3x3 metal magnet, made in the USA.
 
Feast Day: September 27th.
 
Patron of all charitable societies.
 
St. Vincent de Paul was born to a peseant family in 16th century France.  His first formal education was provided by the Franciscans. He was such a great student he was hired to tutor children of a nearby wealthy family He used his earnings to pursue a higher education.
We was eventually ordained and made his way to Rome to continue his studies. There he was in charge of distributing money to the poor. Work for the poor eventually became his passion. He established hospitals for the poor and extended his efforts to minister to those in prision. Recognizing the need to recurit help in his efforts to  evangelize and assist those whom he serverd Vincent de Paul founded the Ladies of Charity, a lay institute of woman, to help, as well as a religious institute of priests - the Congregation of Priests of the Mission, commonly referred to now as the Vincentians.
This was also a time when there were not many priests in France and what priests there were, were neither well-formed nor faithful to their way of life. Vincent helped reform the clergy and the manner in which they were instructed and prepared for the priesthood. He did this first through the presentation of retreats and later by helping develop a precursor to our modern day seminaries. At one point his community was directing 53 upper level seminaries. His retreats, open to priests and laymen, were so well attended that it is said he infused a "Christian spirit among more than 20,000 persons in his last 23 years."