St. Vincent de Paul

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is an international Catholic organization of laypersons founded in 1833 by Frederic Ozanam and colleagues. Placed under the patronage of St. Vincent de Paul, the Society continues to derive inspiration from his thinking and work. The Society originated in Paris where Frederic and five other university students were spurred by the challenges of their own classmates. They walked the streets of Paris, engaging in person-to-person ministry to the poor, confident that Christ would be revealed through their loving acts. The tiny group eventually grew into today's international organization with members in 150 countries, all helping others through neighborhood ministry.