St. Vincent de Paul
Patron of charitable causes, St. Vincent De Paul was born poor in Pouy, Gascony, France on April 24, 1580. Franciscan Fathers taught him at Acqs. A tutor, he studied theology at the University of Toulouse and was ordained in 1601.
Traveling from Marseilles to Narbonne by ship in 1605, Vincent was captured by Turkish pirates who sold him as a slave in Tunis. He escaped two years later returning to life as a parish priest near Paris. He served as tutor to an influential noble family in France and was chaplain at Henry IV’s court. He founded what became the Lazarists or Congregation of the Priests of the Mission.
Vincent founded several groups to aid the poor, sick, and unemployed. Along with Louise de Marillac, he founded the Daughters of Charity. He died on Sept. 27, 1660. Pope Clement XII canonized him in 1737. His feast day is Sept. 27.
