Society of Saint Vincent de Paul: Difference between revisions
m Reverted edits by 82.47.179.81 (talk) to last revision by A bit iffy (HG) |
KeineLust90 (talk | contribs) m →United States: Added link to +John Timon, CM's page. |
||
| Line 43: | Line 43: | ||
===United States=== |
===United States=== |
||
The Society’s first Conference in the [[United States]] was established in 1845 in [[St. Louis]], Missouri at the Basilica of St. Louis, King of France, popularly called "The Old Cathedral,".<ref name=NCUS>[http://www.svdpusa.org/About-Us/History "The Beginnings of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul", National Council of the United States Society of St. Vincent de Paul]</ref> Father John Timon, CM, an American Vincentian priest from Pennsylvania, brought copies of the Rule of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul back from Dublin, Ireland. A chapter was founded in 1854 at [[St. Patrick's Catholic Church (Louisville, Kentucky)|St. Patrick's Church]] in [[Louisville, Kentucky]].<ref>Foshee, Hugh B. ''[http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NRHP/Text/82002723.pdf National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, Rectory, and School]''. [[National Park Service]], 1980-10-31, 3.</ref> |
The Society’s first Conference in the [[United States]] was established in 1845 in [[St. Louis]], Missouri at the Basilica of St. Louis, King of France, popularly called "The Old Cathedral,".<ref name=NCUS>[http://www.svdpusa.org/About-Us/History "The Beginnings of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul", National Council of the United States Society of St. Vincent de Paul]</ref> Father (later Bishop) [[John Timon|John Timon, CM]], an American Vincentian priest from Pennsylvania, brought copies of the Rule of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul back from Dublin, Ireland. A chapter was founded in 1854 at [[St. Patrick's Catholic Church (Louisville, Kentucky)|St. Patrick's Church]] in [[Louisville, Kentucky]].<ref>Foshee, Hugh B. ''[http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NRHP/Text/82002723.pdf National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, Rectory, and School]''. [[National Park Service]], 1980-10-31, 3.</ref> |
||
===Australia=== |
===Australia=== |
||
Revision as of 10:44, 17 October 2014
 | It has been suggested that St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store be merged into this article. (Discuss) Proposed since September 2014. |
| Founded | 1833 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Frederic Ozanam |
| Focus | Relief of poverty and revenue |
Area served | 148 Countries |
| Website | http://www.ssvpglobal.org/ |
The Society of St Vincent de Paul is an international Catholic voluntary organization dedicated to the sanctification of its members through serving the poor and disadvantaged. Such service has been historically provided by the "home visit".[1]
History
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul was founded in 1833 to serve impoverished people living in the slums of Paris, France. The primary figure behind the society's founding was Blessed Frédéric Ozanam, a French lawyer, author, and professor in the Sorbonne. Frédéric collaborated with Emmanuel Bailly, editor of the Tribune Catholique, in reviving a student organization which had been suspended during the revolutionary activity of July 1830. He was 20 years old when the society was founded.[2] and was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1997. Emmanuel Bailly, a married layman, was chosen as the first President.
The Society took the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Vincent de Paul as its patrons under the influence of Sister Rosalie Rendu, D.C. Sister Rosalie (who was herself beatified in November 2003 by Pope John Paul II) was a member of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, and was well known for her work with people in the slums of Paris. She guided Frédéric and his companions in their approach towards those in need.[3]
The society gradually expanded outside Paris in the mid 19th century and received benefactors in places such as Tours where figures such as the Venerable Leo Dupont, known as the Holy Man of Tours, became contributors.[4]
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is part of the Vincentian Family which also includes the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentian priests and brothers, also founded by St. Vincent de Paul), Daughters of Charity, Ladies of Charity (organization of lay women who help the poor, founded by St. Vincent de Paul), Sisters of Charity in the Setonian tradition, and several others, including some religious groups that are part of the Anglican Communion, like the Company of Mission Priests.[3]
England and Wales
It was (Servant of God) Father Ignatius Spencer who first brought to the attention of Catholics in England and Wales the Society of St Vincent de Paul. On a number of visits to Paris he had met members of the original conference and had been impressed with their commitment to the poor. In September of 1842 he received a visit from Monsieur Baudon who later became the Society's President- General in 1847. The purpose of Monsieur Baudon's visit was to try and create interest in the SVP and he was successful in persuading Father Spencer to write an account of the Society and its work in the Catholic Magazine. Little interest was shown at first but on the 29 January 1844, M. Pagliano, a London restaurant keeper who was a recent convert to the Catholic Faith, managed to gather 13 Catholic men together in London and the first English Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul was founded.[5]
