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An appeal to
partner with a Gulf Coast parish
PRAISED BE JESUS
CHRIST!
(Now and Forever)
The response to the special collection for Catholic Charities USA to
provide humanitarian help for the people devastated by Hurricane Katrina
was exceptional. Funds continue to be received, but to date the total is
$414,793.30. It is the largest single pulpit appeal in the history of
our Local Church and it does not include monies parishes sent to the Red
Cross or which were sent directly to Gulf Coast parishes.
Humanitarian needs continue and will for months, but a shift in emphasis
is now being urged. Through the Catholic Church Extension Society,
parishes are being invited to partner with parishes in Gulf Coast
dioceses that were affected by the hurricanes. The partnering will focus
on infrastructure rather than humanitarian assistance.
The Catholic Church Extension Society was founded in 1905 by a priest
(Father Francis Clement Kelley) who was moved by the poverty he saw in
rural America. Father Kelley started the Extension Society to extend the
resources of the Church so that Catholics in those areas could practice
their faith and receive the sacraments like their brothers and sisters
in larger cities. Many of these areas or “missions” were so remote the
Extension Society used railroad chapel cars or “chapels on wheels” to
reach them. The Extension Society always has been funded entirely by
generous donations from caring Catholics. Its mission is to sustain and
extend the Catholic faith in poor and remote mission areas of the United
States where diocesan resources are insufficient. More than $16 million
is allocated annually to assist church building and repair, missionary
salaries, seminarian education, evangelization and outreach programs, as
well as campus ministry and disaster relief. The Extension Society once
funded a mission in our Local Church: St. Augusta in Lake Village.
A hurricane task force under the leadership of Archbishop Joseph A.
Fiorenza of Galveston-Houston was established in September by the United
States Conference of Catholic Bishops to address the aftermath of the
hurricanes. This task force has invited the Catholic Extension Society
to serve as a clearing house (a central point of contact) connecting
Gulf Coast parishes with parishes across the country that wish to help
in the long process of recovery and rebuilding.
Without an on-site experience I am sure it is next to impossible for us
here in Northcentral Indiana to comprehend the depth of the devastation
and loss.
After touring three New Orleans neighborhoods recently (Lakeview, St.
Bernard Parish and the Ninth Ward), Father John Jenkins, CSC, president
of Notre Dame University, sent an e-mail to members of the Notre Dame
Alumni Association. I find his words quite graphic: “From street to
street, community to community, there was both extensive physical damage
as well as an eerie stillness — a lack of life. Except for automobiles
that moved down the nearby highway, many of the neighborhood streets
were quiet and empty. There were no children playing in the parks; there
were no dogs barking or birds flying; restaurants and stores were
boarded up; abandoned city buses sat in the middle of grass-covered
mediums.”
He added: “People have lost not only houses but also homes; not only
have they lost neighborhood stores and gas stations, but they also can
no longer find their neighbors; not only have they lost jobs, but many
must also rely on the kindness of strangers; not only have they lost
schools and churches, but also a sense of belonging.”
Father Jenkins noted that the people with whom he met were
inspirational. I again quote: “They were tremendously strong, resilient
and optimistic. Faith united people of different religious traditions,
socio-economic classes, and ethnic backgrounds. Martin, an employee of
the diocese and a lifelong resident of New Orleans, walked us through
his parents’ home of more than 20 years. There, the sense of loss was
palpable and the power of nature was clear. Everything was destroyed —
insulation had collapsed from the ceiling, furniture was up-ended, the
smell of mold filled the air. For this family, there would be no return;
however, Martin managed to smile and said ‘we’ll be fine.’ A similar
determination was evident in nearly everyone we met. There was still
love for the city and hope for its future.”
The Catholic community nationwide has been remarkable in its response to
the hurricanes. Pope Benedict XVI immediately offered special prayers
for the victims and relief workers and sent a personal envoy to visit
the people struggling to rebuild their lives. Catholic leaders from
around the world have also expressed concern and solidarity. Millions of
Catholics nationwide have responded with generous donations. Catholic
Charities USA and other national Catholic groups have mobilized to
collect donations, respond to critical needs, and help relocate those
displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Catholic colleges, seminaries, high
schools and elementary schools nationwide have generously opened their
doors to students and teachers who have been displaced by the storm.
Now, the Catholic Extension Society will help reconstruct parishes,
schools and other Church facilities damaged and destroyed by the
disaster.
As a pastor I am aware that during the fall months the Catholics of the
United States are asked to meet a variety of needs through special
national collections. World Mission Sunday fell on Oct. 23. The Catholic
Campaign for Human Development is scheduled to take place on Nov. 20. A
successful CCHD collection is vitally important this year if priority is
to be given to the areas impacted by the hurricanes. A 5.5 percent
increase is the goal. You will be asked to do what you can to help them.
Many parishes have hosted missionaries who have appealed for support of
their ministry. There was a special pulpit appeal in June to help
eradicate the deficit experienced in preparing men for the priesthood.
And, there was the special pulpit appeal for the victims of the
hurricanes in September.
Individuals must judge how many of these appeals they can support and to
what extent. No one enjoys seemingly endless appeals for money during
Mass. Yet, there is no denying that the needs of our brothers and
sisters in the Gulf Coast area are real and pressing. Many of those
needs will not be met by governmental agencies and/or insurance.
The invitation to partner with parishes in the Gulf Coast region is just
that, an invitation. Any assistance which is offered will be accepted
with great gratitude. It might be offered in the form of a one-time,
parish-to-parish gift or via the establishment of an immediate and
long-term relationship of spiritual and material assistance. The damage
is massive and the needs are extensive.
The opportunity and the challenge, perhaps, is best summed up by a
communication received from the USCCB task force appointed to address
the aftermath of the hurricanes. “For Christians, this is not just a
work of humanitarian outreach. When we help those whom this storm has
ripped from their homes and livelihoods, we are helping Jesus in our
midst. We cannot be the Church of Jesus Christ unless we reach out in
persistent and powerful ways to serve ‘the least of these’ (Matt. 25).
Feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, bringing drink to the thirsty,
welcoming the stranger are not simply acts of generosity, but acts of
faith. These traditional works of mercy are not options, but obligations
for each of us and the entire Catholic community.”
Pastors have been asked to consider partnering through the Extension
Society. They will welcome your input on how your parish might best
respond. |
