The Peru Gazette

By John T. Ryan

Plattsburgh – Undoubtedly, many Peru residents see the Soup Kitchen sign in Treadwells Mills; but it’s fair to conjecture they aren’t aware of the beautiful things happening at what was St. Joseph’s Church. When the parish church closed several years ago,  the Diocese of Ogdensburg could have sold it for other uses. Instead, today the building is home to St. Joseph’s Outreach Center, serving our region’s needy people. 

Reverend Scott Seymour was St. Joseph’s pastor when the diocese made the painful decision to close the church. He still supervises the Center as pastor of the joined parishes of St. Alexander’s Church in Morrisonville, St. James Church in Cadyville, and St. Augustine’s in Peru. Fr. Seymour commented, “This Church was built for the community. It remains utilized for the community. Church is coming to people differently.”  

On Monday, June 27th, Bishop Terry R. LaValley blessed and dedicated the St. Joseph’s Outreach center in the presence of Fr. Seymour’s parish community, his parish council and trustees, representatives of many local service organizations, and local community leaders. 

St. Joseph’s Church was always a welcoming place. At the time of its closing, volunteers staffed a clothing store and soup kitchen. Today, working in partnership with JCEO, the soup kitchen serves 300 to 350 people each Wednesday, double its previous numbers and the clothing store has significantly expanded. They call it a boutique. In the center’s food pantry people choose their food rather than having someone pick it out for them. The community garden and raised garden outside the center grow fresh vegetables. The Catholic Charities Retired Senior Volunteer Programs (RSVP) and E-MDT Elder Abuse programs have offices there. Veterans Feeding Veterans program volunteers pack about 300 food boxes in the former parish hall. CV-TEC and other tutors use the expansive main room (the main body of the former church) for high school equivalency and individualized student tutoring. Volunteers, parishioners, local businesses and parish staff (some working on their own time) transformed the former rectory (pastor’s home) into short-term transitional housing for the homeless, immigrants, fire victims, and others. Earlier in the day, the Mercy Sisters announced they would use the Center for their senior citizen Compassionate Care Program. Over the coming weeks, they’ll train volunteers to reach out to seniors. Many seniors would welcome a faith-based program into their homes, while others would welcome a government-based one.

Initially, Father Seymour offered the church for sale; the offers were far below the asking price. He recalled, “Selling the building at the price offered would dishonor the people who worked so hard to build the church. I took it to prayer. One evening I awoke and had the answer. “If you go, who will help the people who need us. I went to the parish council and the parish trustees. They were unanimous. St. Joseph’s will stand as a place to help the needy.” 

Editors Note – Correction to the story made on June 29th at 3:56 p.m. I erred in stating that the food pantry existed before the church’s closing. The clothing store operated at that time, thanks to the hard work of several volunteers.