Manual of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in the United States

Bylaws

Bylaws are significant written rules by which an organization is governed. Bylaws determine how the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is structured and, along with state law, determine the rights of participants in the structure.

At the National Meeting in Chicago, September 2005, the Board of Trustees approved Bylaws for Conferences, District and (Arch)Diocesan Councils, and the National Council. Membership in the National Council of the United States, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Inc. requires that every organizational unit (Conference and Council) have Bylaws.
The Rule is the paramount authority of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Should any bylaw, rule, or regulation adopted by a Conference or Council conflict with the Rule and regulations of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul as now promulgated or hereafter adopted by the International Council General or the National Council of the United States, such bylaw, rule, or regulation shall be void and of no effect.
To remain in good standing, Conferences and Councils must maintain their Bylaws (including any and all amended articles) in updated and amended form. The Conference or Council must keep a copy of their Bylaws together with the document of the Rule.

CHAPTER 2 VINCENTIAN ORGANIZATION

International Council

Paris, France

142 Countries—5 Continents—47,400 Conferences and 650,000 Members

National Council of the United States

St. Louis, MO

115,000 Active, Associate and Contributing Members in 8 Regions

(Arch)Diocesan Councils

117 (Arch)Diocesan Councils uniting and supporting the District Councils

District Councils

390 District Councils uniting and supporting the Conferences

Conferences

4,600 Conferences, the basic unit of organization
2006

1. 
   Conference
   

The Mission and Governance of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul are found in the Rule, Council and Conference Bylaws, and appropriate policies.

Introduction

The Conference is the basic unit of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and this is where the strength of the Society lies. All Conference members should value the special “treasure,” the “pearl of great price,” that we have as Society members. In the United States, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul has three types of membership: Active (Full), Associate, and Contributing.

The mission of the Conference is the mission of the Society: to join together in a bond of friendship, and to grow spiritually by offering person-to-person service to those who are needy and suffering, in the tradition of our founder, Blessed Frederic Ozanam, and patron, St. Vincent de Paul.

The person-to-person work of most Vincentians is associated with a Conference operating within a Catholic parish, but the Society’s Rule allows for great diversity in the formation of Conferences. They may be established at elementary, high schools and universities, or around particular ministries: to prisoners, residents of nursing homes and shelters, etc. The unifying factor may even be a common professional background or cultural interest.

In the Church today, many people recognize the call of the Gospel of Jesus and the need to serve others. The Society strives to be creative and discover opportunities for meaningful charitable work. It seeks to enlarge the scope of its concern by reaching the hidden and new poor, and to match the skills and interests of all its members with the needs of people. The Conference provides willing Christian helpers with opportunities to minister to those in need on a person-to-person basis through homes visits, and to serve in its special projects or those of the District and (Arch)Diocesan Councils. The Society’s motto is “No work of charity is foreign to the Society.”

The Conference must create awareness for itself in the parish community, finding ways to keep parishioners informed about its charitable works and inviting them to become part of this special ministry. The President is responsible for maintaining communication with the parish staff, parish council, and other parish social ministry programs.

Ministry of the Conference

Ministry is the bridge that connects the Gospel to the needs of God’s people. Through ministry we share with others a glimpse of Jesus, and therefore, the ministry of a Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is to bring concrete aid and the comfort of the Gospel to those who are poor and suffering. This loving service, in turn, brings each member closer to God. This ministry witnesses to the world that Christ and his Gospel message are alive today and being preached through action at the local level. Works on behalf of our brothers and sisters who are poor are the most vivid expression of Christ’s presence in the world. Such works Jesus willed to be signs of his messianic mission in the world:

“John in prison heard about the works Christ performed, and sent a message through his disciples to ask him, “Are you ‘He who is to come’ or do we look for another?” In reply, Jesus said to them: “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: the blind recover their sight, cripples walk, lepers are cured, the deaf hear, dead men are raised to life, and the poor have the good news preached to them. Blest is the one who finds no stumbling block in me.” (Mt. 11: 4-5)
Vincentians engage in many types of ministry. The specific ministry of the Conference belongs not only to the Society, but to all Christian people. As a catalyst and conscience of the local Christian community, the Society cooperates with parish organizations, neighboring Conferences, and social service agencies. It avoids competition and duplication and welcomes assistance from anyone who is sincere and prepared to help, even in a small way. The Society plays a leading role in cooperating with others; it cannot do it alone.

If the Conference is parish-based, everyone living in the parish neighborhood should be served, whether they are parishioners or not, since all are joined together through the realities of creation and redemption. The Conference recognizes its responsibility toward all its neighbors as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Vincentians find inspiration in Christ’s life of service to others. St. Vincent de Paul and Blessed Frederic Ozanam captured this spirit and made it part of their lives and works. This is the heritage transmitted to all Vincentians.

The Society’s special ministry of aid to the needy should be seen in the broader context of the Church’s saving mission and understood as part of it. The Church, like the Lord Jesus, exists to announce the coming of God’s Kingdom, to be a sign of its presence in time, and to usher in the Kingdom of God through various good works. The Church’s mission is to bring the Gospel and holiness to all and to transform and renew all creation by making present Christ’s redemption. The Church offers many opportunities for experiencing the redemption or healing presence of Christ: in the liturgy and the sacraments, in scripture and prayer, and in the personal relationships that Vincentians establish among themselves and with those they serve. It is in this last category, person-to-person relationships, that the ministry of the local Conference of the Society is predominantly found.