The Congregation of the Mission (), abbreviated CM and commonly called the Vincentians or Lazarists, is a

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

society of apostolic life A society of apostolic life is a group of men or women within the Catholic Church who have come together for a specific purpose and live fraternally. It is regarded as a form of consecrated (or "religious") life. This type of organization ...

pontifical right In Catholicism, "of pontifical right" is the term given to ecclesiastical institutions (religious and secular institutes, societies of apostolic life) either created by the Holy See, or approved by it with the formal decree known by the Latin na ...

for men founded by

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

. 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 French priest who "transformed the face of France." Catholic Church Vincent de Paul directly founded the Confraternities of Charity ...

, a loose federation of organizations that look to Vincent de Paul as their founder or patron.

Mission

Inspired by the "first mission" of Chátillon-les-Dombes and Folleville, where he delivered his first mission sermon,

St. Vincent de Paul Vincent de Paul, Congregation of the Mission, CM (24 April 1581 – 27 September 1660), commonly known as Saint Vincent de Paul, was an Occitans, Occitan French Priesthood in the Catholic Church, Catholic priest who dedicated himself to serving ...

discovered the need and importance of popular missions and general confessions. His concern to form a group of missionaries for the most abandoned areas of France was born in him, and in 1625 he founded the Congregation of the Mission as an apostolic society together with other priests, Anthony Portail, M. Belin, Francis de Coudray and John de la Salle. Years later, this mission found its motto in the passage in

Luke's gospel The Gospel of Luke is the third of the New Testament's four canonical Gospels. It tells of the origins, Nativity of Jesus, birth, Ministry of Jesus, ministry, Crucifixion of Jesus, death, Resurrection of Jesus, resurrection, and Ascension of ...

, ''Evangelizare pauperibus misit me'' (The Holy Spirit sent me to bring the Good News to the poor, Luke 4:18). In 1633, motivated by that same Spirit, St. Vincent de Paul and

St. Louise de Marillac Louise de Marillac , also known as Louise Le Gras, (August 12, 1591 – March 15, 1660) was the co-founder, with Vincent de Paul, of the Daughters of Charity. She is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church and the Episcopal Church in the ...

founded the Company of the Daughters of Charity, a group of women dedicated to serving the "poorest of the poor". Prayer and community life were essential elements of their vocation of service, with a characteristic spirit of humility, simplicity and charity.

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 Ch ...

. 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, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

, 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 A papal bull is a type of public decree, letters patent, or charter issued by the pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the leaden Seal (emblem), seal (''bulla (seal), bulla'') traditionally appended to authenticate it. History Papal ...

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, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...

(1648),

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

(1651), and

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

(1783). A bull of

Alexander VII Pope Alexander VII (; 13 February 159922 May 1667), born Fabio Chigi, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 7 April 1655 to his death, in May 1667. He began his career as a vice-papal legate, and he held various di ...

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 The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...

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

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

in 1804 at the desire of

Pius VII Pope Pius VII (; born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti; 14 August 1742 – 20 August 1823) was head of the Catholic Church from 14 March 1800 to his death in August 1823. He ruled the Papal States from June 1800 to 17 May 1809 and again ...

, 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 lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

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

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

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

numbered sixteen. In addition, they established missions in

Persia Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

Abyssinia Abyssinia (; also known as Abyssinie, Abissinia, Habessinien, or Al-Habash) was an ancient region in the Horn of Africa situated in the northern highlands of modern-day Ethiopia and Eritrea.Sven Rubenson, The survival of Ethiopian independence, ...

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

, the South American republics,

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

, and

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

, 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 (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguo ...

