The Founder’s Week celebration started on Monday with a Mass atOur Lady of Lourdes Chapel. “Founders Week is a celebration of theUniversity’s Vincentian heritage, vision and how faith enlivens theUniversity core values and unites all of us in service for socialjustice,” according a statement released by the University.

Each year Founder’s Week is dedicated to the commemoration ofSt. Vincent de Paul and the Vincentian mission of St. John’s.Founder’s Week coincides with the Feast of the Conversion of St.Paul. The conversion of St. Paul led him to found the VincentianBrothers and the Daughters of Charity. Rev. Donald J. Harrington,C.M., and President of St. Johns University described conversion asa “turning, a change of heart.”

Father Harrington raised the question of whether people can putaside their differences and the screens blocking their perspectivesto achieve conversion.

Prayer was led to follow the example of St. Vincent de Paul onthe 10th anniversary of Founder’s Week and also as a VincentianUniversity, a special prayer was said for the poor, as St. Vincentde Paul preached gospel to the poor.

The 255 Founder’s Recognition Award recipients were honored asHarrington, who presided over the mass, said “this year there is arecord number of recipients.” According to Mary Ann Dantuono,associate Director of the Vincentian Center, these awards weregiven to those recognized by their professors and peers who thoughtthe recipients followed their “Faith in Action,” and madeoutstanding differences in their community.

Certificates were given out at the end of the mass to therecipients of the Founder’s Recognition Award.

The University will widely hold programs such as plays, bookdiscussions and a convocation throughout the week of January 25-31in celebration of Founders Week. Harrington invited all at the Massto celebrate Founder’s Week with the University.