The
Society of Saint Vincent de Paul
Volunteer
Opportunities
As a volunteer you can assist by:
·
Donating gently used
household furnishings, goods or appliances
·
Donating your time and
expertise to collect, repair and delivery of the above
·
Donating money to
support the works of the Society. At this time of the year our funds are low and
our needs are high as families face the back to school costs.
·
Donating time to assist
with special works projects and events.
Membership
New members are always welcome. Membership is open to all who commit to
the Mission of the Society and its Values, and are interested in developing
their spiritual life. Vincentians attend bi-monthly meetings, pray with and for
each other, visit the poor, and serve in any way they can. “No
work of charity is foreign to the Society”.
If this sounds like a ministry that interests you then read on.
Mission
“I
tell you solemnly, as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of
mine, you did it to me”
(Matthew 25:40)
This is reflected in the Church's canon law, which states, "[The
Christian faithful] are also obliged to promote social justice and, mindful of
the precept of the Lord, to assist the poor from their own resources."
Through our words, prayers and actions we are called to show solidarity
with, and compassion for, the poor; to always keep the "preferential option
for the poor" at the forefront of our minds. The poor includes the
vulnerable and marginalized in our community and beyond—unborn children,
persons with disabilities, the elderly and terminally ill, and victims of
injustice and oppression. These have the most urgent moral claim on the
conscience of all.
The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul is just one of the ministries of the
Church which strives to serve the poor. Members
of the Society, called Vincentians, are called to alleviate suffering and its
causes, serving everyone regardless of race, creed, gender, opinion or age, and
to walk in solidarity with the poor. Vincentians understand that poverty does
not necessarily involve being in need of material goods. The Society’s main
service is home visits to the poor. Vincentians also strive to address the root
causes of poverty and injustice by acting as “the voice of the poor”.
The mission of the Society is to live the Gospel message by serving
Christ in the poor with love, respect, justice and joy. This mission implies
that as Vincentians we:
·
See Christ in anyone who
suffers
·
Come together as a
family
·
Have personal contact
with the poor
·
Help in all possible
ways
History
The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul is an international lay Catholic
organization founded in Paris in 1833 by Frédéric Ozanam and his university
companions. The Society was established in Canada in 1846 in Quebec City. There
are now close to one million members worldwide who work to serve the needs of
the poor in over 144 countries. The Society is open to all who wish to live
their faith by loving and serving their neighbour. The Patron of the Society is
Saint Vincent de Paul (1581 – 1660). In the early 1980’s four parish based
conferences were prorogated in Kelowna and are still active today.
Contact: Janet Barnes – President at 250-860-8807 or any Vincentian or leave a message on our answering service at 250-762-2577 and we will call you.
ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY
St. Vincent De Paul Society is a way that you can help the needy in our community as little or as much as you are able. Personal contact with those in need is very important and is made by a team of two who assess the situation and then provide a food hamper appropriate to the size of the family. Members, have a number of different ministries ranging from checking the answering machine daily; to delivering hampers and of course there are the Christmas and summer parties organized for needy families. We are always in need of helping hands and hearts - and we hope to see more youth become involved. Meetings are held in the Fr. Martin Room the first and third Tuesday of every month at 7:00 p.m.
