DePaul University Via Sapientiae English edition Abelly, Louis 1993 Venerable Servant, Book 1 Follow this and additional works at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/abelly_english Recommended Citation Abelly, Louis. The Life of the Venerable Servant of God Vincent de Paul. Book One. Ed. by John E. Rybolt, C.M. Trans. by William Quinn, F.S.C. New York: New City Press, 1993. http://via.library.depaul.edu/ abelly_english/3 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Abelly, Louis at Via Sapientiae. It has been accepted for inclusion in English edition by an authorized administrator of Via Sapientiae. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Life ofthe Venerable Servant of God Vincent de Paul The Life ofthe Venerable Servant of God Vincent de Paul Founder and First Superior General of the Congregation ofthe Mission (Divided Into Three Books) by Louis Abelly, Bishop ofRodez BOOK ONE New City Press edited by John E. Rybolt, C.M. translated by William Quinn, F.S.C. notes by Edward R. Udovic, C.M. and John E. Rybolt, C.M. introduction by Stafford Poole, C.M. index translated and edited from the Pemartin edition of 1891, with additional annotations, by Edward R. Udovic, C.M Published in the United States by New City Press 86 Mayflower Avenue, New Rochelle, New York 10801 © 1993 Vincentian Studies Institute Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data: Abelly, Louis, 1604-1691. [Vie du venerable serviteur de Dieu, Vincent de Paul. English] The life ofthe venerable servant ofGod Vincent de Paul: founder and first superior general ofthe Congregation ofthe Mission : (divided into three books) I by Louis Abelly ; [edited by John E. Rybolt; translated by William Quinn; introduction by Stafford Poole]. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 1-56548-Q52-X: $49.00 1. Vincent de Paul, Saint, 1581-1660. 2. Christian saints­ France-Biography-Early works to 1800. I. Rybolt, John E. II. Title. BX47oo.V6A48 1993 271'.7702---dc20 [B] 93-9446 The original edition of Abelly contained as a frontispiece an engraving by Rene Lochon, based on the portrait by Simon Fran~ois de Tours ofVincent de Paul in choir dress. Below the portrait is a quatrain, the translation ofwhich is: Ifyou wish to see in a single face the portrait oftwo great saints Paul and Vincent are depicted here; but for his spirit, read this work. CONTENTS Louis Abelly, His Life and Works . 9 Editorial Introduction 17 Acknowledgements . 21 Dedication to the Queen Mother of the King .22 Foreword .. .24 Approbations .26 Extract from the Royal Privilege . .28 BOOK ONE. The Life ofVincent de Paul ................. 29 CHAPTER ONE. The Church in France at the Time of the Birth of Vincent de Paul ...................... 31 CHAPTER TWO. The Birth and Education of Vincent de Paul .. 35 CHAPTER THREE. Studies and Promotion to the Clerical State. 38 CHAPTER FOUR. Vincent de Paul is Captured by Pirates and Taken to Barbary ,. 42 CHAPTER FIVE. Monsieur Vincent's Return to France; His First Stay in Paris 48 CHAPTER SIX. Monsieur Vincent Appointed Pastor of Clichy Where he Serves as a Good Shepherd. ............... 52 CHAPTER SEVEN. His Associations with the de Gondi House ....... 55 CHAPTER EIGHT. A General Confession Made by a Peasant Occasions Monsieur Vincent's First Mission, and This in Tum Leads to Others. 59 CHAPTER NINE. Vincent Secretly Withdraws from the de Gondi House but Later Returns There . 63 CHAPTER TEN. The Beginnings of the Confraternity of Charity for the Sick Poor ........................... 72 CHAPTER ELEVEN. The Conversion of Several Heretics whom Monsieur Vincent Brought Back to the Catholic Church . .74 CHAPTER TWELVB. The Marvelous Change Brought About in the Life of a Noble Person under Monsieur Vincent's Spiritual Direction. 77 CHAPTER THIRTEEN. Different Works ofPiety that Monsieur Vincent Was Involved with After His Return to the de Gondi Household. 80 CHAPTER FOURTEEN. After Appointment as Royal Chaplain of the Galleys, Monsieur Vincent Visits Provence and Guienne to Provide Physical and Spiritual Help to the Convicts .............. 84 CHAPTER FIFTEEN. He Provides for the Physical and Spiritual Necessities of the Poor of Macon, with Excellent Results. ...... 87 CHAPTER SIXTEEN. He is Chosen by the Blessed Francis de Sales, Bishop ofGeneva, and by Mother de Chantal as the First Spiritual Father and Superior ofthe Religious ofthe Visitation of Saint Mary in Paris. ... 90 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN. He is Appointed Head of the College des Bons Enfants, and Later Makes the First Foundation ofthe Congregation ofthe Mission. ........................ ., . 93 CHAPTER EIGHTEEN. Madame de Gondi Passes from This Life to a Better One. Monsieur Vincent Goes to the College des Bons Enfants ,. 97 CHAPTER NINETEEN. Monsieur Vincent's Dispositions of Body and Soul and his Manner of Acting .................. 100 CHAPTER TWENTY. The Birth and Establishment of the Congregation of the Mission. ......................... .. 109 CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE. Some Remarkable Statements of Monsieur Vincent Regarding the Spirit of Humility and the Other Virtuous Dispositions He Wished to See as the Foundation of His New Congregation .......................... 