The Society of St. Vincent de Paul seeks to advocate on behalf of the poor and to discover the root causes of poverty in order to remedy its effects. Although affiliated with the Catholic Church, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul helps people in need regardless of their race, religion, age, or background.
What does the St. Dorothea Conference do?
We do our best with the resources available to us to provide financial and material assistance, and/or emotional and spiritual comfort, to help people facing all sorts of difficulties. The most common types of assistance provided include rental and utilities assistance, but no work of charity is foreign to the Society.
Occasionally, we are able to give in-kind assistance. Whenever possible, we try to recommend additional sources of assistance available in the community. The main sources of food assistance in the Eatontown area are provided by St. Dorothea Church food pantry and the Eatontown Food Co-op (see links in the Resources Section of this web site).
Mission
Composed of women and men who seek their personal holiness through works of charity, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul seeks to advocate on behalf of the poor and to discover the root causes of poverty in order to remedy its effects.
History
Inspired by Gospel values, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, a Catholic lay organization, leads women and men to join together to grow spiritually by offering person-to-person service to the needy and suffering in the tradition of its founder, Blessed Frederic Ozanam, and patron, St. Vincent de Paul. The amazing growth of the Vincentian Family is due to the attractiveness of the charisms of St. Vincent de Paul, St. Louise de Marillac, Bl. Frederic Ozanam, and Bl. Rosalie Rendu, whose spirit and spirituality appeal to the human heart.
St. Vincent de Paul (1581-1660), known as the "The Apostle of Charity" and "Father of the Poor," trained priests and organized parish missions and other services for the poor, thus shaping our Church's role in the modern world.
St. Louise de Marillac (1591 – 1660) collaborated with Vincent to found the Daughters of Charity and organize hospitals for the sick and poor, asylums for the orphaned, and workshops for the unemployed. She championed literacy for the uneducated and established standards for local charities.
Blessed Frederic Ozanam (1813 – 1853) and other young students of the Sorbonne (University of Paris) founded the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Paris, France in honor of their patron saint.
Sister Rosalie Rendu (1786 – 1856), a Daughter of Charity and mentor of Frederic and the Society, taught the first members the art of helping the poor and the sick. Sending them on home visits, she formed them in the spirit of St. Vincent, teaching them how to serve the poor with respect and compassion.
Blessed Frederic saw the Society established in many countries, including the United States, Canada and Mexico. Members of the Society, Vincentians, went two by two to the homes of the poor to respond to their needs.
St. Dorothea Conference, St. Vincent de Paul Society, Inc. was established in 2008 to take responsibility for answering calls for assistance from families in Eatontown, NJ and the surrounding area.
Membership
The Society of St. Vincent De Paul is a Catholic lay organization open to all who wish to live their faith by loving and serving their neighbor.
Vincent De Paul society offers different levels of membership:
Active (Full) Members
Active members are those who participate regularly in the prayer life, meetings, and charitable activities of the society. An active member accepts the rule of the society, belongs to the Catholic Church, and is received as a Vincentian brother or sister. To remain an active member, attendance of at least 10 meetings per year is required. Meetings are held the second and fourth Thursday of each month. Only active members can hold office in the organization. Admittance into the society is by formal vote.
Associate Members
Associate members include those who sincerely and publicly accept the society's rule but may or may not belong to the Catholic church, may or may not attend meetings on a regular basis, and may or may not engage in the work of the society on a regular basis. They are invited to attend the general meetings and special observances of the society and to participate in its charitable activities.
Contributing Members
Contributing members are those who regularly, or in a substantial way, provide in-kind or financial support but do not engage directly in the society's work. These members are invited to the society's general meetings.
Nondiscriminatory Policy
The society actively seeks to recruit and retain volunteers without regard to race, creed, color, gender, sexual orientation, criminal justice status, disability, marital status, veteran status, national origin, age or physical handicap. If you are interested in becoming a member, please contact us.