Homily: St. Vincent de Paul, priest. Patron of Charitable Services

St. Vincent was born of a poor family in Gascony France in 1581 and had a very simple childhood.   At the encouragement of his father, Vincent entered seminary at the age of 19 and prepared for the priesthood. 

As a charming young priest, Vincent made many friends—many wealthy friends, and he could have lived in comfort and luxury in the aristocratic spheres of society.   As Father Vincent walked through the streets of Paris, everywhere he looked he saw the hungry, the homeless, war refugees, neglected elderly men, women, and children, and those who had been spiritually abandoned and were without hope.  He saw in the poor his brothers and sisters.

A wealthy friend helped Vincent form the Vincentians—a congregation of priests who took vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience and devoted themselves to work among the poor. Over time, Vincent established many confraternities of charity for the spiritual and physical relief of the poor and sick.  Out of these groups grew the Vincentian nuns or Daughters of Charity who have served in our own diocese for many years. 

He also invited the wealthy women of Paris to fund his missionary projects.  He founded several hospitals, collected relief funds for victims of war, and even ransomed slaves from North Africa.

He gave retreats to his fellow priests to help combat the spirit of worldliness which had made some of them lax in their spiritual lives.

Pope Leo XIII named him patron of all charitable societies.  This includes of course, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul founded in 1833, almost 200 years after his death, which was founded by his admirer and devotee, Frederic Ozanam.

His apostolate can be summarized in his saying: “It is not sufficient for me to love God if I do not love my neighbor…I belong to God and to the poor.”   His heart truly belonged to God and the poor—and after 350 years, the relic of his heart is still found to be incorrupt.

So many people cooperating with God’s grace in this story: st. vincent’s father, encouraging his vocation, Vincent himself of course, walking towards the poor instead of away from them, and so many people responding to the call to work and care for the poor. 

May we cooperate willingly and generously this day with God’s grace, particularly in responding charitably to those in need for the glory of God and salvation of souls.