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Among the founders of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul were Frédéric Ozanam, a college student, and Emmanuel Bailly, an adult mentor. Young Frédéric, a Catholic, wanted to help the poor, who were reeling from the major social changes brought about by the Industrial Revolution.
Taught in part by Blessed Rosalie Rendu, a Daughter of Charity revered for her work in helping the poor of Paris, Frédéric and his friends visited the homes of the poor and assisted them by sharing whatever food, fuel, and other necessities were available to give. More importantly, the young men nourished the spirit through their many acts of kindness and friendship. The home visits our Society’s founders began became a hallmark of our organization. Our members’ home visits to families and individuals requesting assistance continue to take place today, both globally and right here in Dane County.
Frédéric also wanted to help improve the spiritual lives of his peers by encouraging them to perform acts of charity rather than simply discussing the problem of the needy. Today, a candidate for sainthood, Blessed Frédéric, founded the Society in the name of St. Vincent de Paul, a French priest from the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Sometimes called “the Apostle of Charity,” St. Vincent organized efforts to address the needs of those struggling with poverty – a characteristic that made him an ideal patron for the work of charity Frederic and his friends began.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul now operates in 153 nations across six continents with more than 800,000 Vincentians worldwide. The Society crossed the Atlantic in 1845 and began what is now the National Council of the United States, headquartered in St. Louis. With nearly 90,000 Vincentian volunteers serving their communities, today’s Society works in 4,428 parish-based Conferences across the United States.
The Society began in Dane County in 1925. At that time, the needs of neighbors struggling to make ends meet galvanized a small group of parishioners at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church. These parishioners formed the first parish-based Conference in Madison, inspired by their peers in Milwaukee. Today, 20 parish-based Conferences work to alleviate the suffering and uplift the dignity of neighbors across Dane County, including a Youth Service Council and Young Adult Conference.
Our global mission is to help people in need, primarily through person-to-person contact made by Vincentian volunteers. This work is carried out through parish-based Conferences and special projects led at the council level. Our members, known as Vincentians, continually strive to promote the dignity of the people they serve, while helping to alleviate their suffering and working to correct the conditions that cause the problems of those they assist.
In preparation for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul — Madison’s centennial year in 2025, several longtime Vincentian friends gathered for a historical roundtable and oral history discussion. The panelists discussed Vincentian values of zeal, humility, and gentleness; shared stories of blessings and challenges; and reminisced about faithful volunteers, members, and staff.
Watch VideoWe’ve created a historical exhibit titled “Living out Ozanam’s Vision: SVdP Madison’s First Century of Service.” The exhibit is divided into four sections: Members, Services, Stores, and Blessings & Challenges. Each section features images, news clippings and quotes from friends past and present.
