Serving the poor

Introduction
"No work of charity is foreign to the Society." Its work, through person-to- person contact, encompasses every form of aid that alleviates suffering and promotes the dignity and self-respect of our fellow men and women. The Society strives not only to alleviate need but also to discover and redress the situations which cause it, serving everyone regardless of creed, color or national origin. Members of the Society are united in the same spirit of poverty and sharing. They form, with those they help, one and the same family throughout the world. The basic principles of the Society make evident that the Conference should have, as a constant objective, the frequent and regular involvement of members in one-on-one works of mercy. "An association of doers " is a phrase which fairly well describes a functioning St. Vincent de Paul Conference anywhere in the world.

Action Orientation.....
Vincentians regard the plight of distressed people as a cause for sensitive and informed boldness, rather than timidity. An alert conference will come to realize they have the right - and sometimes the duty - to provide leadership in attacking the social problems of our society. Perhaps this will mean direct responsibility for coping with uncovered needs. If the task is beyond its own capacity, the conference may serve as catalyst within the parish, rallying the good will and action of groups better endowed to do something about the problem.

.....Tempered with Realism
Conferences must be realistic in what can be accomplished. If they attempt too much, they will exhaust themselves in contacts of a superficial sort and will be able to share little of themselves with those who often desperately need human warmth and caring. If conferences attempt too little, they will become bored with themselves, and become institutional obstacles in the way of what otherwise might become dedicated and generous parish concern for the poor.