Celebrating Our 125th!

THE OLD BECOMING NEW AGAIN       (part 3)

Once upon a time….

St. Leo the Great Parish began with immigrants and refugee parishioners.

What are the refugees and immigrants doing today? How are they acclimating to American culture and society?

Back “home”, our refugees and immigrants were farmers, livestock keepers, general domestic servants, and business people. Amongst our Burundis are a doctor, a nurse and some who had their own businesses before the genocide of 1972.

A good number of our Africans and Guatemalans now have jobs in grounds keeping, working at factories, doing janitorial work, and working in different capacities at restaurants. Some of our Africans who were tailors in their home country continue their trade here. Women also work in the restaurants and hotel housekeeping.

Becoming literate in the English language is an extra challenge for any foreigner. It’s a very difficult language to learn! Our refugees go downtown four days a week learning English through LifePoint Solutions. St. Leo's offers ESL classes on Sayurday mornings for adult learners. 

At St. Leo's church liturgy, Burundi and Guatemalan youths as well as adults are becoming more and more active, participating as lectors, servers, Eucharistic ministers, singing in the choir, and directing the prayers services and the men and women’s groups. Transportation to and from St. Leo for activities and Masses was increased last year thanks to a generous grant received to purchase a second passenger van.

We carry on in our calling to share God’s gifts with our parish community and those who are placed in the beacon of St. Leo’s shining light. It is especially through our partnerships with every single individual, groups, parishes, and corporations that we are able to continue walking this path with each other.

Gracias, Murakoze, Thank You!