St. Vincent de Paul is the Patron Saint of Charitable Societies. He is the saint behind the St. Vincent de Paul Society and the St. Vincent de Paul Ministry that many Catholic Churches have set up to help those in need.

Here are a few facts about St. Vincent de Paul:

• St. Vincent de Paul was born on April 24, 1580, in the village of Pouy in Gascony, France, to French peasants (Jean de Paul and Bertrande de Moras) and was the third of six children.
  
  
• He was ordained a priest in 1600, after going to the University of Toulouse for theological studies.
  
  
• In 1605, when traveling from Marseilles St. Vincent de Paul was captured by pirates and sold in Algeria as a slave, where he was held captive for around two years.
  
  
• After his time in captivity he returned to Rome for further studies and then returned to France.
  
  
• St. Vincent de Paul began preaching missions in 1617.
  
  
• Charity was St. Vincent de Paul’s primary virtue. He worked with the poor and the enslaved.
  
  
• St. Vincent de Paul was the found of the Congregation of the Mission, Daughters of Charity, Confraternities of Charity, and the Ladies of Charity.
  
  
• He has been referred to as the Apostle of Charity.
  
  
• St. Vincent de Paul established many hospitals and orphanages.
  
  
• In Northern Africa he ransomed Christian slaves.
  
  
• St. Vincent de Paul founded new seminaries and sent priests abroad to preach missions.
  
  
• He also wrote on a wide variety of spiritual topics.
  
  
• St. Vincent de Paul died in Paris on September 27, 1660.
  
  
• Pope Clement XII canonized St. Vincent de Paul in 1737.
  
  
• Pope Leo XIII declared St. Vincent de Paul patron saint of all charitable groups in 1885.
  
  
• His feast day is September 27.

St. Vincent de Paul -- A Short Biography - Buy from Amazon

Vincent De Paul: The Trailblazer -- Buy from Amazon

Peace in Christ,
© Melissa Knoblett-Aman