Helping Our Neighbors in Need
About the Society of St. Vincent de Paul
Mission
The Belleville Council of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is dedicated to helping the poor of Southern Illinois. Our members are committed to fighting hunger, homelessness, and poverty. The parish conferences and special works conference reach out to offer assistance with utilities, rent, food, clothing, automobile, gas, medical, pres
The Belleville Council of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is dedicated to helping the poor of Southern Illinois. Our members are committed to fighting hunger, homelessness, and poverty. The parish conferences and special works conference reach out to offer assistance with utilities, rent, food, clothing, automobile, gas, medical, prescriptions, and many other needs. We partner with other agencies, churches, and organizations and utilize community resources to help in the best way possible. Our faith guides our desire to serve.
Spirituality
Through the eyes of Christ .... Always seeking the Face of Christ
At the heart of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is the ardent desire to find Christ in others. We endeavor to see the poor through the eyes of Christ, always striving to recognize the face of Christ in those we serve.
"Jesus, Evangelizer of the Poor"
The Spirituality o
Through the eyes of Christ .... Always seeking the Face of Christ
At the heart of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is the ardent desire to find Christ in others. We endeavor to see the poor through the eyes of Christ, always striving to recognize the face of Christ in those we serve.
"Jesus, Evangelizer of the Poor"
The Spirituality of the St. Vincent de Paul Society is based upon evangelizing the poor and finding Jesus in them. Jesus, the perfect "evangelizer of the poor" gave us the example for serving the poor in order to grow in spirituality and holiness.
Compassion and kindness guide all action and this action is modeled after the Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy. We are committed to living out our faith through charitable works and unconditional love.
Works of Mercy
Works of Mercy
The Corporal Works of Mercy
- Feed the hungry
- Give drink to the thirsty
- Clothe the naked
- Shelter the homeless
- Visit the sick
- Visit the imprisoned
- Bury the dead
The Spiritual Works of Mercy
- Admonish the sinner
- Instruct the ignorant Counsel the doubtful
- Comfort the sorrowful
- Bear wrongs patiently
- Forgive all injuries
- Pray for the living and the dead
Our Vincentian Heritage
Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
The History of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul embraces the spirit, tradition, and spirituality of the Apostle of Charity and Father of the Poor: Saint Vincent de Paul.
France
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul was started in 1833 by Frederic Ozanam. A student at the School of Law in Sorbonne, France, Frédéric collaborated with Mr. Emmanuel Bailly, editor of the Tribune Catholique, in reviving a student organization which had been suspended during the revolutionary activity of July 1830. They called their new association "The Conference of History." And they met on Saturdays to discuss various topics, everything but politics. At one of their meetings, a student challenged Frédéric and the practicing Catholics. He admitted that the Catholic Church had done much good work in the past, but "what do you do now?"
On April 23, 1833, Frederic's 20th birthday, he called for a meeting of five of his friends. Inspired by their words, Frédéric decided to found the "Conference of Charity" to assist the poor. Emmanuel Bailly, the married layman, was chosen by the six students as their first President. In a short time, they changed their name to The Society of St. Vincent de Paul in honor of their patron. Today, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul has more than 750,000 active members in 142 countries.
St. Louis, Missouri
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul was established in St. Louis, Missouri at the Basilica of St. Louis, King of France, popularly called "The Old Cathedral," in 1845. Bishop Peter Richard Kenrick, successor of the first Bishop of St. Louis, Joseph Rosati, CM, asked Father Ambrose Heim to establish the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and be its Spiritual Advisor.
The first meeting was held on November 20, 1845, only twelve years after its foundation in Paris. Nineteen of the most prominent Catholic laymen of St. Louis attended. Dr. Moses Linton was elected President; Bryan Mullanphy, Vice President; Dennis Galvin, Second Vice President; James Maguire Jr., Secretary; Patrick Ryder, Treasurer; and Fr. Ambrose Heim, Spiritual Advisor. The Conference was aggregated (formally recognized) by the Society's International Council in Paris on February 2, 1846.
Belleville Illinois Council
The Belleville Council of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul was established in 1917 and serves the people of Southern Illinois in the Diocese of Belleville. It covers an area of 11,678 miles in the 28 southernmost counties in Illinois. According to the U.S. Census bureau, the 18 counties ranked highest in poverty in the State of Illinois are all located within our diocese. Our Council is composed of 19 parish based "Conferences" throughout the diocese that reach out to serve the poor throughout Southern Illinois. In addition, our special works in East St. Louis serves the poorest of the poor 7 days a week to help more than 300 people a day with food, clothing, and other basic necessities essential to survival, as well as overnight shelter.
