, logo = , image = Vincentians.png , abbreviation = CM , nickname = Vincentians, Paules, Lazarites, Lazarists, Lazarians , established = , founder =

Vincent de Paul Vincent de Paul, CM (24 April 1581 – 27 September 1660), commonly known as Saint Vincent de Paul, was a Occitan French Catholic priest who dedicated himself to serving the poor. In 1622 Vincent was appointed a chaplain to the galleys. Afte ...

, founding_location = Paris, France , type = Society of Apostolic Life of Pontifical Right (for Men) , members = 3,100 as of 2021 , headquarters = General Motherhouse
Via dei Capasso 30, 00164 Rome, Italy"Congregation of the Mission (C.M.)", GCatholic
/ref> , leader_title = Motto , leader_name = la,
Evangelizare pauperibus misit me
English:
''He sent me to bring Good News to the poor'' , leader_title2 = Superior General , leader_name2 = Tomaž Mavrič, CM , leader_title3 = Patron , leader_name3 = Saint

, CM , main_organ = Nuntia and Vincentiana , website = The Congregation of the Mission ( la, Congregatio Missionis) abbreviated CM and commonly called the Vincentians or Lazarists. is a

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

society of apostolic life of Pontifical Right for men founded by

. It is associated with the

Vincentian Family The Vincentian Family comprises organizations inspired by the life and work of Vincent de Paul, a 17th-century priest who "transformed the face of France." He directly founded the Confraternities of Charity (today known as the AIC) the Congregati ...

, a loose federation of organizations who look to St

as their founder or Patron.

History

The Congregation has its origin in the successful mission to the common people conducted by Vincent de Paul and five other priests on the estates of the

Gondi family The Florentine banking family of the Gondi were prominent financial partners of the Medici. Unlike the Medici, they were of the old Florentine nobility, tracing their line traditionally from the legendary Philippi, said to have been ennobled by Cha ...

. More immediately it dates from 1624, when the little community acquired a permanent settlement in the ''Collège des Bons Enfants'' in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...

, which later became a seminary under the name of St. Firmin. The first missions of the Vincentians were in the suburbs of Paris and in Picardy and Champagne.Randolph, Bartholomew. "Congregation of Priests of the Mission", The Catholic Encyclopedia
Vol. 10. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 11 September 2021 Archiepiscopal recognition was obtained in 1626. By a papal bull on January 12, 1633, the society was constituted a congregation, with

as its head. About the same time the canons regular of St. Victor handed over to the congregation their priory of Saint Lazare (formerly a lazar-house or leper hospital) in Paris, which led to its members being popularly known as 'Lazarists''. Within a few years the Vincentians had acquired another house in Paris and set up other establishments throughout France; missions were also sent to Italy (1638), Tunis (1643), Algiers and Ireland (1646),

Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...

(1648),

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...

(1651), and

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...

(1783). A bull of Alexander VII in April 1655 further confirmed the society; this was followed by a brief in September of the same year, regulating its constitution. The rules then adopted, which were framed on the model of those of the

Jesuits , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders = ...

, were published at Paris in 1668 under the title ''Regulae seu constitutiones communes congregationis missionis''. Its special aims were the religious instruction of the poor, the training of the clergy, and foreign missions. On the eve of the

French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in coup of 18 Brumaire, November 1799. Many of its ...

, Saint Lazare was plundered by the mob and the congregation was later suppressed; it was restored by

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

in 1804 at the desire of Pius VII, abolished by him in 1809 in consequence of a quarrel with the pope, and again restored in 1816. The Vincentians were expelled from Italy in 1871 and from

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

in 1873. The Vincentian province of Poland was singularly prosperous; at the date of its suppression in 1796 it possessed thirty-five establishments. The Congregation of the Mission was permitted to return in 1816, where it is very active. In Madagascar it had a mission from 1648 until 1674. In 1783 Vincentians were appointed to take the place of the

Jesuits , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders = ...

in the Levantine and Chinese missions; and in 1874 their establishments throughout the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

numbered sixteen. In addition, they established missions in

Persia Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

Abyssinia The Ethiopian Empire (), also formerly known by the exonym Abyssinia, or just simply known as Ethiopia (; Amharic and Tigrinya: ኢትዮጵያ , , Oromo: Itoophiyaa, Somali: Itoobiya, Afar: ''Itiyoophiyaa''), was an empire that historica ...

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

, the South American republics,

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

, and

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...

, some of which were later suppressed. In the same year they had fourteen establishments in the

United States of America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...

