St Vincent de Paul, Christchurch

About

St Vincent de Paul, Christchurch is part of the International Society of St Vincent de Paul.
The Society exists to help people in need.

Story

St Vincent de Paul, Christchurch is part of the world wide organisation of the Society of St Vincent de Paul. There are 16 local 'conferences' (see more details below) based in our region which is known as the Christchurch City Region. These are located in the suburbs of Bryndwyr, Burnside, Mariehau, Kaiapoi, New Brighton/Aranui, Papanui, Rangiora , Addington, Beckenham, Christchurch City, Halswell, Hoon Hay, Hornby, Sockburn, Woolston, Riccarton.

We also have Charity Shops in the suburbs of Papanui and Richmond, and a Welfare Line and Food bank. Our Conference members make regular visits to the home of those in need as well as prisons, hospitals, disability residences and taking part in many other good works throughout our community. There is much more information available on our website, www.svdpchch.co.nz as well as our youth website www.youngvinnieschch.org.nz

The following is general information about St Vincent de Paul taken from our International website. ( http://en.ssvpglobal.org )


The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, also known as Conferences of Saint Vincent de Paul, was founded in Paris in 1833 by a group of young laymen. It is a Catholic voluntary organisation of lay men and women dedicated to providing personal help to people in any kind of need. Our work is based on direct, one-to-one interaction with people in need, no matter what their origin or belief. We visit them in their own place, whether that is their home, a residential home, hospital, on the streets or in prison, wherever they are, offering our friendship as the basis for all the other help we give.

What is a "Conference" ?

The Conferences of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, the basic units of the organisation, normally meet weekly to discuss the business of helping the poor in their own area, normally their parish. Within each conference, the members live a rich, spiritual, community life.

logo SSVP
There are around 51,000 conferences in the world, with over 700,000 members. Working with the members, in particular tasks to help different groups of people (children, the elderly, the sick, schools, hospitals, etc.) are more than 1,500,000 volunteers, throughout the world, since there are Conferences of the SVP in 140 countries (148 councils).

What is the Council General of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul?

The Council General of the Conferences of Saint Vincent represents the conferences at an international level. Its offices have been in Paris since the Society was founded in 1833. Its work mainly involves supporting the life of the Conferences around the world, sending significant resources, according to its means, for the work provided around the world, according to need. It acts as a link between the poorest and the richest countries where the Society is represented, to support technology transfer, economic and financial help, etc., and ensures that funds are used in accordance with the authorised programmes to help the poor.

It provides the Society’s central administration, and grants the status of Conference to new groups as they are formed around the world. All of its members are volunteers, and only a small group (of ten people) is employed in the Paris office to provide the continuity of service required.

The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul and United Nations

In March 2012, the SSVP was admitted as a Non Governmental Organization to ECOSOC (Economic and Social Council of the United Nations). This consultative status allows NGOs such as ours to access, not only to ECOSOC but also to many of its subsidiary bodies, to various mechanisms of the Human Rights of the United Nations, and gives us the possibility of attend international conferences on topics such as economic and social development, gender issues, sustainable development, organized by the United Nations.

Mission

Our mission, inspired by the Radiant Flame of Christ’s Love, is to grow spiritually through seeking and finding individuals and families who are forgotten, suffering or deprived and through personal contact, to offer practical help to anyone in need. We share their burdens and joys as true friends, sowing seeds of hope, encouraging self-sufficiency and respecting their values and beliefs.

As a reflection of the whole family of God, we do this as men and women drawn from every ethnic and cultural background, age group and economic level, working together in local Conferences to serve Christ in the poor, to grow spiritually and to support one another.

Members are closely united as one worldwide family, nourished by prayer and reflection, faithful to a Rule and Statutes reflecting the traditions of our principal founder, Blessed Frederic Ozanam, and patron, St. Vincent de Paul.

We also see to identify the causes of poverty and the work with the Vincentian Family, the Catholic Church, other Christians and all people of good will, to shape a more just and compassionate society, which promotes the rights, responsibilities and development of all people, a culture of life and a civilization of love reflecting the Kingdom of God.