Lazarists

Lazarites (Lazarists, Lazarians, or, in English-speaking countries, Vincentians) are the popular names of the members of the Congregation of the Mission ("Congregatio Missionis" C.M.) in the Roman Catholic Church. They are a vowed order of priests and brothers associated with the Vincentian Family, a loose federation of organizations who claim St. Vincent de Paul as their founder or Patron.

The Congregation has its origin in the successful mission to the common people conducted by Saint Vincent de Paul and five other priests on the estates of the Gondi family. [CathEncy|wstitle=Congregation of Priests of the Mission] More immediately it dates from 1624, when the little community acquired a permanent settlement in the "Collège des Bons Enfants" in Paris. Archiepiscopal recognition was obtained in 1626. By a papal bull in January 1632, the society was constituted a congregation, with St Vincent de Paul at its head. About the same time the canons regular of St Victor handed over to the congregation the priory of St Lazarus (formerly a lazar-house) in Paris, whence the name of "Lazarites" or "Lazarists".

Within a few years they had acquired another house in Paris and set up other establishments throughout France; missions were also sent to Italy (1638), Tunis (1643), Algiers and Ireland (1646), Madagascar (1648), Poland (1651) and Turkey (1783). A fresh bull of Alexander VII in April 1655 further confirmed the society; this was followed by a brief in September of the same year, regulating its constitution. The rules then adopted, which were framed on the model of those of the Jesuits, were published at Paris in 1668 under the title "Regulae seu constitutiones communes congregationis missionis". The special objects contemplated were the religious instruction of the lower classes, the training of the clergy and foreign missions.

On the eve of the French Revolution St Lazare was plundered by the mob, the congregation later suppressed; it was restored by Napoleon in 1804 at the desire of Pius VII, abolished by him in 1809 in consequence of a quarrel with the pope, and again restored in 1816. The Lazarists were expelled from Italy in 1871 and from Germany in 1873.

The Lazarite province of Poland was singularly prosperous; at the date of its suppression in 1796 it possessed thirty-five establishments. The order was permitted to return in 1816, where it is very active. In Madagascar it had a mission from 1648 till 1674. In 1783 Lazaristes were appointed to take the place of the Jesuits in the Levantine and Chinese missions; they still have some footing in China, and in 1874 their establishments throughout the Ottoman Empire numbered sixteen. In addition, they established branches in Persia, Abyssinia, Mexico, the South American republics, Portugal, Spain and Russia, some of which have been suppressed. In the same year they had fourteen establishments in the United States of America.

In the early twenty-first century the Lazarites numbered some 4000 worldwide, with a presence in 86 different countries. Father G. Gregory Gay III, C.M., of Baltimore, is the incumbent worldwide superior general of the Congregation of the Mission, elected during the community's general assembly (June 5 - 29, 2004) in Rome. [ [http://www.famvin.org/wiki/index.php?title=Gregory_Gay%2C_CM famvin.org, Father G. Gregory Gay III, C.M.] ]

Opus Prize Finalist

On August 30, 2007, The Catholic University of America, (with the Opus Prize 2004 Foundation, affiliated with The Opus Group), announced that it will award on November 8, a $1-million and two $100,000 Humanity prizes to finalists organizations which contributed to solve most persistent social problems: Father John Adams (of SOME ("So Others Might Eat"), which serves the poor and homeless in Washington, D.C.); Brother Stan Goetschalckx, F.C., (founder and director of AHADI International Institute in Tanzania, which educates refugees from Congo, Rwanda and Burundi); and Vincentian priest Rev. Norberto Carcellar, C.M., (of the Homeless People's Federation Philippines, which helped squatters in Payatas, Quezon City, Philippines living on garbage dump). Victor Nakas of the Catholic University of America, an Opus Prize Foundation partner, said that The Opus Prize is the 1953 vision of founder Gerry Rauenhorst. The 2007 Opus Prize will officially be handed at Catholic University's Edward J. Pryzbyla University Center. [ [http://www.multi-housingnews.com/multihousing/content_display/industry-news/e3ib3ddb8f568344814727b8da007499fc6 Multi-Housing News, Opus Group Announces Finalists of $1M Humanity Prize] ] [ [http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/08-30-2007/0004654166&EDATE= PrNewWire, $1 Million Opus Prize Finalists Announced] ] On November 8, 2007, Rev. David M. O’Connell, CM, president of Catholic University personally bestowed these Opus Prizes of over one millions dollars for systemic change projects to these Vincentian Family priests and brothers. [ [http://famvin.org/en/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/p10100113.jpgfamvin.org/en, Fr. Norberto Carcellar, CM received $100,000 as a runner-up for the prize with his work for the homeless in the Philippines.] ] [ [http://famvin.org/en/archive/vincentian-family-triple-play-nets-over-one-million-dollars famvin.org/en, Vincentian Family Triple Play Nets Over One Million Dollars] ] [ [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/07/AR2007110702486_pf.html washingtonpost.com, Catholic Activist Wins $1 Million For Helping Educate African Exiles] ] [ [http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-33378945_ITM accessmylibrary.com, $1 Million Opus Prize Awarded in Honor of Brother Constant Goetschalckx] ]

