Welcome and thank you for joining St. Vincent de Paul. We are all about encountering our neighbors.
We call ourselves Vincentians, in honor of our Patron, St. Vincent de Paul. While we work cooperatively with the Catholic Church, we are an independent 501 (c )(3) non-profit group, governed by a volunteer-based Council and Board of Directors.
We believe you will find us to be a very, very important ministry which help you grow spiritually. Volunteer roles include doing home visits, organizing food pantries, managing our finances, keeping minutes and records, writing newsletters, making presentations and more.
Our chapters in King County (called Conferences) always need new faces, fresh perspectives, and open hearts to respond to neighbors who need help. This is a vibrant and active ministry that works to engage neighbors. We're glad you're here!
There are three things you need to do:
1.Review the materials in the New Member Welcome Packet (see below).
-
- In particular, please take time to review the Abuse & Neglect packet.
- This form includes an acknowledgement of receipt of the Abuse & Neglect packet noted above, as well as permission to run a background check.
- Once you have completed this form and you receive notice that you have passed your background check, you can begin to participate fully in your Conference.
3. Within your first year as a Vincentian you'll need to complete the required two-part Ozanam/ Rendu orientations.
SVdP New Member Welcome Packet:
Separate Documents
Other notes:
You are expected to complete the following core trainings within your first 12 months of service as a Vincentian. However, they are not a pre-requisite for starting to serve neighbors - most of your training will be "on the job" training with your fellow Conference members.
Ozanam Orientation. This orientation covers the key elements of our Vincentian ministry:
- The Society's heritage and mission
- How we are organized and operate internationally, nationally and locally
- Vincentian spirituality
- The Rule of St. Vincent de Paul
- The Home Visit, our core ministry
- Causes and conditions of poverty; efforts for systemic change
Rendu Orientation: Spirituality of the Home Visit. This updated home visit orientation challenges and awakens our Vincentian spirit of service to our neighbors by providing opportunities for reflection, interactive learning, and a practice that will ground our mission in the convictions of our founders. Participants will receive a packet of practical tools and resources for the road ahead.
Questions? Contact your Conference President, or Vincentian Support at (206) 767-9975 or