Do you know who the Vincentians are? The Society of St Vincent de Paul (SSVP) is a global Catholic lay movement, inspired by the zeal of St Vincent de Paul and founded by Bl. Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric Ozanam in 1833. Its members\u2014called Vincentians\u2014organise themselves in small parish-based groups known as Conferences. Their mission is simple and practical: to see Christ in the poor and to serve them with person-to-person love. Even the logo reflects this simplicity: the fish (an early Christian symbol) reminds Vincentians that their service is rooted in Christ and the Gospel. The circle symbolises universal charity, while the plain design mirrors the quiet, humble, and discreet way the Society works\u2014without publicity or show. Our Goa’s parishes have long nurtured an SSVP presence that blends Catholic social teaching with practical help. From visiting the homebound in village wards to supporting struggling families in remote belts and urban pockets, Vincentians focus on steady accompaniment rather than one-time activities. Some of the activities that are regularly conducted includeHome visits: Listening, encouraging, and offering practical help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\u0178 Education support: School and college fees, books, and essentials for children.
\u0178 Health and elders: Medicines, financial aid for treatment, hygiene supplies, and companionship for the elderly.
\u0178 Livelihood & emergencies: Rations, aid during crises, job search support, and assistance with groceries, medicines, or house repairs\u2014always aiming to preserve
dignity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
SSVP ensures person-to-person needs are understood with the family, not imposed on them. Funding is modest, local, and transparent – drawn from members, parishioners, and benefactors. Mainly, spiritual growth is focused on wherein every meeting includes prayer, reflection, and formation, so service flows from faith. Lastly, discreet service, privacy and respect are given importance\u2014no publicity or fanfare for the activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stories from our backyard \u2013 Aquem
\u0178 When a family lost their home in a fire, Vincentians stepped in with medical help and financial support for repairs.
\u0178 Families struggling with illness received timely assistance for treatment.
\u0178 In one case, help with house repairs enabled a family to generate rental income and regain stability.
Today, 13 families in Aquem are regularly supported: 9 Catholic, 3 Hindu, and 1 Muslim\u2014proof that SSVP serves need, not creed. Alongside adopted families
(receiving monthly support for school\/college fees, groceries, and medicine), one-time cases are also considered with compassion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How you can help \u2014 today
Join: Membership is open to all lay faithful. Attend a meeting and learn by serving.
Youth Vincentians: Post-Confirmation youth join members on visits to old-age homes and families in need\u2014learning through action while strengthening the parish’s support network.
Refer: If you know a family in distress, share details discreetly with SSVP.
Contribute:Amonthly pledge, a bag of rice, or sponsorship of a child’s fees makes a difference. Receipts are issued for donations.
Pray:Remember Vincentians and the families they serve in your intentions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
FAQs
\u0178 Is SSVP only for \u201cthe very poor\u201d?
No. Many families need temporary help\u2014after illness, job loss, or other setbacks.
\u0178 Do you only give material aid?
No. Material help is always paired with friendship, mentoring, and referrals. The goal is dignity and stability.
\u0178 Can non-Catholics be helped?
Yes. Assistance is based purely on need.
You can contact any member of SSVP, or approach the church office if you would like to donate. All donations are acknowledged with a receipt and goodwill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLet us love God, my brothers, but let it be with the strength of our arms and the sweat of our brow.\u201d\u2014 St Vincent de Paul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Louella Santimano Dias<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Do you know who the Vincentians are? The Society of St Vincent de Paul (SSVP) is a global Catholic lay movement, inspired by the zeal of St Vincent de Paul and founded by Bl. Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric Ozanam in 1833. Its members\u2014called<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3403","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-parish"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.stsebastianaquem.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3403","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.stsebastianaquem.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.stsebastianaquem.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.stsebastianaquem.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.stsebastianaquem.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3403"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.stsebastianaquem.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3403\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3404,"href":"http:\/\/www.stsebastianaquem.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3403\/revisions\/3404"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.stsebastianaquem.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3403"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.stsebastianaquem.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3403"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.stsebastianaquem.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3403"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}