The congregation of St. John Neumann Catholic Church may be small in numbers—only 45 members—but on Feb. 14 this Glenmary mission in Eupora, Miss., took a big step in claiming a place in the ongoing life of its community. It welcomed everyone to come and see its new community center.

St. John Neumann is located in Webster County in northeastern Mississippi, an area of high unemployment and underemployment, where people move in and out frequently as they seek stable work. Half of the congregation is Caucasian, half is Hispanic, with a few African-Americans.

Through the efforts of parishioners, members of the wider community and the nurturing guidance of Glenmary pastoral coordinator Sister Alies Therese, the parish formally opened Nativity House Catholic Community Center of Eupora with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a tour. This house, right next door to the house used as a church, was purchased after it was gutted by fire in April 2001. The dream was to renovate and restore it for use as a community center.

The “203 Committee,” named after the address of the house (203 W. Roane), guided that effort and now is in the process of becoming the Nativity House Board. “They’ll make the decisions about how the house is to be used,” says Sister Alies. Within weeks of opening, the house had already provided space for a ministerial fellowship meeting.

Rooms in the house are dedicated to people and groups that have supported the project. “Sacred Heart Learning Center” is a quiet study spot named for Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Ventura, Calif., a tithing parish that supports many Glenmary mission projects. The living room features photographs of Glenmarians who have worked in the mission in the past, and a portrait of Glenmary’s founder, Father William Howard Bishop.

The kitchen is named “Austin’s Grill,” in honor of the work and dedication of Austin Gladney, a parishioner who served as crew chief during the renovation efforts.

During the ribbon-cutting, Sister Alies praised Austin, saying “His ongoing, daily persistence made it possible for ‘203’ to become a new place in our community where people can gather and enjoy one another’s company.”

Discussions are underway about using the house for on-going senior citizens’ and children’s activities and parish events. Sister Alies describes the house as comforting and welcoming, a good place to meet to get away from the phones and activities of the parish.

But the house has been completed not just for the use of St. John Neumann. It’s for the whole community, she emphasizes.
“There has been good forward movement and a lot of praying about how the Lord is leading us to use it,” Sister Alies says.
Most of the residents of Webster County work in industries related to the forests of northern Mississippi. “They build furniture, log, plant trees or work in mills,” Sister Alies says.

“In the small towns here, every other store is boarded up; last year, three factories in Webster County closed and we lost 2,000 out of 2,300 jobs,” she says. “That required a lot of people to move.”

A group in Eupora has hired an economic development advisor, Sister Alies says, and they have been meeting about ways to develop the town to attract business. Recently a company has been hiring and some people have gotten jobs.

St. John Neumann, Sister Alies says, is determined to make a contribution to the wider community with its new community center. Its first fundraising project was a Mardi Gras pancake supper. In her invitation to all residents of Webster County to come to the supper, Sister Alies said, “So many people are needing help; help us to continue to help them.”