Friends of the Rosary,

On September 27, the Catholic Church commemorates the feast of Saint Vincent de Paul.

This 17th-century French priest is recognized as the patron of Catholic charities for his apostolic work for those in need.

He was encouraged by the love of Christ to "organize permanent forms of service" to provide for the poor and marginalized, as Pope Benedict XVI noted.

In 1605, five years after receiving ordination as a priest and as a tutor to students in Toulouse, during a sea voyage was captured by Turkish pirates and sold into slavery. His ordeal of captivity lasted until 1607, during which time the priest converted his owner to the Christian faith and escaped with him from Tunisia. Afterward, he spent time studying in Rome and moved with compassion for the poor, began undertaking missions and founding institutions to help them both materially and spiritually.

Vincent established the Congregation of Priests of the Mission in 1625, as part of an effort to evangelize rural populations and foster vocations to remedy a priest shortage. He also worked with the future Saint Louise de Marillac to organize the Daughters of Charity, the first congregation of women religious whose consecrated life involved an extensive apostolate among the poor, the sick, and prisoners.

Doctrinally, Vincent was a strong opponent of Jansenism, a theological heresy that denied the universality of God’s love and discouraged reception of the Eucharist. He was also involved in the reform of several religious orders within France.

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

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• ⁠September 27, 2025, Today’s Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET