Professor Emeritus of History and Classics
Providence College
(Providence, RI)
Raymond Sickinger received his MA and PhD from the University of Notre Dame in 1978. He became a member of the Providence College ordinary faculty in 1974 and, since then, has served in a variety of administrative and teaching positions. Until his retirement at the end of 2020, Ray served as a professor of history and public and community service studies; currently, he is professor emeritus in the Department of History and Classics.
His other past positions at Providence College include director of the Feinstein Institute (2003-2012), chair of the Department of Public and Community Service Studies (2006-2012), and chair of the Department of History and Classics (2015-2019). His research interests in history have revolved around the Nazi Era in German history, the connection of superstition and folklore in popular culture, and especially the impact of faith and service in the case of Frédéric Ozanam, the founder of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. He has published several articles in Vincentian Heritage on Frédéric Ozanam and one on Ozanam’s close friend and colleague, François Lallier. In 2018, his book, Antoine Frédéric Ozanam, received first prize for best biography from the National Catholic Press Association.
Ray has been an active member of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul since 1985, and he has served as a conference president, council president, National Council member, and National Vice President for the Northeast Region. He was vice president for Vincentian Services from 2005-2011, leader of Goal 4 (systemic change) from 2011-2014, and leader of Goal 1 (formation) from 2014-2016. He has served on the Society's National Board of Directors since its inception and currently chairs its National Leadership Task Force. He has helped to produce numerous materials and videos for the formation of the Society’s members and leaders.
Ray and his wife, Patricia, are also active members of Our Lady of Good Help Conference and regularly do home visits together. Together, they have a wonderful family of five children and seven grandchildren.
Conference Presentation—"To Become a Church for the Poor: Antoine Frédéric Ozanam’s lay vision of Reform and Transformation "
During his short life in the first half of the nineteenth century, Frédéric Ozanam hoped to bring about a “Regeneration” of the world by forming true community and by building just, caring relationships in a spirit of tolerance. To accomplish this task, a Church that engaged directly with those in need and that saw Democracy as a friend, rather than a foe, was absolutely essential. Within this Church, there needed to be not only priests and religious dedicated to serving those in need and addressing social injustice, but also a dynamic laity committed to helping the Church embrace the new era of change, to deepening their own spiritual lives, and to bringing both charity and justice into the world. In this way, the Church would be renewed and the world would be transformed. It would become a genuine “Church for the Poor.” Ozanam hoped that the Church with its universal mission would bring true liberty, equality, and fraternity not just to the French, but to all peoples. His message, and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul he helped to found, continues to inspire women and men in over 150 countries.