Chapter III: M. Vincent and the priesthood VINCENT DE PAUL was now forty-eight years old. He stood high in the estimation of those who knew him, but he had earned no great renown; his name … Read More
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Chapter II: In the service of M. de Gondi WHEN Vincent de Paul joined the household of Philippe de Gondi, General of the Galleys, he was, ostensibly, quite as far from the discovery of any … Read More
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Part I: Vincent de Paul and the world Chapter I: The years of apprenticeship THE parents of Vincent de Paul were natives of the South. His father, Jean de Paul, owned a very small property … Read More
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Introduction A RECENT work by a learned and brilliant writer contains the following passage: ” It was the age of S. Vincent de Paul, patron Saint of practical philanthropists. The air was thick with orphanages … Read More
Vincent de Paul
In the latter half of the sixteenth century when Europe was in a turmoil two supreme miracles were granted —Francis de Sales and Vincent de Paul. Francis, along with that noble widow, Jeanne de Chantal, … Read More
Vincent de Paul: Approaches to Government
In 1626, the government of the Congregation of the Mission was not an especially complex task. As an urgent priority, this small foundation of four priests had been placed on a sound legal and financial … Read More
Vincent Getting Away For Short Breaks
Quite a number of years ago a confrere, in conversation, pointed out something which has stuck in my mind ever since. He remarked that Vincent was always the senior confrere in the community, apart from … Read More
The Moderation of Vincent De Paul
In a book of dazzling intuition about St Francis of Assisi, GK Chesterton memorably remarked that Francis and Thomas Aquinas had saved us from spirituality. You may well blink. If you didn’t, you haven’t really … Read More
How St Vincent Ferrer influenced St Vincent de Paul
When I was reading about the life and works of Vincent Ferrer, whom I admire enormously, I was surprised to find that some of his biographers mentioned that he had a significant influence on St … Read More
Saint Vincent and Discernment
1. Discernment Within the entire span of religious consciousness and commitment there is a central conviction that God himself can and does direct our lives. A key exercise of the spiritual life is to experience … Read More