“To give ourselves entirely to God to serve Him in the vocation to which it has pleased Him to call us.” (CCD XI:92* Conference no. 83. Retreat Recommendations, 1632)

The Vincentian Confraternities are a dream of the Latin American Vincentian Family (FAVILA), turned into a beautiful reality, making the legacy St. Vincent de Paul began in 1617, when he founded the first Confraternity of Charity, dedicated to helping the most needy, the sick, the poor and the marginalized in Châtillon-les-Dombes, France, continue to be alive and active today, meeting the needs of Latin Americans.

In 2019, the members of the FAVILA Board met in Bogota, Colombia, and there the idea was born to form groups of people who had the same profession and who wanted to put their talents at the service of those who needed them.

Ligia Farráez, coordinator of the FAVILA Council 2019-2023, says that ” Initially we thought of developing the process on the model of ‘guilds’, which originally applied to lawyers. But, reality was setting the pace and invited us to change the course and direction of the premise. The word “Guild ” had to be substituted at the suggestions of most of the seven regions into which FAVILA is strategically divided in Latin America. The request was clear, because in many places or countries this word has a negative connotation and not a happy reminiscence; so it was decided to replace it with “CONFRATERNITY”. The work of the group, the development and accompaniment of the Vincentian Confraternities in the different professions and groups that share the same gifts “is a commitment of the Vincentian Family of Latin America. All this happened by the work and grace of the Holy Spirit”.

The idea of the Confraternities was included in the work plan of the FAVILA Council and this work plan was shared with the National Councils of all Latin American countries, the Vincentian Family Office (VFO) and members of the Executive Board of the International Vincentian Family.

“We cannot better ensure our happiness than by living and dying in the service of the poor.” – St. Vincent de Paul

The process of choosing first coordinators of the Confraternities was carried out by direct contact with people known to the members of the FAVILA Council. Thus, little by little, the first 11 Confraternities were born. The first one was the ‘Confraternity of Biblical Reflection’. Then, the Confraternity of Vincentian Radio Broadcasters; the Confraternity of Educators; the Confraternity of Lay Advisors; the Confraternity of Psychologists; the Confraternity of Graphic Designers and Publishers; the Confraternity of Lawyers; the Confraternity of Musicians; the Confraternity of Translators; the Confraternity of Alumni and the Confraternity of Indigenous People were formed. Some months later, the Confraternity of Poets and the Confraternity of Vincentians in the Border/Diaspora were added, forming up to then 13 Confraternities.

The first 11 Confraternities that were established.

It is worth mentioning that, in the process of developing the Confraternities, there were two events that drew our attention: one is that in March 1832, a plague epidemic broke out in France, affecting the lives of twenty thousand people. In June of that same year, the Daughters of Charity received the first 2,000 medals of the Immaculate Conception, which they began to distribute among the sick, who began to heal and the pandemic began to diminish. For this reason, people began to call it the Miraculous Medal and the name remains until today. Another event is that, on August 23, 1617, St. Vincent organized the first group of pious women of the town, encouraged them to create an association, and commissioned them to take care of the sick in their homes. For this purpose, he gave them a very important rule: “to assist the poor spiritually and corporally”.

It is important to mention these details because precisely on August 23, 2020, in the midst of the Coronavirus Pandemic, which in March of the same year had confined to homes all over the world, the first virtual meeting of the first 13 Confraternities took place; uniting in Vincentian spirit men and women, consecrated and lay, from 10 countries, 3 continents and 3 different languages; who, guided by the Holy Spirit, decided to put their talents in the service of the most needy, and who have as their main motto the call of St. Vincent: “We cannot better ensure our happiness than by living and dying in the service of the poor”. This first meeting inspired more people to join and form other Confraternities that today serve everyone who, looking for help, knocks on the doors of the Vincentians in any part of Latin America.

