Vincent de Paul
1581-1660 17th century Feast day: September 27
Loving God by the sweat of one's arms, seeing in the poor one's master.
Who was Vincent de Paul?
A Gascon priest of peasant stock, for a time a captive in Tunis, then chaplain of the galleys. He organised charity on a large scale and founded the Congregation of the Mission and, with Louise de Marillac, the Daughters of Charity.
In their own words
Let us love God, my brothers, let us love God, but let it be at the cost of our arms, let it be by the sweat of our brow.
The poor are our lords and masters.
Charity is inventive unto infinity.