St. Vincent de Paul Biography

THE SPIRIT OF Several times Vincent was asked to act as a mediator in the wars of religion that were tearing France apart. K e y p o i n t s A D V O C A C Y incent de Paul came from a sturdy peasant family whose farm was situated in the Basque region of southern France. Early on, his family recognized his aptitude for learning, and sacrificed to give him an education. He himself had dreams of achieving great success and being a financial support to his parents. Priesthood was the way he chose to achieve his goals. Early experiences as a priest included a short stay in a parish outside Paris, where the people showed him how to be a caring pastor. He spent some time as the chaplain of the wealthy and important De Gondi family, and tutored their sons. He was called to the death bed of a peasant who confessed a mortal sin that he had carried for many years. Shortly after this, Vincent preached a sermon on the need to make a sincere general confession, a turning point in his own spiritual life. When Vincent had this conversion experience ( at the age of 37 ) he gave his life, his talents, and his enormous compassion to the service of the poor. In time, many and varied ministries emerged which would bear the stamp of his innovative practicality , and he constantly sought new and better ways to see them to completion. The poor are your Lords and Masters; you are their servant. The poor are your teachers; we reveal God to each other Vincent believed that true religion was found among the poor, and that by witnessing their faith and hope in God under the worst of circumstances, we are inspired and humbled. The way he served In Humility, Simplicity, and Charity. If we behave otherwise, our service can become patronizing, un-Christ-like, or focused on our own needs. His conversion At first, Vincent used his status as a priest to escape the dull village life of southern France. Gradually he saw that helping others was more important than helping himself. His passion He was concerned for all of the French peasants because of the terrible conditions in which they lived. He and his friends worked with the poor people of the countryside near Paris, helping them obtain food and clothing and teaching them about Christ. biography V

St. Vincent de Paul Biography

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