Peter Dirr from the St. Charles Circle of Caring sent the following email and asked me to forward it along. (Please see below)
I am writing to update you on some of Fr. Pedro Mateo’s work in the Dominican Republic and to ask if you might be able to help him.
I visited with Fr. Pedro when I was in the Dominican Republic in February. We had a chance to talk more about some of the work he is trying to do to improve the lives of the people in his parish. That parish, by the way, Our Lady of Lourdes in Peralta, spreads out for MANY miles. Besides the people who live in the city of Peralta, his congregation is spread among 28 outlying villages (“campos”), three of which he can still only reach by mule. It is wonderful to see how he serves his people and how they respond to his leadership.
Besides ministering to their spiritual needs, Fr. Pedro is helping the people of the parish organize to improve their lives. He has just formed a Knights of Columbus chapter (already some 52 strong). They are organizing animal projects in the campos (i.e., a few families would get pairs of pigs and would share the offspring with others in the community until everyone had animals) to improve nutrition in those villages.
Fr. Pedro has asked for help with two projects. The first is to build a water distribution system for the people of one campo, La Vereda. These people never had their own supply of water until May 2007. At that time, a group drilled a well for them and put in a hand pump. The dream of the people of La Vereda is to have a pipe system that would bring water to a spigot outside each house. They have formed a Water Committee that has drawn up rules for use of the system and has instituted a small monthly fee structure that will enable them to maintain the system once it is built. They have had two engineers inspect the well and certify that it is capable of delivering the needed quantity of water throughout the year. They have designed the system (pump, cistern, pipes, spigots). They are ready to build it. Fr. Pedro has raised a couple of thousand dollars for the system; the diocese will contribute the pipes, the people will contribute all the labor. Fr. Pedro estimates that they will need $3,000 more to construct the system. He asked if we could help raise that amount.
The second project he has underway is a summer camp for about 700 youngsters in his parish. It will take place at the sports field in Peralta. The camp will be run by a teen leadership group that Fr. Pedro trained last summer. They will have sports, games, lessons, and spiritual development activities. Fr. Pedro would like to provide a mid-day meal to all the kids. He has raised about $1,500 but needs another $2,000 to feed all the campers. He asked if we could help with that.
I told Fr. Pedro that I would contact all of his friends at St. Charles to ask what they might do to help him and his parishioners. That is why I am contacting you. If you feel that you can contribute to either or both of these projects, please write a check to St. Charles and write “Fr. Pedro’s Projects” on the memo line. You can send it to my attention at St. Charles, 3304 N. Washington Blvd., Arlington, VA 22201-4506.
If you have any questions about these projects or this appeal, please feel free to call me at 703-537-8559. I will let you know the results.
Sincerely,
Peter Dirr
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