On September 27, the Catholic Church honors Saint Vincent de Paul, the 17th-century French priest celebrated as the patron of Catholic charities for his dedicated service to the poor and marginalized.

In a September 2010 Angelus address, Pope Benedict XVI highlighted that St. Vincent “perceived the stark contrast between the wealthiest and the poorest” and, motivated by Christ’s love, “organized lasting forms of service” to care for those in need.

The exact year of Vincent’s birth is uncertain, estimated between 1576 and 1581. Born into a poor family in southwestern France, he displayed remarkable intellectual talent early on and began studying theology around the age of 15. He was ordained as a priest in 1600 and worked as a tutor in Toulouse.

In 1605, during a sea voyage, Vincent was captured by Turkish pirates and sold into slavery. His captivity lasted until 1607, during which he converted his master to Christianity and escaped with him from Tunisia. Following this, Vincent continued his studies in Rome and later served as an educator and spiritual guide to an affluent French family.

Although he initially sought a comfortable priestly life, Vincent experienced a profound transformation after hearing the confession of a dying peasant. Deeply moved by the plight of the poor, he began missions and founded institutions to provide both spiritual and material support. He also ministered to convicts serving as galley rowers under harsh conditions.

In 1625, Vincent founded the Congregation of Priests of the Mission to evangelize rural communities and encourage vocations amid a priest shortage. Soon after, he collaborated with the future Saint Louise de Marillac to establish the Daughters of Charity, the first women’s religious congregation devoted to active service among the poor, sick, and prisoners.

Under Louise’s leadership, the congregation collected donations that Vincent distributed widely. These funds supported homes for abandoned children, hospices for the elderly, and a large complex housing and employing 40,000 poor people. Vincent also aided refugees and worked to free those sold into slavery abroad.

Despite his many achievements, Vincent remained humble, leveraging his influence to serve the poor and strengthen the Church. Theologically, he opposed Jansenism, which denied God’s universal love and discouraged participation in the Eucharist, and he contributed to the reform of several religious orders in France.

St. Vincent de Paul passed away on September 27, 1660, just months after St. Louise de Marillac’s death in March. He was canonized by Pope Clement XII in 1737. Later, in 1835, the French scholar Blessed Frederic Ozanam founded the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, a lay Catholic organization inspired by Vincent’s life, dedicated to assisting the poor.