Born to a peasant family, Vincent was a highly intelligent youth,
and spent four years with the Franciscan friars at Acq, France
getting an education. He began divinity studies in 1596 at the
University of Toulouse and was ordained at age 20.
Taken captive by Turkish pirates to Tunis, and sold into slavery, he
was freed in 1607 when he converted one of his owners to Christianity.
Returning to France, he served as parish priest near Paris where he
started organizations to help the poor, nurse the sick, and find jobs
for
the unemployed. With
Louise de Marillac, founded the Congregation of the Daughters of
Charity. Instituted the Congregation of Priests of the Mission
(Lazarists). Vincent always worked for the poor, the enslaved, the
abandoned,
the ignored, the pariahs.
Patron saint of charitable societies and workers, hospital workers and
hospitals, Saint Vincent de Paul Societies, and volunteers.
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