Frederick Ozanam

Essay by natho167 July 2006

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Frederick Ozanam. A man of faith, a man of justice, a man of action, a man who helped those who were poor and underprivileged which finally developed into a worldwide organization known as the "St Vincent de Paul Society"

Frederick Ozanam was born on April 23rd, 1813 in Milan, Italy. He was born to Jean Antoine Ozanam a well respected medical doctor and Marie Nantas. He grew up in Lyon, France. At a young age he studied law at the University of Paris. He worked for two years in a lawyer's office before moving to Paris in 1831 to study literature at the University of Sorbonne. Throughout his days at university he participated in debates with in the university community, one day a non-believer of his faith (Catholicism) challenged him and several of his friends during one of their debating sessions. "We know about your clergy and nuns working with the poor, but what are you and your friends in this room doing about the poor?" "Show us you're Works."

This lead to Ozanam and his friends putting their faith into practice, by helping the poor and underprivileged people within their community.

Frederic Ozanam was a man of action. He was a person who decided to do something about the poor quality of life some people were leading in his country. This was especially so after his Catholic his faith was questioned and challenged. At the age of 20 years he and number of his friends started to help the poor people within their community. They took firewood to the homes of underprivileged families within Paris. They also began to pool money, food and coal so that they could distribute it to the poor.

Ozanam named his group in admiration to St Vincent de Paul who, only...