How large is the Vincentian Family?

1.   The various branches

Benjamin Romo, CM writes (in a soon to be published issue of VINCENTIANA)...

Let me present to you some of the Associations that were founded by St. Vincent or arose within the Vincentian Family and that, while being faithful to their identity, share a common spirituality and mission.

St. Vincent de Paul believed in the power of the laity and in the evangelizing and transforming role of women in the Church and in society.   Because of this conviction, and in response to the needs of the poor, he established The Charities in France in 1617.   Today they are known as the International Association of Charities, AIC.   These groups, principally consisting of women, are present in 52 countries with a total membership of 250,000.   They are engaged in implementing projects that promote the poor, denounce injustice, and form pressure groups to combat unjust structures.

Seeking to evangelize the poor and renew the clergy, Vincent de Paul founded the Congregation of the Mission or the Vincentian Missionaries (CM) .   Working in 80 countries and numbering around 4,000 missionaries, they collaborate with lay people in the integral promotion of persons and communities.

In the year 1633 Vincent de Paul together with Louise de Marillac founded The Company of the Daughters of Charity (DC) .   Present today in 90 countries and numbering around 23,500, they collaborate with the laity, especially with Vincentian associations.   They are active in areas afflicted by poverty and war and reach out to the poorest of the poor.

Drawing inspiration from the charism of Vincent de Paul, the young man Frederick Ozanam and his companions from the university established the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SSVP) in Paris in 1833.   Its end is: To help our neighbour, those who suffer and are abandoned, after the example of Jesus Christ and according to the Vincentian tradition .   This foundation became an excellent means of actualizing the Vincentian charism in response to the concrete needs of the historical moment.   Today the Association is present in 133 countries and has about 650,000 members.

In the wake of the apparitions of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal to St. Catherine Labouré in the year 1830, there arose the Association of Vincentian Marian Youth (JMV) .   Its end is to form its members to live a solid faith following Jesus Christ, the evangelizer of the poor .   Living their missionary vocation in the Vincentian style, they work for the promotion of the poor, evangelizing the most neglected communities.   They work in close collaboration with other groups of the Vincentian Family.   They are present in 62 countries and have 72,000 members.

Again, following the apparitions of Our Lady to Catherine Labouré, there arose the Association of the Miraculous Medal (AMM) .   Forming part of the Vincentian Family, and with a presence in 30 countries, they dedicate their activity in the Church to the evangelization and promotion of poor families in their own communities, and reach out to the most neglected groups.   In all, they have about a million registered members.

The Lay Vincentian Missionaries (MISEVI) : This is a Vincentian association that arose in 1999 and whose aim is: to live the missionary dimension of the Vincentian charism with passion.   For this reason, after receiving a solid formation in human and Christian living, and some technical or professional training, they go to the missions "ad gentes" and devote a part of their lives (from two to ten years) to the promotion of the poor.   Their projects are carried out in collaboration with the works of the Daughters of Charity or with the Vincentian missionaries themselves.   They have permanent lay missions in Mozambique, Bolivia, Honduras, and Spain.

There are many other associations and institutes who drink from this common well which is the Vincentian charism, for example, the Religious of St. Vincent de Paul who are here with us, but, for the purpose of this presentation, I have limited myself mainly to the collaboration among the above-mentioned groups.

All these associations or institutes share the same charism because:
•  they recognize St. Vincent as the one who founded or inspired them;
•  they have the same mission: the evangelizing service of the poor;
•  they have, in some way, the same concrete way of serving the poor;
•  they share a common spirituality of incarnation: Christ, incarnate in the poor;
•  they share a secular character.

The full article temporarily resides here