Who Is St. Vincent de
Paul?
St. John's University looks to St. Vincent de Paul (1581-1660),
founder of the Congregation of the Mission, for its vision and
inspiration. From southern France, Vincent pursued the priesthood
as a way to assure a comfortable life. Through a profound
conversion experience in his early ministry, Vincent unraveled a
central paradox of life: it is in giving that one receives. In a
Paris marked by great affluence enjoyed by a few as well as by dire
poverty endured by the masses, Vincent discovered that one finds
God and oneself in service to others. A man of deep faith, keen
intellect, great business acumen and enormous creativity, he was at
home in the hovels of the poor and in the palaces of royalty.
Respected by the powerful and loved by the poor, Vincent bridged
social classes through his works of charity and his advocacy for
the disenfranchised.
In collaboration with St. Louise de Marillac (1591-1660),
Vincent organized hospitals for the poor; founded asylums for the
orphaned; opened workshops for the unemployed; championed literacy
for the uneducated; advocated for the incarcerated; established
local charities; and reformed the education and formation of the
clergy throughout France where his community of priests and
brothers undertook the spiritual care of the poor, particularly
those in rural areas.
As a Vincentian university, St. John's extends Vincent's vision
and continues his unflagging efforts for the disadvantaged. The
University directs its great resources of faith and knowledge to
Vincent’s vision by identifying the root causes of social problems
and developing innovative solutions to these problems.
It is St. John’s University’s privilege and responsibility to
share this mission with its constituents so that all at the
University can make a contribution to the human community. All at
St. John's are heirs to Vincent's legacy and stewards of his
mission to respect each person; serve those in need; and build
human solidarity.