1 Adulthood of Vincent de

st

Paul
From year 1611-1621
Ages (30-40)yrs. Old
This marked a turning point in Vincent spiritual journey: ambition was receding, and attention to God and vocation were
advancing.

LEY ANN DLS. DATOS

Father Andre Duval

 A professor of the Sorbonne

 His mentor for 3 decades
in late 1610 or early 1611

 Vincent was falsely accused of having stolen 400 ećus

 Debongnie cited the incident of the false accusation of the event that set Vincent firmly on
the road to sanctity.
 Accused of the theft by his roommate, Vincent did not defend himself, showing himself to
be more like the Lord and less interested in self advancement and public image.
 the real thief confessed years later.
1612

 He was named pastor of Saint-Medard in Clinchy, a poor rural parish just northwest of
Paris.
 As pastor he experienced the priesthood in a way unknown to him to that point, and told
the bishop he was happier than the bishop himself, and even the pope.
 In 1613

 on Berulle's advice, Vincent accepted a position as tutor to the children of the aristocratic
Gondi family, although he did not resign the pastorate at Clichy until thirteen years later.
 During that time he directed the parish through an administrator and although he made
visits, he was essentially an absentee pastor, a not uncommon occurrence in those times.
In 1614

 through the instrumentality of Monsieur de Gondi, who had the right of presentation,
Vincent was given the parish of Gamaches in the diocese of Rouen.
 1615

 he was appointed treasurer and canon of the chapter of Ecouis, another position over
which Monsieur de Gondi had the right of patronage.
 Vincent took possession of the position through a procurator and was an absentee canon, a
fact that brought complaints from the chapter.

On 29 October 1616
 resigned the abbey of Saint Leonard for reasons given above.
 In January 1617, Vincent was on the Gondi estate in Picardy, and heard the confession of a
dying man who told Madame de Gondi that he would have been damned without
Vincent’s ministry. She urged Vincent to preach a sermon on general confessions, which
produced such response that other priest were called to help hear all the confession.

 In August 1617, as he destitution of an entire family in the parish. He preach on their

need , and that afternoon the people responded in overwhelming numbers by carrying them
food and supplies. Vincent then called a meeting of interested women, and urged them to
put order into their generosity by taking turns. With rules drawn up by Vincent, they
established a group which become the first Confraternity of Charity.

 December 1617, Madame de Gondi prevailed in her request that Vincent return to their
family by giving him freedom to preach mission in various towns and villages.
Toward the end of 1618

 The bishop of Geneva, Francis de Sales, arrived in Paris, and inspired Vincent with the
power of humility and Gentleness.
 Vincent continued giving local missions to the people
 Duval told him that God was clearly calling Vincent himself to do work of the mission.
 In 1619
 at the urging of Monsieur de Gondi, King Louis XIII, appointed Vincent chaplain general
of the Galleys with responsibility for the spiritual well being of all the galley convicts of
France.
 During this period Vincent experienced a twofold conversion .
1st- he was being converted to the poor, who were becoming the center of his life.
2nd- he was also being converted to his priesthood, seeing it not as a career, but as a personal
relationship with Jesus.

However this “conversion” does not seem to rest on one dramatic moment, but rather on
gradual opening to the power of God’s Grace working in him to see his world more clearly in
the light of Christ.
 What do you think is the meaning of this beautiful
title,
Daughters of Charity?
 Nothing else than daughters of the good God,
because whoever is in charity is in God and
God is in him.
 We should not, indeed, be doing enough for God and our
neighbor if we supplied the sick poor only with
nourishment and medicine and if we did not assist them,
according to God's designs, with the spiritual services we
owe them.
 (Saint Vincent de Paul, conference to the Daughters of Charity, 9 March 1642).