As a small child, Vincent was sent to guard his father's flock of sheep. A wonderful mimic, Vincent could exactly copy all the bird songs of the area.
Once day he went to the village church, and told the priest he wished to learn how to read. The old priest agreed to teach him, and was surprised by the quickness of the little boy to learn.
Early Priesthood
Eventually the priest went to visit Vincent's parents on their farm, and told them he thought Vincent should one day become a priest. Vincent's parents were receptive to the idea, and made financial sacrifices in order to enable the boy to attend a nearby school. Vincent thrived, studied well, and became a priest at twenty years of age.
Thereafter he started a school of his own. After some time Vincent heard that an elderly lady to whom he had showed kindness, had died and left him a lot of money. This required Vincent to undertake a long journey to a seaport town to discuss this matter with a lawyer.
Once the business was completed, he decided to return home by sea instead of his original route overland. Vincent found a ship quickly. As he was about to land, he was warned that the ship was in great danger because of pirates.
Taken into slavery
Vincent disregarded the warning and set sail. While at sea, the ship was surrounded by three pirate ships who fired upon the vessel, boarded her and slaughtered many. The captain of the ship, who bravely fought to save the ship, was brutally cut down before Vincent's eyes. Vincent himself had joined the fight, received a severe leg wound and lost consciousness.
He came to his senses to find the pirates in possession of the ship. They were singing and dancing in celebration. The ship decks were running with blood and littered with dead bodies.
When daylight came the pirates threw the dead into the sea, and chained those left alive. The ship now set sail for Africa, where Vincent was destined to be sold as a slave.
Fisherman and Magician
Eventually the ship landed in an African port. Vincent was sold in a great marketplace to a fisherman. His new master lived in a hut quite close to the sea, but Vincent's hatred of the sea was by now so intense that the fisherman could make no use of him.
Vincent was sold on to a magician. After some time the magician tried to convert him to his own belief, possibly occult. Vincent declined, and so was eventually put up for sale again.
Return to France
Ongoing work in the heat of Africa continued to be Vincent's lot. Eventually he was sold a third time and last time, to a lapsed Catholic Frenchman with three wives. Vincent was put to work digging the planting fields. The task was gruelling, and Vincent found comfort in singing psalms and hymns while carrying out his tasks.
His voice was still beautiful, and the second wife of his master heard his songs. She spoke to Vincent about his voice, and asked what his songs were about. Vincent replied that he sang songs to the God he worshipped, and to Mother Mary. He sang the 'Hail, holy Queen' for the second wife. The woman listened, and went away in silence.
Thereafter she began to speak to Vincent regularly, questioning him about Christianity. She was his master's favourite wife, and used to speak to her husband about the things Vincent was telling her. She told her husband they were wonderful things, and she could not understand how he could have stopped believing in them.
She reiterated this so often that her husband questioned whether he had been wrong to give up the Christian faith. He spoke to Vincent, and eventually came to repentance for the sins of his life. He decided to return to France to do penance for his sins.
Priest-tutor
When his master returned to France, Vincent accompanied him. Vincent was back in his own country again - a very changed man. He went to Paris, and was put in charge of very poor people.
After some time, Vincent was transferred to the de Gondi household. He became the teacher of their two small boys. The de Gondi family were among the richest people in France.
Years passed, and one day Vincent asked Monsieur de Gondi for leave of absence. He wished to preach and talk to galley-slaves. The galley-slaves were all convicts, who had been imprisoned in the bottom of ships or galleys. They sat on tiny seats, each chained to an oar, and for hours upon hours rowed with no rest. If they stopped even momentarily, they were flogged by jailers, Their living conditions were terrible.
Vincent was given permission only to preach to them, and this he did. Vincent stayed at the port as long as he could and eventually returned to the de Gondi family.
Released from service
After some time Madame de Gondi died, and her husband released Vincent from his service to the family. Vincent, his twelve years of service with the de Gondi family completed, now rode through the countryside.
He passed groups of peasants toiling in the fields, and some little churches. Most of the churches were shut up or falling into ruins. France had so few priests, that Mass was hardly ever celebrated in any of them.
By evening Vincent, thirsty from his ride, stopped at a little cottage to ask for a drink. He offered payment to the elderly homeowner, but she declined. "You are a priest", she said, "and no priest has been inside this house for many years. There are so few to come and not many of them are good."
She spoke to Vincent about her family. She told him that one of her sons was a galley-slave and his wife, who lived in Paris, had been so poor after he had been taken that she had left her little baby on the steps of a church because she had no food for the little one. Now she was dead, and had died alone because the hospitals were all too full to take her in.
Poverty of the people
Vincent listened in silence to the story. There seemed little he could say to help the poor woman, yet she seemed comforted by just being able to speak to him.
Vincent blessed her before he left, and explained that he was now on his way to Parish. He further affirmed he would not forget all that she had told him. "And it may be", he said, "that the good God will help me to make such evils better. I think perhaps He may."
The woman kissed his hand. Her eyes were full of tears as she watched him ride away. As Vincent rode, he realized that his years with the de Gondi family had been of benefit. Through service to them he had come to know the rich and famous people of Paris. They would be able to assist with aid for the poor and suffering.
Vincent had even been introduced to the King and Queen of France. Vincent was now set for his future; to become a saint for the poor and suffering.
