Saint Vincent de Paul

St. Vincent de Paul was born into a French peasant family and was the third of six children. He received his education from the Franciscans at Dax and was ordained to the priesthood at the tender age of 19. After being captured and enslaved by Turkish pirates, he successfully escaped two years later.

In 1619, King Louis XIII appointed him General Almoner, which enabled him to improve the conditions of prisoners in jails and slaves in royal galleys. He established hospitals and won the hearts of many through his bodily and spiritual ministrations, converting many.

In 1626, he co-founded the Congregation of Priests of the Missions with a group of zealous secular priests. They bound themselves to "live in community and devote themselves to the salvation of poor country people." They took over the direction of seminaries at the request of certain bishops, and at the outbreak of the French Revolution, they were in charge of one-third of all such institutions in France. 

At Sainte Lazare in Paris, the Motherhouse of the young Congregation, Vincent held regular retreats for both Priests and lay people. Meanwhile, he also  stimulated the social consciousness of many noble women and organized them into the "Ladies of Charity." Using their contributions, he started a great general hospital in Paris, where thousands of destitutes were sheltered and given useful work to do. He also started a foundling home, an old people's home, an asylum for the insane, and an institution for the care of lepers. The actual nursing of all these unfortunates was entrusted to the Daughters of Charity, which he co-founded with St. Louise de Marillac in 1633. 

To the 30,000 Christian slaves held in Tunis, Algiers, and Bizerta, Vincent sent Priests and Brothers, who not only saw to their spiritual needs but acted as agents and messengers for their families. During his lifetime, they ransomed 1,200 slaves by paying the equivalent of over six million dollars, which St. Vincent had collected.

St. Vincent de Paul died on September 27, 1660, in Paris. He was canonized in 1737 by Pope Clement II and declared patron of all societies devoted to works of charity by Pope Leo XIII. He practiced simple, non-mystical, Christo-centric, and action-oriented piety, and his trust in Divine Providence was limitless. In his letters, he wrote, "Strive to live content in the midst of those things that cause your discontent. Free your mind from all that troubles you; God will take care of things. You will be unable to make haste in this choice without, so to speak, grieving the heart of God, because he sees that you do not honor him sufficiently with holy trust. Trust in him, I beg you, and you will have the fulfillment of what your heart desires."

St. Vincent de Paul, patron of all charity organizations and father of the poor, come to our aid. Obtain from our Lord assistance for the poor, aid for the sick, consolation for the bereaved, protection for the abandoned, a generous spirit for the rich, conversion for sinners, zeal for priests, peace for the Church, tranquillity, and order for all nations, and salvation for everyone.

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,

Most High Servant,

Jesus, Mary, Joseph Ministry of Love 

(Blessed and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)