Patron of builders, St. Vincent Ferrer is renowned for building the Church through missionary efforts, prayers, and time spent preaching, teaching, advising, and taking confessions. William Ferrer was his father. Born on Jan. 23, 1357 at Valencia, Spain, he entered monastic life at the Order of St. Dominic at age 17.
Vincent lectured on philosophy and was re-assigned to Barcelona where he became well-known for leading religious scholastic efforts while earning a doctorate. The most famous missionary of the early 1400s, he went on missions to every Spanish province also spreading the Word in England, Ireland, Scotland, Flanders, and Germany.
The Catholic Church may have been marked by schism during Vincent’s time, but he remained on honorable terms with each side. He died on April 5, 1419. He is depicted many times with a staff in his left hand and building in his right. His feast day on April 5.
