Onboarding

Our Conference makes a proactive effort to recruit new laypersons to become Vincentians. This aim is demonstrated at two of our regularly scheduled annual events, the Invitation to Learn and the Invitation to Serve.

The Invitation to Learn is an open-house style meeting, held at one of our Cluster parishes, each September. We invite new prospective members to ask questions about the Society and our conference in particular. Prospective new members meet and become acquainted with longtime members and learn about the aims and the history of the Society.  The Invitation to Serve takes the form of a pulpit talk, at all Cluster parishes, during a weekend in October.  One of our longtime members will address the congregation at Mass, offering an invitation to join the Conference.

When a prospective member wishes to join, he/she is put in touch with our Vice President of Membership and one of our other Membership committee members, to schedule a follow-up meeting in person. This provides the prospective new member to discuss his/her preferred roles or duties in the Conference. Prospective members are also required to complete Diocesan safeguarding programs and suitability checks. Finally, new members are commissioned, and fully welcomed as Vincentians, during a subsequent Conference meeting. In addition, new members are strongly encouraged to attend an Ozanam Orientation workshop during their first year of membership.