Dear Brothers,
We are thankful to know that our confreres on Dominica and St. Croix are safe and sound after Hurricane Maria devastated those islands. Now begins the hard task for our confreres in the Caribbean to not only rebuild our own rectories and places of worship but to work side by side with those trying to rebuild their homes and lives. The ministry of our Caribbean brothers will indeed be long and tiring over the months to come.
I know donor fatigue may have already hit many of us with the recent Hurricanes Harvey & Irma as well as the earthquake in Mexico. Hurricane Maria this week devastated Dominica, a beautiful island that I have been on in order to give several Redemptorist missions over the years and to attend various meetings there.
Many of us have either ministered on Dominica or visited there in the past. It is home to a number of Redemptortists who staff several parishes there as well as the retreat house in Eggleston. Numerous Redemptorists come from the island and still have families living there.
While the Redemptorists and the families of our Redemptorist confreres are safe there is much rebuilding that needs to be done.
Peter Hill asked me if we could set up a "go fund me" donation page and with Mary Weaver's help such a page now exists. Those of us who are on social media (like FaceBook and Twitter) I ask that you share this site. If you are not on social media, please email those you can with the link. If you are a pastor, I ask that you get this link out to those in your parish via your parish bulletin or on your parish web site.
This is just the beginning of a long road to recovery and rebuilding for the people of Dominica and our confreres who minister on the island. As a Province, we will have to continue to look at ways we can help the Redemptorists and the people of Dominica. This is one immediate way we can help.
Here is the "gofundme" page for Dominica:
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On September 18-19, Hurricane Maria devastated the Caribbean island of Dominica, home to 73,000 people. It was the worst storm--a Category 5 hurricane--ever to strike the island, with winds over 160 miles per hour. At least 15 people have been killed, and the property damage Maria caused is nea...
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From that link, there are buttons people can use to share on Facebook and Twitter.
When you share the link, it’s ideal if you can add a message to the post—something like this:
"Please help the #Redemptorists help the people of Dominica, whose homeland has been so devastated by #HurricaneMaria. Your gift will allow us to bring emergency aid and to help people rebuild their lives. Thank you for your goodness!" (And of course, if a you are from or have ministered in Dominica or the Caribbean region, a personal note to that effect would be great.)
Thank you for reading this email and helping any way you can. May our Mother of Perpetual Help continue to watch over the beautiful people of Dominica.
In the Redeemer,
Paul Borowski, C.Ss.R.
______________________________
Provincial Superior
Redemptorists of the Baltimore Province
Office: 718-833-1668
Cell: 917-923-4841
"With Him is plentiful redemption." (Psalm 130: 7)
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