English 
Français
Español
The Saint Joseph Stopover
Every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon, a group of very special people gather in the former Notre-Dame de Foy church. Closed to worship for 3 years, it was reopened to welcome an extraordinary project called the St-Joseph Stopover. The first stopover called “halte” in french was founded in 2013 in Granby. Notre Dame de Foy is the 10th in Quebec... Why this unexpected multiplication?
A Saint-Joseph Stopover center welcomes, listens, shares and supports anyone who walks through the door. Over a cup of coffee, a jigsaw puzzle or a card game, those who want to break the bonds of solitude find at the Halte a free presence that does a world of good. A good time is always had at this crossroads!
It sounds simple, and it is. As Robert Lebel's theme song says: “In the simplicity of my heart, with joy I gave everything to God.” There's no distinction between volunteers and visitors. Each one finds a space for exchange in an atmosphere of openess, without social pressure or fear of rejection. Being authentic, whether in joy or in suffering, is a profoundly evangelical gesture: “Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy- burdened, and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28-30).
In a society where traditional religious practice is declining, this new form of service and welcome gives this ancient religious building a new vocation. It also offers involved parishioners a new way of giving hands to their faith. Opening in May 2024, the St-Joseph Stopover in Sainte-Foy is already attracting some fifteen people from various backgrounds.
Bernard Duquette, pmé, is the one who launched the idea in 2019, but then the pandemic arrived... Odile de Lambilly (coordinator of the pastoral team) and André Bernier took up the torch and initiated the steps to realize this project, generously supported by the moderator priest Pierre Gingras and the Administration Council of Notre-Dame de Foy parish.
Bravo to this wonderful missionary team!
For more information in french, click on the following links:
https://le-verbe.com/reportage/halte-saint-joseph/
https://presence-info.ca/article/societe/la-halte-des-pauvres-de-bonheur/
