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Nuns’ Build 2017

Dominican Young Adults USA, Dominican Youth Movement USA

Nuns and Power Tools? Seems like an odd combination, right?! Not at Nuns’ Build where the theme of the week is “Women Religious: Making a Difference.”

3 Dominican Young Adults (Sean Puzzo, Jessica Abejar, Shakita Kabicek), 2 Amityville Dominican Associates (Kathleen Friend and Nora Toale) and DYMUSA Director, Sr. Gina Fleming OP spent the week at two sites assisting in rebuilding homes damaged by Katrina and the February 2017 tornado.

The 10th Annual Nuns’ Build took place in New Orleans last week, November 13-16. Sisters from across the United States along with their friends and families come to New Orleans for a week to help address the housing crisis left in Katrina’s wake (now in the 12th year of its projected 20-year recovery) by transforming abandoned and blighted lots into affordable homes for 1st time home buyers. Nun’s Build is a partnership with SBP, formerly known as the St. Bernard Project, whose mission is, “…shrink time between disaster and full recovery by ensuring that communities are resilient prior to a disaster and that disaster-impacted citizens and communities recover in a prompt, efficient and predictable manner.”

Sister Mary Keefe, OP, developed Nuns’ Build in response to the needs of the people of New Orleans who had been afflicted by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. She moved to New Orleans in November 2007 to begin a ministry of home visiting in St. Bernard Civil Parish (similar to a county).  

In her efforts to gather information on resources available to the people of St. Bernard Parish, Sister Mary contacted the St. Bernard Project, an organization that focused on rebuilding homes in New Orleans. After hearing about Women’s Build – a project to encourage women to volunteer to rebuild the homes and to raise money for families that could not afford the necessary materials – Sister Mary suggested a new, similar project, Nuns’ Build.

The first Nuns’ Build was scheduled for early October 2009. In 2015, Sister Mary received the Good Samaritan Award from the National Catholic Development Conference (NCDC) during their annual gathering. Sr. Mary spoke of the humble beginnings of Nuns’ build in her acceptance speech,  “I had no idea how to put something like a Nuns’ Build together. “I knew I needed beds and cars and drivers so I began contacting the Sisters in the area. All of them responded in a most positive way and offered to do anything they could to help.” Sister Mary also reached out to Dominican congregations throughout the country, inviting them to take part in the project. The Dominican Sisters contacted Sisters from other congregations, and the first Nuns’ Build drew nearly 100 volunteers for all or part of the five-day work.  

Sister Mary noted the generous response of the Sisters and numerous other people throughout the years. “A church parish about 35 miles from New Orleans made and delivered lunches to the work [site],” she said. “The Knights of Columbus hosted dinner for us the Sunday night before the Builds began, as well as providing and delivering lunches on two or three days to the work sites.” This tradition continues today.

The rebuilding efforts of New Orleans and surrounding areas continue more than 10 years after Katrina. Thousands of homeowners still have not been able to afford to rebuild their homes after the storm. The DYMUSA crew began their week working on the finishing touches of a home that had been damaged by Katrina. The family would be returning to their home for the first time in over 10 years.

Tragedy struck again in February 2017 when the strongest tornado recorded in New Orleans history ripped through New Orleans East leaving considerable damage along its path and approximately 10,000 homes without electricity – many of which had been repaired after Katrina.

In one case the Tornado was a blessing in disguise. The damage from the tornado revealed that the second house, that the DYMUSA crew and others worked on during Nuns’ Build, had been repaired after Katrina with defective drywall which had the potential to make the homeowners sick. As a result, the post Katrina repairs had to be gutted and SBP began the task of repairing the home. By the end of Nuns’ build, 90% of the house had been drywalled with the hope of getting the family back in the house in early January.

On the last day of the week participants of Nuns’ Build 2017 were able to be present for a “Welcome Home” party which marks the official return of a homeowner to their property. It was an emotional event which celebrated the hard work and dedication of all those involved and the resilience of the people of New Orleans.

SBP continues to serve the needs of these families in New Orleans – as well as the families in New York and New Jersey suffering from Hurricane Sandy. Most recently, SBP mobilized to Houston, Florida, and Puerto Rico to assist in recovery from the Hurricanes that left these areas damaged.

Learn more about SBP at www.sbpusa.org.

For more images of the week click here.

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About

The Dominican Youth Movement USA (DYMUSA) is a nationwide non-profit organization connecting youth/young adults to the Dominican Order’s tradition of preaching with their own call to preach. In 2015 DYMUSA brought together five different programs engaging young people of high school age through their young adult years – unifying their support and promoting their collective social impact.

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  • DYM USA Announces New Executive Director, Sr. Katherine Frazier, OP
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"Welcome to our May DYMUSA newsletter. The season "Welcome to our May DYMUSA newsletter. The season of awakening, refreshing, and new life is finally here! We also celebrate May as the month of Mary, Jesus’ mother, and our mother too!" 

Read our May newsletter here: https://dymusa.org/catch-the-fire-magazine/

#youthministry #vocations #dominicans #orderofpreachers #monthofMary #blessedMother #prayforus
🌟 We have MORE exciting news (did you hear abou 🌟 We have MORE exciting news (did you hear about Sister Katherine joining us yet?) coming to DYM USA. We are now posting national ministry opportunities for job seekers on our website. 

The page will be updated as more opportunities come available. You can access the page by visiting our website and clicking our Ministry Opportunities tab, or by going to: https://dymusa.org/ministry-opportunities/

If you know of more opportunities like these for our young adults, please let us know!

P.S. Don’t forget to spread the word about this!
📢 The Dominican Youth Movement USA announces th 📢 The Dominican Youth Movement USA announces the hiring of a new Executive Director.  Sister Katherine Frazier, OP!

