St. Vincent de Paul the founder of The Vincentians – is rightly remembered as the heroic figure who transformed Seventeenth Century French society, through Christian charity. He also had concern for foreign missions, and sent missionaries far and wide: Poland, Algeria, Italy, Tunisia, Madagascar, also Scotland and Ireland.

St. Vincent de Paul is also the head of the Worldwide Vincentian Family which consists of a great many groups given to works of Charity – most notable the Daughters of Charity, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, and the AIC.

The Irish Vincentians have a long foreign mission tradition. In our time missionaries went to Nigeria, and there began the Vincentian Congregation which is now larger than that of Ireland. They have also been engaged in Ethiopia, Kenya and also in the former Soviet Union.

Fr. Paul Roche who visits us this weekend has worked as a missionary in both Nigeria and the Former USSR.