Conference members are called Vincentians (non-Catholic members are called Associates). Vincentians help friends in need by referrals. Whenever a church receives a referral or knows of a friend in need in the community, they contact a Vincentian to assist. This assistance may take the form of material goods from the St. Vincent de Paul store, but more commonly it involves home visits to assist their specific needs and determine next steps. Assistance may include, but is not limited to, rent, water, electricity, food, employment, finding transitional housing, transportation, as well as school supplies and winter clothing drives for children. The Vincentians work closely with Leaven and other area services to provide the best care for each friend in need based on the resources available.
Spirituality is one of the most important parts of their training. Vincentians are trained to listen to their friends in need and pray with them before and when they end a visit. They also pray before they enter a friend's home to ask for a compassionate heart.
St. Thomas More's SVDP Conference is always looking for people to help on projects such as the back-to-school program, meals to our parish members in need via our Rosalie Ministry, a possible Christmas float, outreach to released prisoners, collecting items at their workplace needed by our friends in need, other fundraisers and to help raise awareness about the ministries of the St. Vincent de Paul Society.
To become involved, please contact Karen Rickert at jkrickert29@gmail.com
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul was founded in 1833 by Frederic Ozanam, a 20-year-old student of the Sorbonne University in Paris. In answer to a taunt for Catholics to “practice what they preach,” Frederic Ozanam and a group of fellow students started to seek out and visit the poor in their homes, taking them bread and clothes, their friendship and concern. This small group took as their patron the great French priest, St Vincent de Paul (1581 - 1660).
St. Vincent de Paul was founder of the Congregation of the Mission, Daughters of Charity, Confraternities of Charity, and Ladies of Charity. A man of deep faith, keen intellect, and enormous creativity, he has become known as the "The Apostle of Charity" and "Father of the Poor." His contributions to the training of priests and organizing parish missions and other services for the poor shaped our Church's role in the modern world.
St. Louise was a contemporary of St. Vincent and she was inspired and directed by Vincent's spiritual leadership. She was Vincent's collaborator in founding the Daughters of Charity and organizing hospitals for the sick poor, asylums for the orphaned, workshops for the unemployed, championing literacy for the uneducated, and establishing standards for local charities. Louise was a wife, mother, teacher, nurse, social worker and religious foundress.
Sr. Rosalie Rendu, a Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, is recognized as a co-founder of the Society of St Vincent de Paul. She mentored the founding members of the Society in the spirit and heritage of St. Vincent de Paul and St. Louise de Marillac.
Sr. Rosalie always recommended patience, mercy and courtesy. She taught Frederic Ozanam and the first members of the Society how to make home visits and how to see Jesus in the poor. She gave them families to visit and advice on the Vincentian way to go to them: with respect and compassion. Sr. Rosalie Rendu was beatified in Rome in 2003 by Pope John Paul II. All Vincentians celebrate this beautiful model of love for the poor. (SOURCE: THE MANUAL)