SVdP

Vincentian Resource Center

St. Austin Conference · Society of St. Vincent de Paul · Austin, Texas

“Go to the poor: you will find God.” — attributed to St. Vincent de Paul

Resource Center

Everything you need to prepare for and carry out a home visit — documents, assistance programs, and current limits. Categories and links are fully extensible; log in and turn on Edit mode to add your own. Changes are shared with everyone.

Current Assistance Limits

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The Spirituality of the Home Visit

Before the logistics, the heart. A home visit is not a transaction — it is a spiritual encounter in which both the Neighbor and the Vincentian are meant to grow closer to Christ.

Our Charism — Why We Go

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul was founded in Paris in 1833 by Frederic Ozanam and a small group of fellow students who believed that faith must be put into action through direct, personal encounter with those who are poor. We take St. Vincent de Paul as our patron because of his tireless, hands-on service to the poor and sick of his own time.

We go two by two, as the disciples were sent — to listen, to accompany, and to serve, offering material help alongside genuine friendship, respect, and prayer.

“Lord, open our ears to hear this family as You hear them, and open our hearts to serve them as You would serve them. Let us bring Your peace into this home. Amen.”

Be Intentional About the Visit

Every visit deserves a moment of preparation of the heart, not just the checklist. Pause together on the doorstep. Remember whose home you are entering and whose work you are doing.

The Visit, in 9 Steps

  1. Pray before knocking. Take a moment together on the doorstep.
  2. Greet & introduce yourselves. Name your parish; show your SVdP ID.
  3. Listen — don’t interrogate. Let the Neighbor set the pace.
  4. Empathize — no promises yet. Reflect back what you hear.
  5. Determine our ability to assist. Reference this month’s limit.
  6. Make joint agency calls if needed. Include the Neighbor in the call.
  7. Fill out the Leave-Behind card. Document referrals and next steps.
  8. Pray together, if welcomed. Always an invitation, never an obligation.
  9. Thank them & explain next steps. Reaffirm that you’re glad they reached out.
“Lord, we thank You for the gift of this visit and for the trust of this family. Watch over their home, provide for their needs, and give them peace. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.”

Central Texas Regional Events

Training courses, gatherings, and special meetings across our Central Texas region — including other conferences and the Diocesan Council.

These are placeholder entries. Log in and turn on Edit mode to replace them with real dates, or link out to the official calendars below.

Upcoming (placeholders)

Official Calendars to Check

National SVdP Events

Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA national gatherings, formation, and the annual meeting.

Placeholder entries — edit to add confirmed dates, or use the official links below.

Upcoming (placeholders)

Official Calendars to Check

International SVdP Events

Society of St. Vincent de Paul events from the international General Council (Confederation) in Paris and member councils worldwide.

Placeholder entries — edit to add confirmed dates, or use the official links below.

Upcoming (placeholders)

Official Calendars to Check

Meeting Agendas & Materials

Agendas for upcoming meetings, plus reports and materials members can post or upload. Log in and turn on Edit mode to add a meeting, build its agenda, attach a report, or post a link to meeting materials.

Printable Documents

The full text of our core home-visit documents, formatted for reading and printing. Use your browser’s Print command (or Save as PDF) on any of these.