Sociedade de São Vicente de Paulo: caridade católica aos problemas sociais?

The study of the Catholic Church institution is an investigation which is about one of the most traditional and oldest organizations in the West which adapted itself to the economic, social, political, cultural and ideological demands which are established in the society. Many times the ecclesiastic authorities managed to, not without home and foreign fights and disputes, overcome the crises by which the religious organization suffered, keeping united to a self-imposed consensus, expelling the opponents, dominating kings, subjugating peoples and spreading out its world perception. With the intensification of the secularization process in the XX century, it has lost part of its power and prestige; however it carries out an intevention, in a conciliatory way, in many conflicts it adopts the function of establishing alliances among different social groups. Thus, the aim of the article is to present and interpret one of the Catholic religious practices, the Saint Vincent de Paul Society, which with its capillary action, penetrates into the farthest regions, regimenting members from different social segments in the search of a solution for the social problems without altering the status quo.