Reflection for the Feast of St Vincent

September is a very ‘Vincentian’ month.
We have the Feast of Bl Frederic Ozanam on the 9 th of September, and then the Feast of St Vincent
on the 27 th .
But what are we celebrating on these feasts?
In short, we’re celebrating the lives of two simple human beings, who were moved by the reality of
the sufferings they saw in the lives of their fellow human beings, their ‘sisters and brothers’.
Vincent and Frederic were quite different.
They lived two centuries apart; Vincent in the 17 th century and Frederic in the 19 th century.
Vincent came from a rural peasant family and although an intelligent man, had to work hard for his
education. Frederic was a man who was intelligent enough to gain a place studying law at the
Sorbonne, a prestigious university in Paris.
What they had in common was an open heart, a heart that heard was touched by the sufferings and
misery of others……a heart that had no option but to respond in love.
As Vincentians today, we too have been blessed with hearts to reach out to our ‘sisters and
brothers’
in this 21 st century. We’ll experience the same struggles and joys that Vinent and Frederic
experienced, but the same laving Father will journey alongside us every step of the way.
May St Vincent and Bl Frederic intercede for us as we continue their legacy today.