The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-05-04
ST. VINCENT DE PAUL
SOCIETY.

Every one who is familiar with
the workings Of charitable organi-
cations realizes that there is
world Of difference between those
which are conducted under the
auspices Of the Catholic Church
and other organizations, voluntary
or otherwise, established for the
relief of the poor. One Of the
best known charitable societies in
the Catholic Church today in the
st. Vincent de Paul Society.
The work Of the St. Vincent de
Paul Society is done by charitably
disposed men who, without pay
or earthly inducement Of any kind,
give their time and attention to
alternating the misery Of the poor
by supplying them with what
ever they need for their material
comfort. This God-inspired work
is carried on quietly and unosten-
tatiously, without the blare of
trumpets and solely for God and
His beloved poor. Those engaged
in it try to keep in mind the scrip
tural injunction not to let the left
hand know what the right hand
does. And nowhere more than in
charitable work is this so neces-
sary. The deserving poor have a
horror Of publicity and investiga-
ton. They prefer to suffer in
silence rather than run the risk Of
having their unfortunate condi-
ton become the subject of public
discussion.
The work of the St. Vincent de
Paul Society is animated by the
broadcast Christian charity. AL
though the Society is Catholic
in it's origin and membership, it
draws no hard and fast line
between the poor of one church
and those Of another. But it pre-
fers to do it's work among the
Catholic poor knowing that, as
general rule, there are sufficient
non-Catholic and civic organiza-
lions to alleviate the distress of
those for whom it does not reach
out.
The ST. Vincent de Paul Society
came into existence in Paris in the
early part Of the last century
through the efforts of a young stu
dent, Frederic Ozanam, who was
pursuing his studies at the Uni
versity Of Paris. Ozanam was a
loyal, practical Catholic who
wished to prove to his unbelieving
companions that the Church was
not an effete organization the
fires of whose charity had burned
out leaving it incapable Of carry
ing on in his day the glorious
work for mankind that made her
history so splendid a tribute to
the value Of religion in everyday
life. He was stung into activity by
the taunt, "what do you Catho-
lies do?" and after long delibera-
ton as to the best means Of show
ing the good works that make
faith vital factor In the life of
Christian he resolved, with the
cooperation Of a few young
Catholic associates in Paris, to
begin a work among the poor as
best illustrating the spirit Of relig-
ion most in conformity with the
teaching and example of the Saw
Tor. Each Of the eight members
of the little band that formed the
original st. Vincent de Paul Socie-
ty felt the throbbing Of a real
Catholic spirit and, inspired by
the example Of Ozanam, they in
augnrated a movement which, more
than anything else, has developed
the spirit of charity among Catho-
lie laymen and constrained them,
as it were, to come to the speedy
relief of their less fortunate breth-
rem. In the course Of a few years
after the st. Vincent de Paul So
ciety was founded, its membership
had increased to two thousand in
| Paris alone and tens Of thousands