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The Society of St. Vincent de Paul
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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 the needy and suffering in the
tradition of its founder, Blessed Frederic Ozanam, and patron, St. Vincent de Paul.
As a reflection of the whole family of God, members who are known as Vincentians are drawn from every ethnic
and cultural background, age group and economic level. Vincentians are united in an international society of
charity by their spirit of poverty, humility and sharing, which is nourished by prayer and reflection, mutually
supportive gatherings and adherence to a basic rule.
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Organized locally, Vincentians witness God's love by embracing all works of charity and justice. The
Society collaborates with other people of good will in relieving need and addressing its causes, making no
distinction in those services, because in them, Vincentians see the face of Christ.
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Vincentian Meditation:
Above all, be very gentle and courteous toward your poor. You know that they are our
masters and that we must love them tenderly and respect them deeply. It is not enough for these
maxims to be in our minds: we must bear witness to them by our gentle and charitable care.
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Vincentians visit 75 to 100 families each month. The Society pays a part of electricity, water, gas,
rent, medication and other expenses, as well as taking them emergency supplies of food, providing the
pastoral office with sack lunches for the homeless that present themselves and providing the pastoral
office with gas vouchers to give persons in transit. The Vincentians also provide the names of up to 150
families each year for parishioners to sponsor for Christmas.
We are approximately 70 members.
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If you are interested in joining the St. Cecilia Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul or if you would
like more information, contact the St. Vincent de Paul Office at 713-468-1185.
To find out more information about our Diocesan program, see www.svdphouston.org
You can also view our national web site at www.svdpusa.org.
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