The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, also referred to as the Vincentian Fathers or Vincentian Priests, is an international organization of Roman Catholic clergy whose primary mission is to help the poor and less fortunate.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul was founded in 1833 by eight men who wanted to create an organization dedicated to helping those impoverished people living in Paris, France. The primary figure behind the Society's founding was Frederick Ozanam, a French lawyer, author, and professor in the Sorbonne.
The name for the society was chosen since the young men felt that Saint Vincent de Paul was the Catholic patron saint that best embodied the ideals that they wanted to be embodied in their organization.
