The family of help for the Missions grew again as the 19th century was drawing to a close. Jeanne Bigard, and her mother, Stephanie, received a letter from a French bishop serving in Japan. He told of the more than 50 young men preparing for the priesthood and about the difficulty he was having providing for them and trying to accomodate the growing number of young men applying for admission to the seminary. Stephanie and Jeanne began collecting funds to support these seminarians. In 1889, they established the Society of St. Peter Apostle to support mission vocations, both priestly and Religious.

In the first year of its foundation, the Society of St. Peter Apostle aided some 2,700 seminarians. In 2001, 810 seminarians received $2.2 million in food and 9000 novices received $2.6 million in assistance.