The Society of St Vincent de Paul was founded in Paris in 1833 by the Blessed Frederic Ozanam (and colleagues) when he was a 20-year-old student. He named the society after St Vincent de Paul who lived about 300 years before and dedicated his life to the poor and to the redemption of slaves. Today, the society is found in 144 countries around the world and has about 750,000 volunteers.

He died at the age of 40 on 8 September 1853, when he was a professor of the prestigious university of Paris, the Sorbonne. Pope John Paul II beatified Frederic Ozanam at Notre Dame, Paris, on 22 August 1997.

The society was founded in Malta on 16 June 1850 in Valletta by Rev. Dr Paolo Pullicino. He succeeded in forming the first committee to assist the workers and their families who at that time were suffering great hardships; in fact workers all over the world were going through very hard times. Mgr Isidor Formosa, the founder of the Ursuline Sisters, presided over the society for 40 years.

Throughout the years, the society has succeeded in assisting numerous families and others who found themselves in various difficulties.

In 2013, the society will be celebrating Blessed Frederic Ozanam’s birth bi-centenary (1813-2013). The society rejoices and thanks the Lord for this great blessing. It also hopes and prays for a miracle around this great event so that Blessed Frederic Ozanam could be declared a saint.

A collection in aid of the Society of St Vincent de Paul, Naxxar held during the Good Friday procession in Naxxar on 22 April by members of the Society of St Vincent de Paul raised €296.50.

Joseph Attard

President

Society of St Vincent

de Paul

NAXXAR