From: rich <richarra@gmail.com>

September 27: Saint Vincent de Paul
(1581-1660)

Today we celebrate the feast day of Saint Vincent de Paul, founder of
the Congregation of the Mission, and servant to his fellow man. Saint
Vincent is a model of Christian charity, caring for all, and
revolutionizing the mission work of the Church. Truly modeling his
life on that of Christ, Saint Vincent placed himself at the feet of
the poor, assisting in their need, but more importantly, recognizing
the sanctity and dignity of every human life.

Saint Vincent was born into a peasant farming family in Pouy, France.
A highly intelligent youth, he excelled at academics, and sought the
priesthood primarily for social advancement and monetary gain. At that
time, escaping the peasant life was difficult, and entering a
religious order was one of the only manners in which to change one'=
s
station in life.

Vincent spent four years with the Franciscan friars in Acq, France,
and excelled at his education. He supported himself through tutoring
the children of the wealthy, and was ordained a priest at the young
age of 19. Shortly thereafter, he was captured by Turkish pirates, and
sold into slavery, where he remained for several years. He eventually
converted one of his owners to Christianity, and later escaped.

Returning to France, Vincent was assigned to a small parish. Having
begun his ministry with less than pure intentions and motives, the
Lord sought to change Vincent's heart. Spending time with those who
lived in poverty, with little education, Vincent was shocked to
discover how his fellow man was being forced to live. He was able to
empathize with them, given his own imprisonment. Moreover, he learned
how little that his congregation knew of their faith, and began
preaching the importance of confession and repentance.

He could have never predicted the response of his parishioners. Lines
for confession stretched out the doors of the parish chapel, and the
faithful waited for hours to pour out their hearts to Saint Vincent.
More than anything, they hungered for the Gospel, and for priests to
minister to their basic needs (as well as their spiritual needs). In
1626, Vincent and three priests pledged to, in his own words,
"Aggregate and associate to ourselves and to the aforesaid work to
live together as a Congregation=E2=80=A6and to devote ourselves to the salvation of the poor country folk.=E2=80=9D With that, The Congregation of Priests of the Mission (the Lazarists) was established. With Saint
Louise de Marillac, he similarly founded the Congregation of the
Daughters of Charity.

The congregations Saint Vincent established spread quickly throughout
France, largely due to he and his fellow founders' travel and
preaching efforts. Membership grew, and the congregations started
social and community justice organizations committed to helping the
poor, sick, unemployed, imprisoned, and uneducated. Saint Vincent
worked tirelessly to bring dignity and justice to the destitute,
enslaved, abandoned, forgotten, and ignored. The more society looked
down upon an individual, the more Saint Vincent became his servant.
His basic vision was simply that the Good News of Jesus Christ should
be announced to the poor through word and service.

Within his lifetime, the Congregation of the Mission had spread
throughout the world, and chapters remain active today in all corners
of the globe. At his funeral, it was declared that Saint Vincent had =E2=80=9Ctransformed the face of the Church.=E2=80=9D

Saint Vincent de Paul knew how to make his work responsive to all
kinds of misery, whether physical or moral, determined to remedy it
and finding an appropriate solution for every situation. He was the
initiator of assistance to abandoned children, to prisoners, victims
of catastrophe, refugees, and housebound invalid. Bending himself to
the pattern of his model, Jesus Christ, he place himself at the
service of the poor, =E2=80=9Cwho are our lords and our masters.=E2=80=9D H=
e taught
that true charity does not consist only of distributing alms, but of
helping the abject to regain their dignity and independence.

He believed in the virtue of action and he loved to use this succinct
motto: =E2=80=9CAction is our entire task.=E2=80=9D He would then add that = =E2=80=9CPerfection
does not come from ecstasy but rather from doing the will of God.=E2=80=9D However, he recommended long prayer and meditation before action so
that one could come to recognize the divine will. Above all, this man
of action was a man of prayer and deep spirituality: =E2=80=9CYou must have=
an
inner life, everything must tend in that direction. If you lack this,
you lack everything.=E2=80=9D
by Jacob


Selected Quotations of Saint Vincent de Paul:

However great the work that God may achieve by an individual, he must
not indulge in self-satisfaction. He ought rather to be all the more
humbled, seeing himself merely as a tool which God has made use of.
--Saint Vincent de Paul

We must love our neighbor as being made in the image of God and as an
object of His love.

The Church teaches us that mercy belongs to God. Let us implore Him to
bestow on us the spirit of mercy and compassion, so that we are filled
with it and may never lose it. Only consider how much we ourselves are
in need of mercy.

Extend your mercy towards others, so that there can be no one in need
whom you meet without helping. For what hope is there for us if God
should withdraw His Mercy from us?
--Saint Vincent de Paul

Bible Quote:
2 Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who have
pleasure in them.
7 The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts
are trustworthy,
8 they are established for ever and ever, to be performed with
faithfulness and uprightness.
9 He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded h
is covenant for ever. Holy and awesome is his name!
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
a good understanding have all those who practice it.
His praise endures for ever!=C2 [Psalm 111:2,7-10]


<><><><>
O my Divine Savior,
Transform me into Yourself.
May my hands be the hands of Jesus.
Grant that every faculty of my body
May serve only to glorify Thee.

Above all, Transform my soul and all its powers
So that my memory, will and affection
May be the memory, will and affections of Jesus.

I pray Thee to destroy in me all that is not of Thee.
Grant that I may live but in Thee, by Thee and for Thee,
So that I may truly say, with Saint Paul,
"I live--now not I--But Christ lives in me.

--Saint John Gabriel Perboyre
--- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
* Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)