Extension gives $5 million to churches hit by hurricanes

CHICAGO (CNS) -- The Catholic Church Extension Society has announced $5 million in rebuilding grants to six Gulf Coast dioceses that suffered severe damage from hurricanes Katrina and Rita last year.

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By Catholic News Service CHICAGO (CNS) -- The Catholic Church Extension Society has announced $5 million in rebuilding grants to six Gulf Coast dioceses that suffered severe damage from hurricanes Katrina and Rita last year. It said the funds will be used to rebuild and repair churches, chapels and parish buildings in the dioceses of Biloxi, Miss., and Beaumont, Texas, and in four Louisiana dioceses: New Orleans, Lafayette, Lake Charles and Houma-Thibodaux. Extension, a century-old Chicago-based funding agency for U.S. home missions, provided $460,000 in emergency relief funds immediately after the devastating storms hit the Gulf Coast last August and September. In addition, since September it has coordinated a Parish Partnership Program directly pairing parishes across the country with Gulf Coast parishes as they go through the years-long process of rebuilding their parishes, schools and communities. By the start of the new year, more than 100 parishes had registered to participate in the program. "We are pleased to respond to some of the tremendous needs facing these areas affected by the hurricanes," said Bishop William R. Houck, Extension president. "We are extremely grateful to our donors, who are passionate about pitching in and helping their fellow Catholics in need," he said in a statement. "We have been touched deeply -- not only by the extent of the destruction, but also by the response of so many Americans," he added. Extension continues to seek contributions for post-hurricane rebuilding and to seek additional participants in the Parish Partnership Program. In a separate action, the New Jersey State Knights of Columbus presented a $50,000 check Jan. 7 to Josephite Father Joseph M. Doyle, principal of St. Augustine High School in New Orleans. Started by the Josephites in 1951 as a college prep school for black students, St. Augustine was severely flooded after Katrina and spent more than $1 million replacing moldy insulation and plasterboard last fall before repairs had to be temporarily suspended for lack of funds. Contacted by phone Jan. 16, Father Doyle said since then the school has obtained a $1.5 million line of credit to pay off previous rebuilding bills and to resume work. At the presentation ceremony during the semiannual Grand Knights meeting in Somerset, N.J., Father Doyle told the group the St. Augustine student body dropped from 950 to 200. St. Augustine joined St. Mary's Academy and Xavier University Preparatory to form MAX Satellite School, enrolling the 200 from St. Augustine along with 300 from the other two schools. Classes began Jan. 3. Father Doyle said the Knights of Peter Claver in Mobile, Ala., planned to match the Knights of Columbus gift. He said some of the money will be used to help fund educational costs for the MAX spring semester. At the home campus "we still don't have electricity and I still can't get back into my room," Father Doyle said, but the school plans to reopen its own campus in August. "Most of the damage was on the first floor," he told Catholic News Service. "If we can only use the second floor, we'll open school on the second floor." St. Augustine's famous Marching 100 band has appeared in Rose Bowl and Macy's parades and in 1967 was the first black band to march in New Orleans' annual Rex parade for Mardi Gras. Ninety percent of the school's students go on to college and it has had more presidential scholars than any other Louisiana school. Meanwhile, Benedictine-run St. Anselm College in Manchester, N.H., announced it has adopted St. Joan of Arc Grade School in New Orleans to help it recover from Katrina. Funds will go to the school's rebuilding efforts but also to help teachers, staff members and students and their families, the majority of whom were displaced, the college said. It has raised more than $15,000 through events, collection jars and drives to collect people's spare change. In March, a group of students will travel to St. Joan during spring break to provide hands-on assistance. "Many of these (St. Joan) families of African-American heritage already lived at or below poverty; Katrina took what little they had. Yet in the wake of this disaster with faith and sheer will ... they have maintained their spirit of hope," said Benedictine Father Jonathan DeFelice, president of St. Anselm. - - - Editor's Note: Extension contributions can be made online at: www.catholicextension.org, or mailed to: Catholic Church Extension Society, P.O. Box 2303, Chicago, IL 60606. Parishes interested in helping a damaged Gulf Coast parish can sign up online at: www.catholicextension.org, or by calling Bridget Monahan at: (312) 795-6073. St. Augustine High School contributions can be made by mail to: St. Augustine Katrina Recovery Office, P.O. Box 36, Breaux Bridge, LA 70517. More information is available by calling toll-free: (866) 874-2116, or online at: www.purpleknights.com. END 01/18/2006 3:52 PM ET Copyright (c) 2006 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

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Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops