Thank You for your Support!

SVDP's goal was $50,000 (our previous high was $40,000). We had a total of 191 walkers (previous high was 145).  All funds raised by St. Michael members stay with our parish's St. Vincent de Paul Conference.

Message from Dan Kearns | Executive Director | SVDP Richmond Council
Thank you to all those who supported the 2022 St. Vincent de Paul Friends of the Poor Walk.  Your generosity will help our friends in need take a step forward.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul works closely with those most in need, by providing financial, emotional, and spiritual support. The ministry helps friends in need make connections, which address what is causing their struggles. The society’s primary mission is the spiritual growth of members, through service to those in need. All Vincentians are trained and grow their faith through prayerful interaction, with those they serve and fellow Vincentians, at twice monthly meetings.

How can you get involved? If you’re interested in becoming a Vincentian, the ministry would love more help in several areas: computer data/intake info, home visits, and Vincent’s Pantry – sorting and data.

During Pope Francis’ visit, he reached Christians and non-Christians alike with his message of helping others. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul has been putting these words into practice for more than 170 years.
 
The Society took on the name of St. Vincent  de Paul as their patron and was formally founded in 1833 by six Catholic students in the University of the Sorbonne in Paris. They all agreed that they needed to not just discuss their faith, but put it into action, serving the needs of the poor.  Soon, it became obvious that the leadership of one of the founders, Blessed Frederick Ozanam, was especially gifted with the Holy Spirit.  He was selected as their second president and leader.
A contemporary and mentor to Blessed Frederick was Blessed Sister Rosalie Rendu, a daughter of Charity who taught the first members of the society the art of helping the poor and the sick.  Frederick named the group the Society of St. Vincent de Paul after the saint who lived (1581-1660) and whose mentor was St. Rosalie Rendu, St. Vincent’s collaborator in founding the Daughters of Charity.
 
The Society in the United States began in 1845 in St. Louis, and it has grown ever since.  Nearly 100,000 trained volunteers provided 12.6 million hours of volunteer service in 2017, helping more than 5.4 million people through visits to homes, prisons, and hospitals at a value of more than $3 billion dollars.
 
St. Michael Parish’s conference now consists of over 40 Vincentians and has served over 500 families in our area in the last three years.  As one of the first in the Diocese of Richmond, our conference has been instrumental in helping establish five more conferences, with more on the way.
 
The need is ever present, as Vincentians answer Jesus’ call to be that Good Samaritan.
Join us.  Become a Vincentian or financially support our work with the poor. 
 

Our St. Vincent DePaul Conference is looking for employers who can offer manual-skill jobs.  
A repeating theme in many of our cases involves people who want to work, have manual skills, but are struggling to provide a steady income for their families.
  If you can help, please contact Deacon Andy Cirmo.