St Vincent the Paul Society
THE PAST
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 challenge for Christians to "Practice what they preach," Frederic Ozanam and a group of fellow students started to seek out and visit the poor of Paris in their homes, taking them bread and clothes, their friendship and their concern. This small group took as their Patron the Great French Priest, who alerted the world to social problems, St. Vincent -de Paul.
Similar groups began in Paris, then in the rest of France and eventually spread throughout the Christian world with the object of visiting, for the love of God, those in need.
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THE PRESENT Today the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (known as the SVDP) is a worldwide lay organization of Catholic men and women, young and old of every race, numbering 880,000 of whom some 60,000 are in the United States. The members meet in Parish and District groups in order to help in a personal way those in need. There is no need which is outside the concern of the Society Be it sickness or disability, mental or physical, Family problems, social or economic, The loneliness of old age, The alcoholic, the drug addict, The grieving, the alienated. The Society supports and operates rehabilitation workshops for the handicapped, free dining services and children's camps, and organizes its own overseas aid - known as twinning. The aim of the SVDP is to bring social justice and the friendship of true charity to all those in need. |
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THE FUTURE No matter how good the Welfare Services provided by the State may be, the work to which the SVDP is called will always be necessary. For it is fundamentally the giving of oneself in friendship to another which can only be a personal encounter. All people search for peace - because of the horrors of street and domestic violence as well as war and ethnic hatred worldwide. People are also looking for peace within themselves, needing assurance of their worth. The Gospels tell us again and again that true peace is possible only if we live as Christ showed us by His own life. The work of the SVDP is the Gospel message in action I was hungry I was thirsty I was a stranger I was naked I was sick I was in prisonand you cared. |
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WHAT MEMBERSHIP INVOLVES A regular meeting of perhaps an hour's duration At the meeting the "helping" contacts of each member are reported and discussed, necessary action is taken, and plans for any follow-up are agreed upon. The business of the meeting is strictly confidential The meeting has always been considered essential to the spirit of the Society. It ensures efficiency and perseverance in our-work and binds the members together in a bond of friendship. Weekly visiting This is usually done in the company of another member. A "secret" collection Members contribute whatever they feel they can afford - their own share in financing the group. Short Prayers are said before and after the meeting to remind members that the motive for their work is the love of God. |
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AN INVITATION The SVDP is easy to join There is no initiation procedure. No special qualifications are required other than the desire to join with others to help those in need for the love of God. Christians have an obligation to serve others This service can be done as an individual, but is often better accomplished by being a member of a Society which provides a wide range of opportunities. If the Society of St. Vincent de Paul appeals to you and you want to learn more about it Contact the local Society headquarters, whose address appears below: St. James Catholic Church 1314 Newport Street Denver,CO 80220 REVISED OCTOBER 2002 |
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I wish I could help . . If you have said these words to yourself - you can, whatever your age, whatever your skill. All we ask is a few hours of your time. AN INTRODUCTION AND AN INVITATION |
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