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| October 15, 2008 |
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Bishop visits Catholic Charities office in Bradenton
BOB REDDY | FC BRADENTON | Gisela Flores would most likely be homeless now if it weren’t for Catholic Charities Diocese of Venice Inc. in Manatee County. Financial counselors were able to negotiate with the bank that financed her mortgage and a more reasonable payment plan was worked out. “My house value came way down and my bills and payments were going way up,” Flores said. “I had nowhere else to go.” Bishop Frank J. Dewane heard Flores’ story firsthand during a June 19 visit to the Catholic Charities offices on 16th Street West, adjacent to the Sacred Heart Parish community center. The bishop was also able to meet many of the workers and volunteers who make the programs of Catholic Charities function, and he took time out in his visit to bless them and the offices in which they work. The Manatee County office offers a variety of programs, including immigration services, refugee services, housing assistance, English as a second language classes, disaster relief efforts, Hispanic and Haitian outreach and citizenship programs. Iraida Contreras, the Manatee County director, told Bishop Dewane that the demand for help for all programs, particularly for financial assistance, has increased dramatically in the past year as the economy has hurt many people, even those who were doing fine a few years ago. “We are seeing a lot of new people we never saw before and we are helping where we can,” she said. Contreras, who is also an immigration and housing counselor, described some of the projects the office deals with, including getting immigrants and refugees through the citizenship process. She has a personal knowledge of the process since she became a citizen earlier that day when she took her oath of citizenship in St. Petersburg. “This is such an amazing day,” she told Bishop Dewane. “My heart is filled with joy and love.” Sisters Theresa Costello, Carolyn Glynn and Ann Pullman – all Sisters of Providence, St. Mary of the Woods, Ind. – each told the bishop about their one-on-one work as language tutors and citizenship counselors. Sister Costello was an immigrant from Ireland when she was 11 years old and helped bring her family to the United States; now in semi-retirement, she helps others fulfill a similar dream. Sister Glynn told Bishop Dewane the sisters are blessed when at the end of the long citizenship process, they accompany their students to take their oaths and say the “Pledge of Allegiance.” “We are the ones who are blessed since we are all immigrants at heart,” Bishop Dewane said. The bishop is in the process of visiting each of the Catholic Charities offices within the diocese, said Peter Routsis-Arroyo, Catholic Charities chief executive officer. He said the bishop’s visit to Bradenton is the latest of 14 visits to Catholic Charities offices and programs the bishop has made in recent months. “This is an opportunity for him to see what we are doing firsthand, which gives him a better feel for the needs of Catholic Charities,” Routsis-Arroyo said.
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