10/20/2005 Archbishop John Vlazny –
As a young priest I quickly became impressed with the work of the St. Vincent de Paul Conferences in Chicago parishes. This was especially true when I served at St. Clement Church near Lincoln Park. The members of our local parish conference gathered weekly for prayerful reflection and were the first responders to folks in the neighborhood who came to us with their many and varied needs.
A bishop writes… The founder of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Frederic Ozanam, wished “charity to do what justice cannot do on its own.” Whereas justice has its limits, charity has none. I commend to your prayerful and financial support the work of the many councils and conferences of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul here in western Oregon. Thank you, good Vincentians, for your labors of love in the service of justice.The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a worldwide Catholic organization of lay persons, all of whom live their faith by loving and serving their neighbor. These folks “walk their talk” and try as best they can to respond to individuals in need on a person-to-person basis, regardless of race, creed, sex or religion.
