The founder of the St Vincent de Paul Society, Mr Frederic Ozanam, will be beatified by the Pope at Notre Dame cathedral in Paris today. Born in Milan of French parents in 1813, Mr Ozanam founded the society while a student at the Sorbonne in 1833. He died on September 8th, 1853, leaving an only child, Marie, from his marriage to Amelie Soulacroix in 1841.
The St Vincent de Paul Society was established in Ireland during the Famine, in 1844. It has 11,000 members, making it the largest voluntary organisation of social action in the country.
