The Vincentian Vocation

The vocation of the Society’s members, who are called Vincentians, is to follow Christ through service to those in need and so bear witness to His compassionate and liberating love. Vincentians show their commitment through person-to-person contact. Vincentians serve in hope.

Vincentians perform any form of personal help to anyone in need.

No work of charity is foreign to the Society. It includes any form of help that alleviates suffering or deprivation and promotes human dignity and personal integrity in all their dimensions.

To Seek Out the Poor

Vincentians strive to seek out and find those in need and the forgotten, the
victims of exclusion or adversity.

Adaptation to a Changing World

Faithful to the spirit of our founders, the Society constantly strives for renewal,
adapting to changing world conditions. It seeks to be ever aware of the changes
which occur in human society and the new types of poverty which may be identified
or anticipated. It gives priority to the poorest of the poor and to those who are
most rejected by society.

The Society serves those in need regardless of creed, ethnic or social
background, health, gender, or political opinionsOur members are men and women of all ages, creeds, colors and walks of life. Some are wealthy, some are financially poor, but we're all blessed with an awareness that we should share our time, talent and/or treasure with our brothers and sisters in need.

And we're not alone. We're part of an international society of friends united by a spirit of poverty, humility, and sharing, which is nourished by prayer and reflection, mutually supportive gatherings, and adherence to a basic Rule.

Vision

Like its founder, Frédéric Ozanam, the vision of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is to "Embrace the world in a network of charity."

History

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is one of the oldest charitable organizations in the world, founded in 1833 in France by seven students including Frédéric Ozanam. The young Frédéric, a Catholic, wanted to help the poor of all religions during the industrial revolution.

He also wanted to improve the lives of his peers by urging them to perform works of charity rather than simply talk about what should be done to help the needy.  Now beatified, Blessed Frédéric founded the Society in the name of St. Vincent de Paul, a French priest from the late 16th and early 17th centuries who alerted the people of his day to many of society's ills.

Along with several friends, Frédéric visited the poor in their homes, helping them whenever possible by sharing whatever food and other necessities were available for them to give. More importantly, the young men provided food for the spirit through their many acts of kindness and friendship.

The Society's work quickly began to spread and arrived in the United States in 1845 with the founding of what is now the Council of the United States in St. Louis, MO.

This international organization is made up of lay men and women who are committed to live and grow in their faith through prayer and personal involvement in charitable works. It has spread to more than 130 nations, with more than 900,000 members worldwide.

Our world-wide mission is to help the needy in countless ways, primarily through one-on-one contact of volunteers with children, families and the homeless. We accomplish this mission through parish- and community-based groups called Conferences and through special projects conducted at the Council level.