Present day

As of 2021, the Vincentians number about 3,100 worldwide, with a presence in 95 different countries.Congregation of the Mission (Global)
/ref> Its specific apostolate remains the evangelization of the poor and the formation of the clergy. , Tomaž Mavrič is the incumbent worldwide superior general of the Congregation of the Mission, elected during its general assembly on July 5, 2016.

Opus Prize Finalist

On August 30, 2007,

The Catholic University of America The Catholic University of America (CUA) is a private Roman Catholic research university in Washington, D.C. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by U.S. ...

, (with the Opus Prize 2004 Foundation, affiliated with The Opus Group), announced that it would award on November 8 a $1-million and two $100,000 Humanity prizes to finalist organizations which contributed to solve most persistent social problems: John Adams (of ''So Others Might Eat'' which serves the poor and homeless in

Washington, DC ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan ...

); Stan Goetschalckx (founder and director of AHADI International Institute in

Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands ...

which educates refugees from Congo, Rwanda, and Burundi); and Bebot Carcellar of the Vincentian Missionaries Social Development Foundation. On November 8, 2007, David M. O'Connell, president of Catholic University, personally bestowed these Opus Prizes at the university's Edward J. Pryzbyla University Center.

Philippines

In 2008 the Vincentian family marked 150 years in the Philippines, led by the provincial Bienvenido M. Disu, Gregorio L. Bañaga, President of Adamson University, and Archbishop Jesus Dosado of the

Archdiocese of Ozamiz The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Ozamis is a metropolitan archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the province of Misamis Occidental, southern Philippines. The archdiocese cathedral is the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception i ...

. The Philippine province has a deacon, 5 incorporated brothers, and 97 priests. A major work is the housing program for hundreds of families, especially those affected by demolitions and relocations along the Philippine North and South Railways (PNR) tracks. The CBCP Newsletter announced on July 10, 2008, the appointment of the Philippine Marcelo Manimtim as director of Paris-based Centre International de Formation (CIF). Manimtim is the first Asian to hold the office.

Housing programs

In 1991, Carcellar was assigned to Payatas. With his "Planning for a new home, Systemic Change Strategy," he organized Philippine massive home constructions, which he began by a savings program at Payatas dumpsite. Carcellar's "The Homeless Peoples Federation Philippines, Inc. (HPFPI)" provided slum dwellers of

Iloilo City Iloilo City, officially the City of Iloilo ( hil, Siyudad/Dakbanwa sang Iloilo; fil, Lungsod ng Iloilo), is a 1st class Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines on t ...

and

Mandaue City Mandaue (), officially the City of Mandaue ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Mandaue; fil, Lungsod ng Mandaue), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 364,116 ...

with initiatives to survive poverty. In 2008 it promoted savings in

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainlan ...

, since the Philippine Federation affiliated with an international network called "Slum/Shack Dwellers International". Another, younger Vincentian was also assigned by Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales as the Coordinator of the Housing Ministry of the Archdiocese of Manila.

Vincentian Center for Social Responsibility (VCSR)

On September 28, 2007, Philippine Vice President

Noli De Castro Manuel Leuterio de Castro Jr. (; born July 6, 1949), professionally known as Noli de Castro, is a Filipino journalist, news anchor and politician who served as the 12th vice president of the Philippines from 2004 until 2010, under President ...

welcomed the launching of the Vincentian Center for Social Responsibility (VCSR) by the Adamson University. VCSR intends to engage the Adamson's academic community more deeply and directly in nation-building and to directly respond to

Millennium Development Goals The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were eight international development goals for the year 2015 that had been established following the Millennium Summit of the United Nations in 2000, following the adoption of the United Nations Millenn ...

' poverty alleviation initiatives in the country. De Castro also cited the Adamson University and a Vincentian priest named Fr. Riles for their efforts in putting up the VCSR. VCSR is also responsible for the creation of the Vincentian Facilitators (VF), the Academic Social Responsibility (ASR), the Academic Social Entrepreneurship (ASE), and the Academic Social Journalism (ASJ) at the Vincentian-owned Adamson University. Through VCSR, the movement towards academic social networking has become a reality in the university. VCSR is also responsible for organizing the First Northville and Southville People's Congress, consisting of around 750,000 relocatees from Metro Manila and the provinces of Cavite, Bulacan and Laguna.

United States of America

The Vincentians travelled to the United States in 1816 and two years later established St. Mary's of the Barrens seminary."History", Kenrick-Glennon Seminary
/ref>They founded Niagara University (1856), St. John's University (1870), and

DePaul University DePaul University is a private, Catholic research university in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by the Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from the 17th-century French priest Saint Vincent de Paul. In 1998, it became the largest Ca ...

