NCCW Meets in Jacksonville, Elects New Officers

Our Mother of Mercy School, Beaumont, Texas

By Ellen Bachman, NCCW President

At our January meeting, the NCCW Board of Directors decided to initiate a project to help those suffering from the 2005 hurricanes, in particular to help children.  Assisting a school seemed logical.  Through Catholic Charities USA we were directed to Our Mother of Mercy School in Beaumont, Texas.

This school suffered severe damage due to Hurricane Rita.  There is a 12- x 12-foot hole in the roof and water damage throughout the school.  The school still has not been repaired and the children are meeting in the social hall and portable classrooms.

Bishop Curtis Guillory, Bishop of Beaumont, writes:  “I am deeply grateful to the National Council of Catholic Women for your generous offer to assist Our Mother of Mercy School in their efforts to provide the best possible education to the children enrolled at this inner city school.  I ask for your support of a grant request for $5,756.10 to provide the 2005 editions of the Pearson Scott Foresman Mathematics curriculum for the students in first through fifth grade.

Our Mother of Mercy School is a predominantly African American School.  The majority of students come from economically disadvantaged homes – almost half of them live below the government’s low income level.  Many of these families live from paycheck to paycheck.  Some of the parents were already doing without necessities for themselves in order to provide a Catholic education for their youngsters when Hurricane Rita interrupted their lives and incomes.”

The Diocese is again operating at a deficit this year.  The unemployment figure for Beaumont/Port Arthur is the highest in the state since Hurricane Rita.

NCCW Secretary Janie Southerland, Province Director Eunice Washa, and I traveled to the school to represent you and present the principal with a check for $1,020 that was collected at the National Board meeting in January.  While there we found fantastic kids, a principal with a vision and hope for the future, dedicated teachers, and parents struggling financially but committed to Catholic education.

Please make this one of your charities and contribute whatever you can.  If we all do a little we will accomplish great things.  Perhaps your generosity will allow us to donate more than the math books.  Whatever you send to the nationaloOffice designated on the check “Beaumont School Projec.t”

I thank you, the members, for reaching out to this community.  The Moderator of the Province of Galveston-Houston, Father James Stembler  says it all  when he wrote:  “…The Beaumont Project of NCCW is an opportunity for us to not forget those who have been affected by such natural disasters and have gone unnoticed.  What a wonderful way to witness to the Gospel message of love!”