ABOUT US
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“Let us do without hesitation whatever good lies at our hands.”
Frédéric Ozanam, Society of St. Vincent de Paul FounderInspired 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 those who are in need and suffering in the tradition of its founder, Blessed Frédéric 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.
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 served because, in them, Vincentians see the face of Christ.
HOW WE BEGAN
Responding to the inequality and injustice they saw in their community, a group of Catholic university students in mid 1800s Paris joined together, pooled their funds and began providing direct assistance to those in need around them; they chose the 17th century apostle St. Vincent de Paul, the apostle of charity, as a fitting figurehead for their cause. The founders grounded the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) in the practice of providing direct, person-to-person assistance to those who are suffering and in the principles of kindness, respect and compassion. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Southwest Texas is proud of our history.
OUR WORK IN SOUTHWEST TEXASThe Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Southwest Texas is one of the longest running charities in South Texas serving those in need throughout ten south central Texas counties. For nearly 150 years, we have continued this mission in San Antonio, providing direct assistance to meet critical needs in our community.
Our network of 50 Conference sites- spanning almost 1,400 total square miles- allow our reach to extend across the South Texas community. Our programs (both emergency and long-term) provide food, clothing, household items, furniture, financial aid, school supplies, fans, case management, job training, budget counseling, housing search and placement, disaster recovery, and rent and utility assistance.
Our volunteers provide almost 25,000 hours of service yearly and our Conference program is entirely volunteer run. We have eleven District heads (each one overseeing a group of Conference sites) serves on the SVdP Board of Directors so we are constantly connected to the needs of our conference sites and the people we serve. We are committed to grassroots, culturally appropriate governance consistent with the ideals of our founders.
OUR SERVICES ARE PROVIDED BY AND FOR THE COMMUNITY
The community members we serve are our employees, our volunteers, and our Board Members. Many of these individuals come from under-resourced areas and give generously of their time and talent but are unable to contribute monetarily to the work. Therefore, we rely on the support of individuals, small businesses, corporations, and other partners. We seek this support to meet the essential needs of our community’s most vulnerable residents, enabling them to shift from “next meal” to “next steps.
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HOW DOES SVdP DIFFER FROM OTHER CHARITIES
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is composed of women and men who seek their personal holiness through works of charity. In this essential way, the Society differs from charitable associations or agencies whose principal objective is not the spiritual advancement of their members but the doing of good for someone else.
The Mission Statement is clear: Vincentian ministry is a means for acquiring holiness. The ministry of a Vincentian to those and with those who stand in need is the powerful means that affects holiness of life for the individual Vincentian. Vatican II states that the principal means of holiness for bishops and priests is their ministry. This applies to the laity also, because, in attending to the needy and suffering, a Vincentian is ministering to Jesus Christ himself.