Ss. Mary and Joseph Church is in the process of establishing a local conference of the St. Vincent de Paul Society.  The St. Vincent de Paul Society is an international community of Catholic lay people who strive to grow spiritually by offering person-to-person service to individuals in need.  In cooperation with the parish and local agencies such as Catholic Charities, it is the personalized involvement of its members that makes the work of the Society unique.

    The St. Vincent de Paul Society was formed in 1833 by a group of six Catholic college students in Paris who had been challenged by secularists to demonstrate how the Catholic Church was actually the Gospel of Jesus Christ and living up to its call to be a relevant force in the betterment of humanity.  Lead by Blessed Frederic Ozanam and under the advice and counsel of Blessed Sr. Rosalie Rendu, a Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, they formed an association of lay people in the spirit and charism of St. Vincent de Paul in order to minister to the poor who were trapped in a society ravaged by revolution, civil disorder, and poverty. In the months and years that followed, their rapid success in helping the poor drew many more like-minded Catholics into service to the poor, necessitating the establishment of more conferences throughout the region and, later, the world.  Presently there are over 4,700 councils world wide, governed by a Rule which provides spiritual and practical guidance for councils who strive to live to by the ideals of the founders of the Society.

   Presently, the conference being formed at Ss. Mary and Joseph Church is being supported by Fifth Sunday Collections, that is, special collections which take place at the doors of the church on the 3-4 months during a year which have five Sundays.  The conference is also being supported as a direct line-item in the parish budget until they are 'aggregated' by the national council.  At that time, the local conference will gain its autonomy as a lay-lead organization managing its own fiances and charitable works.

   The Society presently meets every other week, alternating between Sundays at 9am and Monday evenings at 7pm.  For the latest schedule of meetings, please consult the parish bulletin.

   Parishioners who are interested in participating in the charitable works of the Society, who know someone who could benefit from the assistance of the Society, or who would be able to support the work and ministry of the society are encouraged to call the parish office at (217) 854-7151 or to contact the society directly at SVdP@ssmjc.org.