27th September - Saint Vincent de Paul -

27th September - Saint Vincent de Paul -: Patron of charitable societies. Founder of the Vincentian Congregation and the Sisters of Charity. St Vincent was born in 1581 to a Gascon peasant family. He was educated by the Franciscans at Dax and then at Toulouse university. He was ordained priest at the very early age of 19. While sailing from Marseilles to Toulouse in 1605, his ship was captured by pirates, and Vincent, along with the rest of the passengers were sold as slaves in Tunisia. After two years of great hardship, Vincent escaped to Avignon.