Special to The Message
More than 90 volunteers worked the morning of March 16 at Corpus Christi Parish in Evansville during the St. Meinrad Day of Service. The 10th annual Day of Service was an opportunity for, “St. Meinrad alumni and friends to continue a tradition of service – a chance to pray together, socialize together, and encourage one another in order to strengthen their local communities and the Body of Christ.”
The morning began with Mass celebrated by Father Bill Nicholas, administrator of Corpus Christi Parish, and Deacons Tom Goebel and Danny Wheeler of Corpus Christi Parish. Evansville site leader, Craig Blessinger, organized the event and volunteers, and he read the St. Meinrad Day of Service Prayer, written by Archabbot Kurt Stasiak, prior to the work day. Committee members Tara Blessinger, Ed Kuhn and Thuy Kuhn registered the volunteers and provided them breakfast.
Much work was accomplished to include Scout Cabin land upgrades, landscaping in front of the Corpus Christi Church and office as well continued improvements to the outdoor Stations of the Cross, Holy Family Shrine and Calvary Crosses display made possible by previous Day of Service events. Finally, groundwork was prepared for a future Marian Grotto.
The Benedictine motto of, “Ora et Labora” (Pray and Work), not only appeared on volunteer t-shirts but was on full display by the volunteers themselves. Corpus Christi has served as the St. Meinrad Day of Service Evansville host site for the third year in a row and was among over a dozen service locations across the country.