The 1935 Broadway musical Porgy and Bess features a memorable song about summertime. The oft recorded song says, “Summertime and the living is easy…” While a lovely and languorous melody, this summer at Resurrection Catholic Missions has been anything but slow and easy with little activity. From the minute we ended the 2024-25 school year we began preparing for the 2025-26 school year. Painting, repairs and the cleaning and waxing of floors throughout the complex are mostly done.
Our beautiful campus requires lots of maintenance of lawns, shrubs and flowers. All of this occurred amid intense heat and constant thunderstorms.
Yet, what really stands out for me this summer is the visible pain from recent federal government decisions. Decreased spending on food subsidies and assistance with other living expenses is driving more and more people to us. The working poor are devastated. And many families who have never sought assistance before now need it, as jobs are lost and costs are rising!
Our food pantry is depleting rapidly this summer. Thanks be to God we have had the resources to purchase healthful foods from area food banks, and we have used our meager resources to help with housing and utilities. Your donations and some contributions from local people have enabled us to fill in these gaps. My fear is the need will continue to grow as more cuts in our national safety nets become real. We need your help to continue to meet these increasing needs.
We are a few weeks away from the start of the new school year and I know nearly all our students depend on child food subsidies and many of those families will need help as well.
Certainly, in these contentious times we are all being called upon to have more patience and compassion for each other. For nearly 80 years in other difficult days, Resurrection Catholic Missions has been here teaching, evangelizing, feeding, housing, and healing those who come to us in need. Your support and prayers have been critical in this work. As these sultry days of summer continue may I count on you again? Thank you for all you have done and may you and all those you love be blessed for your goodness to us!
In the Risen Christ,
Father Manuel Williams, C.R.
Mission Director