(1898).Congregation of the Mission, Western Province
/ref> The Western Province of the USA has a mission in Kenya, where in conjunction with parish ministry water projects have been initiated to provide clean water to the people. The New England Province was founded in 1904 by Vincentians from Poland. They staff parishes in New York and Connecticut. The Provincial headquarters is in Manchester, Connecticut.Congregation of the Mission, New England Province
/ref>

Prominent members of the congregation

Members of the congregation include: *

Thaddeus Amat y Brusi Thaddeus Amat y Brusi C.M., or in Spanish Tadeu Amat y Brusi ( ca, Tadeu Amat i Brusi; December 31, 1811 – May 12, 1878) was a Spanish Roman Catholic cleric who became the first Bishop of Los Angeles, in California. Early life Amat was born ...

(1810-1878), first bishop of

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

* E. Bore (died 1878), orientalist * P. Collet (1693-1770), writer on theology and ethics * Armand David (1826-1900), Basque missionary and zoologist * Jean-Claude Faveyrial (1813–1893), French historian and author of the first book on the

history of Albania The history of Albania forms a part of the history of Europe. During classical antiquity, Albania was home to several Illyrian tribes such as the Ardiaei, Albanoi, Amantini, Enchele, Taulantii and many others, but also Thracian and Gree ...

Pierre-Marie-Alphonse Favier Pierre-Marie-Alphonse Favier-Duperron C.M.(Chinese: 樊國樑 Pinyin:''Fan Guoliang'' Wade-Giles: ''Fan Kouo-Léang'') (born 22 September 1837 at Marsannay-la-Côte, France; died 4 April 1905 in Beijing) was the Catholic (Chinese: 天主教; Pi ...

(1837-1905), missionary to China, and

Vicar Apostolic A vicar (; Latin: ''vicarius'') is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior (compare "vicarious" in the sense of "at second hand"). Linguistically, ''vicar'' is cognate with the English pre ...

of North

Zhili Province Zhili, alternately romanized as Chihli, was a northern administrative region of China since the 14th-century that lasted through the Ming dynasty and Qing dynasty until 1911, when the region was dissolved, converted to a province, and renamed ...

(1898-1905) * Frederic Gehring (1903-1998),

missionary A missionary is a member of a religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thomas Hale 'On Being a Mi ...

to China and decorated chaplain to American forces during the Guadalcanal Campaign * Joseph Lilly, translator of the Greek New Testament into English in 1946. * Stéphanos II Ghattas (1920-2009), Patriarch emeritus of Alexandria for the Copts * J. de la Grive (1689-1757), geographer * Évariste Régis Huc (1813-1860),

and traveller * Teodorico Pedrini (1671-1746),

to China and musician *

Stafford Poole The Reverend Stafford Poole, C.M., (March 6, 1930 – November 1, 2020) was a Catholic priest and a research historian. He was formerly a professor of history at, and later served as President of, the former St. John's Seminary College (closed ...

(1936-2020), historian * John T. Richardson (1923–2022), President of

Franc Rode Franc Rode (or Rodé; born 23/09/1934) is a Slovenian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the prefect emeritus of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, having served as prefect from 2004 ...

(1934-), Cardinal and former Prefect of the

Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life The Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, formerly called Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life (CICLSAL; la, Congregatio pro Institutis Vitae Consecratae et Soci ...

Joseph Rosati Joseph Rosati (30 January 1789 – 25 September 1843) was an Italian-born Catholic missionary to the United States who served as the first bishop of the Diocese of Saint Louis between 1826 and 1843. A member of the Congregation of the Mission, ...

(1789-1843), first bishop of St. Louis, Missouri *

David M. O'Connell David Michael O'Connell (born April 21, 1955) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church, serving as the bishop of the Diocese of Trenton in New Jersey since 2010. He is a member of the Congregation of the Mission and a past presi ...

(1955-), Bishop of Trenton * Joseph Patrick Slattery, (1866-1931)

physicist A physicist is a scientist who specializes in the field of physics, which encompasses the interactions of matter and energy at all length and time scales in the physical universe. Physicists generally are interested in the root or ultimate cau ...

radiologist Radiology ( ) is the medical discipline that uses medical imaging to diagnose diseases and guide their treatment, within the bodies of humans and other animals. It began with radiography (which is why its name has a root referring to radiat ...

