Part of a Series on Vincentian Heritage Places

Gannes

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Vincent de Paul accompanied Madame de Gondi as she visited the lands that her family owned in the area of Picardy. The year was 1617. Vincent de Paul and Madame de Gondi had paused to rest in the family castle in Folleville (the Diocese of Amiens). Vincent, as he so often did, was concerned about the spiritual welfare of the people who lived on the de Gondi lands. It was then that Vincent received an important and urgent message: in Gannes, a dying peasant man was on his deathbed and requested his presence. Immediately he hurried to the sick man’s bedside. He sat down by the sick man’s bed to hear his confession. He urged the man to make a general confession of all the sins of his life. Later the man recounted to Madame de Gondi that he had been carrying heavy burdens all his life which he had never confessed, and might have been damned but for this general confession. Madame de Gondi encouraged Vincent to preach on how to make a good confession. This experience inspired Vincent’s sermon in Folleville (January 25th) that marked the beginning of the Congregation of the Mission.

Church at Gannes. Old engraving.

Gannes church

Source: VincentWiki

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