CHAPTER 2 ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY: HISTORY, MISSION AND WORK
2 St Vincent de Paul Society: History, Mission and Work 2.1 Origins of the Society
“Show us your works!” taunted the St Simonians. “We admit the past grandeur of Christianity, but the tree is now dead and bears no fruit.” The St Vincent de Paul Society was founded in May 1833, as a practical refutation of the reproaches directed against Christianity by the followers of Saint-Simon, Fourier and other popular teachers who were condemning the church of the day for its lack of relevance and action. Paris in the early 19th century was in the grip of great upheavals. The period that started with the French Revolution of 1788-1799 was one of significant social unrest. Large numbers of the country people were moving to the cities to find work in the factories. Many arrived to discover that there was no work, little pay or that the factories were closed due to revolution. Large slum areas were forming in Paris; thousands of people lived without work, some without clothes, and many alcoholic. Homelessness, disease, and starvation were common. In 1832 an epidemic of cholera swept through Paris, killing up to 1,200 people each day. The 1830s brought the collapse of the old Bourbon monarchy which had dreams of strengthening the throne with support from the Church. Religion was on the decline and atheism increasing; scepticism was virtually triumphant in the teachings of Saint Simon. The “Conference of Charity” that was formed was designed to demonstrate the “gospel in action”; to “love and assist His children in need”. It was conceived to be “an intimate and cheerful circle, radiating healthy youthfulness, where those who had left home would find new life and the means by which they could both help one another and exercise a form of charity within their conference”. The first group consisted of Frederic Ozanam, lawyer, author and professor at the Sorbonne; Joseph Emmanuel Bailly, editor of the Tribune Catholique; Francois Lailier; Augustus Le Tallandier; Paul Lamache; Felix Clave; and J. Devaux. They adopted the name “The Society of St Vincent de Paul”, in honour of St Vincent de Paul, a priest of the early 1600s, who had devoted his life to founding charitable organisations to meet the needs of the poor and less fortunate. By the end of the first year the conference in Paris grew so quickly that it was decided to divide up the founding conference into several sections, and soon a “Council of Management” was established. This council later assumed the title of “Council General”. The division occurred after weeks of animated discussion and (it is reported) sometimes rather heated argument. The Rule (general principles to guide the operating of the Society) was drawn up and formulated in 1835. Bailly with Lallier prepared the Articles of the Rule. The growth of the Society was rapid; spreading throughout France and reaching Italy in 1842; England in 1844; Belgium, Scotland and the United States in 1845; Germany, Holland, Greece, Turkey and Mexico in 1846; Canada and Switzerland in 1847; Austria and Spain in 1850; and Australia in 1854. In 1845, the Holy See approved of its aims and methods, granting it indulgences. 7