Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P. President | St. John's University website

Students at St. John's University will see a new addition on the southeastern side of the St. Vincent Health Sciences Center as they return for the spring semester. A statue of St. Vincent de Paul, founder of the Congregation of the Mission, has been relocated to this reflective space that connects academic and residential areas on the Queens campus.

The statue, cast in France in the late 1800s, was gifted to St. John's University by the Sisters of Charity after its long-standing presence at St. Vincent's Catholic Medical Center in Staten Island. Originally opened in 1903 as a 74-bed facility under the direction of the Sisters of Charity, it closed in 2006 and became Richmond University Medical Center. Since 2007, the statue stood near Loretto Memorial Library at the main entrance to showcase the University's Catholic and Vincentian identity.

Rev. Aidan R. Rooney, Executive Vice President for Mission and an alumnus of the Staten Island campus, noted, “The closure of the Staten Island campus and the opening of the new St. Vincent Health Sciences Center in Queens provided a fortuitous opportunity to relocate a powerful image of the universal patron of charity.”

This statue is one among several Vincentian symbols integrated into this new $106-million facility, which marks another milestone in fostering service and academic excellence at St. John’s University.

During construction, a small metal time capsule containing a Miraculous Medal was discovered within the cornerstone of old St. Vincent Hall, once home to Vincentians living on campus.

The Miraculous Medal originated from St. Catherine Labouré's vision in France during the 1830s and is worn by millions globally today. Fr. Rooney stated that embedding these medals is “a way of asking Mary’s intercession for success and safety” for those who engage with these places.

The newly placed statue shows St. Vincent de Paul carrying an infant with another child nearby, reflecting his commitment to caring for abandoned children—a mission carried out by groups he co-founded with St. Louise de Marillac.

The presence of this statue continues to symbolize how members of the Vincentian community serve vulnerable populations with compassion and dedication.