Who We Are
Our Mission
We are 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.
Members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (or “Vincentians”) are men and women who strive to grow spiritually by offering person-to-person service to individuals in need. We are young and old, women and men working full time or retired, with roots from all over the world.
Organized locally, Vincentians witness God’s love by embracing all works of charity and justice. The Society collaborates with other people of good will in relieving need and addressing its causes, making no distinction in those served 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 their personal holiness through works of charity. In this essential way, the Society differs from charitable associations or agencies whose principal objective is not the spiritual advancement of their members but the doing of good for someone else.
We are blessed to be part of such a long-standing Conference presence at St. Paul the Apostle Church. Our brothers and sisters in need don’t necessarily fit neatly into the services offered by other charities. The SVdP Conference provides a person-to-person service with those who are suffering. In them, and all who we encounter, we strive to see the face of Christ.
Currently with COVID-19 curtailing our opportunities for outreach, we are creatively exploring ways to make such outreach happen, but in a very safe way.
Five Vincentian Virtues
Simplicity
Humility
Selflessness (Mortification)
Gentleness
Zeal
Our History
The Church of St. Paul the Apostle (SPA) was established in 1858 by Servant of God, Isaac Hecker who at the time, was 39 years old.
The St. Vincent de Paul Conference at St. Paul the Apostle Church, NYC was founded on December 15th, 1867 and aggregated on July 6th, 1868. It was the 26th conference to be started in New York City. The SVdP Conference’s presence has been engrained at St. Paul the Apostle Church since it began, only 9 short years following the first Masses held by the Congregation of St. Paul (Paulists).
St. Vincent de Paul (1581-1660) 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 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. He is the patron saint of charitable societies.
The Society’s nearly 100,000 trained volunteers in the United States provided 12.5 million hours of volunteer service in 2018, helping more than 5.4 million people through visits to homes, prisons and hospitals at a value of more than $1.1 billion.
During Pope Francis’ recent visit, he reached Christians and non-Christians alike with his message of helping others. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul has been putting these words into practice for more than 170 years in the U.S. (400 years internationally).