Top 140 St. Vincent de Paul Quotes (2025 Update)
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51. “Is it not better to fail after asking advice than to risk acting on our own?”

— St. Vincent de Paul

52. “We must love our neighbor as being made in the image of God and as an object of His love.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

53. “With God’s help, you will continue to succeed in your leadership and in your duties, because Our Lord’s work is accomplished not so much by the multitude of workers as by the fidelity of the small number whom He calls.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

54. “All comes at the proper time to him who knows how to wait.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

55. “The children of our Lord walk gladly in his ways; they have confidence in him, and so when they fall, they rise again; and if, instead of stopping to grumble about the stone they have tripped over, they humble themselves at their fall, this helps them to advance with great strides in his love.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

56. “Rarely is any good done without difficulty; the devil is too subtle and the world too corrupt not to attempt to nip such a good work in the bud.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

57. “If you do not see any good in these persons, then say nothing, but if you do see some, speak about it to honor God in them because all good proceeds from Him.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

58. “It is not light they need but strength, and strength permeates through the external balm of words and good example.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

59. “If you think something should be done, take the trouble to write to me about it, and together we will decide the time and manner of doing it.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

60. “We must endeavor to have God reign sovereignly in us, and then in others. The trouble with me is that I take more care to have Him reign in others than in myself.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

61. “O Monsieur de Sergis, how important a matter is submission of spirit to a superior!”

— St. Vincent de Paul

62. “Remember, Monsieur, that Saint Augustine says that a person who does not obey the doctors is doing his best to kill himself.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

63. “We must be full reservoirs in order to let our water spill out without becoming empty, and we must possess the spirit with which we want them to be animated, for no one can give what he does not have.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

64. “He also always blesses humble beginnings much more than those accompanied by a lot of show.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

65. “May God be pleased to make it known to you, and fill you increasingly with His Spirit, so that through you it may be poured into the souls you guide, and your own soul may be more greatly sanctified!”

— St. Vincent de Paul

66. “Always be quite simple and sincere and ask God to grant me those two virtues.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

67. “God uproots the vine that He Himself has not planted.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

68. “Since you know the means of getting better, in the name of God, make use of them. Do not take on anything beyond your strength, do not be anxious, do not take things too much to heart, go gently, do not work too long or too hard.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

69. “We must be firm but not rough in our guidance and avoid an insipid kind of meekness, which is ineffective. We will learn from Our Lord how our meekness should always be accompanied by humility and grace so as to attract hearts to Him and not cause anyone to turn away from Him.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

70. “God has seen fit that, since our services are useful to many persons, everyone approves them, but only when they are carried out in the spirit of Our Lord.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

71. “In the name of Our Lord, Monsieur, do all you can to regain your health and take good care of it so that you can serve God and the poor for a longer time. This moderate care does not preclude the obligation we have of generously risking our lives when the salvation of our neighbor is concerned.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

72. “That’s what our Rules engage us to do, to help poor persons, our lords and masters.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

73. “Who will excuse us before God for the loss of such a great number of people, who could be saved by the slight assistance we could give them?”

— St. Vincent de Paul

74. “Our Lord is pleased to deprive us of temporal goods; may it please His Divine Goodness to give us spiritual ones!”

— St. Vincent de Paul

75. “Scandal often does as much harm to the listeners as to those who devise it, even if it were to do no other harm than disturb the mind, as it does, and give rise to temptations to speak or write about it to others.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

76. “A doctor who keeps a person from becoming ill deserves more merit than one who cures him.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

77. “You say you experience great difficulty in the mission. Alas! Monsieur, there is no lot in life where there is nothing to be endured.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

78. “With whose imperfections will you bear, and what insult are you capable of enduring, if a thoughtless word from your own Superior is unbearable?”

— St. Vincent de Paul

79. “I have made to God the offering you made to me of your heart and have asked him to unite mine with yours in that of Our Lord.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

80. “And what are we doing if we are not doing God’s Will?”

— St. Vincent de Paul

81. “In the name of God, Monsieur, let us not be so little attached to God’s service that we yield to a useless fear which may cause us to abandon the task He has given us.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

82. “So, do not dwell any longer on what you are, but consider Our Lord close by you and within you, ready to put His hand to the work as soon as you call upon Him for help, and you will see that all will go well.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

83. “Remember, Monsieur that roses are not gathered except in the midst of thorns and that heroic acts of virtue are accomplished only in weakness.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

84. “Far from rejecting such a good man as you, He never even abandons a wicked man who hopes for His mercy.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

85. “Laws must never be made compatible with crimes, no more than lying should be in harmony with the truth.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

86. “The wisest persons, surprised by some passion, often say things they later regret.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

87. “God has granted me today a very particular fondness for requesting of Him that same virtue of ever choosing the worst and that which is contrary to my own liking.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

88. “In God’s name, Monsieur, let us remain indifferent; let us strive to be equally attached to whatever obedience marks out for us, be it agreeable or disagreeable. By the grace of God, we belong to Him; what else should we desire except to please Him?”

— St. Vincent de Paul

89. “Far from being a bad thing to seek advice, you must, on the contrary, do so when the matter is of any importance, or when we cannot come to a clear decision on our own.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

90. “I am the only wretch who keeps on heaping new iniquities and abominations on myself. O Monsieur, how merciful God is to put up with me with so much patience and forbearance, and how weak and miserable I am to abuse his mercies so greatly!”

— St. Vincent de Paul

91. “I have never come away from you without reflecting that the Spirit of God and His holy workings reside in you.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

92. “If you say that a good reputation serves to benefit the neighbor more, I admit that. However, since it should be based on a good life, it is, therefore, preserved by the practice of virtue and not by human intrigue.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

93. “Nevertheless, when one is ill, one should be submissive to the doctor and obey him.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

94. “Man’s condition is never the same; he is humbled, then exalted; sometimes at peace, sometimes persecuted; enlightened today and plunged into darkness tomorrow. What is to be done? As I said, let us be prepared for whatever may happen.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

95. “I hope that this man can be won over by your bearing charitably with him, advising him prudently, and praying for him. This is what I do for your family in general and for you in particular.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

96. “Oh! how happy the man of means who uses his wealth and his life for the greater glory of God, from whom he has received them!”

— St. Vincent de Paul

97. “Never betray His principles for any reason whatsoever, and take great care not to spoil God’s affairs by too much haste in them.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

98. “The works of God are not accomplished when we wish them, but whenever it pleases Him.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

99. “Let us allow God to act; He brings things to completion when we least expect it.”

— St. Vincent de Paul

100. “You know, Monsieur, that, although the contemplative life is more perfect than the active life, it is not, however, more so than one which embraces at the same time contemplation and action, as does yours, by God’s grace.”

— St. Vincent de Paul