Several Popes speak about Blessed Frederic Ozanam, the founder of the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

1. SOME PAPAL STATEMENTS
WITH REGARD TO FREDERIC
OZANAM
“I WANT TO ENCLOSE THE
WHOLE WORLD IN A NET OF
CHARITY”
For some people the beatification can appear to be
one more event to celebrate during World Youth Day;
nevertheless, the beatification had a very special
place.
The beatification of Frederic Ozanam
occurred on August 22, 1996 and was a
memorable event for the Vincentian
Family

2. GREGORY XVI
Ozanam: Is the Apostle of charity and
reconciliation.
Proclaimed universal poet of Christianity
and recognized the Conferences of
Charity.
His profound faith and his love for the
Church impelled him along a path that led
to the perfection of charity.

3. PIUS IX
Ozanam: “The only law to regulate our
acts, the only law to govern us should be
the law of love”.
His life was animated by his example and
witness: “a wise man among the poor”.
"O my friend, may the law of love be ours and
may we renounce all vain glory. May our
hearts be consumed with love for God, for
men and women, and for authentic happiness.

4. LEO XIII
His thinking has had a great influence on
Catholic doctrine
Ozanam: Precursor of the Social Doctrine
of the Church
He spontaneously provided for those who
were less fortunate and for those who were
suffering
His life was animated by his example and
witness.

5. PIUS XII
«Charity is exalted love that is extended to
those in need. It excludes all
condescension and every distinction based
on race or social.»
Ozanam: When we say “charity” we should
not limit this word to its narrow meaning of
alms-giving.
His life was animated by his example and
witness: «His profound faith and his love
for the Church impelled him along a path
that led to the perfection of charity».

6. JOHN XXIII
«To provide the less fortunate with a
concrete example of Jesus’ love and to
reveal to them the maternal face of the
Church»
OZANAM: PROMOTOR OF THE
CONFERENCES OF CHARITY
«We have two paths: one on which we can
search for the truth and the other on which
we can live the truth. During our whole life
we have to live the truth»

7. PAUL VI
Ozanam: «Evangelical poverty is humility and
peace and also renunciation»
.
«The disciple of Christ discovers in the
demanding school of poverty the wonderful
relationship between poverty and charity»
«Evangelical poverty is humility and peace and
also renunciation»
.

8. JOHN PAUL II
«Faithful to this commandment of the Lord,
Frédéric Ozanam believed in love, the love of
God for every individual. He felt himself called
to love, giving the example of a great love for
God and others»
.
Ozanam: “The world will contemplate the
image of an encouraging example of following
Christ in the urgent tasks of the New
Evangelization”.
John Paul II: “Frederic was proclaimed blessed On
August 22, 1997 in Notre-Dame, Paris”.

9. JOHN PAUL II
“He went to all those who needed to be loved
more than others, those to whom the love of
God could not be revealed effectively except
through the love of another person”.
«There Ozanam discovered his vocation,
the path to which Christ called him. He
found his road to sanctity. And he followed
it with determination.»
«I am grateful for your ministry: ministry and
charity go together»
.

10. BENEDICT XVI
Ozanam: «May his apostolic zeal and his
following of Jesus Christ, the evangelizer of the
poor, strengthen us in our following in the
footsteps of Saint Vincent de Paul, just as it
strengthened Frederic Ozanam in the XIX
century»
There is a need «to consolidate the faith
and to renew the practice of charity in
young catholic men and women»

11. FRANCIS I
“The laity collaborate with the clergy in the
work of universal redemption”“
Ozanam: “We cannot renounce the
century in which we are now living.
Today the mission of a young person
in society is serious and important “.
“Let us put aside beautiful discourses and
let us not speak about charity but let us act
with charity.”

12. «I have promised God that I will
dedicate my life to the service of the
Truth that has given me peace»
«A professor told me the other day to study the things of
this world, but to do this with one eye so that the other
eye might be constantly fixed on the Eternal Light. Listen
to the scholars with one ear so that with the other ear
you can hear the voice of your heavenly friend … unless
you do this you can very easily break open your head on
a rock»