At this moment, there are 25 Confraternities, 2 of which were born during the IX Latin American Meeting of the Vincentian Family that took place in the Dominican Republic from March 14 to 19, 2023; where the New Latin American Council of the Vincentian Family was also elected continuing the commitment of accompanying the Confraternities.   The members of the new FAVILA Council are:

• Coordinator: German Sánchez (Bolivia), MISEVI; Vice Coordinator: Adriana Pérez Cortés Gallardo (México), AIC;
• Vice Coordinator: Mónica Cobos (Ecuador), AMM; Secretary: Sr. Gladys Vargas, D.C. (Bolivia);
• Treasurer: José Hailton Coelho (Brazil), SSVP ; Comunications: Catarina Érica Morais (Brazil), VMY;
• Assessor of the Confraternities: Father Gregory Gay, CM, (Panamá)

“Let us allow our Lord to work; it is his work; and as he wished to begin it, let us be sure that he will finish it, in the way that is most pleasing to him…. Keep up the spirit; trust in our Lord, who will be our first and our second in the undertaken endeavor, to the proper task he has called us to.” – St. Vincent de Paul

Accepting St. Vincent’s invitation “Let us allow our Lord to work; it is his work; and as he wished to begin it, let us be sure that he will finish it, in the way that is most pleasing to him…. Keep up the spirit; trust in our Lord, who will be our first and our second in the undertaken endeavor, to the proper task he has called us to.” (St. Vincent de Paul). Each Confraternity has invested their talents into the different calls they have received and they work serving God in the person of the poor “by the sweat of their brows and the weariness of their arms”, covering different areas of the needs of humanity.

CONFRATERNITY OF PSYCHOLOGISTS:  It is made up of members who live in different countries. Its objective is to open channels of communication for people from all over Latin America who are looking for emotional support and who can find it and receive the assistance of a Vincentian psychologist. Its mission is to propose actions of welcoming, listening and emotional assistance to members of the Vincentian Family and to people in general; which they have been doing since the time of the Covid-19 pandemic. In Bolivia, they have given courses on how to manage anxiety and emotions; and, they have initiated a process of sharing experiences of social works regarding the intervention in the psychological area.

CONFRATERNITY OF INDIGENOUS VINCENTIANS. It is made up of indigenous and non-indigenous missionaries. It aims to be a space for sharing and mutual support in the living out of the Vincentian charism among the different indigenous people. Their mission is to walk together in fraternity and solidarity, from the richness of the plurality of our indigenous identities, in the following of Jesus Christ in the Vincentian way; and their vision is to be recognized as a source of conversion and life, showing with hope and gratitude the indigenous face of the Vincentian Family, with a prophetic demand: “another world is possible”. Currently, they are preparing the First Meeting of Indigenous Vincentians of Latin America and the Caribbean to be held in Ecuador in April 2024.

CONFRATERNITY OF BIBLICAL REFLECTION. It was the first Confraternity to be formed. They began this experience under the coordination of St. Vincent de Paul School of Theology (ETSVP), which each week is responsible for preparing, conducting and implementing each of the Sunday Bible readings, from the remote preparation perspective, using the Vincentian Method: Nature, Motives and Means. Currently, they have the Biblical Reflection based on the Secular Character in Spanish and English. Priests of the Congregation of the Mission, members of MISEVI (Vincentian Lay Missionaries), of the ETSVP (Escuela de Teología San Vicente de Paúl) and of the New Evangelization, from such countries as the United States, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Venezuela, have joined this mission.

CONFRATERNITY OF LAWYERS. With Frederic Ozanam as an example, St. Vincent de Paul as their patron and because of their profession, they decided to form part this Confraternity to attend the command “Let’s go to the poor! So that they can reach the “Social Justice” through the Procurement, Counseling, Legal Accompaniment free of charge (pro bono). They have members in Mexico, Guatemala, United States, Peru, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Ecuador. There are already three countries that have managed to gather the necessary number of lawyers to form an Association. Another of their objectives is to form an ‘International Bar Association of Vincentian Lawyers’. For now, they are planning a meeting with St. John’s University, New York, USA to form the U.S. Bar Association and share different actions together.

