St. Thomas More Campus Ministry continues relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina victims this winter break

St. Thomas More Campus Ministry continues relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina victims this winter breakJanuary 05, 2007Sara Millersemortim@syr.edu

The St. Thomas More Campus Ministry at Syracuse University is embarking on another Hurricane Katrina Relief effort during this winter break, Jan. 7-13. Father Tim Mulligan, OFM Conv., Catholic chaplain, will be part of a group that includes 28 students, two campus ministers and two friends of the St. Thomas More Ministry who will travel to New Orleans to work with Habitat for Humanity in the St. Bernard’s Project, a building project focused on the continued cleanup and recovery in New Orleans and surrounding areas that were devastated by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005.

The trip builds on St. Thomas More Ministry’s earlier efforts, including collections and fundraisers in 2005-06 that raised more than $2,300 for hurricane victims, and in January and March, sending teams of 20 and 12, respectively, to participate in Operation Helping Hands with Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, helping to gut hurricane-ravaged homes. In May, a team of 10 again traveled to New Orleans to continue this effort, with FEMA doing similar work on homes and some rebuilding.

“During this last calendar year, 72 members of the St. Thomas More Catholic Community have participated in four relief efforts in the New Orleans vicinity,” says Mulligan. “I have been overwhelmed by the hard work, meaningful reflection and faith experiences that our students have shared with one another. They have begun to understand the intrinsic connection between faith and justice and to evaluate their role as agents of social change.”