My wife and I are long-time members of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, an international group of men and women who help FINs (friends in need).
Last Friday (January 30th, 2026), my wife and I met a man who was in his 40s. He was disabled and had a heart condition. He told us he had been homeless and divorced. He has a teenage son, and he has a car.
We met him in a little house he was about to rent. He needed help with everything, and the St. Vincent de Paul Society would fit perfectly
The society has over 81,000 volunteers in the United States alone. It’s the largest Catholic lay (not ordained) charitable organization in the world, dating back some one hundred ninety years.
They chose St. Vincent de Paul, a well-known saint of Christian charity, as their patron. They decided to go out to meet and help the
poor, in whatever way they could.
The Society grew into a worldwide organization of over 2,500 Conferences. Today, there are some 44,600 Conferences around the world with more than 800,000 members working in 154 countries.
The work of the Society involves helping the volunteers, like us, grow in our love of Jesus Christ while we serve Jesus in one another and in our neighbors in need.
Money to help Vincentians help the needy comes from Thrift Stores operated by the Society, as well as from donations from sponsoring Catholic parishes and individual donations.
The core of our work comes from making home visits, always in pairs. As my wife and I met with the disabled man above, as with all our visitations, we offered a listening ear, emotional and spiritual support, and material help.
We ended up helping the disabled friend with rent money. We gave him vouchers for furniture, household goods, and clothing for himself and his son at various Vincentian Thrift Stores.
We gave him information about local food pantries, other organizations, and phone numbers that could also possibly help him with utilities and other needs.
In the end, the three of us prayed together. He thanked us most sincerely for the help and information my wife and I were able to give
If you know of anyone who has financial and/or spiritual needs,
tell them to phone their local Society of St. Vincent de Paul. A local Catholic parish may be able to give them a phone number of the Society in their area.
The Society itself is always looking for men and women, Catholic or not, people with an open heart, people willing to visit a monthly meeting of a Vincentian Conference in their area. Membership is free.
You may find that joining the Society of St. Vincent de Paul will help you develop your faith relationship with Jesus, with God, with your fellow human beings, and with the Friends in Need you will meet.
The Grace-Love of God is given to each person to be shared with all others. It will never run out. All you and I need is a willing heart.
Thanks for reading, and please share any of your Charitable experiences
in the comment section below
