Who we are

Blessed Frederic Ozanam (1813 - 1853)

The St Vincent de Paul Society was founded in Paris on 23 April 1833 by a group of young Catholic university students led by the 20-year-old, Frederic Ozanam, who had a passion for social reform.

Ozanam was a dynamic leader, whose strong Catholic faith led him to champion the rights of the poor, the sick, and the ‘wage slave’ workers, with radical and influential ideas such as partnership and profit sharing. 

At a meeting, Ozanam and his fellow students were challenged: “What is your church doing now? What is it doing for the poor of Paris? Show us your works.” That moment had a profound effect and as a result the St Vincent de Paul Society was born.

“Yours must be a work of love, of kindness, you must give your time, your talents, yourselves. The poor person is a unique person of God’s fashioning with an inalienable right to respect. You must not be content with tiding the poor over the poverty crisis: You must study their condition and the injustices which brought about such poverty, with the aim of a long term improvement.”

St Vincent de Paul (1581 - 1660)

The St Vincent de Paul Society was named in honour of St Vincent de Paul, the patron saint of charities.

Born in 1581, Vincent de Paul was a holy and contemplative man who saw that love of God needed a practical demonstration and that the face of God was found in the poor.

As a young man he ministered to and tutored the powerful. However, after being sent to the poor village of Châtillon, he pledged his life to serving the destitute. A determined man who never hurried a decision, he dedicated himself to orphans, the aged, the sick, the starving, prisoners, galley slaves and the mentally unwell.

“If we are really called to carry the love of God far and wide, if we are to inflame the nations with this fire, if we have the vocation of setting the whole world on fire, if it is so, then how much I must myself burn with this fire.”

Fr Gerald Ward (1806 - 1858)

The first conference in Australia was established on 5 March 1854 in Melbourne by Fr Gerald Ward at St Francis' Church situated on the corner of Elizabeth and Lonsdale Streets. Fr Ward was the conferences first president.

In its first year the conference assisted 179 cases primarily out of concern and compassion for children and women who had been abandoned due to the 1851 rush to the goldfields.

The St Francis Conference still meets today at St Francis Church in the city.

“The Society’s object is to comprise sundry works of charity, but more especially the relief of the destitute, in a manner as much as possible, permanently beneficial and the visitation of poor families. Every opportunity is seized of bearing consolation and instruction to the sick and prisoners, to children indigent, abandoned or imprisoned.”

Bl Rosalie Rendu (1786 - 1856)

Sr Rosalie Rendu, a Daughter of Charity, worked for over 50 years in the slums of Paris, and acted as mentor and guide to the newly formed conference, and to Frederic Ozanam in particular.

She was known as the Mother Teresa of Paris, and started a free clinic, pharmacy, school, orphanage, child care centre and a youth club for young workers. She reluctantly accepted the Cross of the Legion of Honour in 1852.

Not physically robust, her strength came from her prayer life. She prayed in the streets every day, and upon her death her funeral was attended by 50,000 mourners.

“All have the right to lay their burdens on us...Be kind and love, for love is your first gift to the poor. They will appreciate your kindness and your love more than all else you bring them.”

St Louise de Marillac (1591 - 1660)

St Louise de Marillac came from a noble family, married and had a son, and was widowed after 11 years of marriage. She was well educated and blessed with extraordinary abilities.

A passionate worker for the sick, the elderly and the marginalised, together she and St Vincent de Paul founded the Daughters of Charity, who lived and worked amongst the poor and the destitute.

The noble movement of the St Vincent de Paul Society, which has spanned four centuries and five continents owes much to her dedication, commitment, charisma and energy.

“Be diligent in serving the poor. We must love them tenderly and respect them deeply. Love the poor; Honour them, my children, as you would honour Christ himself.”

Meet Brian Bull

After retiring as WA Police Commissioner in 1994, Brian Bull's yearning to help others in need continued to burn strong.

So much so that he began volunteering for the St Vincent de Paul Society WA alongside his wife Pat, who had been a long-time volunteer.

Volunteering in the Midland area, where he had already served many years as a police officer, Brian spent his time as a Member delivering food parcels to needy families.

It wasn’t until September, 2000, that Brian stepped up as State President, a role he held for five years. 

Brian sadly passed away in January, 2021, but leaves behind an enduring legacy bound by his generosity and commitment to serving the local community for some 45 years.

The story of Genevieve De Souza

With a lack of female Membership across St Vincent de Paul Society WA, the appointment of Genevieve De Souza as the WA Society’s first ever female State President in 2005 couldn’t have come at a better time. 

Born and raised in Singapore, Genevieve joined the WA Society in 1988, where she became the Regional President for the Queens Park region.

In her first year as State President, Genevieve played a big part in the success of the PANASCO Conference in Perth, which is held for Society Members from Pan Asian countries. 

Genevieve was WA State President until 2008. 

Gerry Darwin

A prolific sculptor, Gerry Darwin was the famed creator of Frederic Ozanam bust sculptures, which are proudly on display at each of the Society’s head offices across Australia.

Born in Lancashire in the UK, Gerry was a member of the Armadale Conference, where his wife Bridgit still serves today. 

Before Gerry passed away 2020, his last project was sculpting the 14 ‘Stations of the Cross’ during major renovations at the St Mary’s Cathedral in Perth. 

John Gorman

Born in Ireland, John Gorman arrived in Western Australia in October, 1851. 

Having witnessed the charitable efforts of the St Vincent de Paul Society back in Ireland, John was inspired to form the Society of St Vincent de Paul in WA on July 24, 1865. 

The first record of John’s call to action for the WA Society was in an advertisement in the local newspapers, then known as the Perth Gazette and WA Times, where he called for people to attend a public meeting to “raise funds” for the Society to provide “relief of the distressed poor.”

From here, word quickly spread of the ‘good works’ Gorman and the WA Society were doing and within the first six months of its existence, the Society supported 23 individuals. 

John remained the Chairman of the WA Society up until his death on April 13, 1872, but he left behind an indelible legacy that continues to drive the mission of the Society – also known as Vinnies WA – as it is today.

John Meahan

John Meahan was elected to WA State President of the St Vincent de Paul Society WA in 1995, but three years later he would make history as the first Western Australian to be elected as National Vice President.

John was a long-standing member at the WA Society, having been involved as a Member for 33 years.

During his time as State President, John was instrumental in creating a comprehensive document known as the Vincentian 2000 WA, which would inform how the Society could adapt heading into the millennium.

Meet Tom Fisher

Appointed as the State Council President of the WA Society in September 1985, dedicated volunteer Tom Fisher would go on to make waves across the organisation.

During his tenure as State President, Tom not only led the establishment of the St Vincent de Paul Centre in Kwinana in July 1989, but he had also grown the Society from 68 to 80 conferences that supported people in need across Perth. 

So impactful was his time at the Society that Tom later inspired the namesake of Vinnies Tom Fisher House, which opened in 2016 and continues to provide an intensive intervention service for people experiencing long-term homelessness. 

Sadly, Tom passed away just months before the opening of Tom Fisher House but his memory lives on through the incredible work that is carried out by staff who deliver this vital service.