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For over 50 years the Society of St. Vincent de Paul has brought hope into the lives of those who are experiencing life crises throughout North Texas.
Vincentians bring the love of God and the compassion of Jesus to the poor and suffering in the spirit of their founder Fredric Ozanam,
and their patron, St. Vincent de Paul.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is one of the oldest charitable organizations in the world, founded in 1833 in France by seven students including
Frederic Ozanam. The young Frederic, a Catholic, wanted to help the poor of all religions during the industrial revolution. He also wanted to improve
the lives of his peers by urging them to perform works of charity rather than simply talk about what should be done to help the needy.
Our members, called Vincentians, continually strive to promote the dignity of the people
they serve while helping alleviate their suffering and distress and working to help correct conditions
that cause these problems. To obtain more information from a global perspective,
please visit the Society's International website at www.ozanet.org.
[SVDP History]
Now beatified, Blessed Frederic founded the Society in the name of St. Vincent de Paul, a French priest from the late
16th and early 17th centuries who alerted the people of his day to many of society's ills.
Along with several friends, Frederic visited the poor in their homes, helping them whenever possible by sharing whatever
food and other necessities were available for them to give. More importantly, the young men provided food
for the spirit through their many acts of kindness and friendship.
The Society's work quickly began to spread and arrived in the United States in 1845 with the founding of what is now
the Council of the United States in St. Louis, MO.
This international organization is made up of lay Catholic men and women who are committed to live and grow in their
Christian faith through prayer and personal involvement in charitable works. It has spread to more than 130 nations,
with more than 900,000 members worldwide.
Our world-wide mission is to help the needy in countless ways, primarily through one-on-one contact of volunteers with
children, families and the homeless. We accomplish this mission through parish- and community-based groups called
Conferences and through special projects conducted at the Council level.
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