Saint Vincent de Paul

He was born April 24, 1581 of poor parents in the village of Pouy in Gascony, France. He enjoyed his first schooling under the Franciscan Fathers at Acqs. He made his humanities studies at Dax with the Cordeliers, and his theological studies, interrupted by a short stay at Saragossa, were made at Toulouse where he graduated in theology. In 1617, in the middle of winter, God gave him a sign while at the bedside of a sick peasant. The deathbed confession of this dying servant opened Vincent's eyes to the crying spiritual needs of the peasantry of France. On the 8th December 1617, Saint Vincent began to organize his many works of charity for the poor and the sick, the children and the aged. In 1633 Saint Louise de Marillac helped him establish the Daughters of Charity. Vincent and his friends worked with the poor people of the countryside near Paris, teaching them about Jesus Christ and the Good News of the Gospel and helping them obtain food and clothing. In 1633 the Archbishop or Paris gave him the Priory of St Lazare as a headquarters. Saint Vincent died at Paris, 27 September, 1660. He was beatified 21 August 21, 1729 by Pope Benedict XIII and canonized 16 June 1737 by Pope Clement XII.