Life may be difficult. That is why we are here: to provide assistance and hope to their struggling neighbours at a time when they are most in need.
For some, it is a one-time need. Others are still receiving aid. They do everything they can to make a difference, pulling inspiration from their past as well as their ideas, beliefs, and foundational principles.
They are a community of neighbours inspired by Gospel ideals which are developing in holiness and creating a more just world through personal connections with and service to those in need.
Their Mission
The St. Vincent de Paul Society is a lay Catholic organization dedicated to living the gospel message by serving Christ in the poor with love, respect, justice, hope, and joy and working toward a more just and compassionate society.
Their Vision and Goals
The Society strives to be known as a loving Catholic charity that extends “a helping hand” to those in need. They accomplish this by respecting their dignity, sharing our optimism, and encouraging them to take charge of their fate.
An Australia reshaped by compassion and founded on fairness. The Society advocates for several crucial social justice problems, including homelessness, poverty, and asylum seekers.
What types of things does St. Vincent de Paul accept?
Here’s a rundown of the essentials:
- Books, records, DVDs, CDs, and baby items Clothing, clean, valuable furnishings
- Household products, Household decorations, Jewelry, Kitchen utensils
- Paper products, personal hygiene products, sheets and blankets, and shoes
- Sporting items, bicycles, toys, and tools are small appliances.
5 Interesting Facts About the Life of Saint Vincent de Paul
1. Vincent de Paul DID NOT establish the Society of St. Vincent de Paul
More than 150 years after St. Vincent’s death, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul was created. Frederic Ozanam named the Society after St. Vincent de Paul when he formed it. Ozanam was a follower of St. Vincent de Paul, the patron saint of charitable organizations.
He based the Society on his appeal to “see Christ in the impoverished and be Christ to the poor.” The Society of St. Vincent de Paul members celebrates his life and legacy.
Also Read: Salvation Army Colorado Springs
2. In his day, St. Vincent de Paul was a legend.
With time, Vincent understood that his youthful follies, particularly his fixation on fortune and celebrity, had been caused by a lack of trust.
As a response, he established the Vincentians, an order of priests who received extensive training and committed to devote their lives to the spiritual and practical needs of the poor. Later, he co-founded the Sisters of Charity with Louise de Marillac.
He soon expanded his activities, establishing hospitals, orphanages, and homes for the mentally sick.
He also spent his final years aiding convicts and enslaved people, telling his message of hope as a formerly enslaved person.
In his day, he was well-known across Europe. On September 27, 1660, he died and was canonized in 1737.
3. St. Vincent de Paul was a well-known social activist.
Vincent eventually escaped from Africa and went to work for a church in rural France. The poverty he discovered there astounded him—it was not unusual for people who couldn’t find a job in his rural region to starve to death.
He began to assess his resources, and his previous relationships with the affluent and influential drove him to seek financial aid from them.
He met with wealthy friends and urged them to form groups from home to house demanding furniture, food, and clothing.
They were so effective that other parishes began to seek him out to discover how they, too, might organize in the same way. Soon, churches around France employed the same methods Vincent had devised to assist their needy neighbours.
4. St. Pirates had kidnapped Vincent de Paul.
Vincent was coming home by boat following a vacation in 1605. He had been on his way to sell some land he had inherited from a wealthy client.
Pirates kidnapped him while travelling and taken to Tunis, Northern Africa. He was sold into slavery and lived as an enslaved person for two years.
During this time, he prayed to God, promising Him that if his life were spared and set free, he would spend the rest of his life serving the needy.
5. St. Vincent de Paul spent the first 20 years of his life searching for fame and fortune.
In 1580, Vincent de Paul was born in France to a peasant family. Despite his subsequent prominence for his commitment to the underprivileged, his early life was devoted to seeking to escape his modest beginnings.
His family supported his goal, expecting that a career in the clergy would improve the family’s financial situation.
On one occasion, while still at the seminary, he refused to see his father, who had come to see him, because he was embarrassed by his father’s unkempt look.
Vincent was ordained as a priest at the age of 19, and he spent most of his early ministry socializing with members of the elite. He was well-liked for his charisma, intelligence, and sense of humour.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO HOLD A CLOTHING AND HOUSEHOLD ITEMS DRIVE?
You may arrange for a St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store van to take up things leftover from a garage sale or even your clothing/household products drive. Your company, parish, or special event is the ideal setting for a campaign to benefit neighbours in need.
Volunteering With St. Vincent de Paul
The Society of St. The Mission Statement of Vincent de Paul is “a network of friends inspired by Gospel ideas, growing in holiness and promoting a more equitable society through personal contacts with and help to those in need.”
As a result, volunteerism is at the core of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and our efforts to assist neighbours in need.
The National Council provides training, education, spiritual development, and financial assistance to Vincentians across the United States as they aid millions of our most needy neighbours.