Mother House

The Mother House (Maison Mère) is the successor of the first Mother House which was the former priory of Saint Lazare. This house, located at 95 rue de Sèvres, was the former residence of the Duke of Lorges, and was made available to the Congregation of the Mission by the French government in 1817. Finally, in 2006, the French State made the Congregation of the Mission the owner of the house and its grounds. The Mother House consists of a series of buildings around a paved courtyard. The entrance is in the central neo-Renaissance style pavilion at the back of the courtyard. In a niche on the façade is a statue of Saint Vincent de Paul. Currently, for the occasion of the 400th anniversary of the Congregation of the Mission, the Vincentians are renovating the Mother House, with the aim of accommodating those seeking spiritual enrichment, especially members of all branches of the Vincentian Family, pilgrims and people of faith.

Vincentian Family

There are people who do not belong to groups or congregations of consecrated life, but who live the spirit of St. Vincent, his spirituality and charism; they are volunteers, they are in parishes, schools, hospitals and so many other places. The spirituality of Vincent de Paul has influenced the foundation of other

societies of apostolic life A society of apostolic life is a group of men or women within the Catholic Church who have come together for a specific purpose and live fraternally. It is regarded as a form of Consecrated life, consecrated (or "religious") life. This typ ...

and even of some

institutes of consecrated life An institute of consecrated life is an association of faithful in the Catholic Church canonically erected by competent church authorities to enable men or women who publicly profess the evangelical counsels by religious vows or other sacred bon ...

which, in communion, form today what is called the Vincentian family.⁸ There are 170 congregations, with 2 million people involved, and groups of lay people, which have grown from a "family" to a "movement", reaching almost 4 million people: * the Daughters of Charity, founded by Vincent de Paul himself, with the help of

Louise de Marillac Louise de Marillac , also known as Louise Le Gras, (August 12, 1591 – March 15, 1660) was the co-founder, with Vincent de Paul, of the Daughters of Charity. She is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church and the Episcopal Church in the ...

in 1633, * the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul of Novara, a religious congregation founded in 1773 in Italy, * the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul of Majorca, founded in Spain in 1798, * the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, founded by Jeanne Antide Touret in Canada in 1799, * the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul of Gijzegem, founded in Belgium in 1818, * the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul of Fulda, founded in Germany in 1835, * the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul of Innsbruck, founded in Austria in 1835, * the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul of Paderborn, founded in Germany in 1840, * the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul of Hildesheim, founded in Germany in 1852, * the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul of Freiburg, also foiunded in Germany in 1853, * the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul of Halifax, founded in Canada, * the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul of Zagreb, founded in the former Yugoslavia, * the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul of the Prince of Palagonia, founded in Parmelo, Italy, in 1835, * the Sisters of Providence of Kingston, founded in Canada, * the Malabar Vincentians of the Syro-Malabar rite, founded in India in 1927, * and the Vincentian laity, who share the work and spirituality of the Congregation of the Mission and of the various Vincentian congregations or societies. There are many Vincentian lay groups, among them the

Society of St. Vincent de Paul The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul (SVP or SVdP or SSVP) is an international voluntary organization in the Catholic Church, founded in 1833 for the service of the poor. Started by Frédéric Ozanam and Emmanuel-Joseph Bailly de Surcy and nam ...

, the Vincentian Marian Youth, the Miraculous Medal Association, the Volunteers of Charity and the members of the Conferences of St. Vincent de Paul.

Present day

In 2022, the Congregation of the Mission had 3,099 incorporated members, of whom 2,781 were priests. They have 476 houses, spread over five vice-provinces: Mozambique, Nigeria, Costa Rica and St. Cyril and Methodius (Ukraine), and thirty-seven provinces on five continents. * Africa: Madagascar, St. Justin de Jacobis (Eritrea), Ethiopia, Kenya and Congo. * America: Central America (comprising

Guatemala Guatemala, officially the Republic of Guatemala, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico, to the northeast by Belize, to the east by Honduras, and to the southeast by El Salvador. It is hydrologically b ...

El Salvador El Salvador, officially the Republic of El Salvador, is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south by the Pacific Ocean. El Salvador's capital and largest city is S ...