MINUKIDS CONFRATERNITY. The Confraternity of Vincentian Children is made up of parents, teachers, Vincentian friends, girls and boys from various countries of Latin America and the United States. This project of online evangelization for children was born in Casa Maria del Caminante, the community of the Daughters of Charity in Miami, USA following the request of some mothers from Ladies of Charity – AIC Miami, who have received from the Daughters of Charity a one-minute video with the reflection of the Gospel of the day daily. They asked for something similar for their children, since the pandemic had forced to close the catechesis courses. This is how Minukids was born, which means ‘Minutes’ to talk about God to the ‘Kids’. Its mission is to evangelize through short, 3-5 minutes videos, created by children from different countries for children, with a specific theme. It is coordinated by Sister Fanny Amanda Mora, D.C. They have their own communication channel where they publish the catechesis by the children for the children, which can be watched visiting the following link: www.youtube.com/@UnminutoconELquevive

CONFRATERNITY OF VINCEN–TEENS.  They are young people who get together for their formation and to support the MINUKIDS by creating material and short videos on the Word of God.  Like the Minukids, the VicenTeens use digital media to evangelize other young people.

CONFRATERNITY OF WRITERS AND JOURNALISTS. They share materials, writings and stories. Its objectives are: To announce Jesus the Evangelizer to every interested reader; to promote both Vincentian literature and authors; to be a space for Church and social reflection based on Vincentian spirituality; to share testimonies and anecdotes; to be a means for the revision and editing of what has been written by different Vincentian authors. Each member commits to write a biweekly article and thus achieve the goal of sending one per week to the Community.

CONFRATERNITY OF VINCENTIANS IN THE BORDER/DIASPORA. It originates from the raw experience of marginalization, dispossession and resistance, without wanting to stay deaf to the hopeful cry of the moment in when they can meet, shape and share the beautiful adventure of starting the Confraternity of Vincentians in the Border / Diaspora. It is managed mainly by 100 experienced volunteers, men, women and youth coming from various backgrounds, with the aim to build, empower, lead and uplift the marginalized and oppressed. As members of the body of Christ, the group works to implement the organizations’ project and core Vincentian values of solidarity, serving in hope.
They have accomplished a great feat in successful community projects for immigrants, street sleepers and engaged in meetings with the Causas Raíz Organization, collaborate in projects and support migrant brothers and sisters in every step of their journey. They are committed to acquiring skills, empowerment, promoting self-dignity and addressing material needs. Their mission is: To alleviate the suffering of the poorest of the poor; to improve the quality of life; to promote human dignity and empower the vulnerable. Their vision is to unite all in the love of Christ with the core values of humility, simplicity, meekness, gentleness, zeal and temperance.

CONFRATERNITY OF GRAPHIC DESIGNERS. It was created to help design web pages, logos and everything that members of the various branches of the Vincentian Family need or may need. With all this they have put their talents at the service of those who are in need. In addition to being in charge of publishing, thanks to them, many of the Confraternities already have their own logo and are still working on it.

CONFRATERNITY OF VINCENTIAN MUSICIANS. After the First Festival of the Vincentian Song (Spanish version), the idea was to continue the initiated adventure and develop it in order to continue the festival in different languages (English, French, Portuguese, etc.), as well as a wide range of specific options that could be assumed with all the members of this confraternity. They work in areas that, undoubtedly, promote the presence of Vincentian music and musicians in the media. They share their compositions and the work they do. They are currently developing virtual music courses. They have conducted two Festivals of Vincentian Music (2019 and 2023). They created the Hymn of the MINUKIDS (Confraternity of Vincentian boys and girls).

CONFRATERNITY OF POETS AND STORYTELLERS. They take advantage of the potential of reasoning, weaving ideas under the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, to be the voice of those who have no voice and make the maxims of the Gospel their raison d’être and the ink of their words. They are committed to the teachings of St. Vincent de Paul, to reach Christ by seeking Him in the most needy. Since they belong to the various branches of the Vincentian Family, they wanted to make a concrete commitment to put their writings, ideas and words at the service of the most needy and impoverished in all regions and countries. They are few, but they are creative and very persevering. They are trying to make a digital book with their poems.

