This monument is to members of the Congregation of the Mission, popularly known as the Vincentians because they were founded by St. Vincent DePaul. I am not nor was I raised as a member of the Roman Catholic faith, so I hope my research is able to accurately portray the history and goals of the organization. DePaul was a French priest who lived from the late 16th century to 1660 and devoted most of his attention to the less well-off: peasants, slaves, the poor, and convicts. The Congregation of the Mission, dedicated to “the salvation of the poor,” is only one of many organizations founded or inspired by DePaul’s work. It is composed of both priests and brothers in (according to their website) 86 countries of the world. The Vincentians arrived in Chicago in 1875. One of the most well-known institutions founded by the Vincentians is in Chicago – DePaul University, the largest Roman Catholic university in the US.
A Grave Concern 