Nicaragua Nicaragua, officially the Republic of Nicaragua, is the geographically largest Sovereign state, country in Central America, comprising . With a population of 7,142,529 as of 2024, it is the third-most populous country in Central America aft ...

, and

Panama Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is a country in Latin America at the southern end of Central America, bordering South America. It is bordered by Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north, and ...

), Argentina (comprising Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina), Brazil (with three provinces, Rio de Janeiro, Curitiba, and Fortaleza), Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, United States (with five provinces, Dallas, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, New England, and St. Louis), Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela. * Asia: China, India (North and South), Indonesia, the Philippines, and the Orient (including Lebanon, Egypt, Israel, and Syria). * Europe: Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain (with two provinces, St. Vincent de Paul - Spain and Saragossa), France (with two provinces, Paris and Toulouse), Holland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy (with three provinces, Naples, Rome and Turin), Poland, and Portugal. * Oceania: Australia. As of 2021, the Vincentians number about 3,100 worldwide, with a presence in 95 different countries.
/ref> Its specific apostolate remains the evangelization of the poor and the formation of the clergy. ,

Tomaž Mavrič Tomaž Mavrič, CM (born 9 May 1959) is an Argentine Catholic priest who has served as superior general of the Congregation of the Mission since 2016. Biography Mavrič was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Leopoldina and Joze Mavrič, bot ...

is the incumbent worldwide

superior general A superior general or general superior is the leader or head of an 'order' of religious persons (nuns, priests, friars, etc) or, in other words, of a 'religious institute' in the Catholic Church, and in some other Christian denominations. The super ...

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 Catholic research university in Washington, D.C., United States. It is one of two pontifical universities of the Catholic Church in the United States – the only one that is not primarily ...

, (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 Humanity most commonly refers to: * Human, also humankind * Humanity (virtue) Humanity may also refer to: Literature * ''Humanity: A Moral History of the Twentieth Century'', a 1999 book by Jonathan Glover * ''Humanity'', a 1990 science fiction n ...

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 Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and Federal district of the United States, federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from ...

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

Tanzania Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Uganda to the northwest; Kenya to the northeast; the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to t ...

which educates

refugees A refugee, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), is a person "forced to flee their own country and seek safety in another country. They are unable to return to their own country because of feared persecution as ...

from Congo,

Rwanda Rwanda, officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of East Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge. Located a few degrees south of the Equator, Rwanda is bordered by ...

, and

Burundi Burundi, officially the Republic of Burundi, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is located in the Great Rift Valley at the junction between the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa, with a population of over 14 million peop ...

); 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 Adamson University (; AdU or ADU) is a private Catholic university operated by the Congregation of the Mission located in Manila, Philippines. The university has academic programs in graduate school, law, the liberal arts, sciences, engineerin ...

, and Archbishop Jesus Dosado of the Archdiocese of Ozamiz. 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 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. 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" provided slum dwellers of

Iloilo City Iloilo City, officially the City of Iloilo (; ; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Western Visayas Regions of the Philippines, region of the Philippines, located on the southeastern coast of th ...

and

Mandaue City Mandaue (), officially the City of Mandaue (; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 364,116 people. ...

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

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of the Mainland Au ...

, since the Philippine Federation affiliated with an international network called "Slum/Shack Dwellers International". Another, younger Vincentian was also assigned by Cardinal

Gaudencio Rosales Gaudencio Borbón Rosales (born August 10, 1932), also known as Lolo Dency, is a Filipino Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Manila, from 2003 to 2011. He was made a cardinal in 2006. Rosales was the fourth native Filipino to ho ...

as the Coordinator of the Housing Ministry of the Archdiocese of Manila.

Vincentian Center for Social Responsibility

On September 28, 2007, Philippine Vice President

Noli De Castro Manuel "Noli" Eleuterio de Castro Jr. (; born July 6, 1949) is a Filipino broadcaster, journalist politician and singer. who served as the 12th Vice President of the Philippines from 2004 until 2010, under the second full term of President ...

