Saturday 27 September 2025
St Vincent de Paul
Zechariah 2:5-9, 14-15. The Lord will guard us, like a shepherd guarding his flock – Jeremiah 31:10-13. Luke 9:43-45.
People power
There is power in the togetherness of people. In the First Reading we are told, ‘Many nations will join the Lord, on that day; they will become his people’. Today is the feast day of St Vincent de Paul, the 16th century French priest who established missions of service to the poor and marginalised. However, his name is most familiar to us because, following his example, Blessed Frédéric Ozanam (1813–1853) established a society in his image. The St Vincent de Paul Society of Australia was founded in 1854. Its power lies in the work of its members and volunteers (around 45,000) who assist the vulnerable in the community. The Society’s membership is primarily Catholic and its work to distribute aid to the poor and marginalised through food parcels, help with bills and housing, essentials cards and its eponymous goodwill shops is delivered without judgment or prejudice.
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