With these words, the idea for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul was born. Frédéric Ozanam was a 20-year-old law student at the Sorbonne in the spring of 1833. When confronted by another student about practical applications of his Catholic faith, Ozanam was inspired to found a “conference of charity” to assist the poor.

The group adopted the name “Society of St. Vincent de Paul” in honor of the saint revered for his work among the needy. The Society quickly established a relationship with Sister Rosalie Rendu, a member of the Daughters of Charity, who organized the distribution of aid in one of Paris’s most impoverished neighborhoods. Within a few years, the original group of seven grew to 600, spreading to 15 other cities and towns in France.

Twelve years later, in 1845, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul crossed the ocean and established the very first American conference in St. Louis, Missouri. The first members met at the St. Louis Cathedral Basilica, known locally as the Old Cathedral. St. Louis remains the Society’s U.S. headquarters, home to both the National Council and the local St. Louis Council.