St. Joachim seeks to root itself with a new church

   
    St. Joachim Parish in Marrero – “The Little Church in the Woods” – has never really had a church to call its own since it was established 28 years ago, worshipping in a multi-purpose building amid the cypress trees off Barataria Boulevard.
    But Father G. Amaldoss, pastor since December 2008, has a big dream for a parish that nearly closed in the post-Katrina restructuring of the Archdiocese of New Orleans: He wants to build a small country church for his growing parish family.
    “After 28 years, we need to put roots in the ground,” Father Amaldoss said.
    In a new book about the parish’s history – “Quo Vadis: The Little Church in the Woods” – Father Amaldoss said Father Elford Wanke, the founding pastor, always had a vision for a permanent church. He died of diabetes in 1992 at the age of 44.
    Now Father Amaldoss hopes the parish’s focus on family, children and faith will allow it to realize Father Wanke’s original vision. It is not just about building a church but building a community, Father Amaldoss said.
    “Everything here is family-based,” Father Amaldoss said, noting that his parish has grown from about 300 families to 600 families in the last three years. “We have no cry room here. We want the children to cry in church. Of course, we don’t want any cry-babies.”
Kids are always welcome
    Father Amaldoss said he makes sure families with small children feel welcomed. There is a special children’s catechesis each Sunday where the children are sent out for instruction, and when they return with the pictures they have drawn of the Gospel story that day, the kids get a chance after Communion to show the adults what they have done.
    “The idea is that the whole family is involved,” Father Amaldoss said. “We are encouraging families to come together. Sometimes the children will walk around and go to my seat, and they’ll tell the other kids to come back on the altar. That’s when I tell them to go back and sit down. But the point is, we let the children speak and move. People accept them. The whole church accepts them.”
    Father Amaldoss said when he sees a mother holding her infant or toddler, he immediately thinks of the sacrifice she has had to make to get her child to Mass.
    The small parish has about $130,000 in savings, and Father Amaldoss said a small, permanent church suitable for the tree-dotted surroundings probably will cost between $1.5 to $2 million. But he is dreaming big.
    “But first, we are building a community,” Father Amaldoss said. “You need to build the mystical body before you build the church. I always tell the people, give whatever you can give. You are coming to church to worship God. By giving them something that is foundational to life, the money will come later on. We need to let them learn to love God.”
Family atmosphere
    The parish hosts an annual family expo that features children’s performances, music, crafts and food, but again, Father Amaldoss, the focus is on the family. There is one five-generation family in his parish, and frequently, grandparents, parents and children attend Mass together.
    Father Amaldoss has met with architects about some initial plans for the church. The parish needs to have about 50 percent of the projected costs in hand before it can go ahead with the project.
    “We are not looking for a big, mega church,” Father Amaldoss said. “We want something meaningful, functional and helpful for people to worship God. We’re not building this for people to look at.”
    Peter Finney Jr. can be reached at [email protected].