A Brief History of Our Parish
The Parish of St Vincent de Paul in Battersea was first set up in 1903, and the church constructed in 1907.
The internal plan of the church is very open, with no pillars or side aisles. Around the apse are inscribed the words DEUS PROVIDEBIT SIBI VICTIMAM HOLOCAUSTI, which means God will provide for himself the sacrificial victim. This phrase connects the Old Testament story of Abraham and Isaac to the sacrifice of God’s Son, Jesus Christ, on the cross which is what we celebrate in the Eucharist.
Some reordering of the church has taken place in keeping with liturgical developments after the Second Vatican Council.
The presbytery is a mid-Victorian house whose basement has been converted into a parish hall. For several years until the 1960s the house doubled up as a small parish school.
Saint Vincent de Paul
Saint Vincent de Paul (1580 – 1660) himself lived in France, and became dedicated to the relief and service of the poor. He founded the Congregation of the Missions (Vincentians) and, with Saint Louise de Maurillac, he co-founded the renowned Daughters of Charity. His concern included galley-slaves, distressed gentlefolk and abandoned children. He was very sensitive of the dignity of poor people. To read a little more about the life of this great saint, visit this webpage.
Saint Vincent’s life and work have inspired many since his day, notably The Saint Vincent de Paul Society and, more recently, De Paul UK. We have two pages (above) on this website with links to these organisations.
The Saint Vincent de Paul Society (SVP) is an association of lay people named after him and founded by Frederic Ozanam in 1833 for the service of the poor. Today the Society includes almost 900,000 members spread among 46,000 confraternities in 130 countries of five continents. The Society’s purpose is to provide direct aid to those who suffer, and to help individuals reduce (and even eliminate) the causes of their suffering themselves. Society members use their own resources, sharing not only possessions but the valuable gift of their presence.
Other links to other information on Saint Vincent de Paul:
- Saint Vincent de Paul Society (England & Wales) Tel: 020 7935 9136. Click here
- A comprehensive bibliography on St. Vincent de Paul : http://famvin.org/wiki/Biographies_of_Vincent