St. Agnes’ Saint Vincent de Paul Society helps those in need
St. Agnes Catholic Church in Orrville, through the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, has been helping the poor and needy of Northern Wayne County since its establishment in 1980.
St. Agnes Catholic Church in Orrville has been helping the poor and needy of Northern Wayne County since its establishment in 1980. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is an international Catholic lay organization that seeks to help those who are in any kind of need by person-to-person involvement in a spirit of justice and charity.
Members of SVDP who are dedicated to helping the poor and needy are called Vincentians, and today, there are more than 800,000 members in roughly 150 countries. Vincentians work in small groups, organizing themselves into what are known as conferences.
“The St. Agnes Conference was formed to serve those in the outlines of the parish membership area,” Kathy Yonto of St. Agnes’ Conference said. “For St. Agnes Parish, this service area includes Orrville, Dalton, Marshallville, Apple Creek and Smithville. Vincentians are required to ensure they are compassionate and also treat information they receive in a highly confidential manner.”
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul was established as an international lay organization, and despite its namesake, it was not started by St. Vincent de Paul. St. Vincent de Paul was born in Pouy, France in 1581 and became a priest at the age of 19. In his early life, he was a tutor to a wealthy family, but a deathbed confession he heard in his role as priest awakened something in him that propelled him to dedicate his life to the poor.
While there were many who took up his cause upon his death, it was Frederic Ozanam, a bright and devout Catholic student at the Sorbonne Institute in Paris, who began what was known as The Conference of Charity in 1833, held April 23 of that year in Paris. From its beginnings in Paris, the society grew rapidly, expanding to other European countries and reaching the shores of the United States in 1845.
St. Agnes’s SVDP provides a variety of services to individuals in need. Assistance is determined on a case-by-case basis.
“Assistance is normally available for part or all of a utility bill. Help with rent is not normally given but may be considered,” Yonto said. “Help with other necessities is also considered. For groceries, a nonperishable item pantry is stocked with gifts from the members of St. Agnes Parish. Occasionally, ground meat is available. We also have diapers available that we collect through the parish.”
The organization also can assist members by helping to connect those in need with other service providers in the area if SVDP is unable to help for whatever reason. An important focus for the volunteers who work with the organization is making a meaningful and personal connection between its members and those in any kind of need in order to bear witness of Christ by showing Christians work for the good of humanity.
The St. Agnes Parish office is located at 541 Spring St. in Orrville and is staffed with SVDP volunteers on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1-3 p.m. Those interested in receiving assistance should call the parish office during that time frame at 330-682-2611. The initial intake appointment may be the first step in the organization making a determination as to whether assistance can be provided.
For pantry items patrons should call the parish office on Tuesday or Thursday from 1-3 p.m., and grocery pickup is available on Thursdays from 1-2:30 p.m. St. Vincent de Paul reminded Christians of their vocation: “So our vocation is to go and to set people’s hearts on fire, to do what the Son of God did. He came to set the world on fire in order to inflame it with his love.”