ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY  ST. AGATHA CONFERENCE

NATIONAL CONFERENCE MISSION STATEMENT:

A network of friends, inspired by Gospel values, growing in holiness and building a more just world through personal relationships with and service to people in need.

Who Are We?

Inspired by Gospel values, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA, a Catholic lay organization, leads women and men to join together to grow spiritually by offering person-to-person service to those who are needy and suffering in the tradition of our founder, Blessed Frederic Ozanam, and patron, St. Vincent de Paul.

How does the St. Agatha Conference meet this mission?

We are good stewards of the funds we receive and strive to make sure the money goes out to help the poor.  We start by helping those in need within our parish and the surrounding community.  If you or someone you know needs assistance, please reach out to us or contact the parish office.  Recipients do not have to be members of St. Agatha Church.  All information is kept anonymous and confidential.  

 We also assist parishes located in more financially challenged areas of Columbus by twinning with them.  Another conference will send out a request when they cannot fully fund a critical need, and we will assist as our resources allow, as do all the conferences in the Columbus area.  

Are aid recipients vetted?

Vincentian volunteers go in pairs of two to visit individuals and families in their home that have called seeking assistance. During this Home Visit, they develop a real friendship, listen to their concerns, and offer to pray together. Encountering our fellow human beings in their place of residence can be transformative, and this practice of visiting those in need has been part of the Society since its inception.

Vincentians then seek to bring emergency financial assistance to that person in need’s household through assistance with rent, utilities, food, clothing, and other emergency needs in an effort to prevent homelessness.

Local Conference Activities:

• Provide grocery and gas gift cards to the parish office to give to people making in-person requests

• Sandwich Makers – meet weekly to make and deliver sandwiches to the Community Kitchen at St. John’s/Holy Rosary

• Prepare and serve a hot lunch meal once a month at Open Shelter

• Collection of day-old bread from Giant Eagle, Panera Bread, and Pepperidge Farm to deliver to several organizations for distribution to those in need

• J.O.I.N. (Joint Organization for Inner-City Needs) is a Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Columbus organization that assists clients with their needs and makes referrals to community agencies to prevent repeat crises.  Some of our members go to J.O.I.N on a regular basis to help out there.

We also assist the Bishop Griffin Center, Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Francis Center, and St. John Community Center.

Membership

Please consider joining our group.  We meet on the first Saturday of every month at 9 AM in the parish hall.  You can be as involved as you would like to be!  You don’t have to volunteer for everything, or even anything at all!  Just come to meeting and find out about our conference.  We are always looking for fresh ideas and would welcome your input and help.