Vincentians are united in an international society of charity by their spirit of poverty, humility and sharing. 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 those who are needy and suffering in the tradition of its founder, blessed Frederic Ozanam and patron St. Vincent de Paul.
Charity: Charity as lived by our members and volunteers (members are also referred as Vincentians) throughout the world is inspired by the example of St Vincent de Paul, a great apostle of charity in his day and the Society’s patron saint. This charity is characterized by concrete action in neighbourhoods, villages and communities irrespective of cast, creed or religion.
Empathy: Vincentians are called to visit their adopted families in their homes and to build a long-term relationship, they must exhibit empathy and listening skills. This enables them to understand the difficulties of people they help and provide the most appropriate response. Empathy also enables members to work as a team within the conference, which is the smallest unit of members serving the Society.
Simplicity: Simplicity and humility are essential values to help the poorest of the poor and regard them as our equals in a fraternal relationship. Humility also implies spiritual maturity, which leads the Society’s members to humble themselves to serve the poor.
Justice: There is no charity without justice. The Society’s members do not limit their action to simply giving; above all, they want to help people regain their autonomy and dignity while respecting their convictions and beliefs. More generally, the SSVP throughout the world combats the root causes of poverty and promotes the all-round development of human beings. It initiates action to help the poor and the marginalized to become self-reliant and transform themselves to lead a dignified and fulfilled life.
Spirituality: The SSVP’s members live the Gospel message by serving Christ in the poor. This is the basis of their commitment. Inspired by the spirituality of St Vincent de Paul, members strive to deepen their faith via action meeting real needs.