The History of the Society of St Vincent de Paul
The Foundation of the Society of St Vincent de Paul
Blessed Frederic Ozanam was a French literary scholar, lawyer, journalist and equal rights advocate. He founded with fellow students The Conference of Charity later known as The Society of St. Vincent De Paul, in 1833.
Following the return of the French Monarchy in the 1814’s, Frederic warned that with the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer; trouble was imminent if the social situation did not improve; workers were likely to take matters into their own hands – which was precisely what happened later Paris uprisings of 1848.
As an ardent Catholic, he canvassed for better conditions for workers, children and poor people; and whilst in Lyon, before his return to Paris in 1840, he drew up a course of what he regarded as Catholic Social Teaching
Frederic felt that in the industrialised countries, especially England and America, the Catholic Church needed to show the workers that it cared for their welfare as well as their spiritual life. He was very keen therefore, to establish the Society in England.
An acquaintance of Frederic was George Jonas Wigley. George had been brought up by his Aunt in Boulogne following the death of his parents. On George’s return to England, Frederic urged him to contact the founder and Editor of the Tablet and write articles advocating the foundation of the Society in London.
As a result of these articles a meeting of gentlemen, including George Wigley, took place in London to consider the necessity of establishing a society similar to the one existing in France called ‘The Society of St. Vincent of Paul’.
The First meeting of the Society of England took place in February 1844. They passed the formation of the Brotherhood that would commit itself with the Society of St Vincent of Paul in Paris.
Unlike France at this time, England was relatively stable under the reign of the young Queen Victoria. However, Roman Catholicism was still finding its way post it’s suppression following the Reformation. While the Roman Catholic Relief Act of 1829 allowed, among other things, Catholics free to be elected to public office, it was not until 1850 that the Catholic hierarchy was restored to England, under Cardinal Wiseman.
At this time, Catholics were in the minority of England’s population and so the early English SVP was cautious about introducing SVP works in a country where the established church was the Church of England. Regardless of their small numbers, during the outbreak of cholera (in both France and England) the Society decided to provide funding for nurses, medicines and even coffins. 30,000 people died in London alone during 1832 and 1854; On a trip to the Great Exhibition, Frederic Ozanam poignantly commented:
‘What courage the English Brothers need to shake hands with down and outs, in an aristocratic land where contact with the poor is thought to declass and degrade.’
History of the Horsham SVP Conference
It was for many years the view of many people that as Horsham was a prosperous town with little obvious poverty there was no need to have an SVP Conference based in the parish of St John the Evangelist. However due to the foresight of a group of concerned parishioners this view was contested and proved wrong.
They felt very strongly that there was a need for a co-ordinated effort in the parish against, poverty, loneliness and lack of concern.
They approached Fr Dominic, the parish priest, saying they wished to investigate the possibility of establishing an SVP conference in Horsham. With his blessing an invitation was issued to the SVP President for Sussex Province who came to the parish to explain how things would be achieved and how things would work.
The next step was to put a proposition to the parishioners and a meeting, under the chairmanship of Michael Butler was called. There was sufficient response to this meeting to decide that a conference should be established in Horsham. Michael agreed to be the first President with Brian Madeley as his vice President. David White would be secretary and Tony Tinning would be Treasurer. Other founding members were Tom Murray (not then Deacon) Sr. Angela, Sr. Clemence, Russell Tailby, Christine Caffery and Carmen Hornung.
With this basis Michael was able to apply to SVP Head Office and through them obtain charitable status for the Conference. Without this status it would be virtually impossible to operate as a vehicle providing any financial
help. However it also imposes significant responsibilities and a lot of rules have to be followed. The application was approved and the first meeting of The St John the Evangelist Conference of the SVP was held on Tuesday 22nd October 1991.
It is a tradition of the SVP that there is a secret (or confidential) collection from members at each meeting. The collection at the first meeting raised £38.60p and this was the first money available to the Conference for their good works.
It was agreed with Fr Dominic that an annual appeal for funds would be made to the parish, if possible, on the nearest weekend to the feast of St. Vincent de Paul because St. Vincent was the inspiration for the founder of the SVP, blessed Frederic Ozanam.
Over the years the parishioners have been very generous to the Conference and have provided regular funds for their charitable works. There have also been personal donations and legacies from parishioners of varying amounts of money.
