St. Vincent de Paul

St. Vincent de Paul, born in 1581 in the small village of Pouy in Gascony, France, rose from humble beginnings to become one of the most influential figures in the Catholic Church. The son of peasant farmers, Vincent displayed an early aptitude for learning and was sent to study under Franciscan friars. He was ordained a priest in 1600 at the age of 19. His early priesthood was marked by a desire for personal advancement, but a profound spiritual transformation redirected his life toward serving the poor and marginalized. A pivotal moment came in 1605 when Vincent was captured by Barbary pirates and sold into slavery in North Africa. After two years of captivity, he escaped and returned to France, where he began to dedicate himself to the service of the poor. He became a chaplain to the wealthy Gondi family, which allowed him to organize missions to rural areas, where he preached and established charitable works. In 1625, he founded the Congregation of the Mission, also known as the Vincentians, a community of priests dedicated to evangelization and serving the poor. Later, in 1633, he co-founded the Daughters of Charity with St. Louise de Marillac, a revolutionary order of women who served the sick and impoverished.