::: CALL FOR PAPERS: A Symposium on Vincentians and the Papacy :::
The election of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, a Chicago native whose parents attended DePaul University, and whose chosen name, Leo XIV, connects him to his predecessor, Leo XIII—the author of  Rerum Novarum, the major social encyclical of the 19th century—invites us to take a closer look at the connection between the Vincentian family and the papacy.

This one-day symposium organized by the Vincentian Studies Institute will take place on the campus of DePaul University. It welcomes papers from scholars and practitioners on any topic, past or present, connecting the Vincentian family—defined as all lay and religious, male and female branches, organizations, and community members with ties to Vincent de Paul—to the papacy. Possible topics could include: 

• Vincent de Paul’s journeys to Rome and efforts to establish the Congregation of the Mission
• The place of Vincentian personnel within the Vatican and papal administration
• The appointment by the Holy See of Vincentians as bishops or apostolic delegates in mission territories, and recourse to Rome in cases of local conflict
• Canonization causes of the Vincentian family ranging from the cases of Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac to present-day memory issues (such as the martyrs of the Spanish Civil War), to stories whose impact has faded (for example, the Chinese martyrs)

Twentieth-century topics and more contemporary studies might include:

• The reception of the major social encyclicals—from Rerum Novarum (1891) to Fratelli Tutti (2020)—within the Vincentian family
• Influences of missionary experiences on papal doctrine, as in the case of Vincent Lebbe (1877–1940), and the idea of inculturation
• The contribution of the Vincentian family to the Church’s Third World movement born of Populorum Progressio and the Medellín declaration
• The reform (aggiornamento) of male and female religious congregations following the decree Perfectae Caritatis (1965) that led to internal discussions, general assemblies, and revised constitutions
• Proximity and distance with the pontifical centers of power: Vincentian family interactions with dicasteries or pontifical commissions, such as those responsible for addressing poverty or for overseeing education

These questions are not exhaustive and are intended to open avenues of exploration for our symposium, which will take place as a complement to the World Catholicism Week 2026 conference, "Pope Leo XIV: From the Americas, For the World" (April 30-May 1), organized by the Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology at DePaul University. Presentations will be delivered in-person and may take the form of academic papers or experience-based contributions grounded in more personal testimony.

If your proposal is accepted, the Vincentian Studies Institute will contribute to transportation and housing expenses. Papers resulting from presentations will be considered for publication in the journal, Vincentian Studies.

::: FOR MORE INFORMATION :::
Contact Nathaniel Michaud, Director, Vincentian Studies Institute: NMichaud@depaul.edu