Society of SVDP St. Louis

There are more than 4,300 local conferences of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in the U.S.
Thrift stores are highly visible, but are just one aspect of service to the poor.

Serving Christ, Serving the Poor

There are many stories of how the Society of St. Vincent de Paul helps the poor: through food pantries, shelters for the homeless and abused, emergency financial assistance, disaster relief, and job training. But for every one of these stories – and there are hundreds of thousands every year – there is another story of how an ordinary member of the laity has been equally helped by being of service to the poor.

A man is touched by God’s love, a woman experiences spiritual healing, a young person discovers a joy he hadn’t known before: these are common occurrences for volunteers with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

Like many other worthwhile charities, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul provides food, shelter, clothing and other support to those in need. What makes the Society unique is the spiritual development that is fostered in both giving and receiving help.

Founded as a Catholic lay organization 175 years ago, one of the primary missions of the Society is to encourage spiritual growth through service to others. Volunteers, known as Vincentians, come from every ethnic and cultural background, age group, and economic
level to serve those in need in their own community.

In the U.S., more than 120,000 volunteers work through local conferences, or chapters, which typically are based in parishes. These groups meet regularly, often once a week, for spiritual formation and to address the immediate circumstances of neighbors in need. The hallmark program is home visits, in which the Vincentians visit with people in their own homes and offer one-on-one spiritual support.

The national office, based in St. Louis, and regional councils throughout the U.S. are organized to support the local conferences and provide larger-scale efforts. Perhaps the best known are the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Stores, which provide clothing and household goods for free or at little charge. Many Societies also provide housing and food assistance, disaster relief, employment services, business training, and prison ministries.

Programs are different in each community, as regional and local Societies determine their own needs. In fact, the organization’s motto is, “No work of charity is foreign to the Society.” A guiding principle is expressed in St. Vincent’s own words, “Charity is infinitely inventive.” Although efforts may vary by locale, the Society is united by its shared mission and the inspiration of St. Vincent de Paul’s devotion to the poor.

The changed lives – both of the people served and those who serve – are the living legacy of a young French college student, Frederick Ozanam. Inspired by St. Vincent, he founded the Society in 1833 as a way to actively practice Catholicism and serve the poor. Its connection with the Daughters of Charity began in the earliest days, when Sister Rosalie Rendu, DC, who worked in the Paris slums for decades, provided guidance and direction in working with the poor. Sending members on home visits, the same tradition that continues today, she formed them in the spirit of St. Vincent, teaching them how to serve the poor with respect and compassion.

The organization grew quickly from the very beginning, and is now active in 142 countries and involves over 650,000 laity. U.S. operations began quite early, with the first conference founded in St. Louis at the Basilica of St. Louis, popularly known as “The Old Cathedral,” in 1845. Today, the national offices are still housed in St. Louis.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is arguably the largest member of the Vincentian family. “Anybody living or working in the spirit of St. Vincent
de Paul is part of the Vincentian family,” says Father Jack Melito, CM. He serves as spiritual advisor to the Society in St. Louis. “I’m inspired by the zeal of these Vincentians. Yet, it’s hard to distinguish who serves, and who is served,” he says.

The spiritual formation of members is a focus of the national organization, and specifically, Sister Kieran Kneaves, DC, who is national formation director. “The last line of our mission statement captures everything: ‘in those served…Vincentians see the face of Christ.’ We must prepare and guide our members in the spiritual aspect of the work,” she says.

“St. Vincent told us, ‘The poor look on you as people sent by God to help them. You are therefore intended to represent the goodness of God in the eyes of the poor.’ I’ve seen Vincentians weep with understanding. They knew something kept them coming back. The spiritual grounding in St. Vincent’s vision is very powerful.”

Julie Waters knows this firsthand. She has been involved with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul at Holy Trinity Church in Dallas for seven years, and is currently Conference President as well as a District Council President. “Prior to becoming involved with the Society, I felt the desire to help others,
but I was overwhelmed by the enormity of the task. How could I put food on the table for another family? How could I help pay the rent?” she says.

“The Society of St. Vincent de Paul helped me cross over from ineffective desire to actually being of service. It’s a structured environment, where you act as part of a group of concerned individuals. But it changes you personally.

“To ‘see the face of Christ in the poor’ – that is a life-changing experience. Our world would be a different place if we would see others that way more often.”