THE CONGREGATION OF THE MISSION (ALSO KNOWN AS THE VINCENTIANS) WERE FOUNDED BY ST VINCENT DE PAUL IN FRANCE IN 1624. THE CONGREGATION HAS ITS ORIGIN IN THE SUCCESSFUL MISSION TO THE COMMON PEOPLE CONDUCTED BY SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL AND FIVE OTHER PRIESTS ON THE ESTATES OF THE GONDI FAMILY. IN 1624 THE LITTLE COMMUNITY ACQUIRED A PERMANENT SETTLEMENT IN THE COLLÈGE DES BONS ENFANTS IN PARIS. ARCHEPISCOPAL RECOGNITION WAS OBTAINED IN 1626 AND PAPAL RECOGNITION IN 1632 WHEN THE SOCIETY WAS CONSTITUTED A CONGREGATION, WITH ST VINCENT DE PAUL AT ITS HEAD. THE CONGREGATION WAS A GROUP OF PRIESTS AND BROTHERS WHO WOULD LIVE TOGETHER IN COMMUNITY AND GIVE MISSIONS TO THE POOR PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY. VINCENT ALSO REALISED THAT THE RELIGIOUS NEEDS OF THE POOR IN THE COUNTRY, AND ELSEWHERE, REQUIRED THE PRESENCE OF PRIESTS WHO HAD THEMSELVES RECEIVED SOUND THEOLOGICAL AND PASTORAL FORMATION AND SO WORK IN SEMINARIES BECAME THE SECOND APOSTOLATE OF THE ORDER. IN THE EARLY TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY THE VINCENTIANS NUMBER SOME 4000 MEMBERS WORLDWIDE, WITH A PRESENCE IN 86 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.

IN 1833 A SMALL GROUP OF SEMINARIANS IN MAYNOOTH IN IRELAND DECIDED TO FORM A COMMUNITY TO CONDUCT PAROCHIAL MISSIONS. WITH THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE DEAN OF MAYNOOTH THEY PLACED THEMSELVES UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF ST VINCENT DE PAUL AND THUS FOUNDED THE IRISH BRANCH OF THE CONGREGATION OF THE MISSION. AMONG THEIR WORKS WAS THE FOUNDATION OF A BOYS COLLEGE WHICH WOULD HAVE A DUAL FUNCTION OF PROVIDING SECULAR EDUCATION AS WELL AS ENCOURAGING THOSE WHO WISHED TO GO ON TO THE PRIESTHOOD. IT WAS THESE TWO AIMS OF THE ORDER WHICH ATTRACTED THE ATTENTION OF THE BISHOPS IN AUSTRALIA WHO WERE STRUGGLING TO BUILD THE CHURCH. ALTHOUGH THE FIRST AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE ORDER AND THE AUSTRALIAN BISHOPS WAS MADE BY BISHOP MATTHEW QUINN OF BATHURST IN 1883 IT WAS IN SYDNEY THAT THE FIRST FOUNDATION WAS MADE. IN KEEPING WITH THEIR TWO-FOLD MISSION THE VINCENTIANS PROCEEDED TO CONDUCT MANY MISSIONS THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA WHILE AT THE SAME TIME TAKING ON WORK IN SEMINARIES AND COLLEGES. TODAY THE VINCENTIANS CONTINUE TO BE INVOLVED IN PARISHES AND SCHOOLS AROUND AUSTRALIA.