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People Helping People

Cleveland Latin American Mission (CLAM)

The Saint Rita CLAM Team will nurture relationships between Saint Rita parishioners and our brothers and sisters in El Salvador through education information, group travel, mission trips, and sharing of funds and resources. In this way we respond to our calling to care for and unite the Body of Christ.

(Bishop Malesic stops in Teotepeque to visit San Pedro Apostol Parroquia (St. Peter the Apostle Parish), another faith community served by the Cleveland Latin American Mission Team. Father John Ostrowski serves as pastor.

 

 

 

On behalf of our CLAM Team, we would like to thank everyone who donated to the new Mizata church's electrical expenses, a total of $1,650, on Memorial Day weekend! And, a special thank you to El Chile Bravo restaurant for their generous donation of $500. Celio Menjivar, who is in charge of the church's construction, sends his special gratitude to Saint Rita Parish, and he looks forward to seeing us in El Salvador in the near future!

Colegio Católico Misioneros de Cleveland (2018)

As of January 2018, the Academy has transitioned to a certified grade school approved by the Salvadoran Ministry of Education and the Archdiocese of San Salvador. It serves students in grades 1-5. 

The goal is for the school to continue beyond the time the Mission church of St. Peter the Apostle is transitioned to the people of Teotepeque and our priests return to the U.S. The major benefit to this is sustainability. The school will be a part of the Salvadoran education systemand overtime, the government will start to pick up some costs such as a portion of the teachers’ salaries, books, supplies, shoes and uniforms. 

We are proud to support the school by providing shoes, books, internet fees, and other miscellaneous expenses. If you are interested in assisting the school in its yearly budget of over $29,000, Fr. John would be most grateful. You may write a check to Saint Rita CLAM Team, and memo your check: Teotepeque School. Please place your envelope in the Sunday collection or drop it off at the Parish Office.

Muchas Gracias for the homes donated in Teotepeque Parish (2016-2017)

Our CLAM Team extends a huge thank you to our parishioners for your generosity to the Operation Rescue Housing Project in the Teotepeque area. To date, 19 houses ($38,000) have been donated. Your kindness to the “poorest of the poor” has provided much improved living conditions. The Operation Rescue goal is 100 houses. To date, over 19 Saint Rita sponsored houses have been donated, and over 65 have been built. Click here to learn more about Operation Rescue.

If you would still like to contribute to this poject, please make a check payable to Saint Rita CLAM Team, and memo your check: housing project. Please place your envelope in the Sunday collection or drop it off at the Parish Office. 

During the 2017 C.L.A.M, trip members of the ministry had the opportunity to witness the blessing of one of the homes donated by Saint Rita Parish!

Los Lotes Chapel (2014-2015)

Los Lotes Chapel, named Santo Domingo or St. Dominic, is now complete. The plaque to thank Saint Rita Parish hangs inside the chapel. The members of this church community are most grateful to Saint Rita Parish of providing the funds to build this sacred pace. Que Dios les bendiga...May God Bless you!

 Mission Trips

Saint Rita parishioners have been traveling regularly over the years, visiting the martyrs’ sites, the various sites served by our missionaries, and just walking and praying with the Salvadoran people in their humble lives. In 2017, eleven parishioners traveled to El Salvador to walk in solidarity with the people. For several of these parishioners, this was not the first time. Click here for a reflection from that trip by Maria Ulatowski. 

     

 The History of the C.L.A.M. Team in the Cleveland Diocese

In 1964, the Diocese of Cleveland began its ministry to El Savador after Pope John XXIII asked the diocesan bishops to consider taking steps to become part of the missionary work of the Church. Since 1964, the Diocese of Cleveland has had 31 diocesan priests, 30 women religious, and 8 lay women serving in this Central American country. The deaths of Cleveland Missionaries Ursuline Sister Dorothy Kazel and lay missionary Jean Donovan in 1980 thrust the existence of the Cleveland Mission in El Savador into the world's eyes. During the 12 years of Civil War in the country, our missionaries maintained the presence of the Catholic Church. The end of the Civil War in El Savador borught about the ability of ordinary parishioners from the Diocese to travel to the El Savador MIssion. Since then, many of our Cleveland parishes travel on a regular basis to the missionaries' towns and the nearby villages. Many have formed a sister parish relationship with particular village churches. These parish relationships have endured and are growing even stronger even as the number of religious missionaries from our diocese has decreased.

Parish contact: Mrs. Daphne Held