Dedicated to Jesus Christ the High Priest, the Society of the Priests of Saint Sulpice, born of the apostolate of Jean Jacques Olier, its founder, is a community of diocesan priests whose vocation is the service of those ordained to the presbyteral ministry. With this fundamental purpose in view, they devote themselves to the discernment of vocations, to the initial and ongoing formation of priests as well as to the exercise of other ministries. They fulfill this work with the desire to instruct others in the “interior life” and to form in them the “apostolic spirit.” (Art. 1).

The Society is a Society of Apostolic Life of pontifical right. (C. 731ff .) (Art. 1). [It] accomplishes its vocation by placing itself at the service of those bishops who have confidence in its spirit and ask for its collaboration (Art. 2).  [In fact,] collaborating with the bishops, the Society wishes to share in the solicitude for the whole Church and to take part in the mutual aid among local churches. Consequently, its members may be called upon to exercise their ministries in countries distant from their native lands (Art. 3).

The members of the Society, being diocesan priests, take no special vows, oaths, or promises. They are united by the bonds of priestly charity and by the resolve to serve priests and future priests, under the authority of their superiors (C. 738), remaining faithful to the Constitutions (C.731) and with the support and the demands of life in common (Art. 4). They will live together in close unity of spirit and action so as to achieve, with those entrusted to their care and with the whole presbyterate, a true fraternal community (Art. 5).

1. Olier, Jean-Jacques 1641-1657
2. Bretonvilliers, Alexandre de 1657-1676
3. Tronson, Louis 1676-1700
4. Leschassier, François 1700-1725
5. Le Peletier, Charles-Maurice 1725-1731
6. Cousturier, Jean 1731-1770
7. Bourtchot, Claude 1770-1777
8. Le Gallic, Pierre 1777-1782
9. Emery, Jacques-André 1782-1811

"Suppression" of the Sulpicians by Napoleon

10. Duclaux, Antoine Du Pouget 1814-1826
11. Garnier, Antoine 1826-1845
12. de Courson, Louis 1845-1850
13. Carrière, Joseph 1850-1863
14. Caval, Michel 1864-1875
15. Icard, Henri 1875-1893
16. Captier, Arthur 1894-1901
17. Lebas, Jules-Joseph 1901-1904
18. Garriguet, Pierre-Henri 1904-1929
19. Verdier, Jean Cardinal Archbishop 1929-1940
20. Boisard, Pierre 1945-1952
21. Girard, Pierre 1952-1966
22. Brunon, Jean-Baptiste, Bishop 1966-1972
23. Bouchaud, Constant 1972-1984
24. Deville, Raymond 1984-1996
25. Terrien, Lawrence B. 1996-2008
26. Witherup, Ronald D. 2008-

The general superiors were all French priests, except for the last two, who were born in the United States.

The general consultors are elected by the General Assembly. Since 1966, there is one per province and the fourth one has always been a member of the region of Latin America. For the first time, the General Assembly of 2008 elected a general consultor of African origin.

The Society of the Priests of Saint Sulpice has its headquarters in Paris. It has 3 provinces and various organisms which, with the animation of the Council, oversees the General Administration.