03/06/2025
In the context of the social and cultural challenges of the late 19th century, Pope Leo XIII wrote one of his encyclicals: Humanum Genus (1884). In it, the Pontiff expressed concern over the expansion of Freemasonry and ideologies that, in his view, threatened the Christian foundations of society. With doctrinal clarity and pastoral firmness, he denounced how these currents sought to build an autonomous human order, uprooted from God, the Church, and natural moral law.
Among the passages of the document, there is one dedicated to the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul. In paragraph 35, the Pope not only mentions this institution but presents it as a model of Christian life embodied in concrete works of mercy:
“And on this matter we cannot refrain from mentioning that exemplary society which bears the name of its founder [sic: patron], Saint Vincent, and which has done so much for the humble classes. Its actions and aims are well known. Its entire purpose is to bring relief to the poor and the miserable. It does so with remarkable prudence and modesty; and the less it desires to be seen, the better it is able to exercise Christian charity and relieve suffering” (Humanum Genus, 35).
This papal recognition holds value beyond mere praise. It is a prophetic affirmation that highlights a way of being Church: one that, instead of raising its voice from the pulpits of power, prefers to roll up its sleeves to accompany those in need; one that understands that the Gospel is preached not only with words but with open hands, welcoming faces, and humble hearts.
The message of Leo XIII challenges us today with intensity. In a media-driven world where the worth of actions seems measured by the visibility they achieve, the Pope praises those who serve in silence. Against social narcissism, he proposes evangelical modesty; against protagonism, anonymity; against soulless revolutionary theories, the silent revolution of charity.
The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul has been — and continues to be — a living testimony of this spirituality of discretion. Its method is not one of noise but of personal encounter with those who suffer. It is not merely about giving alms, but about accompanying lives. Charity, as Saint Vincent de Paul and the founders of the SSVP well knew, is not superficial philanthropy but a profound form of committed love that springs from following Christ, poor and crucified.
In the face of today’s reality — marked by structural inequality, urban loneliness, the suffering of migrants, forgotten elders, aimless youth, and so many other forms of exclusion — Leo XIII’s message takes on a surprising relevance. It reminds us that Christians should not wait for the system to change before acting; rather, they can — and must — light small flames of hope wherever they are. And those flames, united with many others, can dispel the darkness.
It is significant that the Pope praises the prudence of the Society: it is not a paralyzing caution, but a wisdom that acts with sensitivity, without imposing, without humiliating, without displaying itself. True charity respects the dignity of the other and recognizes in them — even when wounded or marginalized — a sibling.
Today more than ever, the Church needs witnesses who live in this way: not necessarily famous, but faithful; not powerful by the world’s standards, but rich in mercy. The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, through its thousands of conferences across the world, continues to show that the Gospel is effective when it becomes bread, shelter, listening, and accompaniment. And that Leo XIII’s words were not merely praise for the past, but a prophecy for the future.
May we, as Vincentians, know how to live charity with that humility that does not seek to be seen, but that, precisely because of this, shines all the more brightly. Let us not forget that the Kingdom of God is built with small acts of love, often invisible, but always fruitful.
As Blessed Ozanam once said: “To embrace the world in a network of charity.” Leo XIII understood it. Today, the world needs it.
By Francisco Javier Fernández Chento