Special Event Invitation for Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2015

In Upcoming Events, by , on January 26th, 2015

All members of the university community are invited to a series of events on Tuesday, Jan. 27, that all focus on the Vincentian Fathers and Brothers, and their incredible commitment to Niagara University.

  • At 11:15 a.m. in the Castellani Art Museum, you are invited to a media event at which Fr. Maher will announce a $1 million contribution to the university from the Congregation of the Mission.
  • Following that event, you are invited to the 12:15 p.m. Mass in Alumni Chapel, which will include recognition of the Vincentian Fathers and Brothers for their commitment to Niagara University and the Western New York community.
  • Following the mass at 1 p.m., you are invited to a simple reception on the fourth floor of St. Vincent’s Hall. This will be an opportunity to offer personal thanks and regards to the Vincentians here on campus.

The notice is short, but please try to attend as many of these events as possible, and encourage your colleagues and students to do the same. The Congregation of the Mission has been extraordinarily generous to Niagara University with its treasure, as well as with the talent of the Vincentians who serve here on campus. They never look for recognition or thanks, which makes this a very special opportunity for us to take a bit of time and express our gratitude.

We have chosen next week for these events because it also marks a significant anniversary for the Congregation of the Mission.

In a chapel in Folleville, France on January 25, 1617 (the feast day of St. Paul’s conversion), Vincent preached a sermon on general confession that inspired the people of the community to stand in the confessional line for hours.  This experience so profoundly moved Vincent, that it has become celebrated as the turning point of his spiritual journey, leading to the founding of the Congregation of the Mission eight years later.

I hope you can make plans to attend one of these events that will mark our history with an extraordinary gift, celebrate the history of the Congregation of the Mission, and shine a light on the university’s future.