Using the funds available the Conference has been able to provide comfort and help of various kinds to many in the parish and the wider town and surrounds, making no distinction because of faith or ethnic origin. Additionally finance has been provided to support the three twinned Conferences in India and for the further education of needy students, also in India.
However providing financial help is not the primary purpose of the SVP. Friendship, companionship, help and advice are the main tenants of the society. Everything must include a personal involvement, which
is why visiting in private homes, hospitals and nursing homes is a high priority for all.
Over the 18 years Horsham Conference has had several changes of officers; changes of President who is the leader of the Conference and each change has brought something special and individual. We have had several secretaries but have had only two treasurers.
It does seem that there is a popular misconception that SVP members take on what is a 24/7-lifetime commitment. This is not the case at all. Members give what time and effort they can, when they can and for as long as they can. With no commitment above this except for an expectation that they will fulfil the duties of any office they may agree to hold.
As well as full SVP members there are two other categories of membership, Auxiliary Members and Friends Of the SVP. The Auxiliary Member is someone who wishes to be associated with the conference and is willing and able to visit and help in other ways from time to time but is unable to attend meetings. A Friend of SVP is someone who is unable to attend meetings or to visit but is keen to support the efforts of others financially.
There are other people who without the formality of joining or making any regular commitment to SVP have from time to time helped the Conference. A good example of this is the mini bus service. The provision of the mini bus to enable the sick, the housebound and those without transport or those over sixties who otherwise would not be able to get there to attend Sunday Mass, was started and run by the SVP but there were not enough members to provide a regular service without a huge individual commitment.
An appeal was made to the parish and the response was astounding and on going, enabling the service to continue to the present day although the SVP does not have any official involvement any more.
Over the years the SVP has filled a special place in parish life and it is hoped will continue to do so but as modern life continues with it’s relentless changes and challenges it needs a continuous flow of new members of all categories.
Are you able tohelp?
Written by:
Peter Frisbee
From the Parish magazine of 2009
Anthony Michael Peter Leaver RIP
Fond memories by Miguel
I met Tony at the time I joined the SVP back in 2007 when Fr Raglan paired us to start visiting two elderly parishioners who were housebound, both called John, whom we both visited for many years until they passed away.
The weekly visits soon moved premises from their homes to the pub, as both Johns, as well as Tony, I must say, loved the idea of sharing a beer together every Sunday after Mass. So the weekly habit Tony and I created was to meet every Sunday, one hour before mass at John O’s home to enjoy a nice coffee and biscuits lovingly made by Paddy, John’s wife, who thoroughly enjoyed our visits too, fascinated by Tony’s stories about his life in the Far East, full of interesting and funny anecdotes.
We would then take John O to Mass, in his wheelchair.John was an Irishman with a deeply rooted faith, who was extremely grateful for our small efforts to take him to Mass, and he’d often say to us that Sunday was the highlight of his week!
Later on, Tony and I would remember, after John passed away, how much he enriched our lives and made us realise the importance of the things we normally took for granted, particularly about being able to attend the Holy Mass!
After Mass we would go to the Ye Olde Stout House pub, opposite the Carfax, where John H would be keenly waiting us for the customary beer (or two) every Sunday. This was a time of joy, jokes and laughter, listening to the stories of these wonderful and life experienced friends, always knowing in the back of our minds that we were together in the name of Christ, whom all of us treasured very much.
I remember one episode that made Tony laugh out loud. John H asked for a coke at the pub and rejected the customary beer. When enquired as to why this was, he explained that his doctor asked him to stop drinking (John was a man of incredible integrity -as I’ve known very few, to which the other John responded passionately, "if your doctor asks you to stop drinking, change your doctor!"
After John O passed away, we continued visiting his wife who, by this time, had become a very good friend. She would make a nice meal for us every Christmas season and keenly wait for us, mainly looking forward to her conversations with Tony. He would relate details of his life in Penang, Thailand, Kuala Lumpur and Papua New Guinea as well as his ongoing studies. We also continued visiting our dear friend John H for many more years, until his passing away back in 2018.
I learnt many things from Tony, especially his humility, gratefulness, kindness and warm friendship, as well as his open faith in Christ. Also, as my son mentioned when he learnt about Tony’s passing , he was always happy and smiling!
I feel grateful for Tony’s friendship, and I will remember him as a witness of what a good life looks like.
My special regards to Song, Tony’s wife, of whom he often used to say, how grateful he was to God for having her in his life, as well as his daughters, whom he loved and cared for passionately.
Rest in peace my good friend!