St. Vincent de Paul Society
360-293-9821
Please bring can goods for SVDP
to Church on
the last weekend of the month
What is the St. Vincent de Paul Society?
Members of the Society of St.Vincent de Paul (or
"Vincentians" ) are men and women who strive to grow spiritually by
offering person-to-person service to individuals in need. We are young and
old. Our members come in every shade of skin color. Some of us are
wealthy, some are financially poor, but all of us are blessed with an awareness
that our blessings (time, talent or treasure) are to be shared with our
brothers and sisters in need.
We know that we are not alone. We are part of an international society of
friends united by a spirit of poverty, humility, and sharing, which is
nourished by prayer and reflection, mutually supportive gatherings, and
adherence to a basic Rule.Energized by the awareness that service to our
brother or sister in need is in fact an encounter with our Lord Jesus Christ,
members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul are keenly aware that poverty,
suffering and loneliness are present for millions in our communities. For
that reason, we collaborate with all who seek to relieve need and address its
causes.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul offers tangible assistance to those in need
on a person-to-person basis. It is this personalized involvement that makes the
work of the Society unique. This aid may take the form of intervention, consultation,
or often through direct dollar or in-kind service. An essential precept of the
Society's work is to provide help while conscientiously maintaining the
confidentiality and dignity of those who are served. The Society recognizes
that it must assume, also, a role of advocacy for those who are defenseless or
voiceless. Some 12 million persons are helped annually by Vincentians in the
United States.
The list of services of the Society of St. Vincent de
Paul in the United States is endless. No work of charity is foreign to the
Society. To quote our patron, St. Vincent de Paul: "Charity is infinitely
inventive."
