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Summer program helps U.S. youths experience mission work at home

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JUNCTION CITY, Kan. (CNS) - Gale Hammerschmidt is proud of the work his summer helpers are doing. But he hopes they keep working when they return to their home parishes.

Highlights

By Doug Weller
Catholic News Service (www.catholicnews.com)
8/3/2006 (1 decade ago)

Published in Living Faith

Hammerschmidt, a seminarian in the Salina Diocese, is leading this year's new summer mission program, "Prayer and Action: Mission Experience in Our Own Back Yard." Young adults are fixing up homes and yards in Junction City and Goodland during four one-week sessions. While Hammerschmidt is pleased with the volunteers' efforts, he wants them to take the spirit of mission work home. "We want the kids to go back to their own communities and look for people who need help," he told the Northwestern Kansas Register, Salina's diocesan newspaper. Hammerschmidt and Sister Barbara Ellen Apaceller, a Sister of St. Joseph who is director of youth ministries for the diocese, began work on the program last summer. The seminarian, a veteran of several mission trips, mentioned to Sister Barbara Ellen that a mission program within the diocese would provide more opportunities for youths to become involved while helping out people in local communities. Sister Barbara Ellen learned of grant opportunities through the Chicago-based Catholic Church Extension Society, and the diocese's application was approved soon after. Hammerschmidt then began lining up coordinators in the two cities, which are 280 miles apart. The diocese covers almost 27,000 square miles in northern Kansas. Kurt and Sandy Leistner, parishioners at St. Francis Xavier Church in Junction City, began spreading the word about the project. Burton and Roberta Pianalto, parishioners of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, headed up the efforts in Goodland that began July 23. By the start of the Junction City mission July 9, the Leistners had lined up at least 35 properties that needed work. "It was a very enlightening experience for me," Kurt Leistner said. "I always knew we needed to help the poor and the handicapped and such, but I've been amazed by the number who need help." He and his wife also are religious education coordinators for their parish, and he said he hoped their confirmation students could take on some of the unfinished projects to obtain the volunteer hours they are expected to have. The Leistners contacted all the clergy in Junction City, as well as senior citizen organizations and groups that assist the needy, in search of mission projects. Those applying for help did not need to be Catholic. The response was humbling, Hammerschmidt said. "For every house we do, 10 more could use the help," he said. The Catholic Extension grant helped make the experience affordable for diocesan youths, who paid $30 for one week. Local parishes provided rooms for the workers, and local businesses contributed supplies. At Junction City, the young people and their leaders camped out at St. Francis Xavier School. They prepared their own meals, attended Mass each morning and took part in evening worship activities. Amy Schultz of Manhattan, a group leader with Thomas Seagren of Denver, said the experience has been rewarding. "With it being the first year, you never know how it's going to go, but we've been nothing but happy with the way it's turned out," Schultz said. For homeowner Corinne Cole, the experience has been nothing less than miraculous. The Junction City resident, unable to work because of health problems, had no idea how she was going to be able to bring her mobile home into compliance with city code. A worker at the local food bank who knew of her situation passed along her name to the Leistners, and in July, Hammerschmidt and a half-dozen workers showed up to paint and attach skirting to the home. "There's not enough I can do to show my gratitude," Cole said. "And they're so nice." Hammerschmidt said hearing that kind of reaction helps inspire his student workers and, he hopes, illustrates the need for the program. But he believes the project's success and future depend on a higher power. "This is God's project. It's in his hands," he said. "We're just trying to be his servants."

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

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