About Us
HISTORY
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul
is an international organization of Catholic lay men and women founded in 1833 by
Frederic Ozanam in Paris, France. The
Society's organizational structure and mission were shaped by its founder and guided
by the patronage of St. Vincent de Paul, Father of the Poor and Apostle of Charity. The Society seeks, in a spirit of justice
and charity, to help all who are suffering.
Key to the Society's active ministry is the person-to-person involvement of its
member volunteers because they see the face of Jesus Christ in the needy persons
whom they serve.
The Society has grown in size where
it now numbers some 800,000 members worldwide and can be found in over 130 countries. Here in the United States, the Society
was established in November, 1845 at the Old Cathedral in St. Louis, Missouri. Current “active” and “associate” membership
is over 80,000 with more than 4000 conferences and comprises the largest Catholic
lay association. Recently the Society
helped over 17 million people in the U.S. And jointly gave more than $417 million
in assistance.
Our members are called “Vincentians”
after
our patron, Saint Vincent de Paul.
DIOCESE
The Orlando Diocese has 26 conferences
with over 400 members. Jointly the
membership provided over 86,000 hours of service and assisted more than 100,000
people.
DIVINE
MERCY CONFERENCE
Here in Merritt Island, at Divine
Mercy Catholic Church, we have about 70 members.
Geographically, our conference administers to all residents of Merritt Island
regardless of ethnicity. In the year 2007 we provided assistance to 1,865
families consisting of 5,862 people. We distributed over 48,000 pounds of food, drove over 14,000 miles, and expended over 5,200 hours of our time.
Nearly
all the work of the Conference is supported by the generosity of our Divine Mercy
parishioners.
MISSION
STATEMENT
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.
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.
PHILOSOPHY
No work of charity is foreign to
the Society. Need, not creed, determines
who is helped, and how.
SPIRITUALITY
One of the essential elements that
defines members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is spirituality.
Spirituality touches on who Vincentians are rather on what they do.
As no form of charity is foreign to the Society and its membership, spirituality
is all-embracing and applies to all Vincentians no matter what work of charity they
perform.
St. Vincent de Paul teaches: “Since
Christ willed to be born poor.... he made himself the servant of the poor and shared
their poverty. He went so far as to
say that he would consider every deed which either helps or harms the poor as done
for or against himself.”(Mat 25:34-40)
St. Vincent says that “in serving the poor we serve Jesus Christ.”
DIVINE
MERCY CONFERENCE OFFICERS and CHAIRS
|
Office
|
Incumbent
|
Tenure |
|
President |
Jerry Doolittle |
October, 2008 |
|
Vice President |
Ted Chapa |
December, 2010 |
|
Treasurer
|
Vilma Williams |
November, 2005 |
|
Secretary |
Donna Feller |
November, 2003 |
|
Spiritual Advisor
|
Bob Rhome |
July, 2011 |
|
Food Chair |
Rich Smith |
December, 2008 |
|
Membership Chair |
Peggy Doolittle |
February, 2009 |
|
Fund Raising Chair |
Charla Adams |
February, 2011 |
|
Public Relations Chair |
Tracey Dickson |
January, 2009 |
|
Project Development Chair |
John Hopkins
|
June, 2005 |
|
Formation Leader |
John Hopkins |
January, 2006 |
|
Nursing Home Visits Chair |
Donna Feller |
March, 2006 |
|
Voice of the Poor Chair
|
Patricia Hartung |
April, 2006
|
|
Past President
|
Ed Rossi |
December, 2002 to October, 2008
|