The Brockton Habitat build was a cooperative effort which included members of St. Mary of the Assumption Parish as well as Catholic Daughters. Massachusetts Habitat Blitz-build Produces House for Seven BY THOMAS A. PANAS, NATIONAL PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR Massachusetts Catholic Daughters and St. Mary of the Assumption Parish partnered with South Shore Habitat for Humanity in Brockton, Massachusetts, to build a twostory, four-bedroom home for a young Brockton couple with five children. And build the Daughters did weathering an April snow squall and heavy rain. Wielding hammer, paintbrush, and all other tools of the trade, volunteers from Massachusetts courts near and far and from around the country came to Brockton to participate in one of the Daughters favorite charitable endeavors. Some were able to stay for the entire blitz-build week; others came for a day or two or three whatever their busy lives could allow. National Habitat for Humanity Chairman Jackqueline Smith drove to Massachusetts from her home in West Virginia; Third Vice National Regent Libby Ramirez flew from Texas; National Director Margaret Bingham drove from Vermont; New Hampshire State Treasurer Ann Keenan took a day off from work to drive to Brockton from her home town of Keene, New Hampshire; and National Regent M. Joan McKenna shortened her stay at the annual CDA lecture held at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., to fly into Boston s Logan Airport and arrive in Brockton in time for the opening ceremonies on Monday morning, April 3, at 8:00 a.m. This house the tenth CDA-sponsored Habitat for Humanity House nationwide had a sparkling birth and development. It was initiated when Right Reverend Jack Ahern, CDA national clergy consultant and pastor of St. Mary of the Assumption Parish in Brookline, SUMMER 2006 7
Above: The height could be intimidating. This is the view as Libby Ramirez (top) Stephanie St. Laurence (right) and Margaret Bingham (below) prepare to hand up Styrofoam insulation. In spite of the dreary weather, volunteers brought smiles and good spirits to the site every day. Above: Even construction supervisor Jim Comeau took a breather to enjoy the hospitality of the evening meals. Minus his trademark cap, Jim (right) pauses with Sue Peterson (left), the artist who created the interesting design and catchy slogan ( Give a daughter an apron and she ll make the pie. Include a hammer and she ll make the whole house ) that was part of the Build s T-shirts, plaques and signs (see picture of logo). Massachusetts, made a donation of $25,000 on behalf of his parish in honor of the election of Massachusetts resident M. Joan McKenna to the position of national regent at the national convention held in Tacoma, Washington. Father Jack is chaplain of Court Brookline #488, of which Joan has been a long-standing member. She also had worshipped at St. Mary s before moving from Brookline to her current home in Framingham, Massachusetts. Father Jack had seen a presentation by National Habitat for Humanity Chairman Jackqueline Smith that inspired him. Jackie spoke with deep, genuine passion about Habitat, he said. It was very stirring and motivated me to want to get involved. So Father Jack donated funds and issued a St. Mary s Challenge to the Massachusetts State Court to raise additional funds. The challenge was met: under the leadership of Massachusetts State Regent Patricia Devine, who is also a member of Court Brookline #488, Catholic Daughter courts throughout the state raised more than half the funds required by CDA for the home. With the encouragement of Immediate Past State Regent Rosemary McHatton of Court Everett #324 in Everett, Massachusetts, the regent of Court Everett, Lorraine Dimila, created a beautiful quilt. It was offered for chances, traveled from parish to parish and became known as The Traveling Quilt. The total of these combined funds was then matched by the national CDA office from a special Habitat for Humanity fund to which all of you CDA members nationwide contribute. Thus, though you may not have been able to be in Brockton, this is your house, too. 8 SHARE
Chung Sun Kuconis from Court Henry A. Sullivan #484 beams as part of the team. Above: Kneeling, front, from left to right, are four of the owners children (son Billy could not be present): Aaron, Tiana, Natisia and Dana. Standing, left to right, are Angelina (Natisia s boyfriend), Massachusetts State Regent Patricia Devine, homeowner couple Yvonne and Billy, National Regent M. Joan McKenna and National Habitat for Humanity Chairman Jackqueline Smith. Construction supervisors taught us well how to handle the tools of the trade. The result of your charitable donations to the Habitat fund, Father Jack s vision and generosity, and the hard work of fund-raising by the Massachusetts courts is a dream come true for a family of seven and a dream come true for many Catholic Daughters who have wanted to volunteer for Habitat. In spite of poor weather conditions, the work took place during a blitz-build week which began on Monday, April 3 and ended on Saturday, April 8 with a blessing and dedication. The welcoming ceremonies, facilitated by Mark O'Reilly, South Shore Habitat for Humanity executive director, featured remarks by National Regent M. Joan McKenna, Massachusetts State Regent Patricia Devine, National Clergy Consultant Father Jack Ahern and other dignitaries, including the mayor of Brockton. Above: The dedication and blessing took place on a rainy Saturday morning at week s end, but spirits were not dampened by, as Rick Beech put it, the angel s tears. During the ceremony, National Regent M. Joan McKenna (right) handed a $15,000 check from the national office to South Shore Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Mark O Reilly (left). Addressing the morning gathering, M. Joan McKenna, participating in her ninth build, said I m so glad to be here this morning in wonderful ways I can barely describe. I thank Father Jack for planting the seed and my CDA colleagues and the South Shore Habitat personnel for the careful planning that has led up to today. Now that it s here and I m standing on firm ground next to a cement foundation looking at all of you who have made a special effort to be here, I m honored and thrilled that it s taking place in Massachusetts during my tenure. So let the build begin! In his remarks at the Monday morning ceremony after giving the benediction, Father Jack noted that this build was special in part because he grew up in a family of seven children and my parents worked as hard as they could but we were never able to afford a house. SUMMER 2006 9
