Vincent de Paul, Saint (1581-1660), a Roman Catholic leader, founded two important religious orders. In 1633, he and Saint Louise de Marillac established the Daughters of Charity (now often called the Sisters of Charity), the largest Catholic order for women worldwide. Vincent de Paul founded the Congregation of the Mission for men in 1625. Members of this order are called Lazarists or Vincentians. The early Vincentians directed seminaries and organized conferences and retreats to train young priests. They also traveled to villages as missionaries. Today, Vincentians staff many Catholic schools and universities.
Vincent de Paul was born in southwestern France to peasant parents on April 24, 1581. He was ordained a priest in 1600 and served as pastor and chaplain in Paris and Lyon, where he organized help for the poor. He died on Sept. 27, 1660. The Saint Vincent de Paul Society was founded in Paris in 1833 to carry on his work for the poor. Today, there are society members in many countries. Society members visit the poor and work to supply them with food, clothing, and other necessities. The feast day of Saint Vincent de Paul is September 27.
