The Vincentian Family Movement: The

Incarnation of the Vincentian Charism

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 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 53 national associations and over 150,000 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 88 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 for 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
15,000 sisters serving in 91 countries.
Many other communities were established through the influence of the Vincentian Charism. The
years of the French Revolution were both a challenge and a blessing for the Vincentian
Family. 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.
Those communities which comprise the Vincentian Family, called the Branches of the Family,
and numbering close to 150 around the world, 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 our movement.
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.
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 six University students, 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 900,000 men and women, from 149 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 100,000 members in 66 countries.
And so, the story goes on to this day.
The Vincentian Family welcomes new Branches into its movement till this day. We are also
blessed to work with men and women who, though not members of any 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 two 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 led to joint campaigns against hunger and malaria. In
2010, to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the deaths of Sts. Vincent and Louise, an anti-poverty
initiative began in Haiti. And now, to mark the 400th anniversary of the birth of the Vincentian
Charism, we will forge a new global effort against homelessness, the FamVin Homeless Alliance.
The work of the Vincentian Family is coordinated by the Vincentian Family Executive Committee
(VFEC), composed of representatives of eight 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
In addition, there are four Branches which serve in a rotating fashion on the VFEC:
• Sisters of Charity Federation of Strasburg
• Sisters of Charity Federation of North America
• Congregation of Mary, Mother of Mercy
• Vincentian Congregation.
The VFEC 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 does make decisions or offer
recommendations for, or gives approval to, activities of the VF such as:
• The annual themes for VF reflection;
• The theme for international gatherings of international VF leaders;
• The establishment of the mandates of VF Commissions;
• The appointment of the coordinators and members of VF Commissions;
• The appointment of the coordinator and team of the international Vincentian Family
Office (VFO);
• Discerns the needs of the VF and its response to those needs, especially regarding the
creation of new VF Commissions; and
• The study of the annual VF operational budgets.
In 2015, the Vincentian Family Office (VFO) was established in Philadelphia. The VFO is the
vehicle through which the aspirations of the VFEC are carried out globally. The Office ensures
the continuity of the work of the VFEC from one year to the next. Some of the specific tasks of
the Office include:
1. Being the vehicle through which VFEC decisions are realized;
 2. The maintenance of a VF Database;

3. The creation of a VF Missal containing all our Saints, Blesseds, and Servants of God;

4. The coordination of Task Forces created to carry out VFEC objectives. Currently these
include the areas of Formation, the Creation of a VF Culture of Vocations, the
Transmission of the Charism in the transition from religious to secular institutions,
creating a strategy for communicating the Vincentian Charism to the young, etc.

5. And raising, through various communications strategies, the international visibility of

the VF and the Charism.

Currently, five international Commissions serve the needs of the Family in both formation and in
the coordination of charitable works. These Commissions are:
1. 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.

2. Commission for the Promotion of Systemic Change: works to educate the VF in the
principles of systemic change and to assist them in the creation of systemic change
projects.

3. VF Haiti Initiative: collaborates with partners in the creation of systemic change

initiatives that build the capacity of Haitian people to meet their own needs and claim
their human rights.

4. VF Collaboration Commission: calls forth and galvanizes the next global generation of
Vincentian Family members to effect collaboration in order to help people and
communities emerge from poverty.

5. VF Homeless Alliance: our newest initiative in the fight to eliminate the plight of
homelessness around the world.

Based on our common charism, we, members of the Vincentian Family (VF), 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)
Rev. Joseph V. Agostino, CM
April 26, 2019

What is Vincentian heritage?

Main Content. Vincentian Heritage is a peer-reviewed ejournal dedicated to promoting a living interest
in the historical and spiritual heritage of the wide-ranging Vincentian family under the patronage of
Saint Vincent de Paul (1581-1660) and Saint Louise de Marillac (1591–1660).
Vincentian Heritage Journal
Vincentian Heritage is a peer-reviewed ejournal dedicated to promoting a living
interest in the historical and spiritual heritage of the wide-ranging Vincentian family
under the patronage of Saint Vincent de Paul (1581-1660) and Saint Louise de Marillac
(1591–1660). Groups in this tradition include the Congregation of the Mission (founded
1625), the Company of the Daughters of Charity (founded 1633), the Ladies Charity
(founded 1617), the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (founded 1833), and the Federation
of the Sisters of Charity of the Vincentian-Setonian tradition (established 1947), as well
as other religious and lay organizations and all those who work within
educational, health care communities, social outreach and other ministries in the
Vincentian tradition. It is published bi-annually under the direction of the Vincentian
Studies Institute, Division of Mission and Ministry, DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois.

What is the real meaning of heritage?

Heritage is the full range of our inherited traditions, monuments, objects, and culture. Most
important, it is the range of contemporary activities, meanings, and behaviors that we draw from
them.

What are some examples of heritage?

Cultural heritage includes: cultures, customs, beliefs, rites, rituals, ceremonies, indigenous
knowledge, social customs and traditions, arts, crafts, music, political and ideological beliefs that
influence culture and behavior, history, practices concerning the natural environment, religious and
scientific traditions, ...

What spirituality means?

Spirituality involves the recognition of a feeling or sense or belief that there is something greater than
myself, something more to being human than sensory experience, and that the greater whole of
which we are part is cosmic or divine in nature.

Some examples of how people get in touch with their own spirituality include:
• Breathwork.
• Meditation or quiet time.
• New age spirituality.
• Prayer.
• Service to their community.
• Spending time in nature.
• Spiritual retreats.
• Yoga.

What is a good definition of leadership?

“The action of leading a group of people or an organization.” That's how the Oxford Dictionary
defines leadership. In simple words, leadership is about taking risks and challenging the status quo.
Leaders motivate others to achieve something new and better.
10 Leadership Experience Examples
• Leading a project or task in school. This can be any level of school. ...
• Organizing a study group. ...
• Spotting a problem at work and finding a solution. ...
• Sports leadership experience. ...
• Volunteer/non-profit leadership. ...
• Training/mentoring newer team members. ...
• Managing clients/projects. ...
• Direct reports.

Prepared By: Jenny May Godalla, MBA