St. Vincent de Paul was born in 1580 to a large and poor farming family. At the

extraordinary age of 20, he was ordained a priest. St. Vincent De Paul In 1605, on a voyage

by sea from Marseilles to Narbonne, he fell into the hands of African pirates and was

carried as a slave to Tunis. He was held captive about two years, until Divine Providence

enabled him to escape. After a brief visit to Rome he returned to France, and became tutor

to a wealthy noble family. During that time he saw the terrible spiritual state of the

peasantry of France. In 1617, he began to preach missions. So many people came to hear

him preach that priests from elsewhere were called to assist him in hearing confessions.

In 1625, he laid the foundations of the Congregation of the Mission, later to be known as

the Lazarists or Vincentians. Charity was St. Vincent de Paul’s predominant virtue. He

was a holy charismatic man able to procure funds and assistance from wealthy Parisian

women. He used the gifts to assist the poor and destitute in the city. Despite setbacks,

disappointments and slanders, St. Vincent de Paul preserved serenity and evenness of

mind, having no other desire than to glorify God in all things. Antoine Frederic Ozanam

He suffered greatly from ill health toward the end of his life. On Sept. 27, 1660, at the age

of 89, he died calmly in his chair. The peasant priest was canonized by Pope Clement XII in

1737 and his feast day is Sept. 27. Pope Leo XIII proclaimed him patron of all charitable

societies.