Society of Saint Vincent de Paul

Ozanam Recovery House is a registered charity with services provided by the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul of Central Okanagan.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a worldwide Catholic lay organization dedicated to helping the poor, the oppressed and the under-privileged regardless of race, colour or creed.

“Through our words, prayers and actions we are called to show solidarity with, and compassion for, the poor; to always keep the “preferential option for the poor” at the forefront of our minds. The poor includes the vulnerable and marginalized in our community and beyond—unborn children, persons with disabilities, the elderly and terminally ill, and victims of injustice and oppression. These have the most urgent moral claim on the conscience of all.”

The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul is just one of the ministries of the Church which strives to serve the poor. Members of the Society, called Vincentians, are called to alleviate suffering and its causes, serving everyone regardless of race, creed, gender, opinion or age, and to walk in solidarity with the poor. Vincentians understand that poverty does not necessarily involve being in need of material goods. The Society’s main service is home visits to the poor. Vincentians also strive to address the root causes of poverty and injustice by acting as “the voice of the poor”.

The mission of the Society is to live the Gospel message by serving Christ in the poor with love, respect, justice and joy. This mission implies that as Vincentians, we:

• See Christ in anyone who suffers

• Come together as a family

• Have personal contact with the poor

• Help in all possible ways

The Society was established in Canada in 1846 in Quebec City. There are now close to one million members worldwide who work to serve the needs of the poor in over 144 countries. The Society is open to all who wish to live their faith by loving and serving their neighbour. The Patron of the Society is Saint Vincent de Paul (1581 – 1660).
In the early 1980’s four parish based conferences were in Kelowna and are still active today.