113 CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO. The Establishment ofthe Priests of the Congregation of the Mission at Saint Lazare 119 CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE. Account of the Great Good Accomplished in the Church by the Founding of the Congregation of the Mission, of which Monsieur Vincent Was the Prime Mover; First, the Establishment ofthe Confraternity of Charity for the Corporal and Spiritual Help of the Sick Poor. ................ 127 CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR. The Establishment of the Daughters of Charity, Servants of the Sick Poor ............... 133 CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE. The Ordination Retreats for the Benefit of Those Wishing to Receive Holy Orders ............ .. 138 CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX. Spiritual Retreats for Various Groups of People 141 CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN. Spiritual Conferences for Clergy. ..... 144 CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT. The Establishment of the Hospitals in Paris and Marseilles for the Galley Slaves .............. .. 148 CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE. The Founding ofa Group of Women to Serve in the Hotel Dieu Hospital of Paris and for Other Works of Charity in Paris and Elsewhere. .............. 152 CHAPTER THIRTY. The Establishment of a Foundling Hospital .. .. 160 CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE. The Founding of Several Seminaries for Clergy 164 CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE (BIS). Monsieur Vincent's Collaboration with Father Olier in Various Pious Works. ................ 167 CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO. Some Help Given by Monsieur Vincent to the late Commander de Sillery and to the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, commonly called the Knights of Malta 170 CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE. Missions Given in the Army in 1636, and the Rules Given by Monsieur Vincent to the Missionaries for this Service 174 CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR. The Establishment of the First Internal Seminary, at Saint Lazare, for the Congregation of the Mission .. 179 CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE. Monsieur Vincent Devotes Himself to the Poor of Lorraine during the War and Takes Particular Care of Some Gentlemen and Ladies, Refugees in Paris .............. 185 CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX. Services Provided by Monsieur Vincent to the Late King, Louis XIII of Glorious Memory, in His Last Illness, for the Spiritual Good of his Soul ................. 190 CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN. Monsieur Vincent is Appointed to the Council for Ecclesiastical Affairs of the Kingdom During the Regency of the Queen Mother ................. 192 CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT. Monsieur Vincent's Help in Establishing the Congregation of the Daughters of the Cross and for the Spiritual Good of its Members. ........................ 195 CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE. Monsieur Vincent's Experiences During the Troubled Times of 1649. What Occurred During Several Trips He Made at that Time 198 CHAPTER FORTY. Monsieur Vincent Works for the Relief of the Poor of the Frontier Regions Devastated by the War, Especially Champagne and Picardy ....................... 204 CHAPTER FORTY-ONE. The Death of the Prior of Saint Lazare. Monsieur Vincent's Appreciation of Him .............. 206 CHAPTER FORTY-TWO. The Help Given by Monsieur Vincent to the Poor of Paris and Several Other Places During the Troubled Times of 1652 and Later 208 CHAPTER FORTY-THREE. Monsieur Vincent in Service to the King and Kingdom during the Troubled Times Beginning in 1652 ... .. 213 CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR. Monsieur Vincent's Opposition to the Errors ofJansenism ..... .. 221 CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE. The Home for the Aged Poor Begun at Paris by Monsieur Vincent; The General Hospital for the Poor Begun by Him in that Same City ........................ 224 CHAPTER FORTY-SIX. A Census of the Houses ofthe Congregation of the Mission Founded During the Lifetime of Monsieur Vincent 230 CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN. Monsieur Vincent Gives the Rules to his Congregation. What He Said on this Occasion 237 CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT. Other Works of Piety in Which Monsieur Vincent was Involved Besides His Usual Duties 242 CHAPTER FORTY-NINE. A Reflection on the Pains and Afflictions Endured by Monsieur Vincent ................. 245 CHAPTER FIFTY. Monsieur Vincent's Illnesses and the Saintly Use He Made ofThem 250 CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE. His Preparation for Death. ......... 256 CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO. Events Surrounding the Death ofMonsieur Vincent ............................. 259 LOUIS ABELLY, HIS LIFE AND WORKS In the canon of writings about Saint Vincent de Paul, the biography by Louis Abelly, bishop of Rodez, holds pride of place. Published four years after