The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SSVP) in South America is in great feast. On April, 5^th, Easter Sunday, the first SSVP unit will be founded in Paramaribo, capital of Suriname: Conference of Saint Rose of Lima (patron of South America). With Suriname, SSVP achieves 150 countries.
The new group has already eight volunteers and has been carrying out preparatory meetings from the beginning of the year. The president of the Conference will be young sister Kerry Lochan. The new Conference will work at Santa Rosa Parish, in Paramaribo.

The International General Council will be represented at the founding ceremony by brothers Renato Lima (International Territorial Vice-president for South America) and Julio Cesar Marques de Lima (Coordinator of Zone 1). Brother Alfons Ten Velde will be representing the National Council of Holland (Suriname is former Dutch colony, but independent since 1975). Besides the Conference foundation, representatives of the General Council shall apply a Vincentian Basic Formation Course for members of the Conference Saint Rose of Lima. The program also contains: visits to churches, contacts with potential future members of the SSVP, lunch time with the Vincentians of the new Conference, disclosure of the SSVP at other parishes, interviews with the local press and Holy Week celebrations.

For the establishment of the SSVP in Suriname were possible, much prior work was done in 2013 and 2014, with resources donated by Holland and England National Councils. The Territorial Delegate of Special Projects, brother Sebastiao Ribeiro, was on mission twice in Paramaribo, with support from other Vincentians.

The capital of Suriname has 13 parishes and SSVP’s planning is to found Conferences in each place.

We thank to the National Council of Canada for its generous donation to support the Treasury of the nascent Conference. Thank GOD for everything!

Further information: cgi.america3.vpti@gmail.com.