Top Left: Betty Armstrong, secretary of St. John the Baptist parish in Peabody, climbs the ladder to hammer the second floor siding. At Left: Stephanie St. Laurence had great memories from her membership as a Junior Catholic Daughter during the 1970s. Stephanie, from Court John Paul #2244 in Medford, Massachusetts, was not intimidated by heights. At Right: Judi Shooter (right) worked hard to obtain a grant from Gillette for the project. Above: Massachusetts State Regent Patricia Devine prepares to hand the gift of a door knocker, courtesy of the Massachusetts State Court, to homeowner Billy (to the immediate right of Patricia, wearing a white cap), while his family, right, and South Shore Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Mark O Reilly, standing in back of Pat with a red jacket, look on. In back, to the far right, is Habitat for Humanity International Director of Church Relations Rick Beech. The inscription on the card that accompanied the doorknocker was: Knock and it shall be opened unto you. Speeches were followed by the traditional hammering of the first nail and then it was time to get to work. Each day began with a meeting led by construction supervisor Jim Comeau, a quiet and supportive presence throughout, who moved the project along efficiently. Volunteers and the Habitat construction crew gathered in a circle for these meetings, during which Saint Jim explained what was to take place that day. A morning prayer followed. Volunteers not used to moving around on a construction site were working hard, walking over wires, stepping around planks and boards on a roof, climbing ladders, navigating the pails and nails and yet there were no injuries. Much credit goes to Jim Comeau and his first-rate crew; but the work area truly seemed blessed by God s presence. The blessing was expressed in other ways. Several years ago, Chung Sun Kuconis, from Court Henry A. Sullivan #484 in Danvers, Massachusetts, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Today, she is cancer free. When I was ill, she said, I pledged to God that if He blessed me with life, I would help others. This Habitat build, and the Daughters, are letting me fulfill my promise to God. Judi Shooter, also from Court Henry A. Sullivan, contributed her own unique blessing. She submitted an application for a grant through the company where she works, Gillette. With assistance from Massachusetts State Regent Patricia Devine, National Regent M. Joan McKenna, Regent Pat Adams of Court Henry A. Sullivan and others, she was able to provide all the information needed. The result was a $1,000 award for "Quality of 10 SHARE
Above: Volunteers, who had gathered in a circle for the morning meeting, bow their heads during the daily prayer said at the end of the meeting. At Left: Though working on the second floor, there was no fear of heights for Pat Adam, Massachusetts State publicity chair and regent of Court Henry A. Sullivan #484. Pat (left) was joined by son, Chris, 16, (right). Life - Improving a Family" that was donated to the Catholic Daughters. The Daughters in turn contributed the money immediately to Habitat for Humanity. Massachusetts State Treasurer Linda Coletti marveled at how wonderful the faith-based aspect of the experience was. I knew that faith was a big part of these Habitat builds, she said. But I didn t know that it was so far-reaching, and included volunteers of other denominations. Linda enjoyed the fact that each night a faith community presented a dinner and sometimes entertainment as part of a reward for the hard work the Daughters did during the day. The generous dinners served with love and appreciation included an evening sponsored by Court Our Lady of Lourdes, #2396, in Brockton. Court Regent Pat Adams said, "It's a duty no, it's a joy to sponsor this dinner as the local CDA Court in the town where this wonderful home is being built." Habitat officials were present and involved throughout. Habitat for Humanity International Director of Church Relations Rick Beech flew from his home in North Carolina to speak at the dedication ceremonies on a rainy, cold Saturday morning. Addressing those gathered, Rick asked God to continue to help the Daughters do 'crazy' things like building houses! South Shore Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Mark O Reilly was a constant and supportive presence, extending his special gift for making people feel appreciated. The Habitat engine of it all was Habitat project coordinator Terry Coleman. Terry also took time off from her many responsibilities to join the Daughters at the evening SUMMER 2006 11
Father Jack Ahern, who initiated the project, hands a board to a fellow volunteer on the second level. Rosemary McHatton displays special mime gloves, part of the humorous theme she brought to the Build, wherein it was her role to be a mime for the week at the site. Volunteers not used to working on a construction learned to climb over wires, navigate pails, planks and nails and climb to new heights. festivities, and welcomed all with supportive and humorous remarks. Patricia Devine said, I am excited to be a part of this. I m proud of the Massachusetts courts across the state who worked so hard to raise the money. I m grateful to the Daughters who made a special trip from other states. Patricia added, This is my second Habitat build. There is no feeling in the world like actually meeting the new family and seeing the joy on the faces of children who will finally have a home. Those children and their parents are hard working people. During the blitz-build, Bill, the father/homeowner, was diagnosed with kidney stones and he still came to the site, hammer in hand every day, and only when the doctor and everyone insisted he go to the hospital did he force himself to leave momentarily. Pausing from her work on the site to observe the Catholic Daughter volunteers working hard around her, homeowner and mom Yvonne said, Until now I never knew there were people in the world that had such generous spirits. The Catholic Daughter women can take deep satisfaction in just giving. I ve had two dreams, Bill added. One was to have a family, which I have. The other was to have a home, which the Catholic Daughters are giving me. To Catholic Daughters everywhere, from the bottom of my heart, I say Thank you, thank you, thank you. I look forward to being with you this summer to complete our home. 12 SHARE