News

Men's Mission embraces DR connection

By Jeff Kurowski
Compass Assistant Editor

	SHARING GIFTS: Fr. Mike Seis and Dcns. Nick Williams and Gib Schmidt (far right) distribute jump ropes to children inside the new church built by the N.E. Wisconsin Men's Mission. (Submitted photo)

Cal Martin of Kaukauna, founder of the N.E. Wisconsin Men's Mission, has fond memories of his many service trips, but a recent outreach project near Sabana Larga in the Dominican Republic may stand out among them.

"For the first time in my 16 years (of mission trips) we completely finished the job," said Martin, who has also helped the poor in Belize, Nicaragua and Mexico. "We finished it in eight days and Fr. Mike (Seis) did a Mass on the ninth day."

Twelve men representing the N.E. Wisconsin Men's Mission built the 26 by 50-foot St. John the Baptist Church northeast of Elías Piña, home of the Diocese of Green Bay's mission in the Dominican Republic. Fr. Seis, a diocesan priest, serves two parishes, St. Teresa in Elías Piña and St. Isadore in El Llano, plus more than 90 settlements across the countryside.

The new church is the first permanent worship site in its area. Classrooms were previously used for Mass.

Martin sent building plans for the church to Fr. Seis in advance, who received approval from an engineer in the Dominican Republic. The men have concentrated their efforts on serving the diocesan mission. Last year, the group built a church in Pinzon, 20 minutes outside Elías Piña on the Haiti-Dominican Republic border.

Seven members of the 2006 group returned this year. Among the newcomers was Dcn. Gib Schmidt of Sacred Heart Parish in Appleton. Dcn. Schmidt describes the mission as an "eye-opening experience."

"You hear about Third World countries, but to see it is a different story," he said. "It hits you when suddenly you go out of town and the only people you see are walking or riding donkeys. You can see pictures, but it's not the same."

"I was traveling with Fr. Mike and noticed that the road was washed away on one side," he added. "He said the road is actually much better now that the government fixed it up. I can only imagine the condition it was in previously. We were at Mass and chickens walked through during Mass. The electricity went out, and Fr. Mike explained that it happens all the time. It's a different world, but the people seem happy and were very hospitable."

Dcn. Nick Williams of St. John the Baptist Parish in Howard and St. Mary's Hospital Medical Center in Green Bay, was also new to the Men's Mission, but not to the Dominican Republic.

"I had been there 15 years ago," he said. "Back then there were mainly horses and donkeys. You would hear roosters and dogs at night. Ten years ago motorcycles arrived. Now you hear roosters, dogs and motorcycles at night."

While the building project was the focus for the group, the trip also featured a strong spiritual element. Bob Kazenbach of Green Bay has served as the spiritual leader for the group the last two years.

"I try to help the men look at the spiritual aspect of what we are doing," he said. "We would look at the daily readings for Mass and talk about them. We were able to go to Mass three times during the week. The Masses were in Spanish, but we were able to follow along."

Kazenbach credits Ron VanRossum, a mason from Freedom, for the group's efficiency.

"His knowledge was so helpful," he said. "He led us and got us going."

The first Mass in the new church was a highlight of the trip, he added.

"I remember being at Mass on that last day with people from the community and thinking to myself, 'this is what it means to be church,'" he said. "I'd love to go again in some type of ministry. It's an experience that you want to repeat."

Prior to the first Mass, members of the Men's Mission planned to clean the church. When they arrived, they discovered local people scrubbing the floor.

"It was nice to see them taking ownership of the church," said Dcn. Schmidt. "The Mass was very simple. Masses here are more formal with more pageantry. All the people knew the songs. Maybe it's my perception, but it seemed more spiritual because of its simplicity."

Dcn. Schmidt encourages continued support of the diocesan mission in the Dominican Republic.

"It gives us a firsthand connection to the Third World," he said. "It's beneficial for us."

Other members of the group were Joel O'Connell of Two Rivers, Ed Mauthe of Freemont, Art Hebert of Wild Rose, Chris Waldhart of Redgranite, Tom Schuh of Brillion, Dave Simon of Little Chute, and Dave Schneider of Coal Creek, Colo.

Plans for the 2008 mission may include building another church and a library/youth center, said Martin. For more information or to support the N.E. Wisconsin Men's Mission, contact Cal Martin at (920)766-5704, e-mail: joyce.cal@juno.com or write to: 709 Mallard Drive, Kaukauna, WI 54130.