Feast Day of Blessed Frédéric Ozanam

Today, September 9, we celebrate the Feast Day of Blessed Frédéric Ozanam (April 23, 1813 – September 8, 1853), founder of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. He was educated in law, literature, and philosophy and taught at universities in Lyon and Paris. Challenged by a detractor of the faith to demonstrate the social good the Church was doing, Frédéric and six companions founded the Society of St. Vincent de Paul on April 23, 1833.

On June 23, 1841, Frédéric married Amélie Soulacroix, and their only child, Marie, was born in 1845. He succumbed to ill health and died on September 8, 1853. Pope John Paul II beatified Frédéric Ozanam in Paris on August 22, 1997.

The first St. Vincent de Paul meeting in the United States took place in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1845, just 12 years after the Society’s beginning in France. The scope of the work of the Society here, as elsewhere, has expanded tremendously since its founding. Today, there are almost 98,000 members in almost 4,500 Conferences throughout the United States.

Blessed Frederic Ozanam, pray for us.