It all began with St. Vincent de Paul (1581- 1660)! In 1617, Vincent experienced two moments which would forever change his life and have a lasting impact on both Church and society. In Gannes and Folleville, he heard the confessions of destitute persons living in the remotest areas of France. Later that year, in Châtillon-les-Dombes, he organized the people of his parish to help alleviate the sufferings of a family plagued by sickness and impoverishment. These two events gave shape to the heart of Vincent’s charism: the service of God in the person of our Lords and Masters, the poor, in both the preaching of the Gospel (mission) and the alleviation of poverty (charity).
Vincent’s vision began a movement, which led to a new international dynamism – the joint efforts of men and women, ordained and lay, to combat the forces of poverty both in individual lives as well as in those societal structures which perpetuate it.
The Confraternities of Charity (the Ladies of Charity who later became the International Association of Charities – AIC), were the first association formed by Vincent in 1617. Founded with the women of the area around Châtillon, Vincent began the first organized charity. He solicited the help of St. Louise de Marillac (1591 – 1660) to oversee these confraternities. Its model spread rapidly throughout France and beyond in his lifetime. The AIC is now comprised of 42 national associations and over 250,000 members.
1625 saw the official foundation of the Congregation of the Mission. Vincent, initially joined by 7 missioners, focused his “little company” on giving missions to the most abandoned in rural France. As they preached, they established the Confraternities of Charity, thus giving concrete witness to their dual purpose: mission and charity. Today, the Congregation numbers 4,000 members in 80 countries.
The members of the original Ladies of Charity (Confraternities) were predominantly women of noble birth. Often, they found it hard to give personal care to the needs of the poor. They frequently sent their servants to do this service for them. Vincent and Louise began to recruit young women willing to dedicate themselves for this work with the Ladies. These women became the core of a new institute, the Company of the Daughters of Charity, founded in 1633. Unlike other communities of women in the Church of that time, they were not cloistered so that they could better serve the sick poor. The Daughters established soup kitchens, hospitals, schools, and homes for orphans. The Daughters of Charity currently number some 13,000 sisters serving in 96 countries. Another congregation founded by Vincent and an original Lady of Charity, Mme. de Pollalion, was the Sisters of Christian Union of Saint-Chaumond. Though devastated by the French Revolution, they were later refounded and are currently serving in three countries.
Many other communities, influenced by the Vincentian Charism, were challenged during the time of the French Revolution and Napoleon Bonaparte. The formal banning of the Congregation of the Mission and the Daughters of Charity in France resulted in new foundations by former members. One such community is the Sisters of Charity of St. Jeanne Antide Thouret founded in 1799.
In 1807, Fr. Peter Joseph Triest, heralded as the St. Vincent de Paul of Belgium,
brought together a few young men to care for a group of elderly people. From them, rose the Brothers of Charity to care for the disabled, the poor, the sick, and the elderly. He also founded three other communities: the Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary, the Brothers of St. John of God, and the Sisters of the Childhood of Jesus.
In 1832 (the Sisters) and in 1834 (the Brothers), of Our Lady, Mother of Mercy were founded in Tilburg (the Netherlands) by Bishop Joannes Zwijesen. He was responding to the poverty which he encountered, especially among children who lacked opportunities for education.
Blessed Frederick Ozanam, with a group of five university students, all in their twenties, and an adult aged 39, founded the St. Vincent de Paul Society in 1833. The Paris of his day was in the grip of political and social unrest, suffering from rampant unemployment, disease, and inadequate housing. These seven laymen decided to visit the homes of those who were suffering, offering them whatever aid they could. Today about 800,000 men and women, from 140 countries, belong to the St. Vincent de Paul Society. This society is the largest lay association in the Church.
In 1847, Vincentian youth groups began to form due to the Blessed Mother’s appearance to St. Catherine Laboure (Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, 1830).
Today, the Vincentian Marian Youth have 40,000 members in 62 countries.
As we read about the foundations of the Branches of the Vincentian Family, we see how that charismatic gift given to Vincent continues to compel men and women of all cultures and ages to continue to respond to the challenges created by the ever-changing face of poverty.
Some responses gave birth to multiple Branches. One began in France (the Strasbourg Federation) and spread to three other continents. Another took root in North America (the North American Federation of Charity) and now thrives in 23 other countries. The Missionary Cenacle Family, comprised of four distinct Branches, serves in the Unted States, Central America, and the Caribbean. The Ranquines Charism Family is rooted in Brazil, and the ALMAs in Indonesia.
Some Branches are more widespread (such as the Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary, the Hospital Sisters of the Holy Cross, and the Sons of Mary, Mother of Mercy. Other Branches are more focused on one geographical area, such as the Sisters of Charity of Kortemark (Belgium), the Daughters of Charity of Nanjing (China), the Aguapaneleros de la Noche Laicos Vicentinos (Colombia), and the Miserable Guardians (Burundi).
