September 27
Saint Vincent de Paul
Priest, Apostle of the Poor
(1581 – 1660)
“If the world takes something from us on the one hand, God will give us something on the other.”
Saint Vincent de Paul
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Saint’s Life Story
His Early Years
Vincent was born on April 24, 1581 at the village of Pouy, in the Province of Guyenne and Gascony, France to father, Jean, and mother, Bertrande. He was the third of six children born into a poor peasant family. Vincent had three brothers – Jean, Bernard and Gayon, and two sisters – Marie and Marie-Claudine. Early in his life, he demonstrated a talent for literacy. During his childhood he also herded his family’s livestock. At 15, his father sent Vincent to a seminary, managing to pay for it by selling the family’s oxen.
His Education
For 3 years, Vincent received his education at a college in Dax, France, adjoining a monastery of the Friars Minor where he and others resided. In 1597, he began his studies in the Faculty of Theology at the University of Toulouse.
Too Young to be a Priest
Vincent was ordained on September 23, 1600, at the age of nineteen, in Château-l’Évêque, near Périgueux. This was against the regulations established by the Council of Trent which required a minimum of 24 years of age for ordination, so when he was appointed parish priest in Tilh, the appointment was appealed in the Court of Rome. Rather than respond to a lawsuit in which he would probably not have prevailed, he resigned from the position and continued his studies. On October 12, 1604, he received his Bachelor of Theology from the University of Toulouse. Later, he received a Licentiate in Canon Law from the University of Paris.
A Slave
In 1605, Vincent sailed from Marseilles on his way back from Castres where he had gone to sell property he had received in an inheritance from a wealthy patron in Toulouse. Vincent was taken captive by Barbary pirates, who took him to Tunis. He was auctioned off as a slave and spent two years in bondage.
Vincent eventually escaped in 1607 to Avignon, France. After returning to France, Vincent went to Rome. There, he continued his studies until 1609 when he was sent back to France on a mission to King Henry IV. Vincent became the chaplain for Queen Margaret of Valois in Paris. Once in France, he made the acquaintance of Cardinal Pierre de Bérulle, whom he took as his spiritual advisor. At his urging, Vincent gave himself completely to the life of charitable works. His work with the poor and his preaching attracted widespread attention.
A Tutor
In 1613, Vincent was named to the household of the powerful Count de Gondi and was a tutor for the household. Vincent spent a lot of his time on the galleys seeking to end the terrible suffering of the rowers. These same galleys where his boss, Gondi, was the commanding admiral. In 1619, Vincent become their chaplain and ministered to the galley slaves waiting to be shipped abroad.
Founded Vincentians
In 1625 in Paris, Vincent founded the Congregation of Missions, called the Lazarites or Vincentians, a society of priests charged with missionary efforts, the training of clergy, and preaching among the country people. In 1633, with the help of St. Louise de Marillac, Vincent founded the Daughters of Charity, the first congregation of women to care for the sick and poor outside of the convent. Vincent organized these wealthy women of Paris to collect funds for missionary projects. He founded hospitals and an orphanage. Vincent gathered relief funds for the victims of war and to ransom 1,200 galley slaves from North Africa.
During the bitter wars of the Fronde, which France was engaged in from 1648 to 1653, Vincent was responsible for organizing relief. Throughout his long years of service to the poor, Vincent devoted his life to the alleviation of human suffering and misery. However, Vincent faced opposition from some of the wealthy who found it easier to forget the poor and sometimes even from the poor themselves who lacked appreciation for his efforts. At the age of 79, Vincent died in Paris, France on September 27, 1660. During Vincent’s lifetime, the Vincentians increased in number and spread across the world.
Born: April 24, 1581 in Pouy, France
Died: September 27, 1660 in Paris, France
Beatified: November 21, 1751 by Pope Benedict XIV
Canonized: July 16, 1767 by Pope Clement XIII
Feast Day: September 27
Patron Saint: Charitable Societies
Source:
Reflection
Saint Vincent de Paul is often called the “Apostle of Charity” because of his relentless dedication to serving the poor and marginalized. Born into a poor French peasant family, he rose to prominence not through wealth or status, but through his deep compassion and commitment to the Gospel message of love. His work was not merely about giving alms; it was about seeing Christ in the faces of the poor and responding with both practical help and spiritual care. Yet, as a society and as Christians, we so often find rationalizations which allow us to shirk our responsibility to the poor. Saint Vincent de Paul reminds us that it is truly incumbent upon Christians to, in whatever their capacity, serve those less fortunate than themselves.
Do we see our acts of kindness as mere gestures, or do we, like Saint Vincent de Paul, see them as opportunities to encounter Christ in others?
Prayers
You responded to the needs of the poor with a heart full of love and worked tirelessly to bring them dignity and relief.
Grant us, through your prayers, the grace to see Christ in all those we meet, especially in the poor and suffering.
Saint Links
Aleteia – Why St. Vincent de Paul loved serving the poor
AnaStpaul – Saint of the Day – 19 July – St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660) “Holy Hero of Divine Charity”
Catholic Culture – St. Vincent de Paul
Catholic Exchange – St. Vincent de Paul: Priest & Reformer
Catholic Fire – St. Vincent de Paul, Apostle of the Poor
Catholic Ireland – Sep 27 – St Vincent de Paul, priest (1581-1660)
Catholic News Agency – St. Vincent de Paul Feast Day: Sep 27
Loyola Press – Saint Vincent de Paul, 1581-1660 Feast day September 27
My Catholic Life – St. Vincent de Paul, Priest
New Advent – Dégert, A. (1912). St. Vincent de Paul. In The Catholic Encyclopedia
Rev Alban Butler’s Lives Of The Saints Complete Edition – St Vincent de Paul, Founder of the Congregation of the Mission and the Sisters of Charity
Saint Mary’s Press – Saint Vincent de Paul (1580-1660)
Saint of the Day – September 27 St. Vincent de Paul
uCatholic – St. Vincent de Paul