Saint Vincent de Paul was born in 1581 in a small village in southern France to a peasant family. In the early 1600s, significant events sparked the Vincentian Charism of serving the poor. Vincent was a tutor for the wealthy Gondi family when he was asked to hear the confession of a dying servant on their estate, inspiring him to preach about confession and reconciliation. He went on to found the Congregation of the Mission to serve the rural poor and organized the first Confraternity of Charity to more effectively aid a sick family, laying the foundation for the Daughters of Charity and Ladies of Charity. The Vincentian charism of serving those in need through organized charity continues today through various groups that

1. 400th Anniversary of the Vincentian Charism
and life of Saint Vincent De Paul

2. This year, we celebrate the 400th anniversary
of the birth of the Vincentian Charism

3. Short introduction
of young St Vincent

4. Saint Vincent was born in the
southern French town of Pouy, now
known as Saint Vincent de Paul in
his honour.
He was born into a peasant family,
the third child in a family of four
sons and two daughters. His father,
Jean De Paul was a farmer.
Together with his family, he helped
to look after the farm, leading
animals to the plains and forests to
find them pasture.

5. The Vincentian Charism

6. significant events took place that sparked the
Vincentian Charism
3

7. Madame de Gondi
The Gondi family — A wealthy family that
controlled a lot of property during that time
St Vincent was a
tutor to the
children of the
Gondi family
A dying man
employed on the
Gondi estate
requested for
confession
St Vincent met
with the man and
listened to the
man’s confession
Madam Gondi felt
responsible for the
spiritual well being for
the people working on
their estate and they
organised a retreat
1 2 3

8. 25 January 1617 — Feast of the Conversion of St Paul, St Vincent gives a
homily about confession which is the foundation of the Congregation of
the mission and the Charism
The pulpit at the Church of
Saint-Jacques-Le-Majeur et
Saint-Jean-Baptiste in Folleville
1 2 3

9. He called to the people to reconcile their lives and their response
overwhelmed him. They poured out their longing for the Gospel and for
good priests to minister to them.
1 2 3
St Vincent gathered a few
priests and pledged to
“…Devote ourselves
to the salvation of
the poor country
folk.”
The Congregation of
the Mission was born.

10. Chatillon
St Vincent call upon
his parishioners to
help a sick family.
Many responded
that same afternoon,
visiting the family
and bringing them
aid. He was
marveled at the
generosity of the
people.
1 2 3

11. He felt it was necessary to organise
this help to make it more effective
and long-lasting.
St Vincent led a first group of women
to form the Confraternity of Charity.
“The
poor
suffer
less
from
a
lack
of
generosity
than
from
a
lack
of
organiza8on.”
– St Vincent
1 2 3

12. The Confraternity of Charity
was proposed by St Vincent,
a organised charity made
up of the women of the parish
in Chatillon.
On 23 August 1617,
a certificate of the
formation of the
confraternity was sealed.
It was the first institutional
expression of the Vincentian
charism, involving lay leadership
for social action.
Both the Daughters of Charity
(1633) and the Ladies of Charity
(1635) arose from confraternities.
1 2 3
Narration by St Vincent of
the event that took
placed

13. What the logo means

14. The two stars
that remind
both
“theological
places” where
St Vincent de
Paul saw the
footprints of
God in his life.
The circle, made up
of rays in different
colours, symbolises
the world, history
and life.

15. The placement of the
stars reminds us of
their location within
French territory. They
are linked by a cross
of light that recalls
the Resurrection and
Pentecost
The rays represents the
different group of the
Vincentian charism.
They symbolize society
with its imperfections,
joy, hope and struggles
The cross is always a
sign of a new Spirit
that lives within the
Vincentian Family in
our world.

16. “I was a stranger and you welcomed me”
— Matthew 25:35
The theme reflects the
works of St Vincent.

17. Th k y !