St. Leo the Great Brooklin Conference
We are volunteers with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, a Catholic organization that has, for over 170 years, been assisting those in need. We are members of St. Leo the Great Roman Catholic Church parish. Our Christian faith and beliefs call us to serve God by serving those in need.
We are not a government service and do not receive any government funding. The material assistance we are able to provide in our home visits is due to the generosity of our parishioners who kindly deposit cash donations into the Society of St. Vincent de Paul collection box at the church after Mass.
- The motto of the Society is “to live the Gospel message by serving Christ in the poor with love, respect, justice and joy”.
As members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, we reach out to our neighbours in need through direct, person-to-person contact because of our faith and commitment to the Gospel’s message to bring compassion and love to those in need…
…“And the King will answer, “In truth I tell you, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me.” Matthew 25
- When a person calls seeking assistance, two Society members visit the person to find out how we can best help them; generally on an emergency, short-term basis. In some cases it may be with food or clothing vouchers.
- In all cases, we bring compassion, respect, and hope. The confidentiality of all cases is strictly upheld and ensured.
- If you need assistance, please call the Vincent de Paul Society, Brooklin Conference at (905) 655-3286 and press 3 to leave a message. We are always looking for new members. Please contact our President, Maureen Kerr at maureen.kerr100@gmail.com , if you would like more information.
How to join:
Please contact our president, Sarah Woods, at Sarah.a.woods@outlook.com if you would like more information.
COVID-19 UPDATE
April 2, 2020
Dear Parishioner of St Leo the Great
The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul typically does not write to donors except to provide income tax receipts and thank you letters on behalf of the persons we serve. We do however find ourselves in the unusual situation of being without our weekly collections from the Society’s “Poor Boxes” as a result of the parishes being closed during this health crisis.
As we continue to provide assistance to our neighbours in need, we are hoping that you may be inspired by this unsolicited note from one of our regular donors: “I have been a long-time supporter of Saint Vincent de Paul and contribute weekly through my local parish. It is a great organization that carries out important work. Masses have been suspended so I will have to remember to continue my donations online as I’m sure funds are needed now more than ever.”
Realizing that many people are facing difficult times, we thank you in advance for your consideration. Donations can be made to the Society in the following ways:
- Send a cheque to the St. Leo the Great Parish c/o Society of Saint Vincent de Paul at 130 Watford St, Whitby, ON L1M 1H2
- e-transfer donations to svdpbrooklin@outlook.com
- Go on-line to the Society’s website www.ssvptoronto.ca and click on “Donate Now”,
donating by credit card through Canada Helps; please note the name of our Conference:
Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, St Leo the Great Parish. - Call our Society’s Central Council office at 416 364-5577 and donate by credit card, again stipulating the name of our local Society of Saint Vincent de Paul at St Leo the Great Parish.
We wish you good health and thank you for your assistance in supporting our Neighbours in Need.
challenging times. Especially those who live alone. We have been unable to do home visits during the pandemic. We have been limited to phone visits . We have either mailed out food cards or dropped them off at the door without personal contact. Most of our Vincentians will welcome the day when we can visit our “NEIGHBOURS IN NEED” in their homes and give them a hug and a real smile.
With the parish being closed there has not been the usual poor box revenue. However, we have been blessed through donations to our conference by some generous supporters from the parish family. The teachers and staff at St. Leo’s school also had a collection to help the needy in our community and donated their collection to our conference. We cannot begin to express to all of you our appreciation of your undying support. You make a big difference in the lives of many who are struggling to put food on the table and keep a roof over their head.
Take care.