St. Joseph Helping St. James
St. Joseph Parish in Vanderburgh County has been “twinned” with St. James parish in Plaine du Nord, Haiti, for more than 25 years. Since 2003, Father Gene Schroeder, pastor of St. Joseph, has visited St. James 10 times. During the past 12 years, more than 200 people have gone to Haiti with the mission team – some from St. Joseph and others from other parishes in the Diocese of Evansville such as Corpus Christi and Resurrection – and some from other faiths.
Father Schroeder describes the poverty as being as bad as it can get. “The Haiti experience forces you to see people in a whole new light. Our eyes and hearts are opened. Our hearts change.” People who visit Haiti realize how blessed they are, discerning their actual “needs” versus their “wants.”
Major projects undertaken over the years have included establishing a medical clinic, fixing up a school, initiating a “clean water” project, student sponsorship program, micro-financing of chicken and peanut farms and launching sewing lessons.
Father Gene developed and maintains the St. Joseph missions pages on the parish website (www.stjoeco.org), which includes information about St. Joseph’s Haiti missions; ways to support the ministry; sponsoring a student in Haiti; going on a trip to Haiti, and reflections from those who have traveled to Haiti. Following Haiti’s 2010 earthquake, St. Joseph received calls from all over the United States from people who wanted to help because they had visited St. Joseph’s website.
