About Us

Our Vincentian Connection

A portrait sketch of St. Vincent de Paul. St. Vincent was the founder of The Congregation of the Mission Western Province, who is the community that The God Minute founder, Fr. Ron Hoye belongs.

Fr. Ron and several members of our team belong to the Vincentian community – The Congregation of the Mission Western Province. Vincent de Paul was ordained a priest in 1600 and began his ministry working with the wealthy, prestigious families in France. After years of serving as household tutor and spiritual director to a wealthy family, he discovered his true calling was ministering to the poor. He devoted his life to prayer, selfless service, and sacramental ministry.

Listening to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, de Paul understood the power of God’s message – to evangelize the poor. He prayed to God for humility, simplicity, and gentleness to carry out his important work with those on the fringes of society: galley slaves, war victims, and the poor. He and his companions formed the Little Company, which was a model for the American seminary now known as the Congregation of the Mission, which was founded in 1835.

Four centuries later, the Vincentian priests and brothers follow his example of holiness and energetic labors, dedicating their lives to prayer, community life, and evangelical service to those most in need of God’s love and mercy.

The Western Province is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri and serves the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, a care facility for senior Vincentians, parishes in Louisiana, Texas, Missouri, Illinois, California, and Alaska, and acts as a mother province to the Vice-Province of Kenya, which grew from a 1981 mission by the Western Province.