St. Vincent de Paul was a French Roman Catholic priest who dedicated himself to serving the poor. He is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion. He was canonized in 1737. He was renowned for his compassion, humility and generosity and is known as the "Great Apostle of Trumpets". St. Vincent's Day is a recognised National Holiday in the UK on August 10.
Background
De Paul was born on April 24, 1581 in Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, France, to peasant farmers, father Jean and mother Bertrande de Moras de Paul. He had three brothers - Jean, Bernard and Gayon, and two sisters - Marie and Marie-Claudine. He was the third child. At an early age, he showed a talent for reading and writing but during his childhood, his work was as a herder of his family's livestock.
Education
De Paul studied theology at Toulouse and was ordained a priest in 1600.
Career
On a sea voyage from Marseille in 1605 De Paul was captured by Turkish pirates and enslaved. After his escape in 1607 he returned to Europe and became successively almoner to Queen Marguerite of Valois, curate of Clichy, near Paris, and tutor to the children of the Count of Gondi-Joigny. When Louis XIII made him royal almoner to the convicts in the galleys, Vincent went all over France caring for these unfortunates. He founded in 1625 the Congregation of Priests of the Mission (Vincentians), vowed to the evangelization and help of the needy throughout the world, and established in 1634 an organization of women devoted to the care of the poor, which became the Sisters of Charity. The instructions that the Vincentians gave to clerics and those about to be ordained were the beginning of the modern theological seminary. In his later years Vincent became highly influential at court and opposed Jansenism effectively. He died at Paris on September 27, 1660, and was canonized by Pope Clement XII in 1737. His feast is September 27.
Membership
Founder of the Congregation of the Mission (1625), co-founder of the Daughters of Charity (Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, 1633)