Fr Paul Gooley reads from the Gospel of Matthew (9: 35-37) in which Jesus says, ‘The harvest is rich, but the labourers are few’. Afterwards, Fr Paul shares a little about the life of St Vincent de Paul whose memorial we celebrate today.

Fr Paul says Vincent de Paul was born in Aquitaine in the year 1581 and became a priest and he devoted the whole of his life to the service of the poor. He founded a congregation of priests for missionary work. He established groups of laymen to help paupers and galley-slaves, and, with St Louise de Marillac, they founded the Sisters of Charity. He died in 1660 aged 79.

On this day, Fr Paul invites us to ask, ‘St Vincent de Paul… Pray for us!’.