Shortly after the arrival of Pastor Dave Hellmann and associate pastor Bob Klemme at The Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Lafayette, Indiana, in 1999, our twinning relationship began.  Father Bob had been involved in similar twinning relationships at two prior churches in Indiana.  He contacted Theresa Patterson, founder of the Parish Twinning Program of America, and requested a twinning relationship with a church that had a school (since St Mary has a school) and with a church that would encourage frequent visits from our parish.  Theresa said that within a week she also got a request from Father Ronel “Cha Cha” Charelus wanting a sister parish that would come visit often.  This match was an easy one to make!

Father Cha Cha made a visit to St. Mary in August 1999 and met many parishioners.  Plans were set for St. Mary to take its first trip to Haiti in March 2000.

Pendus is located in the northwest mountains about 120 miles from Port-au-Prince.  It is about 24 miles southeast of Port-de-Paix and 10 miles northwest of Gros Morne.  It is in the Diocese of Gonaives.

St. Mary Cathedral's Haiti committee was formed shortly after the return of its first group from Pendus in March 2000.  It meets regularly on the fourth Tuesday of the odd numbered months each year.  One of the first tasks of this group was to create the following Mission Statement.