Bishop blesses Habitat for Humanity
home built by Catholic Daughters in diocese

Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Barbara Sweeney, at left, receives check from state regent Eve Trevino (center) and national CDA regent Shirley Seyfried.
On Saturday, April 30, representatives from the national, state and local Catholic Daughters of the Americas came together in Corpus Christi for the blessing of their latest Habitat for Humanity building. The seventh home built in Texas and the 28th in the United States by Catholic Daughters was made possible by a $25,000 donation from the national CDA office and an equal amount contributed by local courts in Texas.

“This is not just a shelter from the elements, it is where families are created, it is where love abides,” Bishop Michael Mulvey told the large crowd gathered at 2818 Soledad St. in Corpus Christi. He told CDA members that their love was “very visible, very strong, very concrete.” He assured the recipients of the home, “we with are with you” and acknowledged that the homeowners also contributed greatly to the building of the project.
 
Mayor Pro Tem Rudy Garza, representing the mayor and city council, said the city was committed to providing affordable housing.
 
“Habitat for Humanity is very near and dear to Catholic Daughters’ heart,” State Regent Eve Trevino of Corpus Christi said, noting that the first Habitat for Humanity home built by the Texas CDA was in Corpus Christi in 2004. “We are committed to improving the quality of life for committed families, even if it is only one family at a time.”
 
Under the leadership of Minnie Dennis and Patsy Cantu, CDA coordinators for the build, local courts have contributed not only money, but also much of the labor to build the home on Soledad St. In addition to helping with the construction, the local courts provide meals for volunteers every Saturday. Habitat for Humanity’s building supervisor Mark Blankenship provided the direction for volunteers.
 
National CDA Regent Shirley Seyfried said the group built its first home for Habitat for Humanity in 1995 after the Oklahoma City Bombing. They have built a total of 28 homes, including five in Mexico.  
 
Bishop Mulvey blessed the home at the conclusion of the event.

Photos by Alfredo E. Cardenas