Saint Vincent de Paul:

Feast day : 27 September

Today the Church celebrates the feast of Saint Vincent de Paul, founder of the Congregation of Missions popularly called the Vincentians or Lazarites and the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul. He lived during the period 1581-1660 and dedicated his life to the service of the common poor. In addition to the two congregations, he also founded several confraternities to carry out works of charity. Additionally, his congregation of priests also provided training to clergymen preparing them for their ministry of the altar and for the care of souls. Today there are several communities and organisations that continue to perform these acts of charity around the world, the most popular being the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul. He was canonized by Pope Clement XII in 1737 and is the patron saint of all works of charity.

Early life:

Saint Vincent was born in 1581 into a peasant family in the village of Pouy, France. His parents owned a small farm on which they raised their children. Vincent kept the cattle in the fields and was often found spending his time in prayer and reflection. He was fond of learning and so his father placed him under the care of the Cordeliers or Franciscan friars at Acqs. At the age of twenty he qualified to continue his studies in the University of Toulouse. For the next seven years he pursued his studies and became a deacon in 1598 and was ordained a priest in 1600 in Château-l'Évêque, near Périgueux. After his ordination he continued his studies and earned his degrees in Theology and Canon Law.

In 1605 he travelled to Marseilles to receive a legacy of five hundred crowns from a deceased friend. On his return journey, his boat was attacked by three brigantines of African pirates. Many of his co-passengers were either killed or wounded in the assault. Saint Vincent too was shot by an arrow and was taken captive along-with the other survivors. After several days in captivity, they were made to parade the city of Tunis as slaves for sale. Saint Vincent was bought by a fisherman who found him inept for his work and again resold him to an old physician who spent most of his time sharing his research findings on his alchemy and religion. During these trials Saint Vincent feared for his soul but prayed earnestly to the Blessed Virgin to assist him in his trials. He lived with the old physician for a year till his death and was again sold to a Muslim man, an apostate who had converted from Christianity to escape slavery. He sent Saint Vincent to work on his farm on a hot desert mountain top. He had three wives and one of them, a Turkish woman, often visited Saint Vincent when he was working on the farm. She was curious to know more about Christianity and loved to hear him sing praises to God. After hearing him talk on matters of faith she was greatly moved and reprimanded her husband for giving up his faith which she was now convinced is the true religion. Her husband regretted his apostasy and all of them together escaped from the mountain farm. They crossed the Mediterranean Sea and landed at Marseilles on 28 June 1607 where he converted back to the Christian faith.

Vocational life:

After a short stay in Rome, Saint Vincent returned to Paris. There he met the holy priest Monsieur de Berulle, who later became Cardinal and founder of the Congregation of the French Oratory. He appointed him as Curate of the parish of Clichi, a small village near Paris but soon asked him to resign from it. He then gave him the charge of preceptor to the children of Emmanuel de Gondy, Count of Joigny, General of the galleys of France. His lady, Frances of Silly was greatly impressed with Saint Vincent and she took him as her spiritual director and confessor. In 1616, Vincent was asked to go to the village to hear the confession of a countryman who was dangerously ill. During the confession, the countryman realised all his earlier confessions lacked a true examination of conscience and if it were not for Saint Vincent he would have been damned to hell. He openly testified this to all the people gathered including the Countess. The virtuous Countess felt the danger that all the souls were in due to lack of guidance. She entreated Vincent to preach in the church of Folleville on the feast of the conversion of Saint Paul in 1617. After he preached, people flocked to him for making their confession and there were several hundred of them who had a true conversion of heart. Following this, on the advice of Monsieur de Berulle, Saint Vincent left the house of the Countess and began to give instruction in faith to the common people in the villages of Bresse. Five other zealous priests also joined him in his mission and they formed a small community in the parish of Chatillon. As a result, several wayward Christians who led sinful lives repented for their sins and returned back to their faith. The Countess greatly appreciated his work and asked her husband to join her in establishing a company of able and zealous missionaries. The Archibishop of Paris gave the college of Bons Enfans for the reception of the new community. Saint Vincent took possession of this house in April 1625.

He soon prepared the rules and constitutions of the Congregation and it was approved by Pope Urban VIII in 1632. King Louis XIII confirmed the establishment in 1633. The regular canons of Saint Victor gave the priory of Saint Lazarus, to this new institute which became the chief house of the new Congregation which gave them the name “Lazarians” or “Lazarites”. The new congregation of priests devoted themselves to labour for the sanctification of souls by the holy exercises in their Institute, for the conversion of sinners through missions that engaged them in preaching the faith, hearing confessions and performing all works of charity and finally to train clergymen for the ministry of the altar and care of souls. The training of clergymen was widely well appreciated and Pope Alexander VII in 1662 asked for all persons who receive holy orders in Rome to make a compulsory retreat of ten days under the direction of the fathers of this Congregation. Saint Vincent soon had his Institute in the seminary of Saint Charles in Paris and in twenty five other places across Europe.

He also established several confraternities to perform works of charity for the poor, sick and illiterate. In the year 1658 he assembled all the members of his Congregation at St. Lazarus and handed them a book of the rules of the congregation. It was again approved and confirmed by Alexander VII and Clement X. He was later chosen by Saint Francis de Sales to be the director of his Nuns of the Visitation at Paris.

Death and Sainthood:

Towards the last days of his life he suffered with fever and violent night sweats. Yet he continued his normal routine of prayer and exercises of charity till he was too tired to do it anymore. After receiving his last sacraments he peacefully died on 27 September 1660. He was laid to rest in the church of Saint Lazarus in Paris. Several miracles and healings through his intercession were reported. In the year 1712, when his body was exhumed, it was found to be incorrupt! After his beatification, when the tomb was re-opened before his canonization, the body had further decomposed mainly due to an underground flood. He was canonized on 16 June 1737 by Pope Clement XII and is the patron saint of charities, hospitals, prisoners, Saint Vincent de Paul Societies, Vincentian Service Corps. His bones have been encased in a waxen figure which is displayed in a glass reliquary in the chapel of the headquarters of the Vincentian fathers in Paris, Saint Vincent de Paul Chapel, rue de Sèvres. His heart is still incorrupt, and is displayed in a reliquary in the chapel of the motherhouse of the Daughters of Charity in Paris.

Today a number of organisations and communities perform various acts of charity imbibing the principles and values of Saint Vincent. Among these the most popular is the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, established in 1833 by a group of French university students.