News

Diocesan mission needs support

By Jeff Kurowski
Compass Assistant Editor

Life for residents of Elias Piña, the most poverty stricken area of the Dominican Republic, is difficult. The average person lives in more impoverished conditions than the poorest people in Wisconsin, and life there just got worse.

Torrential rains, beginning on May 21 along the border between the Dominican Republic and Haiti, have caused severe flooding. The tropical storms have taken their toll on the people of the Green Bay Diocese's Dominican Republic mission parishes--St. Teresa in Elias Piña and St. Isadore in El Llano--plus rural settlements across the countryside.

"The main bridge has collapsed and the water system was knocked out," said Fr. Mike Seis, pastor, who has served in the Dominican Republic since 1996. "It left 28,000 people without water. The rice fields are being washed away. This rain was bigger than the rain we had during Hurricane Georges."

Fr. Seis, a native of Antigo, was visiting family and friends in Wisconsin when the severe storms hit. He received phone reports, and planned to assess the damage following his return to the Dominican Republic on June 7. The water situation is the most concerning, he said.

"What the people try to do, if it is still raining, is to collect the rain water," he said. "The problem with gathering water from streams is it's dirty. It's muddy. There is not a lot they can do."

"With the bridge being out, people have to go around," he continued. "It's a long detour and there isn't a good road, just a dirt road. I don't know when the bridge will be fixed. We are off the beaten path, so we are not a priority."

Emergency officials in the Dominican Republic and Haiti are still determining the death toll from the flooding. Several people are still missing and many were evacuated from their homes. Fr. Seis was unaware of any deaths near the mission parishes. Despite the recent setbacks, he expects the people to be resilient.

"They've been through so many trials," he said. "I think their faith plays a big part in helping them get through it."

The communities are strong from a pastoral standpoint, he added.

"I've had 315 baptisms since Easter," he said. "On July 3, a local seminarian will be ordained. That will give us six native diocesan priests. We're making progress."

The recent storms have created more needs, including medicine, food, bottled water, crop seeds and building constructions supplies for homes. Prior to the flooding, and now even more, the mission needs funds to purchase a new truck.

"We need to replace a truck every three to four years," said Fr. Seis. "These are not luxury vehicles. They are work trucks for multiple uses. There are 25,000 tough miles put on these trucks a year. They go from extreme mud to desert like conditions. One minute we're on the highway and the next in the bush."

The trucks, which run on diesel fuel, are purchased in the capital city Santo Domingo. The vehicles serve as Fr. Seis' lifeline to the 95 communities served by the mission parishes.

"The truck is used for taking people to Mass," said Fr. Seis. "I will go in the morning and pick up 15 to 20 people. It's something to see. They all hold each other on the back of the truck. The truck is used for youth groups, catechetical groups, religious education, hauling wood or cement, and carrying trees for our forestry project. We put it to good use."

This week, Fr. Tom Pomeroy, pastor at Holy Angels Parish, Darboy, led a service group to Elias Piña. The parish and Holy Angels School raised $4,000 to support the building of a new chapel. The recent storms may change their job responsibilities, said Fr. Seis.

"We may need them to fill sand bags," he said. "We had a group of Xavier students come down during Holy Week. They painted chapels. We can always find something for you to do if you want to visit."

In the meantime, the diocesan mission, which celebrated its 40th anniversary last year, needs financial support for cleanup efforts and a new truck. To donate, send checks payable to "Diocese of Green Bay--Dominican Republic Mission" to Diocese of Green Bay, P.O. Box 1506, Green Bay, WI 54305-1506.

(Joanne Flemming contributed to this story.)