CONFRATERNITY OF VINCENTIAN TRANSLATORS (CONTRAVIC). Its main objective is to create a solid group of professionals who can provide linguistic service to the worldwide Vincentian Family, since communication is essential in the expansion of the charism. More and more documents and events have to be translated into more languages than ever before. The nature of this confraternity is to unite members of the different branches of the Vincentian Family who are willing to contribute their linguistic knowledge on behalf of all members of the movement worldwide, providing support with simultaneous translations when required. And, also, translations of formation documents. The translators are available speaking Spanish, English, French, Portuguese, Italian, Polish, Slovak, German and Creole and let’s hope the number will be growing.

CONFRATERNITY OF VINCENTIAN HOUSEWIVES. They are housewives of various professions, who support migrant women in the United States. The mission of this confraternity is focused on empowering women, through courses and virtual training workshops, in Spanish and at no cost, inspired by the Word of God and whose facilitators are professionals in the areas of administration, economy, psychology, entrepreneurship, business, personal finances and Ecology (techniques of environmental care from the homes), who offer orientation in each area providing the necessary tools for their optimal performance and thus achieve the necessary empowerment for personal and family fulfillment. Among the work it has done is the Charity project, helping children in vulnerable conditions in Guatemala, which consists of a campaign to donate sports equipment to the Children’s Soccer School.

VINCENTIAN CONFRATERNITY AT THE SERVICE OF PEOPLE LIVING ON THE STREETS. The objective of this Confraternity is to unite efforts as a Vincentian Family, to offer a better material service and integral evangelization of the poor, through communication and common projects. Through this union they seek to follow Christ, evangelizer and servant of the poor; to develop a profoundly missionary spirituality; to enrich the Vincentian Charism; to guarantee its living out in future generations and to unify the forces of the Vincentian Family for the benefit of the service to our brothers and sisters who live on the streets. They do an extraordinary job. They share their experiences of the work they do in providing material and spiritual help to the homeless. They develop formation themes in their meetings.

CONFRATERNITY OF SOCIAL WORKERS “The Social Worker always seeks change, responds to it and uses it as an opportunity”. They have members in the United States, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Guatemala and Puerto Rico. Their purpose is to create alliances for systematization, to show the projects carried out by the Vincentian Family in Latin America. They express the great value that means the beautiful vision of expansion to the whole world, on the certain commitment that everyone can be the voice of the vulnerable, who personify the most beloved of the Father. The participation of the social workers makes the Confraternity acquire a greater impact in favor of the most disadvantaged.

CONFRATERNITY OF VINCENTIAN RADIO AND TV. It is formed by radio and television professionals from different countries in Latin America and the United States.  Through the broadcasts of their respective radio and television channels, they disseminate the Vincentian values, spirituality and charism. They share spaces to produce Vincentian material, testimonies and publicize the work of FAVILA.

CONFRATERNITY OF PROGRAMMERS.  As computer professionals, they put their talents to help the Vincentian Family in everything related to that field.  Now, they are working on the migration of the database to a friendlier or simpler system.

CONFRATERNITY OF AGROECOLOGY AND SOLIDARITY ECONOMY. Because they have points in common, they have united with the Confraternity of Producers. Together they are sharing knowledge and efforts to put their skills at the service of those who need them in the field of agriculture and produce. Although they are few, they have a big heart and they are working to find sponsors to collaborate in a project called ’33 dollars for a dignified life’; which is born from the simple sharing with a humble woman, who comes to ask for something to eat, with her children still young and her husband who, because of a serious illness and lack of medicines to stabilize his health, no longer can work. Although it is one of the newly created confraternities, it has a promising future. They are still working on the points that will decide their mission and vision. In the first meeting they had, they were studying the essential concepts of agroecology.

CONFRATERNITY OF VINCENTIAN PHYSICIANS. It has just been born and is a fruit of the IX Meeting of FAVILA. Its purpose, among others, is to bring together Vincentian Medical Doctors of different specialties, worldwide, who wish to share the Vincentian charism to provide support to the most needy; to produce and share informative material on health issues, aimed at other confraternities to collaborate with their programs to support the poorest; to promote spiritual growth in the Vincentian charism in their own Confraternity, coordinating formation programs with other confraternities.

