By Laura Brennan
BRIDGEPORT — The chapel at St. Vincent’s Medical Center of Hartford HealthCare was filled with doctors, nurses, staffers, family members and friends recently, celebrating the feast of St. Vincent de Paul, who began the Daughters of Charity, the religious order that founded the hospital almost 125 years ago.
Bishop Frank J. Caggiano celebrated Mass in honor of the saint for which the hospital is named and said, “Compassionate, dedicated, one who stood with the poor, and the poorest of the poor describes the life of this remarkable man.”
During his homily, he said: “Here we celebrate the fact that Vincent de Paul understood that it wasn’t just giving, right? But it’s to accompany them. It’s to walk with them. It’s to know that when you are sick, or when you are in a part of your life where you’re not in control, that you’re not doing it alone. That’s the genius of this place.”
He later shared a story from his childhood about accompaniment. As a boy, he was diagnosed with rheumatic fever, “which is not life-threatening, but for a 10-year-old, it was as close as you get,” Bishop Caggiano recalled. “I was in bed for 45 days and not a single friend came to visit me because their parents would not allow them to come … but one person did come.”
Each week, the deacon of his parish came to his home and they played Monopoly together.
“He didn’t come as a doctor or nurse, but he accompanied me,” the bishop said. “And I must confess, by that example, helped awaken in me the very vocation I now have in front of you. Don’t underestimate your presence and the power of accompaniment. I thank you for that ministry, and keep doing it in the power of Jesus.”
Bishop Caggiano also talked about the life of St. Vincent de Paul, who was not a stranger to suffering. He was captured by pirates, enslaved for two years, sold to a first master, and then to a second master who eventually set him free.
“I mentioned that because he knew what suffering was like,” said Bishop Caggiano.
St. Vincent de Paul founded the Daughters of Charity in 1633 to serve the sick and the poor. Bridgeport, in the late 1890s had both sick and poor, and Catholic doctors felt the call to serve.
They approached Father James Nihill, pastor of St. Patrick’s Church on North Avenue, who reached out to the Daughters of Charity who recognized the same need. In 1905, the 75-bed hospital opened its doors, serving 70 patients on its first day.
In closing, the bishop said, “So let me end by saying again, thank you for your profession, for your work as healers. Thank you for making this place an oasis of the kingdom of Jesus Christ.”
Matthew Kenney, PhD, Vice President of Mission Services, told those at Mass, “We are blessed to carry out, as Pope Francis called for, medicine of mercy on behalf of the Church.”
“So today we offer soup and bread, through all shifts, and all throughout the hospital,” said Dr. Kenney, “because Saint Vincent de Paul often would give soup and bread to the poor, and to those who had no one to feed them or care for them.”
The closing hymn, “God Bless America,” was sung by Milton Samms, chef from the hospital cafeteria. Carts of soup and bread were pushed throughout the hospital, making deliveries to every department.
Bishop Caggiano went to the cafeteria, Our Daily Bread Café, put on an apron and served. Seeing Father Al Forlano, Catholic chaplain on the pastoral care staff, he said, “This man looks like he needs soup!”
Steven Valassis, MD, Chair of Emergency Medicine, arrived to serve soup and bread in the cafeteria and Bishop Caggiano declared, “You can take my apron. You are very well manned here.”
The words of St. Vincent de Paul appeared on announcements of the event and in the services throughout the hospital: “Charity toward the neighbor is an infallible sign of the true children of God.”
