St. Vincent de Paul is depicted in a stained glass window in St. Patrick’s Church in Sydney, Australia. He was born in France in 1581 and dedicated much of his life to serving the poor. He founded the Confraternity of Charity, the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians), and, with St. Louise de Marillac, the Daughters of Charity. He is patron of all works of charity. His feast is Sept. 27. CNS PHOTO/NANCY WIECHEC
St. Vincent de Paul: Patron saint of works of charity
The feast of St. Vincent de Paul is celebrated in the Catholic Church on September 27 each year. In 2026 this date falls on a Sunday and thus the Church may quietly pass over his recognition in its liturgy. But Vincent cannot be passed over for his story and his heritage.
He was born in 1581 to peasant farmers in the village of Pouy in France. Sent by his father to a seminary at the age of 15, he was ordained a priest at the age of 19 in 1600. But the century before his birth, the Council of Trent had established a minimum age of 24 to be ordained. When he was assigned as pastor of a parish there was a protest of the validity of his ordination. Rather than appeal this protest before the Vatican, Vincent resumed his theological studies for four additional years.
There are accounts that Vincent was abducted by pirates and sold into slavery. While there are likely some remnants of fact in these accounts, there is almost no record that would verify these legends according to our historical standards today.
By 1607 Vincent was back in France and later in Rome where he continued his clerical education. Part of Vincent’s story is that he had pursued the priesthood as a life of leisure for himself but that he experienced a profound change of heart after hearing the confession of a dying peasant.
In reviewing some sources I found an interesting assertion that Vincent de Paul is considered the patron of all works of charity. In the 21st century this identification makes great sense as his name has become attached to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul with tens of thousands of chapters in diocese and parishes around the world. This group was founded by Antoine Frédéric Ozanam in 1833 and the name chosen as a deference to the great saint.
In his lifetime, Vincent established the Congregation of the Mission, to be known later as the Vincentians. In collaboration with St. Louise de Marillac he had a hand in the establishment of the Daughters of Charity, which continue to this day. Scores of the congregations of religious sisters venerate St. Vincent de Paul as their communities were modeled on that original foundation.
St. Vincent de Paul, pray for us.
Most Reverend William F. Medley
Diocese of Owensboro
Originally printed in the September 2026 issue of The Western Kentucky Catholic.