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

Millennium Development Goals In the United Nations, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were eight international development goals for the year 2015 created following the Millennium Summit, following the adoption of the United Nations Millennium Declaration. These w ...

' poverty alleviation initiatives in the country. De Castro also cited the Adamson University and a Vincentian priest named Atilano "Nonong" Fajardo for their efforts in putting up the Vincentian Center. The Vincentian Center for Social Responsibility is also responsible for the creation of the Vincentian Facilitators, the Academic Social Responsibility, the Academic Social Entrepreneurship, and the Academic Social Journalism at the Vincentian-owned Adamson University. Through the Vincentian Center, the movement towards academic social networking has become a reality in the university. It 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 Niagara University (NU) is a private Catholic university in the Vincentian tradition in the census-designated place Niagara University, New York, in the town of Lewiston near Niagara Falls. It is run by the Congregation of the Mission and ...

(1856), St. John's University (1870), and

DePaul University DePaul University is a private university, private Catholic higher education, Catholic research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded by the Congregation of the Mission, Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from ...

(1898).Congregation of the Mission, Western Province
/ref> The Eastern Province's headquarters is located in Germantown, PA located next to the Basilica Shrine of the Miraculous Medal. The priests of this province serve in several parishes along the eastern sea board. The also founded and still run

along with

St. John's University (New York City) St. John's University is a private Catholic university in Queens, New York City, United States. It was founded in 1870 by the Congregation of the Mission (C.M., the Vincentian Fathers) with a mission to provide the youth of New York with a Ca ...

. They also has a sub-province in Panama. 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.

Prominent members of the congregation

Members of the congregation include: * Thaddeus Amat y Brusi (1810–1878), first bishop of

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

Andrew E. Bellisario Andrew Eugene Bellisario (born December 19, 1956) is an Catholic Church in the United States, American Catholic prelate who has served as Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Anchorage, Archbishop of Anchorage-Juneau since 2020. He previously served ...

, archbishop of Anchorage–Juneau * E. Bore (died 1878), orientalist *

Georges Bou-Jaoudé Georges Bou-Jaoudé, CM (27 December 1943 – 28 March 2022) was a Maronite Catholic hierarch, who served as archbishop of the Maronite Catholic Archeparchy of Tripoli in Lebanon. Life Georges Bou-Jaoudé was born in 1943 in Jouret El-Ballou ...

(1943–2022), Archbishop of Tripoli, Lebanon for the Maronites * Annibale Bugnini (1912–1982), secretary of the . * P. Collet (1693–1770), writer on theology and ethics *

Armand David Armand David, CM (7 September 1826, Espelette – 10 November 1900, Paris) was a Lazarist missionary Catholic priest as well as a zoologist and a botanist from the French Basque Country. Several species, such as Père David's deer ...

(1826–1900), Basque missionary and zoologist *

Jean-Claude Faveyrial Jean-Claude Faveyrial, CM (1817–1893) was a French Lazarite Roman Catholic priest and author of the first written History of Albania. The book is published in Albania and stands as a serious endeavour to document the history of the Albanians and ...

(1813–1893), French historian and author of the first book on the

history of Albania During classical antiquity, Albania was home to several Illyrian tribes such as the Albanoi, Ardiaei, Bylliones, Dassaretii, Enchele, Labeatae, Taulantii, Parthini, Penestae (tribe), Penestae, Amantes (tribe), Amantes, and many others, but also Bry ...

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 Lazarist Vicar Apostoli ...

(1837-1905), missionary to

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

, 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 denomination, religious group who 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.Thoma ...

to China and decorated chaplain to American forces during the

Guadalcanal Campaign The Guadalcanal campaign, also known as the Battle of Guadalcanal and codenamed Operation Watchtower by the United States, was an Allies of World War II, Allied offensive against forces of the Empire of Japan in the Solomon Islands during th ...

