A $1 million donation from the Congregation of the Mission will support DePaul University’s efforts to sustain its Vincentian tradition. The Congregation, also known as the Vincentian Order, founded DePaul in 1898 and has a long history of supporting the university.

The new commitment will fund programs that promote DePaul’s Catholic and Vincentian values. President Robert L. Manuel expressed appreciation for the donation, stating, “I am deeply grateful to the Congregation of the Mission for their meaningful commitment. Their support ensures that our Catholic, Vincentian charisms — service, community, and a belief in the dignity of every person — will continue to thrive in all we do at DePaul. This gift strengthens not only our connection to our founders, but also our ability to prepare students to carry that mission forward for generations to come.”

The funds will support the Vincentian Heritage Initiative, which provides opportunities for faculty, staff, and students to participate in study tours of locations related to St. Vincent de Paul in France and other sites important to the Congregation of the Mission. These trips are designed to deepen participants’ understanding of the university’s patron saint.

Fr. Joseph Williams, C.M., Provincial Superior of the Congregation’s Western Province and member of DePaul’s Board of Trustees, noted his past experience with the university: “I was fortunate to experience the DePaul community as a chaplain in Catholic Campus Ministry. We must continue to engage with the Vincentian living history and scholarship this gift perpetuates among our Vincentian family at DePaul University and for the parish. DePaul’s shared stewardship of this heritage plays an important role in keeping St. Vincent de Paul’s mission alive and vital.”

Part of the donation will establish an endowment for the Vincentian Studies Institute (VSI), which promotes interest in the heritage of St. Vincent de Paul and St. Louise de Marillac through publications, workshops, trips, and research grants. Founded in 1979 and based at DePaul since 1995, VSI supports research projects related to the Vincentian tradition.

Another portion of the funding will go toward preserving primary source materials in DePaul Library’s Special Collections and Archives. These archives include historical documents such as letters and manuscripts related to St. Vincent de Paul, with the largest collection of his handwritten letters outside Europe.

Mark Laboe, interim vice president of the Division of Mission and Ministry, said, “It’s inspiring to see our shared Vincentian mission continue to be so steadfastly supported by the Congregation of the Mission. DePaul University wouldn’t be what it is today — an institution of academic excellence and service to community that welcomes all — without the Vincentian foundation that defines those qualities. This gift preserves that heritage while also ensuring it remains an active, living pursuit that inspires our students, faculty and staff on a daily basis.”