At this moment in our history, some of our Branches are coming to completion. We thank God for the gift of who they are and all they have done in the service of the poor to whom the Lord has sent them. We are one with our sisters and brothers in this time of transition, as they heroically pave the way for a new form of Vincentian witness to continue the good works they have begun. The Spirit will thus continue to use our shared Charism to be an instrument of Gospel hope and joy long after our earthly pilgrimage is done.
The Vincentian Family welcomes new Branches as members till this very day. We have most recently recognized the Apostolic Charity Group (E.M.C.) from Lebanon, los Amigos Vicentinos de la Periferia from the United States, La Carità di Santa Luisa OdV from Italy, and the Vincentian Educational Charitable Foundation (VinCE F) from Japan.
Internationally, we number approximately 178 distinct Branches – congregations and institutes – working in 170 countries around the world. They are united by a common spirit (the spirituality of St. Vincent) and a common purpose (service, through mission and charity, on behalf of those living in poverty). Most came into existence as a direct response to the cries of the poor in a particular place and time. We estimate that more than two million lay, religious, and priests belong to these Branches.
While many of them are congregations or institutes of consecrated life, lay men and women comprise approximately three-quarters of the membership of the Branches of the Vincentian Family. By far, our largest ones would be the International Confederation of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, the International Association of the Miraculous Medal, the International Association of Charities (AIC – Ladies of Charity), and the Vincentian Marian Youth (VMY or JMV).
We are also blessed to work with men and women who, though not members of any particular Branch of the Family, are so inspired by St. Vincent that they call themselves Vincentians. We estimate that the international Vincentian Family is composed of at least five million people who walk with us in this collaborative spirit.
The current emphasis on common efforts within the Family began in the 1990’s. Meetings of international Vincentian Family leaders resulted in joint campaigns against hunger and malaria. In 2010, to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the deaths of Saints Vincent and Louise, an anti-poverty initiative began in Haiti. And currently, to mark the 400th anniversary of the birth of the Vincentian Charism, we forged a new global effort against homelessness, the FamVin Homeless Alliance.
The work of the Vincentian Family is coordinated by the Vincentian Family Executive Board (VFEB), composed of representatives of nine Branches of the Family.
Currently, these consist of four founding Branches, namely:
- AIC (the International Association of Charities, or Ladies of Charity)
- Congregation of the Mission
- Daughters of Charity
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul
There are two Federations which are permanently on the Board:
- Sisters of Charity Federation of Strasbourg
- Sisters of Charity Federation of North America
One Branch represents the young adults of the Vincentian Family:
- Vincentian Marian Youth
And at least four Branches may be invited to serve in a rotating fashion on the Board, for the length of the term of their Superior General. Currently, two Branches serve in this capacity:
- Congregation of Mary, Mother of Mercy
- Vincentian Congregation.
The VFEB creates enthusiasm and motivation among the Branches of the Vincentian Family for the living of the Vincentian charism. This is not a juridical body, but it does make decisions, or offer recommendations for, or gives approval to, activities of the Vincentian Family such as:
- The theme for international gatherings;
- The establishment of the mandates of Commissions and Task Forces;
- The appointment of the members of the various bodies working for the Family; and
- The study of the annual Vincentian Family operational budgets.
In 2015, the Vincentian Family Office (VFO) was established in Philadelphia. The VFO is the vehicle through which the aspirations of the VFEB are carried out globally. The Office ensures the continuity of the work of the Board from one year to the next. Some of the specific tasks of the Office include:
- Being the vehicle through which the Board’s decisions are realized;
- The creation and maintenance of a Vincentian Family Database;
- The visitation of the Superiors General / International Leaders of the Family;
- The establishment and / or support of National or Regional coordinating councils of the Family;
- And raising, through various communications strategies, the international visibility of the Vincentian Family and the Charism.
Currently, three international Commissions serve the needs of the Family. These Commissions are:
- VF Communications Commission develops and coordinates our internal and external communications strategies in social media, on the web, in the press, and other communications vehicles.
- VF Formation Commission, which will provide for the formation needs of National Councils and Branches in Vincentian Spirituality, Collaboration, and Systemic Change.
- VF Charity Commission (about to be born) which will help coordinate the collaborative charity ministry outreach of the Family.
Based on our common charism, we, members of the Vincentian Family, commit to collaborate. Such collaboration is more than joint efforts in ministry; it invites us to an appreciation of who we are as followers of Saint Vincent de Paul so that it becomes our way of life. We understand that collaboration means never to do alone what can best be done together. It involves thinking, planning and prioritizing together. Collaboration needs to be fluid, based on the issue and the circumstances of each individual branch of the Family.
“We have to help the poor and have them assisted in every way, by us and by others…. To do this is to preach the gospel by words and work.” St. Vincent de Paul
(Conference to the Congregation of the Mission, 6 December 1658, CCD:XII:77-78)