* Stéphanos II Ghattas (1920-2009), Patriarch of Alexandria for the Copts and cardinal * J. de la Grive (1689-1757), geographer * Joseph Lilly, translator of the Greek New Testament into English in 1946. * Oscar Lukefahr, theologian, writer, and Christian apologist *

Évariste Régis Huc Évariste Régis Huc, C.M., also known as the Abbé Huc (1 August 1813 – 31 March 1860) was a French Catholic priest, Lazarite missionary, and traveller. He became famous for his accounts of Qing-era China, Mongolia (then known as "Tartary" ...

(1813-1860),

and traveller *

David M. O'Connell David Michael O'Connell (born April 21, 1955) is an American Catholic prelate who has served as Bishop of Trenton since 2010. He is a member of the Congregation of the Mission and a past president of the Catholic University of America. Bio ...

(1955-), Bishop of Trenton * Pedro Opeka, Argentinian missionary in Madagascar *

Teodorico Pedrini Teodorico Pedrini, C.M. (June 30, 1671 – December 10, 1746), also known by his Chinese name De Lige (), was an Italian Vincentian priest, musician and composer, but he was mainly a missionary at the imperial court of China for 36 years. Ped ...

(1671-1746),

to China and musician *

Stafford Poole Stafford Poole, C.M (March 6, 1930 – November 1, 2020) was a Vincentian Catholic priest and a research historian. He was a former professor of history at the former St. John's Seminary College (closed 2002) in Camarillo, California and later ...

(1936-2020), historian *

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

, (1942-2004), Irish priest, liberation theologian, outspoken critic of Zionism * John T. Richardson (1923–2022), President of

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

(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 (DICLSAL and formerly CICLSAL; ), is the dicastery of the Roman Cu ...

Joseph Rosati Joseph Rosati, CM (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 in the Missouri Territory from 1826 to 1843. He built the first ...

(1789-1843), first bishop of

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an Independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Miss ...

Joseph Patrick Slattery Joseph Patrick Slattery, Congregation of the Mission, CM (21 May 1866 – 31 March 1931) was an Irish-born physicist, radiologist, Catholic priest, pioneer in the field of radiography in Australia and credited with the first use of fluoroscopy in ...

, (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 specialty that uses medical imaging to diagnose diseases and guide treatment within the bodies of humans and other animals. It began with radiography (which is why its name has a root referring to radiation), but tod ...

, pioneer in the field of

radiography Radiography is an imaging technology, 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 ("diagnostic" radiog ...

in Australia * Aba Shlimon (aka Pere Desire Solomon, Khwaja Shlimon) late 19th century Urmia, Persia, an Assyrian scholar *

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 doc ...

, chairman of religious studies at

De Paul University DePaul University is a private Catholic research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. 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 ...

from 1969 until 1986 * Berhaneyesus Demerew Souraphiel, Ethiopian archeparch of Addis Abeba and cardinal

Saints and Blesseds

Saints *

(24 April 1581 – 27 September 1660), founder of the Congregation, canonized on 16 June 1737 * François-Régis Clet (19 August 1748 – 18 February 1820), missionary to China, martyr, canonized on 1 October 2000 * Jean-Gabirel Perboyre (6 January 1802 - 11 September 1840), missionary to China, martyr, canonized on 2 June 1996 *

Giustino de Jacobis Giustino Sebastiano Pasquale de Jacobis, CM (9 October 1800 – 31 July 1860) was an Italian Catholic bishop and member of the Congregation of the Mission who served as Apostolic Vicar of Abyssinia and the Titular Bishop of Nilopolis. He is o ...

