Our Mission Statement
“A network of Friends, inspired by Gospel values, growing in holiness and building a more just world through personal relationships with and service to people in need”
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a Catholic lay organization inspired by Gospel values. We join together to grow spiritually by offering person-to-person service to neighbors in need in the tradition of our founder, Blessed Frederic Ozanam, and our patron St. Vincent de Paul.
On April 23, 1833, his 20th birthday, while studying at the Sorbonne in Paris, France, Blessed Frederic invited five other students to a meeting, where they founded the first Conference of Charity to assist the poor. The six students chose Emmanual Baily. a married layman, as their first President. They later changed the name to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in honor of their patron Saint.
12 years later on November 20, 1845, the first Conference in the United States was founded in St. Louis, Missouri. With nearly 90,000 volunteers in over 4,400 parish-based Conferences across the United States, the Society provides more than $1.7 billion in aid to more than 5 million people every year.
St. Teresa of Calcutta Conference was established at Resurrection Catholic Church in Lakeland FL. in January 2017. The St. Teresa of Calcutta Conference is one of 22 parish Conferences under the umbrella of the Diocesan Council of Orlando, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Inc., a registered non-profit charity organization. We are also a member of the Western District Council, which is comprised of the local Conferences in Polk County, FL.
We receive no funds from the Government and rely entirely on contributions and occasional grants. We are very good at using the resources we have to provide the best service to as many people we can. Our small group of volunteers works long and hard to provide service to the poor with dignity, love, and compassion, while growing in holiness and friendship.
Donations from our friends and members are what keeps us going.