VINCENT DE PAUL, ST., a French philanthropist; born in Ranquines, France, April 24, 1577. After studying in a convent of the Cordeliers, he went to the University of Toulouse, and in 1600 was ordained priest. On a voyage from Marseilles to Narbonne, he was cap tured by pirates, and sent to Tunis, where he was kept in slavery for two years under three masters, the last of whom he converted to Christianity, and escaped with him to France. in 1607. He soon after settled in Paris, devoting himself to works of charity. He was named almoner to Margaret of Valois, held for a short time the curd of Clichy, and in 1613 became tutor to the sons of Philippe de Gondi, one of whom became afterward celebrated as the Cardinal de Retz. In 1616 he began those labors as missionary which occupied so large a part of his life, and the next year he founded the "Brotherhood of Charity," the model of so many others afterward established. His next great task was the
reform of the condition of criminals con demned to the galleys; for which great service he was appointed almoner-gen eral of the galleys. This unwearied philanthropist founded, in 1623, the Con gregation of the Mission, which was con stituted by royal letters patent, and ap proved by the Pope. In 1634 he insti tuted the order of "Sisters of Charity," the most widely known, perhaps, of all his foundations. He attended Louis XIII. on his death bed; was named by the Queen Regent Anne of Austria presi dent of the Council of Conscience, took part in the controversy between the Jesuits and the Jansenists, against the latter; and died in the convent of the Lazarists, Sept. 27, 1660. He was canon ized by Pope Clement XII., in 1737.