St Vincent de Paul | stmaryflorence

"People Helping People"

Call St. Vincent de Paul Conference for assistance with basic needs: Helpline: (715) 528-2030 Fax: (715) 528-2024

PO Box 62

Florence, WI 54121

INVITATION TO SERVE

St. Vincent de Paul Society

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is an international association of Catholic lay people engaging systematically in personal service of the poor. The Society was founded in 1833 in France. Eight young college students, led by Frederick Ozanam, formed themselves into a Conference of Charity. They chose St. Vincent de Paul as their patron saint and later adopted the name of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. It was settled that the work of the society should be the service of God in the persons of the poor, whom the members were to visit at their own dwellings and assist by every means in their power. The service of the members was to embrace, without distinction of creed or race, the poor, the sick, the infirm, and the unemployed. It is noteworthy that, at the first Vincentian meeting, it was clearly stated that “the service of the poor ought to consist not merely the doling out of alms”. In outlining the activities of the society, the founders had an eye to the future needs of human kind, and dictated that “no work of charity should be regarded as foreign to the Society, although its special object is to visit poor families”. The conference is the foundational unit of the society and it is an integral part of the parish organization. The conference exists only with the approval of the pastor.

Please prayerfully consider becoming an active member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

HOME VISITS

From the St. Vincent de Paul Society’s beginning, the main activity of Conferences (Conferences are the most basic unit of the Society and an integral part of the parish) has been the visitation of the needy in their homes. This dictates the highest respect for the dignity of the poor. It symbolizes our Vincentian commitment to reach out to the needy, rather than require them to report to an outside service site. In the home, Vincentians are asked to listen, offer humble advice and render assistance.

Vincentians always visit in pairs. This precedent was set by Christ Himself when He sent out the Apostles two by two.

WHY DO WE DO HOME VISITS?

To see the face of Christ in the face of those in need
To give those in need the opportunity to see the face of Christ in us
To become friends of those in need by sharing ourselves
To maintain the dignity of those in need
To expedite assistance to those in need
To better understand the real situation
To better protect the privacy of those in need

Please prayerfully consider becoming a home-visitor/active member of the St. Vincent de Paul Conference.

THE ST. VINCENT de PAUL CONFERENCE is an independent, voluntary apostolate organized by lay people who want to serve God by serving His poor; however, the Society cannot start a Conference without the Pastor’s permission. The Society exists and operates in the parish only with the permission of the Pastor. When our conference was created, it was asking that it be given the primary responsibility for taking care of those who were in need locally. The Conference needs the parish as its primary source of new members. Please prayerfully consider becoming a member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Plan on staying after Mass on Sunday, July 30th, for a “Come and See” Social to find out more about being a Vincentian.

INSPIRED BY GOSPEL VALUES, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, a Catholic lay organization, leads women and men to join together to grow spiritually by offering person-to-person service to those who are needy and suffering. Our core values:

· We are called to HOLINESS OF LIFE

· We are called to SERVICE OF THE POOR

· We are called to live in HUMILITY

· We are called to live in SIMPLICITY

· We are called to live in CHARITY AND JUSTICE

· We are called to live in FRIENDSHIP