Thursday, 01 April 2010 14:02

WICHITA – Forty five people, representing ten parishes, attended an orientation Jan. 9, at St. Anne Parish to learn more about the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Those attending learned about the society’s mission, history, organization, guidelines, emphasis on spirituality, and techniques for helping the poor.
The presenters were Gerry Hasenstab, SVDP Midwest Regional Vice President and Father John F. Clark. After the orientation, 15 Society of St. Vincent de Paul volunteers were honored for more than ten years of service.
There are currently 14 conferences in the Wichita metropolitan area: All Saints, Blessed Sacrament, Cathedral, Holy Savior, Magdalen, St. Anne, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, St. Francis of Assisi, St. James in Augusta, St. John in El Dorado, St. Peter in Schulte, St. Vincent de Paul in Andover, and Holy Cross and Our Lady of Guadalupe, Hutchinson.
Conferences are always looking for new members. If you want to learn more about the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, call your parish secretary to obtain a contact name and phone number of your parish’s St. Vincent de Paul Conference president. If your parish doesn’t have a conference, and you are interested in starting one, call Pat Burns at (316) 721-8622.