The Mission Matters
Inspired by Gospel values, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, a Catholic lay organization, leads women and men to join together to grow spiritually by offering person-to-person service to those who are in need, following the tradition of its founder, Blessed Frederic Ozanam, and patron, St. Vincent de Paul.
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As a reflection of the whole family of God, members, who are known as Vincentians, are drawn from every ethnic and cultural background, age group, and economic level.
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Vincentians are united in an international society of charity in the spirit of poverty, humility and sharing, which is nourished by prayer and reflection, mutually supportive gatherings and adherence to a basic rule.
We’re Worldwide
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is an established, international organization made up of thousands of small, volunteer and “conferences“ grouped together by nation, region, and archdiocese.
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Each of these conferences follows the general “rule“ of the society, but unlike most charities, each one can direct their “special works“ programs to the problems facing the poor and suffering in their local communities. The Vincentian vocation is the call of personal service to those in need
A Legacy Of Love
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul began in Paris, France, in 1833, when a young law student at the Sorbonne, Frederic Ozanam, was challenged during a debate to demonstrate what he and his fellow Catholic students were personally doing to help the poor in Paris. Ozanam’s reaction was immediate.
Within weeks, Ozanam, at 20 years of age, formed the first “Conference of Charity.” Alongside six of his peers, the conference financed their works of charity, which was contributed from self-sacrificial methods and friend endowments. They visited the poor in their homes, providing them with needed aid and assistance.
At the prompting of Monsieur Emmanuel Daily and Sister Rosalie Rendu, superior of a convent of the Daughters of Charity, Ozanam soon placed the conference under the patronage of St. Vincent de Paul, who had spent his life serving the poor.
The original group of seven grew to 600, numbering more than 2,000 members in 15 other communities.
Today, there are tens of thousands of members who belong to thousands of conferences operating in dozens of countries.