Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP)

Parish of the Good Samaritan

There has been an SVP Conference at St John the Baptist since June 1905 although nowadays we are increasingly active across all three churches and welcome members from Christ the King and St Mary's as well as St John's. At present we have eight full time members and two auxiliary members who help us when we have Housebound mass.

We hold monthly meetings, usually in a member’s home, which last approximately an hour. Meetings open and close with prayers and there is always a short spiritual reading which we reflect upon.

Due to Covid 19 and the restrictions placed on us all, we have not been able to visit as we did previously. Under normal circumstances we visit the Nursing and Residential Homes within our area as well as people in their own homes. We visit young and old but due to Data Protection there can be some difficulty in finding the people who most need our help.

We help financially by supporting the needy children in our Primary School and the Friendship Centre at a local church which provides lunches, on a Wednesday, to people in need and the homeless.

Requests for help are varied and come from many directions. It could be furniture, bedding, clothing, electrical white goods, food, money for gas/electric or even a man with a van to help with moving. It is very rare we turn anybody away. We try not to give money but will put money on a fuel card, buy enough groceries to take a person to their pay day or obtain the item (s) they need. We also keep the priests at St John’s supplied with a variety of none perishable foods and toiletries for them to give to the many casuals that come knocking at the presbytery door.

Hopefully we will soon be able to start holding our monthly Housebound Mass which occurs on the first Saturday of the month when we bring some of the homebound to the Parish Hall via transport. Following mass they have a light lunch of sandwiches, cakes and brews before we take them home.
Some of our members are involved with New Neighbours Together. These are asylum seekers and refugees who live within our areas.
One member is heavily involved with the Deaf Association and has been for many years.

Should anyone wish to contact the Conference here are two numbers: -

Maria Boys 07929256406
Klaus Lamle :-07977913092

The driving force for the SVP is carrying out Christ’s instructions to love God and love your neighbour. In Our Lord’s words, “When two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them”.