April 5

b. 1350 Valencia, Spain
d.1419 Vannes, Brittany, France

Fourth child of the Anglo-Scottish nobleman William Stewart Ferrer and his Spanish wife, Constantia Miguel. Dominican priest. Missionary. Taught theology. Adviser to the King of Aragon. During a severe fever in 1398, Vincent had a vision of Christ, St. Dominic de Guzman and St. Francis of Assisi. It was a life changing experience - Vincent received supernatural gifts and believed that he was a messenger of penance, an "angel of the apocalypse" sent to prepare humankind for the Judgement of Christ. Converted thousands in Spain, France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, England, Scotland and Ireland. Had the gift of tongues (he spoke only Spanish, but all listeners understood him), lived in an endless fast, celebrated Mass daily, and known as a miracle worker; reported to have brought a murdered man back to life to prove the power of Christianity to the onlookers, and he would heal people throughout a hospital just by praying in front of it. He worked so hard to build up the Church that he became the patron of people in building trades.

"If you truly want to help the soul of your neighbor, you should approach God first with all your heart. Ask him simply to fill you with charity, the greatest of all virtues; with it you can accomplish what you desire." - St. Vincent Ferrer from On the Spiritual Life