Philippines

On 2008, the Vincentian family marks its 150 years in the Philippines. It is led by Fr. Bienvenido M. Disu, CM, Provincial, Fr. Gregorio Lapus Banaga, CM, President of Adamson University and Ozamiz, Mindanao Archbishop Jesus A. Dosado. It has a deacon, 5 incorporated brothers and 97 priests. Its most impressive work in its history is the housing program for hundreds of poor families of Fr. Norberto Carcellar, CM, member of the Philippine HUDCC, under Vice President Noli de Castro. [ [http://www.cbcpnews.com/?q=node/2100 www.cbcpnews.com, Vincentians to mark 150 years in RP] ] [ [http://www.hudcc.gov.ph/www/SiteFiles/File/Memo%20Circulars/Memo%20Circular%204-A,%20s.2006,%20Private%20Sector%20Rep.pdf www.hudcc.gov.ph, APPOINTMENT OF FR. NORBERTO CARCELLAR AS MEMBER OF THE HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT COORDINATING COUNCIL] ]

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines announced on July 10, 2008, the appointment of Fr Marcelo Manimtim, C.M. as new director of Paris-based Centre International de Formation (CIF) succeeding Fr. Hugh O'Donnell. Manimtim is the first Asian to hold the office. [ [http://www.gmanews.tv/story/106262/Filipino-priest-appointed-new-director-of-Paris-based-institution gmanews.tv/story, Filipino priest appointed new director of Paris-based institution] ]

Housing programs

In 1991, Fr. Carcellar, C.M., was assigned to Payatas. With his "Planning for a new homeSystemic Change Strategy," he organized Philippine massive home constructions, which he began by the savings program in Payatas dumpsite. Fr. Carcellar's "The Homeless Peoples Federation Philippines, Inc. (HPFPI)" provided slum dwellers of Iloilo City and Mandaue City, initiatives to survive poverty. On 2008, it promoted savings in Southeast Asia, since the Philippine Federation affiliated with an international network called “Slum/Shack Dwellers International.” [ [http://famvin.org/en/archive/systemic-change-for-the-homeless famvin.org/en, Trash dump dwellers to home owners] ] [ [http://famvin.org/en/archive/systemic-change-involve-the-poor-at-all-stages famvin.org, Systemic Change: Involve the poor at all stages] ]

Vincentian Center for Social Responsibility (VCSR)

On September 28, 2007, Philippine Vice President Noli De Castro welcomed the launching of the Vincentian Center for Social Responsibility (VCSR) by the Adamson University. VCSR intends to engage the Adamson's academic community more deeply and directly in nation-building. De Castro also cited the Adamson University and the Vincentian community for their efforts in putting up the VCSR: “"it is high time we introduce to students a concept of brotherhood that is not based on exclusivity ...At mas natutuwa ako na ang napili ninyong pilot community ay ang Southville relocation site sa Cabuyao (Laguna)".” [ [http://www.tribune.net.ph/metro/20071001met6.html www.tribune.net.ph, Vice President cites Vincentian community for nation-building] ]

Members of the congregation

Members of the congregation include:
* P. Collet (1693-1770), writer on theology and ethics
* J. de la Grive (1689-1757), geographer
* E. Bore (d. 1878), orientalist
* P. Bertholon (1689-1757), physician
* Évariste Régis Huc (1813-1860), missionary and traveller
* Armand David (1826-1900), Chinese missionary and traveller.
* Joseph Rosati (1789-1843), first bishop of St. Louis, Missouri
* Thaddeus Amat y Brusi (1810-1878), first bishop of Los Angeles
*Cardinal Stéphanos II Ghattas (1920-), Patriarch emeritus of Alexandria for the Copts
*Stafford Poole (1936-), historian
*Franc Cardinal Rode (1934-) Prefect of Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life

Universities

The Order runs the following institutions of higher education:
*Adamson University (Philippines)
*DePaul University (United States)
*Niagara University (United States)
*St. John's University (United States)
*Universidad de Sta. Isabel (Philippines)

External links

* [http://cmglobal.org/ Congregation of the Mission] official site
* [http://vsi.depaul.edu/ Vincentian Studies Institute]
* [http://www.markstravelnotes.com/europe/western_europe/austria/vienna/places_of_interest/lazaristenkirche_vincentian_church/ Further information on the Lazarist Church in Vienna] from Marks Travel Notes
* [http://www.sb.k12.tr/ Saint-Benoit High School in Istanbul]

References

*1911

Notes