History & Organization

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a lay Catholic charity that began in 1833 in Paris, France, when Frédéric Ozanam and a group of fellow Catholic students decided to serve the poor in their city. Ozanam was a French lawyer, writer and teacher who cared deeply about social justice and the dignity of people living in poverty. He chose to name the new Society after St. Vincent de Paul, a priest from the 1600s who dedicated his life to helping those most in need and became known as the Great Apostle of Charity for his compassion and generosity.

Over time, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul grew beyond France and spread to many other countries. Today, it serves people in more than 150 territories around the world and continues to follow the example of Ozanam and St. Vincent in practical, person‑to‑person charity. In recognition of his life and work, the Church beatified Frédéric Ozanam in 1997.

Members of the Society are called Vincentians, and they live out the mission of the Society by meeting Christ in people who are poor, and by serving them with love, respect, justice and joy.