St Vincent de Paul

St Vincent de Paul (1581–1660) was a French Catholic priest renowned for his deep compassion, tireless dedication to the poor, and lasting impact on charitable work in the Church. Born into a humble family, Vincent's early life was marked by a pursuit of education and priesthood. However, it was his profound encounter with the suffering and marginalized that transformed his mission into one of total service.

After working among the rural poor in France, Vincent came to see that poverty was not only physical but deeply spiritual and social. He began organizing charitable groups of laypeople to assist the needy in a structured, dignified way—an approach that was revolutionary for his time.

He founded the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians) in 1625, whose members were committed to preaching and serving the poor. Alongside St Louise de Marillac, he also co-founded the Daughters of Charity, a religious community of women who served the sick, orphaned, and destitute in the streets rather than behind convent walls.

St Vincent's legacy lives on in countless organizations that bear his name, most notably the Society of St Vincent de Paul, a worldwide lay Catholic organization that continues his mission of practical charity and Christian love.

He was canonized in 1737, and the Church celebrates his feast day on September 27.

• Charitable societies 
• Volunteers
• Hospital workers
• Orphans
  

"Charity is the cement which binds communities to God and persons to one another." – St Vincent de Paul