Mission
Upon his arrival in Paris, Vincent lived with a number of other priests. They shared accommodation in a house which had formerly served as an old college. Among their number was Brother Patrick, a lay-brother from Ireland.
Vincent and two other priests now started a mission 17 kilometers outside of Paris. One day a boy in rags knocked on the door to ask for help. A woman in his house was dying in childbirth, and the woman tending her - named Louise de Marillac - had asked for a priest to be brought.
Louise de Marillac
Upon arrival at the house, the poor woman and her baby had both died. Vincent prayed over them and left. The poverty of the dead woman was dire; she had looked like a skeleton as she lay on the hard floor. The room held only one chair and one broken table, its light a single candle. Vincent sighed over the tragic circumstances.
Shortly afterwards Louise de Marillac came to attend Mass at his church. She was expensively dressed with rings on her fingers.
After Vincent had celebrated Mass, Louise explained to him that her husband was dying, and her only son caused her trouble. She also asked Vincent for help with her voluntary work for the poor. Thereafter he helped in whatever way he could.
Ladies of Charity
A plan having been drawn up for the reform of the priesthood, Vincent found his work increased. He and his confreres trained young men for the priesthood.
As time went on, Vincent grew in knowledge of both Louise de Marillac and her devoted work. Louise's husband now passed away. Louise sold her house and came to live near Vincent. Like Vincent, she was devoted to the cause of the poor. Louise had the qualities of a real nurse.
Her rich friends were surprised when Louise gave up living among them, yet they generously supported her by with gifts of money and necessities for those she tended.
As Vincent travelled from village to village during his missions, many young girls confided in him their dreams of living in Paris. They felt called to nurse the sick, and to learn to read and write.
As Vincent listened, he reflected what a good thing it would be for them to come to Louise and learn from her. Louise was delighted with the idea, and soon many young girls joined her.
Eventually Vincent assisted Louise and her friends form the organization the 'Ladies of Charity'. Thereafter they began working in hospitals. Many young girls came to help. They would often summon Vincent and other priests to dying patients.
One night as Vincent returned from hearing the confessions of two dying men, he heard a cry. A foundling baby, shivering with the cold, had been left on the front porch of the church. He and Brother Patrick gave the baby milk from the kitchen, and Vincent took the little one to Louise. Many foundling babies were brought to Louise and her ladies over the following years.
Sisters of Charity
The group of women eventually became known as 'Daughters of Charity', and thereafter the group developed into the Sisters of Charity. They became known all over the world.
It now came to pass that war and famine afflicted France. Vincent went to the King as he lay dying, and brought him peace in his final hours.
After the King's death the new Queen held much power, as her son - the new King - was only four years old. The chief member of her Council was Cardinal Mazarin, who was somewhat unpopular with the people.
Eventually civil war broke out. Despite Vincent's efforts to reason with the Queen, she retained the Cardinal for counsel. War eventually abated, and life went back to normal.
By this time, Vincent - farm boy, priest, slave, freeman, tutor to the famous and mission priest - had now grown old and sick. He often wrote to Louise de Marillac, and she advised him on how to lessen the pain he suffered. Louise died a few months before he did.
Vincent passed away on the morning of September 27th 1660. Both rich and poor flocked to his funeral.
Today Vincent is internationally known as a very holy man and a great saint.
Vincent's work goes on
The story does not end there. After Vincent's life on earth, he continues to work from heaven. One great example of his influence on earth is his guidance through dream and vision of the Catherine Laboure. This young girl eventually became the saint of the Miraculous Medal.
Young Catherine had a dream in which she witnessed an elderly priest celebrate the Holy Mass. After Mass, the priest turned around and beckoned her with this finger. However she drew backward, keeping her eyes upon him.
The vision thereupon moved to a sick room where she saw the same priest, who said, "My child, it is a good deed to look after the sick, you run away now, but one day you will be glad to come to me. God has designs on you - do not forget it." Later Catherine awoke, not understanding the significance of the dream.
Wall picture
Sometime later, while visiting a hospital of the Daughters of Charity, Catherine noted a picture of a priest on the wall. He was the priest of her dream. Catherine asked a sister who he was, and was told, "Our Holy Founder Saint Vincent de Paul." [1]
In January of 1830 Catherine became a postulant in the hospice of the Daughters of Charity at Catillon-sur-Seine. Three months later Catherine relocated to Paris in order to enter the Seminary at the Mother House of the Daughters of Charity. During her time there she experienced visions regarding Saint Vincent de Paul.
Eventually Catherine received apparitions from Mary of Nazareth, through which the gift of the Miraculous Medal was given to the world.
Today Vincent's influence continues to illumine humanity. Manifold miracles of mercy and grace have resulted from the intervention of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal.
In 1842 Alphonse Ratisbonne was converted by an apparition of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. After his conversion he undertook great works of holiness. [2]
In recent times, the encounter of former satanist Zachary King with Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal brought about Zachary's conversion. [3] Today Zachary continues in service and witness to the miraculous conversion he experienced.
Why not wear the Miraculous Medal?
The Blessed Virgin told Catherine "Have a medal struck on this model. Those who wear it will receive great graces, especially if they wear it around the neck. [4]
If you wish to be invested with the Miraculous Medal, the rite can be found at
