JOURNAL/THE STORY OF SAINT VINCENT DePAUL

WITNESS




9-27-13




A CHARITABLE HEART---THE STORY OF SAINT VINCENT DePAUL










I am sure
You have heard the saying:
“Charity begins at home”


I am here to tell you
That that is NOT true


It is not true today
Was not true yesterday
And will never ever be true


Saint Vincent DePaul
Was born in to a peasant family
Was educated by the Franciscans
And became a priest
At the age of 19


His following
Consisted of people
Who were rich and fashionable
Yet Vincent himself
Was utterly devoted to the poor and oppressed


A heart of compassion
A heart of charity
A heart of love


He founded
A congregation of priests
Who would live from a community fund
Renounce all church support
And work to help reestablish faith
In the smaller towns and villages


In that same year---1625
He established the Sisters of Charity
The first congregation of “unenclosed” women
Totally devoted to the poor and the sick


He was a LEGEND
Even in his own lifetime


He touched all people
Clergy and lay people alike
Rich and poor
Outcasts and convicts


A CHARITABLE HEART to be sure


Legend has it
That EVEN NOW---almost 600 years later---after his death
That his physical heart has NOT decayed---is still incorrupt


So we need no further testimony
Than God himself
About the charity---about the heart
Of a man named Vincent DePaul


Like the saying goes,
“It is what is inside that counts”


Dear Lord---we pray
That we may have ALL have
The HEART OF
The love of
The compassion of ---and


THE CHARITY OF SAINT VINCENT DePAUL


Robert P. Wallman
September 28^th, 2011


Ps September 27^th is the feast day of Saint Vincent DePaul




WITNESS 9-27-13




9-28-14