I was a stranger, and you welcomed me.
Chapter 53 of The Rule of Saint Benedict begins with the sentence, “All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ, for He himself will say: I was a stranger, and you welcomed me (Matt 25:35).” Every year, Saint Vincent College welcomes a new freshman class along with transfer students. They present themselves to us—the administrators, faculty, and staff—and we welcome them into the Saint Vincent community and accept them with open arms and open hearts.
The hospitality and stewardship encountered at Saint Vincent College dates to the College's earliest years. On November 26, 1863, Thanksgiving morning, two orphan children sat at the doorstep of Pennsylvania’s then-governor, Andrew G. Curtin, asking for a piece of bread. Their father had been a casualty of the Civil War, and they were now without a home. Moved with compassion, Governor Curtin founded the Pennsylvania Soldier’s Orphan Schools to care for those children who lost their parents or whose mother could not raise them due to her husband’s death in the war. Saint Vincent College became one of those orphan schools, and we “adopted” nineteen young boys ranging in age from 4 to 14. Once the children reached the age of 16, most were discharged from Saint Vincent to begin their life’s work. One can only wonder what became of the young men once they left their Saint Vincent family, but hopefully the Benedictine values that were fostered during their tenure at the school served them well throughout life’s journey.
From the difficult times endured by many during the Civil War to the challenges that our youth must face today, Saint Vincent College remains true to our commitment to welcome all who present themselves to us. As in the case of the orphans whom we adopted many years ago, Saint Vincent College provides shelter for today’s students who, through no fault of their own, cannot travel home for the holidays or extended weekends due to the expense of transportation or because they have no home to go to. These students often remain on campus and share meals with fellow students, administrators, and caring faculty. It is this Christ-centered hospitality that has made Saint Vincent College a unique institution for many years and a place where our students can always feel at home.
Orphan School Saint Vincent College