In Surquillo, a well-known and prestigious private Catholic school has been operating since 1956, under the motto "Evangelizing the poorest" of the Mission Company of Vincentian Fathers, installed in more than 50 countries on five continents. The religious figure of Saint Vincent de Paul is intimately linked to charitable and generous actions, and the worldwide network of its representatives has continued along this path since its foundation in 1625. In its more than 50 years of existence, it has formed 40 promotions with more than 2,000 graduates and until now it is a of the religious educational institutions that still maintain the prestige of their academic level, based on the elementary principles of the Vincentian philosophy:knowing, loving and evangelizing. But little is known about the life and work of the founder of this spiritual company, Saint Vincent de Paul . We invite you to meet him in this new installment of "And who was it?".
It is impossible to talk about what charity and love of neighbor means without mentioning Saint Vincent de Paul . This French priest is the personification, par excellence, of the solidarity and dedication of a consecrated life to mitigate the pain and suffering of the poorest and most disadvantaged population.
The exact place of birth of this saint is not known. Some think that he went to Pouy, in the south of France; others believe that he came into the world in Tamarite de Litera, northern Spain, autonomous community of Aragón, on April 24, 1581.
The precarious situation of his parents, Juan de Paul and Beltranda de Moras, both originally from Spain and parents of 6 children, forces the young Vicente de Paul to work as a shepherd in the family farm with the aim of earning a living. After completing his primary and secondary education, he studies Theology and Philosophy in Toulouse. In 1600, while still a very young man, he is ordained as a priest.
In the beginning, the ardent altruist directs all his efforts towards achieving both a social and economic improvement of his family situation, however, a stay as guardian and teacher of the children of the powerful family of the lords of Gondi changes his entire perception about the true nature of his philanthropic vocation. It is on the properties of the Gondi family that San Vicente de Paul he experiences the conditions of indigence, scarcity and poverty of the peasants, which would lead him to fight with determination and until his death against what he considered as an injustice.
With the foundation of the Congregation of the Mission, in 1625, carried out thanks to a donation of money from the Gondi family, Saint Vincent de Paul he began a constant struggle to organize different groups of volunteers, all with the aim of joining forces and channeling the means at their disposal in order to combat the lacerating misery existing in France at the time.
Together with Luisa de Marillac he created, in 1633, the Company of the Daughters of Charity, which is credited with setting up more than sixty houses for the poor in France and Poland. In 1638, and faced with the terrible situation of abandonment suffered by hundreds of children on the streets of Paris, he guides the religious members of the Company of the Daughters of Charity in their effort to manage thirteen shelters for abandoned children. Q>
The influence of Saint Vincent de Paul in his time he is so strong that even the king of France, Louis XIII, and the regent Anne of Austria, hear his pleas for help:no effort is too great for a man with an unwavering will to serve. Q>
The French religious held the position of Superior General of the Company of the Daughters of Charity until his death, managing to create and administer help houses both in Europe (Italy, Ireland, Scotland, Poland and France) and in Africa (Tunisia, Algeria and Madagascar).
The Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) and then the Fronde War (1648-1653) multiplied the number of needy, deported and abandoned people in Europe. Saint Vincent de Paul He considered this type of situation of extreme pain and deprivation conducive to redoubling efforts and attending to the emergencies of the poor. Among his feats are even that of risking his life and that of one of his faithful assistants, Brother Mateo Regnard, by introducing himself, both disguised behind enemy lines with the aim of carrying money, food and everything that was useful for the well-being of those who suffered from armed conflicts.
The legacy of humanity, benevolence, compassion and mercy of Saint Vincent de Paul it is immense and inexhaustible and practically has no equivalent in history. Undoubtedly, he is an exceptional character who, even in his last years of life, knew how to translate his deep Christian faith and altruistic conviction into a series of plans, programs, and projects aimed at enhancing the human condition of those who suffer.
His death in 1660, in the city of Paris, France, at the age of 80 left a great void. He was beatified in August 1729 and canonized in June 1737. His feast day is celebrated on September 27.