Our Future
Our Vincentian Heritage seeks to identify us to Jesus Christ as "evangelizer of the poor" and challenges all members to work within the world of the poor to confront injustice and bring social and economic change and solutions.
Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Belleville Council
How to Become a Vincentian
Members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul embrace the charism and spirituality of our Patron Saint, Vincent de Paul. His love and service to the poor are an example for us today to "evangelize the poor" and bring to them the wholeness of the love of Jesus Christ in a broken world.
For more information on the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and how you can become involved, please contact us at:
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul
Belleville Council Mailing Address
PO Box 3415
East St. Louis, Illinois 62203
Office Address
8800 West Main Street
Belleville, IL 62223
Phone: 618-394-0126
Board of Directors and Committees
Board of Directors, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Belleville Illinois Council
- President Charlie Cullen
- Vice President Joseph Hubbard
- Treasurer Carol Williamson
- Secretary Diane Herrmann
COMMITTEES
- Bus Committee
- Events & Fundraising Committee
- Extension Committee
- Finance Committee
- Hospitality Committee
- Kitchen Committee
- Public Relations & Marketing Committee
- Risk Management Committee
- Special Programs Committee
- Spirituality Committee
- Store Committee
- Voice of the Poor Committee
- Volunteers Committee
- Young Vincentians Committee
If you or someone you know would like to serve on one of the above committees,
please contact Pat Hogrebe at 618-799-8505.
Pat Hogrebe, Executive Director
Society of St. Vincent de Paul
Belleville, IL Council
Belleville Council Conferences
The Belleville Council of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul seeks to serve the needy throughout Southern Illinois. Core services are offered through a local parish group known as a "conference" mirrored after that first "Conference of Charity." Our 18 area conferences provide assistance with rent, utilities, gas, transportation, vehicle repairs, pharmacy, doctor visits, food, clothing, and other basic essentials.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul provides a presence of the church and we evangelize by our actions and by our charity. It is our hope that through our efforts, those we serve will embrace the love of Jesus Christ.
Conferences are the basic unit of organization and the service they give is the heart of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
Blessed Sacrament Conference
8707 West Main Street
Belleville, Illinois 62223
Contact: 618-397-2287 extension #2
Holy Childhood of Jesus Conference
104 North Independence
PO Box 160
Mascoutah, Illinois 62258
Contact: 618-566-2958
Holy Family Conference
116 Church Street
Cahokia, IL 62206
Contact: 618-337-4548
Immaculate Conception Conference
117 East Madison Street
Columbia, Illinois 62236
Contact: 618-281-5105
Queen of Peace Conference
5923 North Belt West
Belleville, IL 62223-4299
contact 618-234-6196
Special Works Conference
#13 Vieux Carre
East St. Louis, Illinois 62203
Contact: 618-398-5616
St. Augustine of Hippo Conference
408 Columbia Place
East St. Louis, Illinois 62205
Contact: 618-274-0655
St. Boniface Conference
402 Munster Street
P.O. Box 280
Germantown, IL 62245
Contact: 618-523-4271
St. Bruno Conference
204 N. Gordon Street
Pinckneyville, IL 62274
Contact: 618-357-5510
St. Clare/St. Nicholas/Corpus Christi Conference
O'Fallon, Illinois
Contact: 618-632-4270
St. Clare of Assisi
1411 Cross
O'Fallon, IL 62269
St. Nicholas
625 St. Nicholas Drive
O'Fallon, IL 62269
Ss. Peter & Paul Catholic Church - St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Conference
204 West Mill St.
Waterloo, IL 62298
contact 618-939-6426
St. Henry Conference
5315 West Main Street
Belleville, Illinois 62226
Contact: 618-463-2411
St. James Conference
405 West Madison
Millstadt, Illinois
Contact: 476-3513
St. Joseph Conference
901 N. Alton
Lebanon, Illinois 62254
Contact: 618-537-2575
St. Luke Conference
301 North Church Street
Belleville, Illinois 62220
Contact: 233-0076
St. Mary Conference
1722 West Main Street
Belleville, Illinois 62226
Contact: 618-233-2391
St. Peter Cathedral Conference
200 W. Harrison Street
Belleville, Illinois 62220
Contact: 618-277-7837
St. Stephen/Holy Trinity Conference
Contact: 618-397-2218
St. Stephen Catholic Church
901 S. Main Street
PO Box 458
Caseyville, IL 62232
Holy Trinity Catholic Church
505 Fountains Parkway
Fairview Heights, IL 62208
St Teresa Conference
1201 Lebanon Ave.
Belleville, Illinois 62221
Contact: 618-233-6461