Diocesan News

Volunteers’ ‘Vacation’ Helps Out Brooklyn (with slideshow)

August 16, 2013
By

by Antonina Zielinska

Young adults from throughout the northeast have joined forces with Franciscan Friars in Brooklyn to build up the Church of God, both physically and spiritually.

Thirteen volunteers from Capuchin Youth and Family Services based in Garrison, N.Y., visited St. Michael’s Friary, East New York, for a week of communal prayer and service.

The volunteers were divided into two work groups as part of the Brooklyn-based Capuchin Outreach Project. One group was assigned the task of improving the living conditions of a woman in Canarsie. The other helped with Bible Camp at St. Matthias Church, Ridgewood.

Kimberly Hawley, right, of the Catholic Outreach Program has fun learning how to spackle from a fellow volunteer. Her work crew helped to improve the living conditions of an elderly local woman. The young adults brought not only their eagerness to work, but also their cheer, into her home.
Kimberly Hawley, right, of the Catholic Outreach Program has fun learning how to spackle from a fellow volunteer. Her work crew helped to improve the living conditions of an elderly local woman. The young adults brought not only their eagerness to work, but also their cheer, into her home.

Chris Nadareski, a research scientist for the City of New York from New Paltz, N.Y., volunteered as group leader. He worked with the young volunteers to make repairs on the home of a parishioner of Holy Family, Canarsie.

“I absolutely love working with the youth,” he said. “They have a willingness to learn and to be part of a team, and that’s nine-10ths of what’s needed to get the work done.”

Naderski learned home-improvement skills from his father. He took a week off from work to put those skills to good use and pass them on to the next generation.

“This is being on the mountain top,” he said as he stood on the roof he was tarring. “I consider this very much like a vacation for me. I think it’s important for my spirituality.”

The volunteer crew worked on a house that had, among other problems, a leaky roof and no functional bathroom. They tarred the roof, put up sheetrock in the ceilings, fixed the bathroom so it would have a functional shower and toilet and did minor electric work.

“I’m learning a lot because I’m sort of a girly girl so I don’t know a lot of this stuff,” said Kimberly Hawley, 20, from West Haven, Conn., as she was securing sheetrock into a ceiling.

She said she was thankful for the experience because it allowed her to gain practical skills and knowledge. She also said the trip has opened her eyes to other’s suffering.

“It’s been very fulfilling to be here to help,” said Dominic Scecchiatano, 19, from Fishkill, N.Y.

If he was not in Brooklyn tarring a house, Scecchiatano said he might have been tarring a roof with his father, whom he works for.

However, he said this service week has offered him a great change of pace by freeing him from the constraints of his hectic daily schedule and allowing him to simply work and pray.

Dominic Scecchiatano, a volunteer from upstate N.Y. who came to Brooklyn to work with the Capuchin Outreach Program, said he tries to follow in St. Francis’ footsteps in building the Church of God. He says he wants to spread Christ’s love by helping people improve their earthly homes.
Dominic Scecchiatano, a volunteer from upstate N.Y. who came to Brooklyn to work with the Capuchin Outreach Program, said he tries to follow in St. Francis’ footsteps in building the Church of God. He says he wants to spread Christ’s love by helping people improve their earthly homes.

The volunteers started each workday with meditation and ended each day with communal prayer. They shared meals and together reflected on their experience throughout the day from a faith point of view.

Prayer and community is what distinguishes the Capuchin Outreach Project from other volunteer projects said Brother Michael Loerch, O.F.M. Cap.

“For us it’s centered in our relationship with Christ and His commandment to love one another,” he explained. “People are not just trying to do good work but also are trying to get fed spiritually.”

The second work group shared this sense of community and love of God with young children and teens at St. Matthias Bible Camp. They worked with teens and other parishioners to lead the camp.

Ana Mostarac, the dierector of business administration at St. Matthias, said she has been thinking of starting the camp for eight years. The Capuchin Outreach Project has made her dream come true.

“Looking at this, my heart sings praise to God,” she said.

The camp teaches elementary school children Catechism through song, dance crafts and the example of the teens from the parish that volunteered to help out.

“They are having so much fun they don’t even realize they are learning,” Mostarac said.

“There is so much God in them,” said Heather Sayers, a volunteer from West Haven, Conn. “They do a service for me because they give me so much hope to know that this is the generation of the future.”

“The kids have been fantastic, and the community we have been building here has been incredible,” said Alyssa Mann, 22, from Westchester County, N.Y. “I feel like this week we have been a family in faith.”

Brother Michael said the friars are planning to continue to organize these types of service weeks.

The Capuchin Outreach Project started when the friars visited Breezy Point after Superstorm Sandy. People started asking them for help, so they organized volunteers. The project is continually expanding. Brother Michael said it is now open to all, not just the youth.

For information on the Capuchin Outreach Program or to find out how to volunteer, contact Brother Michael at St. Michael’s Friary at 718-827-6990.