About Saint Isidore Corps

In May of 2021, two employees from The Catholic Company made the 1100-mile trek from Charlotte, North Carolina to rural Maine. There, they met up with two other Missionaries sponsored by The Catholic Company and Catholic Coffee to launch our new not-for-profit ministry: The Saint Isidore Corps. Named after the patron saint of farmers and rural life, the mission of The Saint Isidore Corps is to serve rural, impoverished communities by performing Christ’s beatitudes. Our summer missionaries worked in the communities of Jay, Livermore Falls, and Farmington, Maine, alongside our friend and partner in this work, Father Paul Dumais from the Diocese of Portland, Maine.

Our second summer, 2022 saw four new missionaries join our full-time missionary for two months of service in Jay, Livermore Falls, Farmington, and the surrounding areas.  Focusing on the ministry of presence, SIC missionaries made over 150 “parish visits” to the homes of  parishoners of St. Rose of Lima and St. Joseph.   It is our belief (especially in today’s world) that to be present to others by visiting them in their home environment is a way to connect with those in the community and in the parish family in a unique and personal way.

Service commitment for SIC missionaries:

Our summer program usually runs from mid- June to the 3rd week of August.  During the missionary experience there are opportunities for spiritual direction from Father Paul Dumais.  There is also time for hikes in the mountains or trips to the ocean with fellow SIC missionaries during the time-off periods. Each missionary will receive a weekly stipend pay. Room and board are provided.

For information on what a day in the life of a SIC missionary looks like see A Day in the life of a SIC Missionary.

The deadline for submission of the application is May 1, 2023.

Other projects we are involved in:

Closer to home, The Catholic Company has had a long-term relationship with The Missionaries of the Poor (MOP) who have a monastery in Monroe, North Carolina, only about 45 minutes from our offices in Charlotte. The Saint Isidore Corps is a part of our ongoing contribution of resources and missionary help to the MOP and to other organizations in rural North Carolina that need spiritual and material assistance.

Every purchase of Catholic Coffee supports the work of The Saint Isidore Corps.

For more information about St. Isidore Corps, or to inquire about an application, please email Whitney Hetzel at [email protected]