(9 October 1800 – 31 July 1860), missionary to Ethiopia, canonized on 26 October 1975 Blesseds * Jean-Charles Caron (30 September 1730 – 3 September 1792), martyred during the French Revolution, beatified on 17 October 1926 * Nicolas Colin (12 December 1730 – 3 September 1792), martyred during the French Revolution, beatified on 17 October 1926 * Louis-Joseph François (3 February 1751 – 3 September 1792), martyred during the French Revolution, beatified on 17 October 1926 * Jean-Henri Gruyer (13 June 1734 – 3 September 1792), martyred during the French Revolution, beatified on 17 October 1926 * Pierre-René Rogue (11 June 1758 – 3 March 1796), martyred during the French Revolution, beatified on 10 May 1934 * Ghébrē-Michael (c. 1791 - 30 July 1855), convert from Eastern Rite, postulant of the Congregation, martyr, beatified on 3 October 1926 *

Marcantonio Durando Marcantonio (Mark Anthony) Durando (22 May 1801 - 10 December 1880) was an Italian Roman Catholic priest and a professed member of the Congregation of the Mission in an effort to follow the teachings of Vincent de Paul - an ardent focus of his lif ...

(22 May 1801 - 10 December 1880), priest of the Congregation and founder of the Daughters of the Passion of Jesus the Nazorean, beatified on 20 October 2002 * Fortunato Velasco Tobar and 13 Companions (died 1936), Martyrs of the Spanish Civil War, beatified on 13 October 2013 * Vicenç Queralt Lloret and 40 Companions (died 1936 and 1937), Martyrs of the Spanish Civil War, beatified on 11 November 2017 *

Ján Havlík Blessed Ján Havlík (12 February 1928 27 December 1965) was a Slovak Catholic seminarian. He was beatified by the Pope Francis in 2024 for his martyrdom under Communist rule of Czechoslovakia. His feast day is 12 February. He was dubbed ''the ...

(12 February 1928 – 27 December 1965), seminarian of the Congregation, martyred by communist forces, beatified on 31 August 2024 Venerables *

Antônio Ferreira Viçoso Antônio José Ferreira Viçoso (13 May 1787 – 7 July 1875) was a Portuguese Roman Catholic prelate who served as the Bishop of Mariana from 1843 until his death; he was also a professed member from the Congregation of the Mission. He reloca ...

(13 May 1787 - 7 July 1875), Bishop of Mariana, declared Venerable on 8 July 2014 * Salvatore Micalizzi (5 November 1856 - 14 October 1937), declared Venerable on 16 December 2006 *

Janez Frančišek Gnidovec Janez Frančišek Gnidovec, Congregation of the Mission, C.M. (29 September 1873 – 3 February 1939), was a Slovenian Roman Catholic bishop who served as the Bishop of Skopje. Gnidovec served as a pastor during World War I as a teacher and was a ...

(29 September 1873 - 3 February 1939), Bishop of Skopje, declared Venerable on 27 March 2010 Servants of God *

Jean Le Vacher Jean Le Vacher (15 March 1619 – 26 July 1683) was a French Congregation of the Mission, Lazarist missionary and consul in Tunis and Algiers. He was killed by being blowing from a gun, attached to an Algerian cannon loaded with shrapnel th ...

(15 March 1619 - 26 July 1683), missionary and martyr * Felix

elice Elice is a ''comune'' and town in the province of Pescara, part of the Abruzzo region of Italy. History The territory, due to the fertility of the land, was inhabited since as early as the Paleolithic Age. The name of the village derives from ho ...

de Andreis (12 December 1778 - 15 October 1820) * Buenaventura Codina Augerolas (3 June 1785 - 18 November 1857), bishop of Canarias * Claude Chevrier and Vincentius Wu (died 20 June 1870), Martyrs of China * Jorge María eorgesSalvaire (6 January 1847 - 4 February 1899) * Jules Garrigues and 5 Companions (died 1900), Martyrs of China * Jacques-Émile Sontag and 3 Companions (died 18 and 27 July 1918), Martyrs of the Assyrian-Chaldean-Syriac Genocide * Giuseppe Alloatti (7 July 1857 - 27 March 1933), founder of the Sisters of the Eucharist * Franciscus Hubertus Schraven and 6 Companions (died 9 October 1937), Martyrs of China * Giovanni Battista Manzella (21 January 1855 - 23 October 1937), founder of the Sisters of Gethsemane * Piotr Szarek and 10 Companions (died 1939 - 1945), Martyrs under Nazi Occupation * Janez Strašek (11 December 1906 - 30 March 1947), martyr * Emilio Lissón Chávez (24 May 1872 - 24 December 1961),

