The CATHOLIC DIOCESE of DODGE CITY

Serving the People of Southwest Kansas

 Labor of love brings help, hope to NM 'Casa'

Father Henry Hildebrandt uses a back-hoe to dig holes for trees and to load decorative rock.

 

Butch Guerra, who with his wife, Corkie, volunteered from Texas, removes old panelling.

 

Volunteer Nancy Berning gives the office a fresh coat of paint.

 

 

Volunteers plant trees to beautify the land surrounding Casa San José.

 

A young volunteer repairs a roof.

 

 

Mission volunteers gathered and organized items to be sold in a fund-raising garage sale.

 

 

Young helpers till the dirt to prepare it for planting.

 

Corkie and Butch Guerra of Mt. Carmel Parish in Portland, Tex., celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary during the mission. At center is Father Henry Hildebrandt, pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish, Spearville. The couple celebrate their anniversary during the mission each year.

 

Casa San José in Grants, New Mexico was once again the beneficiary of the kindness, hard work, and faith-filled spirit of a group of hearty volunteers from the Diocese of Dodge City.

Led by Father Henry Hildebrandt, a group of 11 hit the road May 30 for the annual mission, less volunteers than in past years, but enough to make vast improvements to the home during the week to follow.

Sponsored by Catholic Charities, Casa San José is a home for teenage moms or parenting teens. Located in one of the poorest and dryest parts of the country, the volunteers work to beautify, refurbish and repair the home, doing anything from wood-working, to electronics, to landscaping.

Corkie and Butch Guerra of Portland, Tex., (formerly of the Diocese of Dodge City) never miss the annual mission, and this year celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary while there.

Other volunteers included: Raul Franco, St. Anthony Parish, Liberal; Nancy Berning, St. Mary Parish, Marienthal; Ann Christiansen, St. Rose Parish, Great Bend; and from St. Lawrence Parish in Jetmore: Andrew Shriwise, Haley Burns, Isaac Bradshaw, Leslie Schauvliege, Mary Anne Shriwise, and Sister Karen Ackerman.

The week-long mission is presented each summer, and includes volunteers of all ages and skill levels.