The St. Catherine of Bologna Parish of Ringwood Social Concerns — Faith in Action ministry has for a few years aided the Franciscan Mission Outreach by sending needed items in “Father Brock’s Suitcase” to Casa de Esperanza in Honduras.
That actual suitcase, which Father Herald Joseph Brock, C.F.R., takes with him on one of his many trips to the underdeveloped country, contains clothes, toiletries, soccer balls, sheets, and more for the boys who live at Casa de Esperanza under the guidance of Chema and Ada Alcerro, a married couple who are their hosts while the teens get an education.
The Social Concerns ministry, with the help of generous donors, has also recently contributed to the Franciscan Mission Outreach Education Fund, which will pay for the boys’ college schooling in Honduras. Two of the boys whom the parish sponsors, Abner David Portillo Mancia and Edward Isaac Lopez Escobar, have now graduated high school and are preparing to enter college.
The cost per student per month is $150 each, $1,800 per year.
“If you educate people in their own country, they’re more likely to stay there and change the course of the country at the same time,” said Marie DeNyse, a member of the Social Concerns — Faith in Action and spokesperson for the FMO Education Fund.
Father Herald joined the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal in 1988, and he was ordained in 1994. Father Brock has preached throughout the United States and traveled to many other nations, most of them underdeveloped and challenged. In February, he was in Honduras and visited Mancia and Escobar.
“They are immensely grateful because they recognize that this is something that really has kind of dropped out of heaven to them.” Father Herald then added, “How beautiful that this was really the initiative of Marie (DeNyse) and a friend saying, ‘We think we can do this.’ This was the initiative of these women. They are funding it; I am just the conduit.”
The St. Catherine of Bologna Social Concerns — Faith in Action ministry is 15 years old. DeNyse explained its background.
“You want to reach out to your fellow man,” she said. “It is what you are supposed to be doing. We have collected food and clothes, we have had an April baby shower for diapers, and at Thanksgiving, we always collect things like hats and mittens for the winter. We were also doing other little things to help the parish out, and now we started a coffee and hospitality after Masses on Sunday to get people together.”
DeNyse also mentioned that Social Concerns — Faith in Action is hoping to get an events committee going to plan different events for the parish to bring people together to the very welcoming parish in Passaic County.
The good work with Father Herald for the needy in Honduras will continue.
DeNyse said, “My plan is to get those two boys through the university and take it from there, but at the same time, we’ll continue to send the suitcase with Father Harold.”