From the Pastor’s desk— January 21, 2024

The Fr Joe Peplansky House

This month with the financial support of the Claretian Missionaries, we hope to establish the Fr Joe Peplansky cmf Residence. This residence will be an outreach service of Sacred Heart Church to respond to the growing needs in our community/parish for refugee families in distress.  In the last few months our parish office has assisted over half a dozen families escaping violence, war, or persecution.  In the last few years, Claretians around the world have been trying to respond to this urgent and growing need and since our Claretian gatherings last year, the US/Canada province has begun plans to join in this effort.  This concern comes as a natural extension of the charism from our founder St Anthony Claret who sought to respond to what was “timely, urgent, and effective.”  

For those of you who may not have had the blessing to know Fr Joe (1933-2011) for whom this ministry will be named, here are a few highlights of this extraordinary Claretian.  Fr Joe grew up in Chicago, Illinois and joined the Claretians in 1951.  He served a large part of his life in Chicago and a number of years here at Sacred Heart Church (1996-2002).  While here, Fr Joe realized there was no one to serve the Spanish-speaking Catholics in Springfield and began this ministry here at Sacred Heart.  He often joked that he was half Polish and half Mexican but in reality he was all Claretian with a heart to serve those most in need.  His was a life to care for the least among us and for that reason we could think of no better person to honor this outreach ministry.

It is our hope to rent a 2-bedroom apartment in this neighborhood that will be underwritten (paid for) by the Claretian Missionaries central offices.  For our part, we as a parish will work to furnish the apartment (some of which we have already), assist with utilities (which we already have thanks to a gift from our Diocese), and aid the families in areas from English acquisition to employment with the help of regional resources and our parishioners.   

I would note this residence is specifically for refugees, which is different from migrants. The main difference between a migrant and a refugee is that a migrant chooses to move, while a refugee has been forced from their home.  Refugees are people who are fleeing armed conflict or persecution” and “for whom denial of asylum has potentially deadly consequences. A person who asked for protection and was given refugee status is called a refugee. Migrants, on the other hand, leave their home for either voluntary or involuntary reasons to seek a better life and safer prospects. 

We ask for your prayers for the start of this great work and please feel free to contact the front office, Br Manolo, or Fr Ray if you have a heart to help in this new venture or any questions.

P

 

 

   

 

 

 

                     

 

With a heart for Mission,
Fr. Ray