News

Place 2B has new director

By Jaye Alderson
Compass Correspondent

OSHKOSH -- If home truly is where the heart is, Joe Geniesse is definitely home as the new executive director of Father Carr's Place 2B.

Geniesse, 44, started his new position in March as the first-ever salaried employee of the shelter. He succeeds Fr. Martin Carr, founder of the shelter, who died last year.

While he's only been at his job a few months, Geniesse's association with the Place 2B has been deeply ingrained over many years as a volunteer, pastoral associate and board member.

The Marinette native first came to the shelter 26 years ago as a summer intern preparing for the priesthood. After determining that ordination was not in his future, Geniesse continued to assist Fr. Carr for the next eight years.

He then took a job as a deputy sheriff in Outagamie County for 16 years, including six years as liaison officer at the Shiocton Schools. He stayed active at the Place 2B by serving on the board and as an officer of the corporation.

"I loved working with the youth," he said of his work as liaison officer. "I did a lot of work with families, too. It gave me a lot of good experience to come here and work with families. Fr. Carr gave me a lot of experience to be a good officer for 16 years. He gave me a lot of good experience to come back and be executive director."

There's no doubt Fr. Carr would have approved of Geniesse's selection as executive director.

"He had told me over those 16 years he would love to hire me, but there were no employees" at the Place 2B, Geniesse said. "He said, 'If I ever hired somebody, you would be the first.'"

As part of the hiring process, Geniesse supplied a copy of the letter of recommendation that Fr. Carr had written for Geniesse for his application to the sheriff's department.

"I gave it so the board could read, in Fr. Carr's own words, his approval of me," Geniesse said.

Geniesse said he is inspired by the model Fr. Carr lived of selfless giving, living out the Gospel and preaching more with his actions than his words.

"He was a great mentor, friend and like a second dad to me," Geniesse said. He also once introduced someone to Geniesse by saying, "Did you meet my oldest son, Joe?"

Geniesse said he spent the last week of Fr. Carr's life with the priest, and it was "the hardest and best thing I ever did. Watching him die was the closest I felt to heaven without going there."

"He remained a great part of my life and someone I could go to," added Geniesse. "I felt a great calling from God to come and serve as he did. I was a great help to him, so now I'm asking that he be a great help to me. I answered 'yes' to that call just as Fr. Carr answered yes when God called him to do something."

While his sheriff's department job was serving the public, Geniesse considers this new job as serving God.

"We serve only one person here, and that is Jesus," he said. "Whoever comes, we treat them like Jesus."

He said his mission now is to carry on what Fr. Carr started more than 33 years ago. From a small beginning in the basement of St. Peter Catholic Church, the ministry now has grown to include Bethlehem Inn, a residence for men; Holy Family Villa for women and children; Mother Teresa Center, which accommodates large holiday meals on Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas; Peter's Boat Coffee House; a food bank; and St. Francis Community Free Walk-In Clinic.

Although the numbers of people served aren't specifically tracked, Geniesse said about 375 meals were delivered and a couple of hundred served at Easter, the smallest of the three holiday meals. At any given time, between one and three dozen people are staying in each of the two shelters, and 200 families visit the food bank each week.

"Although I think it's come a long way, I think there's more we can do," Geniesse said. "Fr. Carr said we are to follow the Holy Spirit. My ears are open. I want to serve people's faith and deepen their relationship with God, and to assist families in any needs that they have."

Fr. Carr introduced Geniesse to his future wife, Christine, and baptized all 10 of their children. The family, except for one adult child, will live on site at the Place 2B.

His children's "first responsibility is to be kids, but they do find plenty of time to help out," Geniesse said. "As imperfect as we are, we strive to be good role models for others."

He also is inspired by the volunteers who are generous with their time, talents and money.

"They keep the place going," Geniesse said. "It's all individual donations. Checks come in all sizes, from $1 to $5 and more. There's no amount we don't get, and every one of them is deeply appreciated. In the short time I've been back here, it's been deeply emotional to see the goodness of people.

"Some people are bummed about all the sadness we see, but for me it's just the opposite. I am overjoyed with what we can do to assist these people."

During the Easter dinner last month, an elderly gentleman's face lit up when he recognized Geniesse from 25 years ago. The man had had many problems but now has long been sober and is living in a retirement home.

"The place really does change lives," Geniesse said, noting that the workers follow the message in Matthew 25, 31-46, which says that those who feed the poor and visit the lonely do it to Jesus himself.

"I saw it right from when I met Fr. Carr, and I still see it today," he said.