mission, every decision and recommendation to your pastor is a chance to build the Kingdom.
St. Vincent would challenge us today:
- Are our pastoral plans rooted in the Gospel or in convenience?
- Do our decisions reflect the mission of the parish and the local church?
- Are we bold enough to risk comfort for the sake of mission?
A Church that Smells Like the Poor
Pope Francis often spoke of a Church that “smells like the sheep.” Vincent would go further: a Church that smells like the poor. Not just proximity, but solidarity. Not just service, but transformation.
Let our councils not be removed from the cries of the hungry, the loneliness of the elderly, the despair of the addicted, or the silence of the unborn. Let our strategic plans be stained with the tears of compassion.
A Final Word
As we celebrate the Eucharist — the sacrament of unity, sacrifice, and love — let us recommit ourselves to the Vincentian way:
- To see Christ in the poor.
- To serve with humility and excellence.
- To lead with courage and prayer.
- To build a Church that is not only solvent, but sanctified.
May St. Vincent de Paul intercede for us. May our councils be places of discernment, not division. May our decisions reflect the wisdom and mercy of God and the mission of Christ.
And may we, like Vincent, leave behind not just minutes and plans — but a legacy of love.
Amen.
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Following is the homily text prepared by Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., for the Mass celebrated during the Convocation of Parish Pastoral Council, Sept. 27. It was delivered by Father Peter James Alindogan in St. Catharine Church, Holmdel.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, members of our parish pastoral councils and staffs:
Grace and peace to you on this blessed feast of St. Vincent de Paul.
Today, the Church lifts up one of her most luminous saints — a man whose heart beat in rhythm with the poor, whose mind was sharpened by the Gospel, and whose hands were never idle in the service of Christ. St. Vincent de Paul, born into humble circumstances, became a towering figure of charity, reform, and ecclesial renewal. He was not content with good intentions; he built structures of mercy. He did not merely lament injustice; he organized love.
And so, it is fitting that we gather today — those entrusted with the pastoral and spiritual stewardship of the parishes of our diocesan Church — under the patronage of this great apostle of practical holiness.
A Saint of Systems and Spirit
Vincent understood something we must never forget: that the Church’s mission is both spiritual and structural. He founded the Congregation of the Mission and the Daughters of Charity not just to preach, but to serve. He inspired lay movements like the Society of St. Vincent de Paul to bring Christ into the streets, the prisons, the hospitals and the homes of the forgotten.
He knew that charity without organization is fleeting and that organization without charity is sterile. Vincent held both together — spirit and system, heart and ledger, prayer and planning.
You, dear council members, are heirs to that vision.
Stewardship as a Sacred Vocation
To serve on a pastoral council is not merely to sit at a table — it is to kneel at the feet of Christ. It is to ask, “Lord, what would You have us do with these resources, these buildings, these budgets, these people?” It is to recognize that every dollar is a seed, every meeting a mission, every decision and recommendation to your pastor is a chance to build the Kingdom.
St. Vincent would challenge us today:
- Are our pastoral plans rooted in the Gospel or in convenience?
- Do our decisions reflect the mission of the parish and the local church?
- Are we bold enough to risk comfort for the sake of mission?
A Church that Smells Like the Poor
Pope Francis often spoke of a Church that “smells like the sheep.” Vincent would go further: a Church that smells like the poor. Not just proximity, but solidarity. Not just service, but transformation.
Let our councils not be removed from the cries of the hungry, the loneliness of the elderly, the despair of the addicted, or the silence of the unborn. Let our strategic plans be stained with the tears of compassion.
A Final Word
As we celebrate the Eucharist — the sacrament of unity, sacrifice, and love — let us recommit ourselves to the Vincentian way:
- To see Christ in the poor.
- To serve with humility and excellence.
- To lead with courage and prayer.
- To build a Church that is not only solvent, but sanctified.
May St. Vincent de Paul intercede for us. May our councils be places of discernment, not division. May our decisions reflect the wisdom and mercy of God and the mission of Christ.
And may we, like Vincent, leave behind not just minutes and plans — but a legacy of love.
Amen.