, pioneer in the field of

radiography Radiography is an imaging technique using X-rays, gamma rays, or similar ionizing radiation and non-ionizing radiation to view the internal form of an object. Applications of radiography include medical radiography ("diagnostic" and "therapeu ...

in Australia * Georges Bou-Jaoudé (1943-2022), Archbishop of Tripoli, Lebanon for the Maronites * Aba Shlimon (aka Pere Desire Solomon, Khwaja Shlimon) late 19th century Urmia, Persia, an Assyrian scholar *

Oscar Lukefahr Oscar Lukefahr, C.M. (July 20, 1939 – August 10, 2015) was an American Roman Catholic Church, Catholic priest, theologian, writer, and Christian apologist. He is best known as the author of many introductory books and tract (literature), tracts ...

, theologian, writer, and Christian apologist * Pedro Opeka, Argentinian missionary in Madagascar *

Bruce Vawter Francis Bruce Vawter, CM (1921–1 December 1986) was an American Vincentian priest and a biblical scholar. Biography Vawter was born in 1921 at Fort Worth, and joined the Vincentians in 1942. He was ordained in 1947. Vawter received his doct ...

, chairman of religious studies at De Paul University from 1969 until 1986 *

Michael Prior Michael Prior (born 6 September 1973) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the AFL's Essendon Football Club and the West Coast Eagles. He is currently serving as the senior coach of in the AFL Women's competition. Drafte ...

, (1942-2004), Irish priest, liberation theologian, outspoken critic of Zionism

Universities

The religious congregation runs the following institutions of higher education: * Adamson University (Philippines) *

(United States) * Faculdade Vicentina, Curitiba (Brazil) Institutions formerly run by the Congregation: *

All Hallows College All Hallows College was a college of higher education in Dublin. It was founded in 1842 and was run by the Vincentians from 1892 until 2016. On 23 May 2014, it was announced that it was closing down, due to decreasing student numbers. The sale ...

, Dublin (Ireland) *

Irish College in Paris The Irish College in Paris (french: Collège des Irlandais, links=no, la, Collegium Clericorum Hibernoram) was for three centuries a major Roman Catholic educational establishment for Irish students. It was founded in the late 16th century, and c ...

(France), administered by the Vincentians from 1858 until 1939. * St Patrick's College, Drumcondra, Dublin (Ireland) * St. Mary's University,

Twickenham Twickenham is a suburban district in London, England. It is situated on the River Thames southwest of Charing Cross. Historically part of Middlesex, it has formed part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames since 1965, and the boroug ...

(United Kingdom) *

University of Dallas The University of Dallas is a private Catholic university in Irving, Texas. Established in 1956, it is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The university comprises four academic units: the Braniff Graduate School ...

(United States) * St. Vincent's College, forerunner to

Loyola Marymount University Loyola Marymount University (LMU) is a private Jesuit and Marymount research university in Los Angeles, California. It is located on the west side of the city near Playa Vista. LMU is the parent school to Loyola Law School, which is located ...

; the present university is the successor to the first institution of higher learning in Southern California, St. Vincent's College. Vincentian Fathers were commissioned by Bishop Thaddeus Amat y Brusi to found this for boys in Los Angeles.

Secondary schools

The Vincentian fathers also run a number of secondary schools, most notably in Dublin, Ireland, where the order is in charge of two such institutions. *

Castleknock College Castleknock College ( ga, Coláiste Caisleán Cnucha) is a voluntary Vincentian secondary school for boys, situated in the residential suburb of Castleknock, west of Dublin city centre, Ireland. Founded in 1835 by Philip Dowley, it is one ...

, Dublin, Ireland * St. Paul's College, Raheny, Dublin, Ireland * Colégio São Vicente de Paulo,

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a ...

, Brazil * St Stanislaus College (Bathurst), New South Wales, Australia * Österreichisches Sankt Georgs-Kolleg, Istanbul, Turkey * Liceum Ogólnokształcące w Centrum Edukacyjnym „Radosna Nowina 2000”, Piekary, Poland

Notes

External links

Congregation of the Mission
official site
Vincentian Studies Institute

Further information on the Lazarist Church in Vienna
from Marks Travel Notes
Nightingale Mountain
Vincentian Fathers at the French Sacred Heart College in

Smyrna Smyrna ( ; grc, Σμύρνη, Smýrnē, or , ) was a Greek city located at a strategic point on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. Due to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence, and its good inland connections, Smyrna rose to promi ...

(now Izmir) and the

House of the Virgin Mary The House of the Virgin Mary ( Turkish: ''Meryemana Evi'' or ''Meryem Ana Evi'', "Mother Mary's House") is a Catholic shrine located on Mt. Koressos (Turkish: ''Bülbüldağı'', "Mount Nightingale") in the vicinity of Ephesus, from Selçuk in ...

{{Authority control Christian organizations established in the 17th century 1624 establishments in France Societies of apostolic life Religious organizations established in 1624