My Genealogy Hound

REV. FATHER JOSEPH JOOS, Rector of Holy Maternity Roman Catholic Church at Dowagiac, was born in Belgium May 24, 1867, His parents, Adolph and Emilie Joos, were natives of Somergem, Belgium, and had a family of seven children, Joseph being the fourth in order of birth. In religious belief, the various members of the family are identified with the Catholic Church and are prominent workers in that denomination. An uncle of our subject, Rt. Rev. Father Edward Joos, is at the present time Vicar-General of the Detroit Diocese; a cousin, Rev. Father DeNeve, was the first priest at Niles, and is now connected with the American College of Louvain, Belgium.

Commencing his literary studies in Belgium, the subject of this notice finished the classical and philosophical course in Assumption College, at Sandwich, Canada, graduating from that institution in 1888. Afterward he entered the theological department of St. Mary’s Seminary, at Cincinnati, and from that college, by special appointment of the Bishop of Detroit, he went to Rome, Italy, where he was graduated from the American College in 1891. He was ordained by Cardinal Parocchi, the Vicar-General of the Pope, on the 28th of June, 1891, and soon afterward came to Michigan, where he joined the Detroit Diocese. On the 15th of August, 1891, he was chosen for the position he now occupies as Rector of Holy Maternity Church, at Dowagiac.

A few words with reference to this church will be of interest to our readers. The corner stone of the present edifice was laid on the 9th of June, 1892, and the building was dedicated with appropriate services on the 29th of January, 1893. The funds for the erection of the structure were raised principally by the efforts of Father Joos, to whom more than to any other man is due the present large membership and splendid working condition of the church. In addition to this congregation, he has charge of the Sacred Heart Church at Silver Creek, Cass County, and St. Dominick’s Church at Rush Lake. The membership of these various congregations extends throughout Cass County, and into Van Buren and Berrien Counties. In the Dowagiac Church there is a membership of one hundred and twenty-five families; at Silver Creek, fifty families, and at Rush Lake, sixty families, making a total of nearly one thousand members in the three churches. The value of the church property at this place is estimated at $14,000, and the other church property is worth $8,000, including forty-two acres of land. At Dowagiac and Silver Creek services are held each Sunday, and in the other parish once a month. Sunday-schools are held in all the churches. At Rush Lake, Van Buren County, the progress made by the church is especially pleasing, and Father Joos expects in the near future to commence the erection of a suitable edifice.

A man of great culture and polish, Father Joos is well adapted to the responsibilities of his present position. He possesses the genial manners and refined tastes which have won for him the admiration and respect of his parishioners. While in Europe, he availed himself to the utmost of the splendid opportunities offered him for study, and acquired a thorough knowledge of Greek, Latin, Hebrew and the Oriental languages taught in the seminary course. He converses fluently in the Flemish, French, German, English and Italian languages and reads Spanish, being well versed in no less than nine different languages.