September 27th is the feastday of St. Vincent de Paul (1581-1660), a priest from Paris who was dismayed by the plight of so many poor people living in a large urban city. Without adequate education, healthcare, or employment, many were reduced to begging, stealing, or other crimes.
St. Vincent organized a system of volunteers who donated time and resources to set up soup kitchens, hospitals, and other programs that were urgently needed. A number of these women volunteers were organized into a new religious community, the Daughters of Charity. Their efforts were so successful and beneficial that they became a model for civil authorities. St. Vincent de Paul invented the concept of organized social welfare, which today is taken for granted as a basic part of social planning in a modern society.
Article ID : 25