BRIDGEPORT,
Thursday, October 27, 2005 – Bishop
William E. Lori accepted a check today from Catholic Charities
of the Diocese of Bridgeport for more than $1 million, representing
the total amount donated by Catholics throughout Fairfield County
to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
$1,040,000
has been donated, an all-time record for a special collection
in the Diocese of Bridgeport. The monies were sent in directly
to Catholic Charities, or were given by parishioners during a
collection undertaken at all 87 parishes in the diocese.
CAPTION:
The Most Reverend William E. Lori, Bishop of the Roman Catholic
Diocese of Bridgeport, accepts a check for $1,040,000 from Marie
Keogh, Director of Emergency Services for Catholic Charities.
The amount, donated by Catholics throughout Fairfield County in
a record-setting special collection, was sent to Catholic Charities
USA for ongoing relief efforts for the victims of Hurricane Katrina
along the Gulf Coast. (Photo by John R. Glover)
“Wow!”
“In a word
– ‘Wow!’” says Bishop William E. Lori. “I am extremely humbled
by how our family of faith in Fairfield County has opened their
hearts to help their sisters and brothers in need. This is truly
the Gospel in action.”
According
to Al Barber, executive director of Catholic Charities, the sum
was sent to Catholic Charities USA, which has been a primary responder
in the affected regions along the Gulf Coast. “We’re working together
on what they need, how they need it, when they need it.”
Catholics
can still make donations directly (by check; not online)
to Catholic Charities of Fairfield County. Proceeds are earmarked
to Catholic Charities for aid to those directly affected by the
disaster. Please
make checks payable to "Catholic Charities" and write "Hurricane
relief" in the memo line and mail to:
Catholic
Charities
238 Jewett Avenue
Bridgeport, CT 06606
"Operation
New Day" a great success!
Catholic
Charities of the Diocese of Bridgeport and volunteers from
many parishes organized "Operation New Day" helped furnish
20 apartments in Houston, TX, for relocated victims.
Sleepy's
at 159 West Putnam Avenue in Greenwich offered a steep
discount on new twin beds (mattresses, box springs, and frame
sets) for this cause. Donors from across Fairfield County bought
64 new beds. Large tractor-trailer trucks, donated by Crabtree
Automotive Group and Joyce Van Lines,
were loaded with the beds, as well as with donations of brand-new
twin sheets sets/mattress covers, pillows, pillowcases, blankets,
and towels.
Volunteers
from several parishes (at left), including the Saint Mary's and
Saint Michael's in Greenwich, and Saint Aloysius in New Canaan,
helped to load the trucks, which departed for Houston on October
7.
CAPTION:
Seeing the truck off from Saint Paul Parish in Greenwich are (l-r)
Bruce Berg, regional sales manager, Joyce Van Lines; Joe Boyers,
manager, Sleepy's; Sue Stone and (inside truck) Catherine Eskierski,
Saint Michael the Archangel Parish; Janet Jorgensen, Saint Aloysius
Parish; Lynn Mara, Saint Paul Parish; and Bob Eskierski, Saint
Michael the Archangel Parish. (Photo by John Glover)
Marie Keogh,
director of emergency services for Catholic Charities, received
a jubilant call from Houston when the truck arrived. "They were
awed by the high quality of the beds," she says. "People had been
sleeping on the floor until now. They're still talking about 'the
day that truck arrived from Connecticut!'"
Catholic
School Assistance
Bishop Lori
has extended a welcome to families with children enrolled in Catholic
Schools who are relocating to Fairfield County.
"In
the event families from the Gulf Coast relocate to Fairfield County,
I have asked our Catholic
elementary and secondary schools to accommodate Catholic school
students from the affected areas," Bishop Lori said. "Our
schools will provide for tuition expenses for the time they are
with us, and provide help with uniforms, books, and other supplies."
There are
32 Catholic elementary schools, one Catholic middle school, five
Catholic high schools, and one Catholic special education school
administered by the Diocese of Bridgeport.
CAPTION:
THE YOUNGEST OF CHILDREN CAN SET AN EXAMPLE OF GENEROSITY that’s
hard to match. The three and four-yearolds at
Saint Joseph Readiness Center in Danbury loaded boxes of
toys for Hurricane Katrina victims. “It needed to be concrete
to them, so they all did jobs at home to earn money for the toys,”
says Susan Quimby, director. “They cleared the table and put dishes
in the sink, made their beds, fed the pets, ran a lemonade stand.
They packed the boxes themselves, and the whole class brought
the boxes out to the mailman to load onto the truck. “The boxes
were received in Alabama on September 19, and the Red Cross is
sending them to a relief station that serves young children. “They
need toys and they need love, and now they’ve got it,” says Quimby.
“I’m so proud of our children for helping other kids.”
To date, one
child from the Gulf region, who relocated to Fairfield County
with his family, is enrolled in a diocesan Catholic elementary
school.
For more information,
families should contact the Diocesan Office for Education: 372-4301,
ext. 380.
Catholic
Charities' Ongoing Efforts
Catholic
Charities is mobilizing relief efforts in Fairfield County to
help the victims of Hurricane Katrina along the Gulf Coast.
A main focus
at the moment is the Seton/Neumann Retreat Center in Danbury,
which is being prepared to accommodate up to 40 evacuees from
the Gulf. The center, which is listed in the national database
of available shelters, was built as a convent, but used in recent
years as a retreat center, particularly for Emmaus and Cursillo
groups and youth ministry gatherings. The building has about 30
bedrooms and some large gathering rooms, which makes it ideal
for group housing.
CAPTION:
THE SETON/NEUMANN RETREAT CENTER in Danbury is being prepared
to accommodate up to 40 evacuees from the Gulf, thanks to a relief
effort spearheaded by the diocese and Catholic Charities. (PHOTO
BY JOHN GLOVER)
Catholic Charities
will provide staffing and counseling services for displaced
families, who have experienced tremendous dislocation since losing
their homes.
Catholic Charities
is also developing a database of individuals and businesses
who want to help in the weeks and months ahead through parishes
and a group of parents in lower Fairfield County who have volunteered
their time and talents.
The contact
points for all these activities are Marie Keogh, Director of Emergency
Services: mkeogh@ccfc-ct.org,
or Al Barber, President of Catholic Charities: abarber@ccfc-ct.org
. Though e-mail is preferred, they can also be reached at (203)
372-4301.
(For more
information on Catholic Charities USA and relief efforts in the
Gulf Region, click
here.)
