Notre Dame Stepping Up to Help After Katrina

I received the following e-mail today from Fr. Jenkins, President of the University of Notre Dame, talking about his recent trip to Louisiana, his observations on the current state of affairs, and what the university is doing to help local parishes and Xavier University of New Orleans get back on their feet. After reading it, I was very proud of the university and of how Catholic institutions are helping each other in this time of great need. You may want to read it...

Dear Members of the Notre Dame Community:

I want to thank you for your continued interest in supporting the regions of the Gulf Coast affected by Hurricane Katrina. As we approach nearly 60 days since Katrina struck land, it is apparent that the work of rebuilding the region will persist for many years. These efforts affect small children and seniors, families and neighborhoods, churches and businesses. For this reason, it is encouraging to know that many of you continue to provide assistance in a variety of ways. The following is an update for you on two recent developments regarding the University’s efforts to provide support.

The first development is a trip I took last Wednesday, October 19, to Louisiana with a delegation of Notre Dame faculty and staff. We arranged a meeting with Archbishop Alfred Hughes of the Archdiocese of New Orleans to explore how the University could lend its resources -- specifically, its knowledge base – to assist the archdiocese in addressing short- and long-term needs. We wanted to explore how expertise from disciplines such as the sciences, engineering, architecture, and business could be applied to recovery efforts.

Our visit was remarkable in many ways. I will share two of my observations with you, admittedly only pointing to a small portion of the residents’ and volunteers’ daily lives.

We flew into New Orleans’ Louis Armstrong Airport in the early morning and immediately toured three neighborhoods – Lakeview, St. Bernard Parish, and the Ninth Ward – before our afternoon meeting with Archbishop Hughes in Baton Rouge.

My first observation was of the breadth of destruction and loss. People have not only lost houses, but also homes of 20 to 40 years; not only have they lost neighborhood stores and gas stations, but they also can no longer find their neighbors; not only have they lost jobs, but many now must also rely on the kindness of strangers; not only have they lost schools and churches, but also a sense of belonging.

From street to street, community to community, there was both extensive physical damage as well as an eerie stillness – a lack of life. Except for automobiles that motored down the nearby highway, many of the neighborhood streets were quiet and empty. There were no children playing in the parks; there were no dogs barking or birds flying; restaurants and stores were boarded up; abandoned city buses sat in the middle of grass-covered medians.

In order to address the widespread need, Archbishop Hughes described the early efforts of the diocese immediately following the hurricane as being “focused on the people.” Struggling to tend to “virtual parishes,” many New Orleans priests are now assigned to cities outside New Orleans. They have delivered pastoral care to evacuees and rescue workers in airports, rescue sites, and morgues. In September alone, more than 7 million pounds of food were distributed, as compared to an annual food distribution of 8 million pounds.

My second (and perhaps, most lasting) observation was that the people with whom we met were inspirational. They were tremendously strong, resilient, and optimistic. Faith united people of different religious traditions, socio-economic classes, and ethnic backgrounds. Martin, an employee of the diocese and a lifetime resident of New Orleans, walked us through his parents’ home of more than 20 years. There, the sense of loss was palpable and the power of nature was clear. Everything was destroyed – insulation had collapsed from the ceiling, furniture was upended, and the smell of mold filled the air. For this family, there would be no! return; however, Martin managed to smile and say, “We’ll be fine.” A similar determination was evident in nearly everyone we met. There was still love for the city and hope for its future.

At day’s end, we agreed to keep open the lines of communication between the diocese and the University as the city evaluates how best to move forward with plans to rebuild. Many factors remain unclear or unknown. How will the city house volunteers when residents are seeking shelter as well? How many people will return to the city after days, months, or years of living in other areas? How can the church address the needs of its members through spiritual and social ministries? How can the churches collaborate with the private and public sectors to address issues of education and economic growth? In what ways can volunteers most respectfully assist communities, allowing residents to self-determine their futures? What changes can be made to new or existing structures to minimiz! e the likelihood of damage in the case of future hurricanes? These and other questions will be the focus of many conversations.

The second development to share with you is a partnership between Notre Dame and Xavier University of New Orleans, a Catholic and historically black institution. With the approval of Xavier President Dr. Norman Francis and the Xavier Board of Trustees, Notre Dame will serve as the planning and host site for the Summer 2006 Xavier University Institute for Black Catholic Studies (IBCS), which is led by Sister Jaime T. Phelps, O.P., director and professor of systematic theology. This collaboration is supported by Notre Dame’s Office of the President, Office of the Provost, Graduate School, College of Arts and Letters, and Department of Theology. In particular, I acknowledge Professors Don Pope-Davis and John Cavadini, Vice Presidents Jean Ann Linney and Jeff Kantor, and Dean Mark Roche of the College of Arts and Letters for their roles in facilitating the discussions between our campuses.
Founded in 1980, the Institute for Black Catholic Studies (IBCS) offers programs in pastoral ministries, religious education and pastoral theology, taught from the perspective of the Christian faith expressed in the Black religious community. The IBCS offers a Master’s of Theology Program (the only such program in Black Catholic theology in the United States) in addition to several certificate and enrichment programs. (For more information, see www.xula.edu/IBCS.) We are pleased to welcome the faculty, staff and students ! of Xavier IBCS to Notre Dame while Dr. Francis and other members of the leadership team work to re-open the university’s doors.

Finally, I want to acknowledge the efforts of individuals, particularly those within the Notre Dame community, who assisted in these two initiatives as well as various other relief projects. Although I will not list your names here, please know that I am grateful to each of you who helped plan the trip to New Orleans and were part of the traveling delegation. I also greatly appreciate those of you who reached out to your colleagues at Xavier to see how we could assist. Additionally, I know that many others – faculty, staff, students, and alumni – are making your own contributions. I thank you for embodying the spirit of Our Lady’s University.

Most important, I thank the people of the Gulf Coast for their inspiration. I thank Archbishop Hughes and Dr. Francis for their leadership; I thank the many other people of the region who continue with their tireless work and unwavering faith. Margaret Mead once observed, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." This has never been more evident in this country than it is now.

May God’s blessing be with you all.


In Notre Dame,

Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C.
President

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Comments

[tijo]

I'm so glad to hear about what the lake does in the world

[Hector]

"the lake"? You mean because of Notre Dame Du lac?

[tijo]

exactly