The Congregation of the Mission is a community of Roman Catholic priests and brothers founded by St. Vincent de Paul for the evangelization of the poor and the formation of the clergy.
Vincentian priests and brothers total over 4000 worldwide and serve in 86 countries. The purpose of the Congregation of the Mission is to follow Christ evangelizing the poor. This purpose is achieved when, faithful to St. Vincent, the members individually and collectively:
- make every effort to put on the spirit of Christ himself (CR I, 3) in order to acquire a holiness appropriate to their vocation (CR XII, 13);
- work at evangelizing the poor, especially the more abandoned;
- help the clergy and laity in their formation and lead them to a fuller participation in the evangelization of the poor.
With this purpose in view, the Congregation of the Mission, faithful to the gospel, and always attentive to the signs of the times and the more urgent calls of the Church, should take care to open up new ways and use new means adapted to the circumstances of time and place. Moreover, it should strive to evaluate and plan its works and ministries, and in this way remain in a continual state of renewal.
-from the Constitutions and Statutes of the Congregation of the Mission