Archbishop of Lima The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lima () is part of the Catholic Church in Peru which enjoys full communion with the Holy See. The Archdiocese was founded as the ''Diocese of Lima'' on 14 May 1541. The diocese was raised to the level of a metr ...

* Wacław Szuniewicz (28 December 1892 - 16 October 1963) * Valeriano Güemes Rodríguez (12 September 1890 - 12 December 1978) * Andraos Ghattas téphanos II(16 January 1920 - 20 January 2009), eparch of Alexandria of the Copts and Cardinal

Universities

The religious congregation runs the following institutions of higher education: *

(Philippines) * DePaul University, Chicago (Western Province - United States) * Faculdade Vicentina, Curitiba (Brazil) * St. John's University, New York City (Eastern Province - United States) * Niagara University, Lewiston, New York (Eastern Province - United States) 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 because of declining student enrollment. The sale ...

, Dublin (Ireland) *

Irish College in Paris The Irish College in Paris (, , ) was for three centuries a major Roman Catholic educational establishment for Irish students. It was founded in the late 16th century, and closed down by the French government in the early 20th century. From 1945 t ...

(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 of London, England, on the River Thames southwest of Charing Cross. Historic counties of England, Historically in Middlesex, since 1965 it has formed part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, who ...

(United Kingdom) *

University of Dallas The University of Dallas is a Private university, private Catholic church, Catholic university in Irving, Texas, United States. Established in 1956, it is Higher education accreditation in the United States, accredited by the Southern Associat ...

(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. LMU enrolls over 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students, making it the largest Catholic university on the west coast of the ...

; 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 () 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 of the oldest boys' schools in ...

Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...

, Ireland *

St. Paul's College, Raheny St Paul's College in Raheny, Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, is a Roman Catholic Education in the Republic of Ireland, secondary school Single-sex education#Ireland, for boys under the trusteeship of the Vincentian Fathers, formally the ...

, Ireland * Colégio São Vicente de Paulo,

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...

, Brazil *

St Stanislaus College St Stanislaus College (often called Tullabeg College) was a Jesuit boys boarding school, novitiate and philosophy school, in Tullabeg, Rahan, County Offaly. St Carthage founded a monastery of 800 monks there in 595 before founding his monaste ...

, Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia * Österreichisches Sankt Georgs-Kolleg,

Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...

, Turkey * Liceum Ogólnokształcące w Centrum Edukacyjnym „Radosna Nowina 2000”, Piekary, Poland *St Vincent College, Natovi,

Fiji Fiji, officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists of an archipelago of more than 330 islands—of which about ...

Notes

External links

* – Congregation of the Mission
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 ( ; , or ) was an Ancient Greece, Ancient Greek city located at a strategic point on the Aegean Sea, Aegean coast of Anatolia, Turkey. Due to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence, and its good inland connections, Smyrna ...

(now

İzmir İzmir is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, third most populous city in Turkey, after Istanbul and Ankara. It is on the Aegean Sea, Aegean coast of Anatolia, and is the capital of İzmir Province. In 2024, the city of İzmir had ...

) 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 Catholic organizations established in the 17th century 1624 establishments in France Societies of apostolic life Religious organizations established in 1624 Vincentian Family fr:Consilium ad exsequendam Constitutionem de Sacra Liturgia

Mission

History

Mother House

Vincentian Family

Present day

Opus Prize Finalist

Philippines

Housing programs

Vincentian Center for Social Responsibility

United States of America

Prominent members of the congregation

Saints and Blesseds

Universities

Secondary schools

See also

Notes

External links