Strategic Planning

CONGREGATION OF THE MISSION (VINCENTIANS) – EARTH CITY, MO  

Revered by followers worldwide for centuries, St. Vincent de Paul devoted his life to prayer, selfless service, and sacramental ministry, bringing the Gospel to the least of God’s people. Widely known today for his work with the poor that laid the foundation for the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Stores and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Vincent’s charism has grown and flourished for more than 400 years.

The Congregation of the Mission was founded by St. Vincent de Paul to bring others together in ministering to those on the fringes of society. Like their founder, Vincentian priests and brothers dedicate their lives to prayer, community life and evangelical service, striving as a community to respond to the most urgent needs of the Church.

The Western Province of the Congregation of the Mission was formed in 2010 as the result of the merger of three provinces. Vincentians of the Western Province minister in more than 20 parishes, lead missions, serve as hospital chaplains, run retreat centers, assist with the formation of future priests in seminaries, and sponsor various ministries, including the Association of the Miraculous Medal, a Mission in Kenya, and DePaul University, the largest Catholic university in the United States.

In 2012, the Western Province began a strategic planning project to develop a shared vision for the future. Led by planning consultants from Zielinski Companies, the Planning Committee, Leadership, and membership conducted a 16-month examination of goals, desires, and challenges in a collaborative effort that brought membership together. Through a series of interviews, committee meetings, and assembly discussions, the Province developed five agreed-to strategic goals with multiple scenarios for each, laying the foundation for the development of a strategic implementation plan.

When St. Vincent de Paul gathered his earliest disciples to form the Congregation of the Mission, he put the first pieces of his legacy into action. With strategic goals in place and the groundwork laid for the implementation stage, the Western Province continues St. Vincent’s legacy of building to serve the needs of others.