Vincent de Paul was born on April 24th around the year 1580 in Pouy, France, son of

peasants and the third of six children. At the age of 15 he began his studies for the

priesthood, first at the Franciscan college in Dax and later at the University of Toulouse.

He was ordained in 1600 and received a degree in theology in 1604.

Returning from a trip to Marseilles in 1605, he was captured by pirates and sold as a slave

in Algeria. He escaped to Avignon in 1607, went to Rome for further studies, and

returned to France in 1609. In 1613, he became tutor in the household of Count de

Gondi, general of the galleys and a member of one of the most powerful families in

France. In 1617, while Pastor of Chatillon Les-Dombes, Vincent established his first

Confraternity of Charity, composed of 20 women who volunteered to visit the sick and

poor of the parish. This organization is known today as the Ladies of Charity. Near the

end of 1617, Vincent became chaplain to the 8,000 people who lived on the Gondi estates.

In conjunction with this he began to minister to galley slaves waiting in prison to be

shipped abroad. In 1619, King Louis XIII appointed him Chaplain General of the Galleys.

In 1624 he was asked by the Archbishop of Paris to found a community of missionaries

who would travel through the country preaching and administering the sacraments to the

peasants. This community was called the Congregation of the Priests of the Mission,

better known today as the Vincentian Fathers.

Vincent de Paul continued to establish additional chapters of the Confraternity of Charity

throughout France. Many of these chapters, however, were composed of wealthy women

who were more interested in raising money than ministering to the sick and poor. Thus in

1633, with Louise de Marillac, Vincent founded the Daughters of Charity, dedicated to the

personal service of the sick and poor.

Vincent established hospitals and orphanages, ransomed Christian slaves in Northern

Africa, founded new seminaries to improve priestly formation, sent his priests abroad to

preach missions, organized far-flung relief for victims of wars, and wrote widely on

spiritual topics. Friend of nobility and royalty, his whole life was devoted to the alleviation

of human suffering and misery. Vincent died in Paris on September 27, 1660. He was      

canonized by Pope Clement XII in 1737 and declared patron of all charitable

organizations by Pope Leo XIII in 1885.