In 1833, Frederick Ozanam, a law student in Paris, was shocked when he saw the squalid conditions in which the poor were living. He organized a small group of students into a society dedicated to serving the poor: they visited poor people, and provided emergency assistance through food, clothing and comfort. Where it was appropriate, they gave spiritual guidance.
They named their society after St. Vincent de Paul (c.1580-1660), a priest in France who dedicated his life to founding charitable organizations to help the poor, prisoners, galley slaves, the ill, and all the less fortunate members of the area.
The SSVP came to Canada in 1846. Today, about one million people in more than 132 countries on five continents are members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and they continue to reach out in love to serve Jesus Christ in his suffering brothers and sisters. About two-thirds are in developing countries and many are twinned with Canadian conferences.
In the Diocese of Peterborough, the Society is organized into particular councils and conferences in participating parishes. Each local SSVP is dedicated to helping anyone in need without regard to colour, race or religion. Funds for this work come from special collections taken at the local churches.