BLESSED FREDERIC OZANAM – A VINCENTIAN FAMILY MAN

Antoine-Frederic Ozanam was an ordinary guy with extraordinary talent who lived an
ordinary life but loved in extraordinary ways. St. Vincent de Paul was Frederic’s inspiration,
exemplar, patron and star.
Frederic was born in Milan, Italy, on April 23, 1813, but he was thoroughly French. He grew up
in Lyon, France, was homeschooled until nine, and then attended the Royal Academy of Lyon.
There Frederic started to write prose and poetry on a wide range of subjects.
Frederic suffered a crisis of faith between 15 and 16 years old. The doubts disappeared
when he dedicated his life to the service of truth – a promise he kept until death.
At the request of his father, Frederic enrolled in the School of Law at the Sorbonne in
Paris. There he became an apologist as he defended his faith relentlessly in the university lecture
hall and through his writing. He joined a study-discussion group on Saturdays, called the
Conference of History. He found that this intellectual activity resulted in a lot of talking, but no
real action.
On his twentieth birthday, in 1833, Frederic and five other college students and friends met in the
Catholic newspaper offices of owner and editor Mr. Emmanuel Bailly. They were tired of all of
the talk when they saw the poor begging and living on the streets of Paris.
Frederic said, “Let’s do what Jesus did… let’s go to the poor.” They agreed and
organized a Conference of Charity, which later became the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Bailly
was chosen as its first president. The Society kept expanding in France and throughout the world,
now with active communities in 152 countries.
Frederic received a Doctorate of Law, followed by a Doctorate of Letters, and worked as
a professor of foreign literature at the Sorbonne in Paris where he had studied.
On June 23, 1841, Frederic married the love of his life, Amelie Soulacroix, in Lyon. On
July 24, 1845, Amelie gave birth to their daughter, Marie, the joy of her father. Their marriage
was incredible. He remembered his wife on the twenty-third of every month with a gift of
flowers and often a poem expressing his love for her.
Frederic continued his academic work and ministering to the poor. As a confrere of the
Society of St. Vincent de Paul, he made home visits to the poorest of the poor. Although an
intellectual genius, he was devoted to the poor and illiterate, with whom he spent countless
hours. The Society kept expanding in France and throughout the world, now with active
communities in 152 countries.
As his health deteriorated, he resigned from the university. After many attempts for a
cure, Frederic died from Bright’s disease in Marseille, France, on September 8, 1853, the Feast
of the Birthday of Mary. He was 40 years old.

IMPORTANT EVENT OF BLESSED FREDERIC OZANAM WHY HE BECAME

BLESSED
Actions over words: Blessed Frederic Ozanam
 Frederic suffered a crisis of faith between 15 and 16 years old. The doubts
disappeared when he dedicated his life to the service of truth – a promise he kept
until death.
 On his twentieth birthday, in 1833, Frederic and five other college students and friends met
in the Catholic newspaper offices of owner and editor Mr. Emmanuel Bailly. They were tired
of all of the talk when they saw the poor begging and living on the streets of Paris. This was
the world of Frederic Ozanam, a young student who had to walk through the poorer suburbs
on his way to university lectures each day. He became deeply moved at the hopeless state of
families who had been left without the support of their breadwinners after the epidemic.

 He found that this intellectual activity resulted in a lot of talking, but no real action.
It wasn’t until he was taunted by an anti-religious opponent in a student debating
society that stung him to action: ‘You are right Ozanam when you speak of the past!
In former times Christianity worked wonders, but what is it doing for mankind now?
And you, who pride yourself on your Catholicity, what are you doing now for the
poor? Show us your works.’
 Frederic said, “Let’s do what Jesus did… let’s go to the poor.” They agreed and organized
a Conference of Charity, which later became the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Bailly
was chosen as its first president.
 Frederic Ozanam gathered a few friends around him and on 23 April 1833 they met
to decide what they could do to assist the poor.

 Frederic turned twenty at the first historic meeting of what they called ‘the
Conference of Charity’.

 After the meeting, Frederic and his flatmate took the remainder of their winter wood
supply and gave it to a widow. He left it outside her door, knocked, and because he
was naturally very shy, he ran away. Later, he realised that what people needed was
someone to stand with them in solidarity, and offer them the dignity of meeting them
face-to-face and offering friendship.

 Frederic and his friends began bringing these families some bread, wood and above
all, much friendship. The financial resources for this work came from a number of
sources, but primarily from savings from their scholarships. These young men were
mocked by some, in particular the Saint-Simonians who commented: ‘What can
seven young men hope to achieve in alleviating the suffering of Paris?’

 Fortunately, Ozanam paid little heed to their comments, determined to satisfy his
own conscience that he was doing what he could to bear witness to his Christian
upbringing by assisting those less fortunate in the community.

 As a skilled debater, Frederic could have entered into a verbal debate to defend his
position, but he knew it would be more effective to show people how simple acts of
kindness to those in need could evoke change.

 Despite the overwhelmingly rapid spread of the organisation, Frederic wasn’t perfect
in his service of the poor. He was often cheated by those he intended to help and
became frustrated when those he sought to assist didn’t want to help themselves.
 One man Frederic helped by assisting in obtaining employment for him. But the man
once again the man fell into destitution and the man returned to Frederic to ask for
help. Instead of offering charity, Frederic lost his temper, turned him out and told him
never to return. The man had hardly left when Frederic reflected on what he had
done, called him back and showed compassion to assist him again. He realised it
was not up to him to judge the man, but to merely assist where he could.

 Frederic was constantly challenged by those around him, yet he never gave up. He
often faced difficulties and criticism, but never wavered in his desire to help those in
need.

 His writings pre-dated and formed much of the groundwork for the Catholic Social
teaching of the modern era. Frederic Ozanam founded the St Vincent de Paul
Society in the experience of visiting the poor in person.

 Its members are called to be not only dispensers of food and fuel and clothing to the
poor—but dispensers, too, of the love and compassion of Christ, which has been
poured into their own hearts by the Spirit of God.

 Frederic continued his academic work and ministering to the poor. As a confrere of
the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, he made home visits to the poorest of the poor.
Although an intellectual genius, he was devoted to the poor and illiterate, with whom
he spent countless hours. 

REFLECTION
What I loved about Blessed Frederic Ozaman character was his strong standing in his
belief regarding “Action over Words’, and also, he always respected the poor while offering
whatever service he could. He believes that Each man, woman, and child was too precious to
live in poverty. Same as Blessed Frederic Ozaman, I also want to leave with actions over words.
If given a chance and if I only could, I also want to help other people especially my relatives and
family in any way possible I could help them. I also want God to used me as a vessel of blessings
to other people. Serving the poor taught Frederic something about God that he could not have
learned elsewhere.
Blessed Frederic Ozanam, reminded me that the way that we would truly make a
difference was not through our words, but through our actions. Let us never lose sight of our
opportunity to be the change we want to see in the world, I know, by the grace and guidance of
God, we can be a light in the darkness of people’s lives by doing our part to carry on the mission
that God has given us.

Prepared by:
ABEGAIL L. CEDIÑO