If you truly want to help the soul of your neighbor, you should approach God first with all your heart. Ask God simply to fill you with charity . . . with it you can accomplish what you desire. ~St. Vincent Ferrer
SAINT VINCENT FERRER
Confessor
Vincent Ferrer (1350-1419) was a great Spanish Dominican missionary and master of souls. One biographer claims that Vincent’s labors in Spain brought 25,000 Jews into the Church; he also won numerous Moorish converts for the Faith. In addition to carrying on an inspired apostolate in Spain, he preached to thousands of persons in France, Switzerland, and Italy [By his preaching and miracles, he converted thousands of sinners and heretics.]. He pleaded so eloquently for penance that he was known as the “Angel of the Judgment.”
O God, who didst vouchsafe to glorify Thy Church by the merits and preaching of blessed Vincent, Thy Confessor: grant to us Thy servants that we may be taught by his example, and delivered by his patronage from all adversities. Through our Lord . . .
Patron: Brick makers, builders construction workers, pavement workers, plumbers, tile makers.
Symbols: Dominican holding an open book while preaching; Dominican with a cardinal’s hat; Dominican with wings; cardinal’s hat; pulpit; trumpet; Dominican with a crucifix; Dominican preacher with a flame on his head; flame; Dominican preacher with a flame on his hand.
Resources:
- Novena to St. Vincent Ferrer
- Pictorial Lives of the Saints – St. Vincent Ferrer
- St. Vincent Ferrer – Our Lady of the Rosary of the Library
- St. Vincent’s Treatise on the Spiritual Life.
- The Life of Our Lord, Symbolised in the Mass, by Saint Vincent Ferrer
- Vincent Ferrer, by Father Stanislaus Hogan
- Saint Vincent Ferrer, His Life, Spiritual Teaching, and Practical Devotion, by Andre Pradel
- St. Vincent Ferrer, the Angel of the Apocalypse – Sermon on YouTube
“For whosoever will proudly dispute or contradict, will always stand without the door. Christ, the master of humility, manifests his truth only to the humble, and hides himself from the proud.”
We have a particular devotion to this powerful saint, for a number of reasons, so it was an absolute delight to be able to have a first-class relic of St. Vincent for the past three months. A Novena would not suffice, our family devotions have been centered around our beloved patron. 
“What is meritorious is not that a man should be poor, but that, being poor, he should love poverty.” “A vain question deserves nothing but silence. So learn to be silent for a time; you will edify your brethren and silence will teach you to speak when the hour is come.” “Regard yourself as more vile and miserable in the sight of God because of your faults than any sinner whatever, no matter what his sins… and consider closely that any grace or inclination to good or desire of virtue you may have, is not of yourself but of the sole mercy of Christ.” “Try to convince yourself that there is no crime-laden sinner but would have served God better than you… if he had received the same graces.” “Once humility is acquired, charity will come to life – a burning flame devouring the corruption of vice and filling the heart so full that there is no place for vanity.”
