History of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul
Frédéric Ozanam left his home in Lyon, France, in the autumn of 1831, for Paris. He registered in the School of Law at the Sorbonne, University of Paris.
Frédéric collaborated with Mr. Emmanuel Bailly, editor of the Tribune Catholique, in reviving a student organization which had been suspended during the revolutionary activity of July 1830. They called their new association “The Conference of History.” The group met on Saturdays to discuss various topics, everything but polititcs.
At one of their meetings, a student challenged Frédéric and the practicing Catholics. He admitted that the Catholic Church had done much good work in the past, but “what do you do now?”
Frédéric called for a meeting of five of his friends; they agreed to meet at Mr. Bailly’s office. The date was April 23, 1833, Frédéric’s twentieth birthday. Inspired by their words, Frédéric decided to found the “Conference of Charity” to assist the poor. Emmanuel Bailly, the married layman, was chosen by the six students as their first President. In a short time, they changed their name to THE SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL in honor of their patron.
Serving those in need
These five little words “You did it for Me” challenges us to respond to everyone and in every situation the way we would respond to Christ.
Serving Christ’s needy is the first purpose of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. The members of the Society in Contra Costa County have been quietly aiding the poor in the Bay Area since 1964 regardless of race, creed, age or family status.
The homeless family finds shelter, the hungry receive food, the poor are provided the necessary items to lead a dignified life, the newly released woman from prison finds a home with the help she needs to re-enter society.
Vincentians providing these services are witness to God’s love by embracing all works of charity and justice. They collaborate with other people of goodwill in relieving need and addressing its causes, because in them members see the face of Christ.
The Society in the United States
While historians are not certain about some details, there is no doubt that the Society of St. Vincent de Paul was established in St. Louis, Missouri at the Basilica of St. Louis, King of France, popularly called “The Old Cathedral,” in 1845.
Father John Timon, CM, an American Vincentian priest from Pennsylvania, and later Bishop of Buffalo, New York, was the one who brought copies of the Rule of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul back from Dublin, Ireland, to St. Louis. Timon talked to various people about the Society and its wonderful work with the poor.
Bishop Peter Richard Kenrick, successor of the first Bishop of St. Louis, Joseph Rosati, CM, asked Father Ambrose Heim to establish the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and be its Spiritual Advisor. Father Heim was known by all for his extraordinary zeal and ministry with the poor. He became known as “The Priest of the Poor.”
The first meeting of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in the United States was held on November 20, 1845, only twelve years after its foundation in Paris. Nineteen of the most prominent Catholic layment of St. Louis attended. Dr. Moses Linton was elected President, Bryan Mullanphy, Vice President, Dennis Galvin, Second Vice President, James Maguire Jr., Secretary, Patrick Ryder, Treasurer, and Fr. Ambrose Heim, Spiritual Advisor. The Conference was aggregated (formally recognized) by the Society’s International Council in Paris on February 2, 1846.
Our Mission: What We Do
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 the needy and suffering in the tradition of its founder, Frederic Ozanam, and patron Saint Vincent de Paul.
As a reflection of the whole family of God, Members are drawn from every ethnic and cultural background, age group, and economic level. They are united in an international society of charity by their spirit of poverty, humility and sharing, which is nourished by prayer and reflection, mutually supportive gatherings and adherence to a basic rule.
Organized locally, Members witness God´s love by embracing all works of charity and justice. The society collaborates with other people of good will in relieving need and addressing its causes, because in them Members see the face of Christ.
Vincentians are witness to God’s love by embracing all works of charity and justice.
The primary role of the Vincentian is not to pay the bills, furnish groceries, or clothe someone. The role of the Vincentian is to provide loving and compassionate interest in individuals. If that interest calls for food, clothing or other assistance, so be it. However, it is in loving where the contact with Christ emerges. That contact with Christ is what separates the Society of St. Vincent de Paul from just another social agency.
We have created this page to help put all of the information you need in a readily accessible location. Click on any link below to access additional information related to that subject. If you feel we need to add anything, please do not hesitate to call the District Council Office at (925)439-5060.
The Home Visit
“From the beginning of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, the central and most basic activity of Conferences has been the visitation of the needy in the home. This action is the clearest symbol of the Vincentian charism which dictates the highest respect for the dignity of the poor: the visitor becomes the guest and the person being helped is the master. It symbolizes the fact that Vincentians are to reach out to the needy, rather than requiring them to report to an outside service site. It is in the home environment that needy persons feel most free to entrust their stories of struggle to the helper. It is there, in the family setting, that Vincentians are asked to listen, offer humble advice, and render assistance.” -U.S. Manual of SVdP
