They share office space, a pastor in Fr. Carlos Florez, a director of administrative services in Bill Doepke.
And the Milwaukee South Side parishes of St. Hyacinth, Prince of Peace/Principe de Paz and St. Vincent de Paul have yet another common denominator: food pantries.
Prince of Peace’s volunteer-run pantry at South 25th and West Scott streets is open from 10-11:30 a.m. Mondays. The pantry at St. Vincent, 21st and Mitchell streets, is operated by Friedens Evangelical Church and is open 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays. While both are smaller operations than the “full service” St. Hyacinth Pantry at 1414 W. Becher St., the Prince of Peace location distributes some clothing as well as food.
All three parishes have long been multicultural and offer Masses in Spanish and English, Doepke told your Catholic Herald.
“For the most part,” he said, “our parishioners are poor people who do the best they can as far as contributions.”
All three congregations, with several century-old buildings among them, are growing, while facing costly maintenance projects, he said.
“We know the needs of our community are greater than ever,” St. Hyacinth Pantry director Jim Luther wrote in the pantry’s most recent annual report.
“We need help from others,” Doepke said.
Prince of Peace has a twinning relationship with St. John Vianney Parish, Brookfield, and St. Hyacinth has a similar connection with Lumen Christi, Mequon-Thiensville. According to Doepke, a sister parish is being sought for St. Vincent as well. Anyone wishing to contribute to any of the parishes is invited to call Doepke (a pantry volunteer, in addition to his administrative position) at (414) 645-8786.
