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THE SOCIÉTY OF SAINT-VINCENT DE PAUL
HISTORY, ORIGINS AND DEVELOPMENT, PRESENCE IN THE WORLD
Ozanam Desk
From the Conference of History to the Conference of Charity
The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul was created in Paris by a group of Catholic students, called the Conference of History, led by Emmanuel Bailly, founder of the Catholic Tribune and colleague of Félicité Robert de Lammenais.
During this period, just after the revolution of July 1830, the conflict of ideas was lively. Bailly brought together some Christian students to explore questions of history, law, literature and philosophy. Among them was a young law student from Lyons, Frédéric Ozanam.
At this time, at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in France, Ozanam believed fervently in the deep convergence between the Gospel, the 1789 declaration of the Rights of Man and the principles of “Liberty, Equality and Fraternity.”
The discussions were sometimes stormy. One day, a student, praising the scepticism of Lord Byron, objected: "Christianity has done wonders in the past; but now it is dead! You, who boast of being Catholics, what do you do? What are your activities, activities which prove your faith and which might persuade us to adapt it?.”
Impressed by this opposing viewpoint, Ozanam and a few friends reflected: "Let us not speak so much of charity - let us rather do it and let us help the poor! " Auguste le Taillandier, one of the group, suggested they combine as Christians, not just to speak but to act, namely to found a Conference of Charity. He proposed this thought of his to Emmanuel Bailly and, through him, to depute Frédéric Ozanam to promote the idea of founding an undertaking for the young which would embody the ideal of charity by visiting the poor.
Bailly approved their idea, giving them as a meeting place, the editorial office of the Catholic Tribune while also agreeing to lead the new group.
Birth of the Society of Saint-Vincent de Paul
The first meeting took place at 38 Rue de Saint Sulpice on 23 April 1833, the Feast of Saint George, at eight o'clock in the evening, comprising by order of age :
- Emmanuel Bailly, 42
- Paul Lamache, 23, second year law student, doctor's son.
- Félix Clavé, 22, student, teacher's son.
- Auguste le Taillandier, 22, second year law student, merchant's son.
- Jules Davaux, 22, second year law student, doctor's son.
- François Lallier, 20, second year law student, doctor's son.
- Frédéric Ozanam, 20, second year law student, doctor's son.
Emmanuel Bailly headed the group with Jules Devaux as treasurer.
The principle of a weekly meeting was laid down and the fundamental activity of visiting the poor in their abodes was agreed.
The group placed itself under the patronage of Saint Vincent de Paul and under the protection of the Virgin Mary.
The team approached and became in close touch with a Daughter of Charity, Sister Rosalie Rendu who organized the distribution of needs from the office of Charity in the area under the Rue Mouffetard, then in the XII municipal district of Paris.
The collaboration continued and certain members of the first Conference, established at Saint Sulpice, obtained the singularly official title of " Charity Commissioner " on 1 February 1834.
Astronomic growth
Frédéric Ozanam wrote of 24 July 1834 to one of his cousins: " I would like to see all young people, with head and heart, unite for some charitable work and that a vast, generous association for the relief of the working classes be formed. "His wish was not long in being realized: from November to December of the same year, the group comprised more than a hundred members. It became necessary to split up, not without hesitation and regret. Two sections were established on 24 January 1835, Ozanam becoming vice president of the first. The provinces followed: the students leaving after their studies, founded Conferences in Nimes on 10 February 1835, at Lyons on 16 August 1836, followed by Rennes, Nantes and so on. The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul was evidently growing. Faced with this growth, it was necessary to be organized. The first Rule, the general lines of which were written by Bailly and the articles by Lallier, was promulgated on 8 December 1835, Feast of the Immaculate Conception.
After the provinces, the contagion crossed the frontiers:
- 1842 Rome
- 1843 Belgium, Scotland, Ireland
- 1844 England
- 1846 Germany, Holland, Greece, Turkey, the U.S. of America, Mexico
- 1847 Switzerland, Canada
- 1850 Austria, Spain
It became urgent to create a Council of Direction which took the name of General Council, and which has been kept ever since. The Bulletin of the Society, which was to form the link between members, began in 1848. Thus, the wish of Ozanam came to pass: " I would like to envelope the whole world within a ring of charity.”
Twenty seven years after its foundation, the Society could count, worldwide, around 2500 Conferences and 50,000 members. Its budget represented about four million French francs at the time. In 1913, 8,000 Conferences, 133,000 members, fifteen million French francs. There were thirty three countries represented during the 1933 centenary of the Society, 12,000 Conferences and around 200,000 members throughout the world. In 1983, the 150th anniversary, there were 38,000 Conferences and 750,000 members.
Men and women, the young and not so young
It is certain, that given the Society was initially founded by young students, Bailly excepted, its composition and the pyramid of ages have evolved over the years, and its members are now recruited from the most divergent backgrounds and age groups.
Initially, women were almost entirely absent from the Universities and did not, consequently, participate in the Society's creation. Nevertheless, despite the existence of the Dames de Charité founded by Saint Vincent de Paul himself and those of Louise de Marillac for young girls, they wished to join the Society and adhere to the Rules fixed by the founders. It was much more natural that the wives of Confreres should help their husbands when the situation of those being visited made the presence of a man a shade indelicate.
The mixing of the sexes at the time was a long way from being customary. This is why in 1856, a branch for lady members of the Society was formed in Bologna. The times having changed, and the constant presence of the young is certainly not considered strange, the two branches were merged on 20 October 1967, at the time of the International Assembly in Paris, sanctioning a factual situation which witnessed men and women sharing the same ideal and the same meetings.
It was in the same spirit that the merger took place on 15 March 1969 in France of the Society and the Movement of the Louise de Marillac. This movement was launched in 1909, encouraged by the Abbé Lenet, priest in charge of Saint Nicolas du Chardonnet, Paris, as an auxiliary of the Dames de la Charité.
Whither now?
The Society has undergone many trials, revolutions, wars and natural disasters. From 1861 to 1870, the circular Persigny, prescribing the dissolution of Councils implied the placing in obeisance of the Society in France. The world conflict of 1939-1945 was murderous, leading to the disappearance of many Conferences. The Society has been exposed to anti-Christian ideologies which have forced Confreres in some countries to cancel their meetings, which have been considered subversive while they and their work became clandestine.
Their ideal, however, has been preserved which news reaching the General Council can confirm. Sadly, the Council cannot restore these suffering brethren to working order. Let us not lose sight, regardless, that this situation persists in various places.
The changes which have taken place in the last few years in Eastern Europe and elsewhere, have led to the Conferences in those parts of the world blossoming and their growth continues.
Nowadays, the Society of Saint-Vincent de Paul is present and active in 132 countries in the 5 continents. The distribution shows two thirds of the Conferences to be in developing countries; by this fact and its spirit of brotherly sharing, it is a forerunner in thought and action which favours development with Third World partners.
It can be said that the growth of the Society is in response to the evident needs which vary according to the times and countries. "Faithful to its Founders, it is the Society's constant concern to renew and adapt itself to the changing conditions of the world... no work of charity is strange to the Society. Its work involves all forms of aid by individual contact in order to promote the dignity and integrity of man" (fundamental principles of the Rule of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul.)
Vincentians must endeavour without ceasing to look beyond individual planning - the normal framework of activity - to institutional planning; the enlarged framework for all humanitarian thinking. Simple goodwill is not enough. It must give way to serious beneficial work, lucid, organized and respecting the dignity of others, and capable of aiding the poor to emancipate themselves from their own impoverishment.
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Who we are 
From the Conference of History to the Conference of Charity 