CONFRATERNITY OF SOCIAL NETWORKS (CONVIREDES). During the meeting when the first 13 Vincentian Confraternities were presented and inspired by the Holy Spirit, the idea was born to create a confraternity that would be dedicated to use modern communication media to make the work of other Confraternities known to the world in order to evangelize, promote and share how the Vincentian Charism works for and with others… this is how the CONVIREDES Confraternity was born. Its mission is to support the Confraternities and the Vincentian Family in general, sharing on social networks, the work they do within the Vincentian Family and in favor of the most needy. In this way, as St. Vincent de Paul used to say, “making the Gospel effective”. Currently, they have pages on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter.

CONFRATERNITY OF VINCENTIAN ASSESSORS. From the experience of the Vincentian Lay Formation Schools in Latin America and recognizing their valuable curriculum and content, the idea and need to create this confraternity has arisen. Its function is to support FAVILA with formation, as well as to advise the planning processes. Its vision is to link and gather all the Vincentian experiences and radiate the potential towards Latin America, taking into account Central America, Colombia, Brazil, etc. as a first impulse. Lay Vincentian Formation for the entire Vincentian Family – articulation, sharing, generation, etc. – is the broad spectrum of its raison d’être *.

CONFRATERNITY OF VINCENTIAN TEACHERS (CEVAL). It is a very large Confraternity and part of the work of the Consortium of Vincentian Schools. It is composed of members from different Vincentian branches such as: Congregation of the Mission, Daughters of Charity, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, FAVILA (Latin American Vincentian Family), AMAVI (Association of Vincentian Teachers), Vincentian Marian Youth, and others; as well as from different countries like Argentina, Dominican Republic, Honduras, El Salvador, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Bolivia, Guatemala, Nicaragua, etc. Its mission is: to strengthen the educational work and to unite Vincentian criteria towards education; to know the educational reality of Latin America and how to respond from the perspective of the charism; to create a space for meeting and reflection, from the experience as Vincentian educators; to strengthen each other as Vincentian Teachers from the opportunity to share the gifts that the Our Lord and the Virgin Mary have entrusted to them; to share methodologies and teaching strategies in the Vincentian Charism.

CONFRATERNITY OF FORMER STUDENTS. The former students of the Vincentian educational centers are guided by the basic desire to serve Christ in the poor. Inspired by the charism of St. Vincent de Paul, St. Louise de Marillac and others, they serve Christ in the poor through their professions and works. Their solidarity actions are focused on supporting the Educational Centers that once gave them the bread of teaching and that today need support in the different activities and projects they carry out, helping to cover the needs of the impoverished boys and girls that make up the educational establishment. During the pandemic, they carried out a good project to get sponsors for underprivileged children in schools run by the Daughters of Charity. The Pilot Plan was implemented in the Dominican Republic and also in Guatemala, providing tablets, mobile phones and funds to pay for internet so that the children could connect to their online classes.

* It is worth mentioning that, thanks to the joint work started by the Confraternities of Vincentian Assessors, Teachers and Alumni, the idea of forming a ‘World Consortium of Vincentian Schools’ arose, taking into account that in Spain alone there are more than 200 schools that would be added to the rest that already exist in other countries of the world.

Some logos of the Confraternities

“Respect and love for others, joy in the mission, personal contact with the needy, humility and empathy.” – St. Vincent de Paul

Members of each Confraternity have monthly meetings to follow up on their projects.  From 2020 to date there have been monthly webinars organized by each Confraternity and four meetings of coordinators have been held.

Either individually or linking with each other, the Confraternities are working on different projects that are opening doors and building bridges that lead us to cover, even a little, the needs of those who come to receive the help offered.

It would take a long time and a lot of space to talk about and describe all the work the Vincentian Confraternities have been doing up to now. That work is a pinpoint in the infinite space of the needs of the poor and marginalized who cry out for help around the world. May this report serve as a call to all those who have something to offer in favor of others, and also as an encouragement of hope for the suffering Christ who lives in every needy person. May God help us to put our gifts and talents to work with “respect and love of neighbor, joy in mission, personal contact with the needy, humility and empathy”. Let us not get tired of “making the Gospel effective”.

If you want to be part of one of the Confraternities or form a new one, you can send an email to:  conviredes@gmail.com.

Click on the image below to access all the information about the Second Convocation of the Vincentian Family, November 14-17, 2024 in Rome, Italy: