The St Vincent de Paul Society is this month celebrating three significant feast days that reflect the society’s enduring commitment to faith in action and compassion for those in need.
The feast day of the society’s founder, Blessed Frédéric Ozanam, is celebrated on September 9 and St Vincent de Paul’s feast day is September 27. This Sunday, Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, a Vincentian, will be canonised a saint by Pope Leo XIV.
“As Vincentians around Australia and the world gather to celebrate these feast days, we honour three extraordinary lives whose faith, charity, and courage guide the society’s mission,” the society’s national president, Mark Gaetani, said.
“Their commitment to the poor is our inspiration as we strive, every day, to bring hope and dignity to those in need.”
On September 9, the society will honour Blessed Frédéric Ozanam, who founded the charity in Paris in 1833, driven by the spirit of charity and social justice in a city grappling with poverty and upheaval.
Just two decades later, the first local conference in Australia was founded in Victoria in 1854, amid the turbulence of the gold rush. The society quickly grew, extending its good works across the country; a legacy that continues today.
Patron Saint Vincent de Paul is celebrated on September 27. He was born in 1581 in the French village of Pouy, which was later renamed in his honour, He dedicated his life to serving the poor and marginalised.
His teachings guided the society’s founders two centuries later and continue to guide Vincentians today.
“Vincent de Paul’s compassionate leadership and advocacy transformed the care for those in need, inspiring generations of Vincentians,” Mr Gaetani said.
The society will celebrate the canonisation of Pier Giorgio Frassati, a young Italian whose faith and activism were deeply intertwined with the St Vincent de Paul Society.
At just 24, Pier Giorgio succumbed to polio, likely contracted during his ministry among the sick. His last thoughts remained with the poor, underscoring a life shaped by love in action.
“This September, the society invites Australians to join in prayer, reflection, and community service, renewing the legacy of our saints and founder whose vision of love and justice continues to change lives,” Mr Gaetani said.
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