Serving Christ in Our Neighbors: The Story of St. Vincent de Paul in Owatonna

 

For more than a decade, the St. Vincent de Paul conference in Owatonna has been a living witness to Christ’s call to serve the poor with compassion and dignity. Rooted in prayer and personal encounter, this ministry continues to transform both those who serve and those they accompany. At the heart of its story is a simple truth: Christ is found in our neighbors.

Deb McManimon, one of the founding members of the St. Vincent de Paul conference in Owatonna, has dedicated fourteen years of her life to build up this ministry. In that time, Deb and a small group of parishioners have helped shape a spiritual home where volunteers encounter Christ in their neighbors and live out the Gospel through practical, personal service.

St. Vincent de Paul: Origins and Evolution

The St. Vincent de Paul Society began in France in 1833 when a small group of young Catholics, led by Frédéric Ozanam, felt challenged to live their faith through service to the poor. Inspired by the charitable works of St. Vincent de Paul, they met the real needs of those in poverty by providing food, clothing, financial help, and prayer.

After over a decade, the ministry spread to the United States, taking root in St. Louis, Missouri and branched out to parish conferences made up of religious sisters, priests, and lay people. Together, they met the needs of their communities by serving their neighbors with compassion.

Here in the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, that call was renewed in the early 2010s when Bishop John Quinn encouraged parishes to establish St. Vincent de Paul conferences locally. Deb was amongst the group that answered his call. “One of the things that was really important,” she shares, “is that we see the face of Christ in all those who are in poverty.”

Since then, DOWR has established ten different conferences, one at each of the six parishes in Rochester, one that serves all of Steele County including Owatonna, one in Waseca, one in Fairmont, and one in Mankato. Each of these conferences has seen their own successes: in the last year, 138 Owatonna volunteers prepared meals for those in need and served over 9,000 meals out of their local soup kitchen. Millie Spindler, a 92-year-old regular attendee of St. Vincent de Paul meals shares that if it wasn’t for this ministry, she’d “never get any cooked meals on my own because I don’t cook anymore! It’s nice to get out of your home if you live by yourself… I’m getting out of my home to talk with my friends. That makes life very nice.”

“We Go to Where the People Are”

The Owatonna conference embraces the most distinctive Vincentian practice: the home visit. What makes the St. Vincent de Paul Society unique is that volunteers go directly to the homes of those requesting help.

When someone calls the St. Vincent de Paul phone line, they can schedule a visit with a volunteer. “You meet people where they are,” Deb explains, “Being in their home environment allows for us to see what they might need that they are not asking for.” Volunteers listen, pray if welcomed, and offer support like financial assistance with rent, utilities, groceries, or other needs.

However, the heart of the ministry is not in the assistance the volunteers offer. It is with the relationships that are built.

“You’re not going to meet a client,” Deb says. “You’re going to meet a friend. Our mission is to grow spiritually, to work in friendship with one another, and to see the face of Christ in all who experience poverty.”

Hope for the Future

Deb has played a large part in the growth and evolution of St. Vincent de Paul in Owatonna. She has many aspirations for the future of the conference, including the desire to expand their mission across the diocese. She would like to get more parishioners and especially youth involved. Their young volunteers, called “Mini Vinnies” have opportunity to learn and grow in service with the hopes to continue serving with St. Vincent de Paul into adulthood.

Deb would also like to see St. Vincent de Paul spread further across the Diocese of Winona-Rochester. Stay tuned for our future blog posts to discover how Deb can help you bring a St. Vincent de Paul conference to your parish!