Blessed Rosalie Rendu, D.C., lived her whole life in the service of the poor. She influenced Frederic Ozanam to begin the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul and gave him instruction on how to effectively minister to persons who were poor: he was to approach them with humility and love.
Sister Rosalie gave Ozanam a slip with the names of three families for him to visit in their homes.
“God has already given you spiritual wisdom or you would not be sacrificing your precious free day to His poor. Because you see Christ in His poor, I know you will approach each one you visit with humility as His servant. Always remember, messieur, that if we had been through the hardships they have had to meet– if our childhood had been one of constant want– perhaps, we, too, would have given way to envy and hatred, as I must admit have many of the poor in this quarter. Be kind and love, for love is your first gift to the poor. They will appreciate your kindness and your love more than all else you can bring them.”
From an article in the Vincentian Heritage Journal by Sr. Frances Ryan, D.C.
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