Lenten Outreach 2007

Bay St. Louis, MS Update

As a parish community, we have been able to raise this Lent, $35,529.87 as of April 12, 2007 to help our brothers and sisters in five families make it home.  A second adult mission trip to Mississippi is being planned for Fall 2007. Those who traveled in April found the experience to be profound. Interested in learning more? Contact Susan McNeil at 262-781-3480 and view more information by clicking on the link above.

A Letter from Fr. Paul Esser, Archdiocesan Coordinator of Katrina Relief, May 24, 2007

Dear Susan McNeil and St. Dominic Parish:

As the representative of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee’s Rebuilding Lives, Restoring Hope Endeavor, I wish to acknowledge your most generous
contribution of $39,185.00 generated by your Lenten Outreach Project! This parish-wide effort exemplifies God’s work through you in a wonderful manner. Families in the Bay St. Louis area and other workers will be greatly encouraged and helped through this gift. By sending a team of 14 parishioners to the Gulf, you also witnessed first-hand the horrendous need and brought back a message that tugged at the hearts of parishioners of all ages at St. Dominic’s.

Thank you for your description of how the money was raised in such an exciting and joyful manner. We are pleased that your team experienced a very meaningful mission trip and felt supported by our coordinators, Harold and Cindy Lederer. The use of contributions donated for this endeavor are especially earmarked for those most in need, and are carefully monitored.

We greatly appreciate your partnership with us as we continue the work of rebuilding lives, restoring hope, as God leads day by day.

Sincerely,
Fr. Paul Esser
Archdiocesan Coordinator of Katrina
Relief

St. Louis, MS Mission Participants – (L to R) – Mike Dominski, Jerry Dominski, Marguerite Greinke, Jack and Barbara Kelly, Joe and Shirley Kelly, Barb Drees, Christine and L.G. Friedrichs, Alex McNeil, Etta and Bob Neimann, Susan McNeil
Adult Mission Trip to Bay St. Louis, MS From April 14th - 21st, 2007 as part of our Lenten Outreach Project, a group of parishioners from St .Dominic's traveled to Bay St. Louis, MS in collaboration with parishes from Northern Ozaukee County to help families rebuild their homes lost in Hurricane Katrina.  Several parishes in the Archdiocese have sent groups of adults down to Bay St. Louis.  This trip was an excellent opportunity to share our  faith and serve others who were devastated by the hurricane.   While there, we stayed in Camp Coastal, a facility built to house volunteers.  A second adult mission trip to Mississippi is being planned for Fall 2007. Those who traveled in April found the experience to be profound. Interested in learning more? Contact Susan McNeil at 262-781-3480.
Dear St. Dominic’s: We would like to thank you for such generosity you have shown to us. Your parish has done a wonderful thing by collecting the funds to help others in such need. The coordinators (from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee), Cindy and Harold Lederer are such a help also to the community. The Lord has sent many angels and many blessings out of Wisconsin to Mississippi. We would like to thank you for being among that number. With many, many thanks, God Bless, your Mississippi friends, Cathy and Raymond Hoover

Meet the Tillman Family
Meet the Evans Family
Meet the Barrau and Moore Families
Meet the Necaise Family
A great website that chronicles the story of Bay St. Louis over time at MSNBC - Rise from the Ruins http://risingfromruin.msnbc.com
In 2007, St. Dominic's reached out to the hurricane survivors of Bay St. Louis, MS.  As you remember, in September 2005, Hurricane Katrina slammed into the gulf coast.  Thousands were killed and millions were evacuated and left homeless in the hurricane's wake, including the people of Bay St. Louis, MS, which sustained the eye of the hurricane.  A 35-foot wall of water hit the coastal city, destroying virtually everything in its wake.  Seventeen months later, the residents of four Catholic parishes in Bay St. Louis were still living in FEMA trailers, struggling to reclaim their lives and rebuild their homes.  We adopted five specific families, and provided each family with $4,000 worth of building materials that allowed them to finish their homes.  Each of these families were at the point in rebuilding that one last helping hand helped them get home.  100% of your donations went to the project.  This is one way we made a difference in our world.  Pray in thanksgiving for all that you have, for hope in our world. Read Archbishop Dolan's letter regarding the work being accomplished in Bay St. Louis, MS.