Early initiatives included the formation of the Catholic Shoe Black Brigade, providing boys with gainful employment and the home that was the start of “the Rescue Society” which under various names is still responsible for children in care in many dioceses.[6]
United States
The Society’s first Conference in the United States was established in 1845 in St. Louis, Missouri at the Basilica of St. Louis, King of France, popularly called "The Old Cathedral,".[7] Father (later Bishop) John Timon, CM, an American Vincentian priest from Pennsylvania, brought copies of the Rule of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul back from Dublin, Ireland. A chapter was founded in 1854 at St. Patrick's Church in Louisville, Kentucky.[8]
Australia
Father Gerald Ward was born in London 1806 and arrived in Australia on 7 September 1850 after being recruited to work in the Melbourne mission by the pioneer priest Fr Patrick Geoghegan. Fr Ward knew of the workings of the St Vincent de Paul Society and initiated its establishment in Australia on 5 March 1854 after witnessing the plight of people following the discovery of gold in Victoria. Fr Ward became the first president of the St Francis' Conference in Melbourne and began to address the problems he witnessed. One of his accomplishments was establishing the St Vincent de Paul orphanage in South Melbourne.[9]
Scotland
Charles Gordon O'Neill was born in Glasgow in 1828. He graduated as a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers. Upon graduation he had joined the Society of St Vincent de Paul. He was secretary at Dumbarton in 1851. He led the St Vincent de Paul Society in the Western Districts of Scotland between 1859 and 1863.[9] By 1863 was president of the Superior Council of Glasgow and a member of the Council General in Paris.[10]
Today
The Society numbers about 720,000 members in some 139 countries worldwide, whose members operate through "conferences". A conference may be based out of a church, community center, school, hospital, etc., and is composed of Catholic volunteers who dedicate their time and resources to help those in need in their community. Non-Catholics may join with the understanding that the society is a Catholic organization. Following the changes in the new Code of Canon Law of 1983, the Society is one of many private lay associations under the auspices of the Pontifical Council for the Laity.
United Kingdom
Today there are more than 10,000 members in more than 1,000 Conferences in England and Wales, making more than 500,000 recorded visits to more than 100,000 people. It is estimated that this amounts to well over one million hours of voluntary service.[6]
United States
Membership in the United States totals more than 172,000 in 4,600 communities. The national headquarters is in St. Louis. Programs include home visits, housing assistance, disaster relief, job training and placement, food pantries, dining halls, clothing, transportation and utility costs, care for the elderly and medicine. The Society in the United States provides more than $675 million in tangible and in-kind services, serves more than 14 million people in need each year, performs more than 648,000 visits to people in their homes, and delivers more than 7 million service hours to those in need.
Australia
In Australia, the society has engaged over 40,000 members and has many more volunteers. 'Vinnies Youth', the youth membership of the Society in Australia, engage young people from the age of 10 to 30 in the society's many works throughout the country. For example, awareness raising activities, such as the CEO Sleepout, which aims to raise awareness of the plight of the homeless.[11]
India
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul came to Mumbai in 1862, when the Conference of Our Lady of Hope, Bhuleshwar, was established by Fr. Leo Meurin, S.J. (later Bishop Meurin of Bombay) in the Cathedral there. With the closure of the Cathedral in 1942, the Conference was transferred to the Church of Our Lady of Health, Cavel. The second Conference, the Conference of St. Teresa, Girgaum was established in 1862 in Mumbai by Fr. Meurin. Early in 1863 he established four more conferences in Mumbai, namely, the Conferences of St. Peter, Bandra, St. Joseph, Umerkhadi, Our Lady of Victories, Mahim and St. Anne, Mazagaon.[12]
Kerala
St Vincent De Paul Society is very active in the southern part of India especially in Kerala. The Syro-Malabar Catholic Church is playing an important role in St Vincent De Paul Society works.
See also
Notes
- ^ The Encyclopedia Americana, Volume 25, 1951 page 206
- ^ Herbert Hewitt Stroup, 1985 Social welfare pioneers Rowman and Littlefield ISBN 0-88229-212-9 page 185
- ^ a b "Society of Saint Vincent de Paul", Vincentian Encyclopedia
- ^ Joan Carroll Cruz, OCDS, "Saintly Men of Modern Times" (2003) ISBN 1-931709-77-7 page 195
- ^ "Other Key Vincentian Figures", St. Vincent de Paul Society, England and Wales
- ^ a b "Growth of the Society in England & Wales", St. Vincent de Paul Society, England and Wales
- ^ "The Beginnings of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul", National Council of the United States Society of St. Vincent de Paul
- ^ Foshee, Hugh B. National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, Rectory, and School. National Park Service, 1980-10-31, 3.
- ^ a b "History", St. Vincent de Paul Society - Australia
- ^ Foley, C,J,. 'O'Neill, Charles Gordon (1828–1900)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University,published in hardcopy 1974, accessed online 18 September 2014
- ^ Schenkel, Gerd (3 June 2011). "Could you sleep outside tonight?". Blog (in Australian). Retrieved 8 June 2011.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ^ http://www.ssvpindia.org/news_bulletin-5.htm S.V.P. completes 150 years in India