St. Vincent de Paul

“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.”

A world-wide Catholic lay organization that addresses the two great commandments: love of God and love of neighbor.

Mission Statement: A network of friends, inspired by Gospel values, growing in holiness and building a more just world through personal relationships with and service to people in need.

Who We Are

In the tradition of its founder, Blessed Frédéric Ozanam, and patron, St. Vincent de Paul, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a Catholic lay organization inspired by Gospel values. We join together to grow spiritually by offering person-to-person service to neighbors in need.

As a reflection of the whole family of God, members, known as Vincentians, come together from every age, every race, and every income level, who share our blessings of time, talent, and treasure with those who need help and hope. Organized locally, Vincentians witness God’s love by embracing all works of charity and justice. We make no distinction in those we serve because, in them, Vincentians see the face of Christ.

How Does the Society Differ From Other Charities?

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is composed of women and men who seek personal holiness through works of charity. In this essential way, the Society differs from organizations whose principal objective is not the spiritual advancement of their members but the doing of good for someone else.

We don’t provide transactions; we create and nurture relationships.

The Society’s mission is clear: our ministry is a means for acquiring holiness.

Joining the Society of St. Vincent do Paul leads you on a journey toward holiness, because being a Vincentian is a vocation – a calling to serve God in His poor. It is an opportunity to put faith into action in a practical way, and in a spiritual context. Unlike social service agencies, the Society is not simply a material service provider. We should cherish our spirituality and do all we can through prayer, reading Scripture, and most importantly, participating in the celebration of the Eucharist, in order to nurture it.

The Essential Elements

Spirituality.

Vincentians are called to journey towards holiness, because true holiness is perfect union with Christ and the perfection of love, which is central to their vocation and the source of its fruitfulness. They aspire to burn with love of God as revealed by Christ and to deepen their own faith and fidelity. (Rule 2.2)

Friendship.

Conference meetings are privileged occasions during which members manifest Christ’s love to one another…the Conference meets less to conduct business than to celebrate and deepen its unity for essentially spiritual reasons. (Manual p.21)

Service.

Reverence for the Poor: Vincentians serve the poor cheerfully, listening to them and respecting their wishes, helping them to feel and recover their own dignity, for we are all created in God’s image. In the poor, they see the suffering Christ. (Rule 1.8)

The Society of We're All in This Together

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul harnesses the power of community and partnerships to feed, clothe, house and heal individuals and families in our community who have nowhere else to turn for help. As important, SVdP provides meaningful opportunities for volunteers to serve their neighbors in need with love and compassion.

Membership

Full member must be Catholic, participates regularly in Conference meetings, participates regularly in the life and works of the Conference& has completed the Ozanam Formation Experience.

Associate Members are individuals who sincerely and publicly accept the Society’s Rule but may or may not belong to the Catholic Church, may or may not attend Conference meetings on a regular basis, and may or may not engage in the works of the Society on a regular basis, they are kept informed of the activities of the Society and invited to attend general meetings and to participate in charitable activities.

Officers

President, Bob Giese
Vice Presidents, Pat Muehlenberg and Patty Hafferkamp
Treasurers, Debbie Jensen and Dean Pierce
Secretaries, Maureen George and Mary Causse