Saint Vincent de Paul, born circa 1580 in the modest village of Pouy in Gascony, France, hailed from a humble background. His early education was spearheaded by the Franciscan Fathers at Acqs. Such was his academic prowess that within four years, he was selected by a nobleman to tutor his children, allowing Vincent to further his studies without straining his family financially.

In 1596, Vincent ventured to the University of Toulouse to delve into theological studies and became a priest by 1600. However, a significant turn of events occurred in 1605 during a sea journey from Marseilles to Narbonne: he was captured by African pirates and taken as a slave to Tunis. Approximately two years later, through a stroke of divine intervention, Vincent managed to escape his captors. Following a brief stint in Rome, he settled in France, securing a position as a tutor for the family of Emmanuel de Gondy, the Count of Goigny and a key figure in the French naval forces.

By 1617, Vincent initiated missionary works. In 1625, he laid the groundwork for what would eventually evolve into the Congregation of the Mission or Lazarists, named after the Priory of St. Lazarus, which they began to inhabit from 1633.

The legacy of St. Vincent de Paul is vast and profound. His overwhelming sense of charity reached out to all, from destitute children to the elderly. Additionally, the Sisters of Charity owe their inception to him. Despite being lauded by high-ranking individuals, Vincent’s humility remained unshaken. In 1660, aged eighty, the illustrious Apostle of Charity passed away in Paris. His memory is commemorated on September 27th, and he stands as a beacon for charitable organizations worldwide.

Interestingly, St. Vincent de Paul is counted among the Incorruptibles. This unique group of Catholic Saints exhibit no decomposition post-death, symbolizing Christ’s triumph over mortality. This phenomenon, only observed in the Catholic faith, serves as an affirmation of the doctrine of bodily resurrection and a testament to the enduring presence of Saints in the Mystical Body of Christ.

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25 COMMENTS

  1. St Vincent De Paul pray for us and the whole world. Pray for the unbelievers and those Catholics to return back to the church. Amen.

  5. St. Vincent dePaul, you were endowed with the spiritual gifts of faith & charity. Please pray for your lowly wards on earth that we may receive such blessings and share of its fruits with all arround us that they may come to be convinced of the truths of the Faith and the Love of the Creator.

  6. St Vincent De Paul you support us with spiritual gifts,faith and charity, you are a blessings to us and one of the incorruptible Saints where your body is a witness to the holiness of our lord Jesus Christ. amen

  7. I was blessed to see a relic of his today by a pious couple And I had the joy of having the same pious couple pray for me and asking for his intercession for my pre-professional teacher volunteer work! 🙂 <3

  8. The Saint was a blessed man. He served both the poor and rich. Today, the rich relate with those in same class and the poor keep with de poor. The poor are marginalised and the little due to them is taken away. God help us to see your light.

  13. Dear St. Vincent de Paul, Please intercede for me to be charitable! To trust God to meet all my needs, and to give generously to those in need. AMEN

  15. Dear St. Vincent de Paul, Please pray for those afflicted by hurricanes in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean, as well as the earthquakes in Mexico. And finally please pray for us to be generous in our help and donations for our brothers and sisters in those places. Thank you for everything you have done, and continue to do for us. AMEN!

  20. Noble Saint Vincent de Paul,
    beloved servant of the poor,
    may we follow your example and do good works
    among those whom society has abandoned,
    enslaved, or forgotten.
    Inspire us to feed the hungry,
    to love a child,
    to provide comfort and medicine to the sick,
    to clothe those whose garments are threadbare,
    and to offer hope and our Lord’s words
    to all who need respite.
    Pray for us to our beloved God
    that we may commit ourselves selflessly
    to doing the same charitable acts
    that you did all your life,
    and intercede with him
    that we may have the favor of his guidance
    and strength and love upon this important and meaningful work.

    Amen.

  21. Ecce Crucem Domini!
    Fugite partes adversae!
    Vicit Leo de tribu Juda,
    Radix David! Alleluia!

    Saints Vincent de Paul and Catherine Labouré, pray for us.

    When I was a child, my dad would place a quarter in the straw near the statue of Baby Jesus in the huge Christmas crêche at the front of our parish church, directly in front of Saint Joseph’s altar, which he said was for Saint Vincent. My child brain heard that as Saint Vingt-cinq. =) I still equate the two things, Christmas charity in honour of Saint Vincent de Paul. No longer 25 cents, but 25 dollars at least! No more crêche sadly, but online donations, since cash has been all but outlawed in North America. I will always prefer anonymous almsgiving, to temper pride.

    • O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee. Dissolve our debt, especially student loans, provide for the basic needs of my family, cover our costs. Keep my sons working and keep our 11yr old vehicle running. Amen.

      • Praise be to God the Father Almighty! One student loan down, two to go. One credit card brought to zero, credit line next to be dissolved. 12yr old van replaced by 2yr old car. We have what we need and work hard on restraint in finances and excess of allsorts. Saints Vincent de Paul and Catherine Labouré, your incorrupt bodies in Paris are as miraculous as the Medal of the Immaculate Conception. Thank you both for your heroic virtue.

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