The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is an international Christian lay voluntary organization dedicated to tackling poverty and disadvantage by providing practical assistance to those in need – irrespective of ideology, faith, ethnicity, age or gender. The vision of SSVP is to be a global catholic charity organization providing aid, development and hope to the poor and the marginalized. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul was founded in 1833 to help impoverished people living in the slums of Paris, France. Blessed Frederic Ozanam, the founder of the Society was a French lawyer, author, and professor in the Sorbonne. He was only 20 years old when he founded the society.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul began in Paris, France, in the year 1833 when a young law student at the Sorbonne, Frederic Ozanam, was challenged during a debate to demonstrate what he and his fellow Catholic students were personally doing to help the poor in the city of Paris. Ozanam's reaction was immediate. Within weeks, Ozanam, at 20 years of age, and six of his peers formed the first "Conference of Charity." Under the conference, this group of seven men financed their works of charity out of their own pockets and from contributions of well wishers. They visited the poor near their homes, providing them with needed aid and assistance. At the prompting of Monsieur Emmanuel Bailly and Sister Rosalie Rendu, superior of a convent of the Daughters of Charity, Ozanam soon placed the conference under the patronage of St. Vincent de Paul who had spent his life in 16th century serving the poor in France.
Within few years, the original group of seven grew to 600, spreading to 15 other cities and towns in France, numbering more than 2,000 members. SVP gradually expanded outside Paris in the mid-19th century. From a small Conference of Charity, today the Society has spread throughout the world, thus fulfilling the wish of its founder “I would like to embrace the world in a network of Charity”. Frederic Ozanam was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1997. The Society was first introduced in India by the French Missionaries at Pondicherry during the Year 1852-53 as a non-aggregated Conference. The Society was officially started in India in 1863 when some conferences in Bombay were aggregated and the Bombay Particular Council was instituted. Then onwards the Society continued to grow in India.On 09.11.1953 the Superior Council of India was established and instituted with the Council General International. The Superior Council of India was renamed as National Council of India on 06.08.1973.
Our Lady Of Sorrows Church Unit History
Inspired by the biblical values of charity, empathy, humility, justice and spirituality, the society provides its member volunteers who are lay Catholics, a working model to live through these core values by being the good Samaritan to less fortune of the society irrespective of the caste, creed, class, gender, or religion of the latter. Our Lady of Sorrows Church started SSVP in 2016. The SSVP volunteers reach out to the poor and needy families in the localities surrounding them. Once a needy family is identified or referred, a team of volunteers will visit the family and assess the ground situation. Based on the verified need of the poor family, the formulate an immediate assistance plan to address their exigencies as well as a long-term plan with the objective of transforming the beneficiary family a self-reliant one. We humbly enlist some of the work that SSVP Hebbagodi conference has done.
1. We have 5 adopted families and we give them grocery items every month.
2. We have visited Anugraha old age home and provided medical support.
3. We have visited Akasha Paravakal along with our parishioners and provided them with grocery item and cash support.
4. We have visited prison ministry boy’s orphanage.
5. We have visited NEST orphanage home.
6. Education support for 19 children in various schools.
7. Medical support for 2 aged people every month.
8. We have donated oxygen machine to a patient in our parish.
9. We have donated blankets to Mallur old age homes.
10. Bucket collection for Manipur suffering families.
11. Dress support to Orissa ministry.
Our Executives
Anoop George
Sunumon George
Anoop George
President
James Joseph
Sunumon George
Anoop George
Secretary
Jaijee Jacob
Sunumon George
Sunumon George
Treasurer
Sunumon George
Sunumon George
Sunumon George
Vice President
Albert P Mathew
Albert P Mathew
Albert P Mathew
Joint Secretary
Shyan Devasia
Albert P Mathew
Albert P Mathew
Joint Treasurer
Lijo George
Albert P Mathew
Lijo George
Joint Treasurer
Mass Timings
Singena Agrahara Church
Sundays - First Mass: 7.00 am, Second mass: 10.30 am, Evening Mass: 5.30 pm
Saturdays - Mass: 6.15 am
Weekdays - Mass: 6.15 am
First Fridays - Adoration 6.pm, Holy Mass 6.30 pm
Singsandra Chapel
Sundays - First Mass: 11.00 am