Read more here: https://dymusa.org/announcement/

#ministry #youthministry #preachingtheGospel #dominicans #orderofpreachers #adriandominicans #dominicansisters #leadership #dymusa
Helping our homeless brothers and sisters... Hear Helping our homeless brothers and sisters...

Hear Dale Williams' testimony of his time experiencing homelessness.

Registration required: https://dymusa.org/midnight-runs-with-dale-williams/

#homelessinamerica #homelessness #youthministry #tacklinghomelessness #dominicans #catholicchurch #orderofpreachers #faithandservice #volunteer #midnightruns
Let's talk about... - Racism, inequality, poverty, Let's talk about...
- Racism, inequality, poverty, immigration, climate change, and COVID.
- Accepting differences among us
- How can I make a difference?
- Cultivating collaborations, networking, and connecting locally/regionally/nationally with ministries, organizations and agencies addressing identified issues.
- Advocating in your communities and for causes you care about.
- Volunteering and/or new paths of employment.

We'd love to welcome you! Join us by signing up here:
https://dymusa.org/vocational-discernment-program/
*REVISED LINK BELOW* Join us on Thursday night 5/1 *REVISED LINK BELOW* Join us on Thursday night 5/19 @ 7:30 pm EST for a presentation on “Homeless in America” the CONTINUOUS epidemic of our time!

Register here: https://dymusa.org/midnight-runs-with-dale-williams/

#homelessinamerica #homelessness #youthministry #tacklinghomelessness #dominicans #catholicchurch #orderofpreachers #faithandservice #volunteer #midnightruns
Happy Earth Day! Today, consider praying and pon Happy Earth Day! 

Today, consider praying and pondering the "Prayer for the Earth" by His Holiness Pope Francis I, from the 2015 encyclical “Laudato Si.”
This Resurrection Sunday, DYM USA wishes you and y This Resurrection Sunday, DYM USA wishes you and your loved ones a Happy Easter!

Please join us in prayer:

“Christ our life,
You are alive - in the beauty of the earth
in the rhythm of the seasons
in the mystery of time and space
Alleluia”

#EasterBlessings #HappyEaster #Resurrection #Heisrisen #theWaytheTruththeLife #GodRedemeer #Easter #dominicans #youthministry
“. . . Sisters and brothers, all in the human fa “. . . Sisters and brothers, all in the human family created by the God who loves all and wants nothing but peace and happiness for each of us. As Easter approaches, let us sing aloud our “Alleluia’s”, assured in the knowledge that our God is with us, Immanuel, and that all will be well for “He has truly Risen.”

Explore the April 2022 Newsletter: https://dymusa.org/catch-the-fire-magazine/

#dominicanlife #orderofpreachers #catholicchurch #youthministry #lifeteen #youngadultministry #stcatherine #stdominic #Easterprayer #alleluia
Calling all young adults! Register now for the 4t Calling all young adults!

Register now for the 4th session of the Vocational Discernment Program: https://dymusa.org/vocational-discernment-program/

Can't wait to see you there!

#vocations #discernment #dominicans #stcatherine #stdominic #orderofpreachers #preaching #gospel #catholic #youthministry #lifeteen
DYM USA is invited to join the discussion: “What DYM USA is invited to join the discussion: “What Makes Sense When Nothing Makes Sense? Faith in Time of War.”

This event is facilitated by Sr. Peggy Warren, OP.

Date: April 7th, 2022 at 7:00 PM EST

Hear world-renowned theologian and Franciscan Sister Ilia Delio challenge us to keep the faith in face of the devastation in Ukraine: “Develop new models of practice and belief that energize life in God….We must come together or we will annihilate ourselves.”

In advance of the event, please read a simple two-page article, “Faith in Time of War:” https://christogenesis.org/faith-in-time-of-war/

To register and receive the Zoom link, please email: belsole1@fordham.edu
Highlighting DYA's National Service Project: DYA S Highlighting DYA's National Service Project: DYA Stamps Out Hunger! Find out which chapters participated and read about it here: 

https://dymusa.org/stampouthunger/

#hungerawareness #nationalserviceproject #orderofpreachers #youthministry #youngadultministry #stcatherineofsiena #stdominic
Join DYA on Thursday, April 21, 2022 at 7:30 PM ES Join DYA on Thursday, April 21, 2022 at 7:30 PM EST for a conversation with Fr. James Martin, SJ, author of “Building a Bridge.”

Fr. James will be speaking about “How the Catholic Church and the LGBT Community Can Enter into a Relationship of Respect, Compassion, and Sensitivity.”

If you would like to attend, please register by visiting: https://dymusa.org/frjamesmartin/

#orderofpreachers #youthministry #youngadultministry #catholicchurch #popefrancis #dominicans #stcatherine #stdominic
Want to learn more about the Dominican charism and Want to learn more about the Dominican charism and how it imitates the life of Christ? Join the Vocational Discernment Program for Session 3: Integrating the Dominican charism/spiritual pillars into everyday life.

🙏🏻Prayer is the heart of a spiritual life.

🔎Study helps us come to the understanding that truth is never complete and there is always more to know and understand.

🌏Community is an invitation to stay connected to God, our individual relationships, and the world around us.

🗣️Ministry is about integrating a life of service with a life of faith, preaching through word and action.

If you haven’t signed up for the Vocational Discernment Program yet, click here to register:
https://dymusa.org/vocational-discernment-program/

#vocations #prayforvocations #spirituality #prayer #discernment #catholic #dominicanus #dominicans #stcatherine #stdominic #lifeofchrist #faithlife #ministry #youthministry
"With all that is going on in the world today, let "With all that is going on in the world today, let us hope that the season of spring will awaken not only the plants and trees, but our hearts and minds to be in solidarity with all peoples around the world who need HOPE, especially the people of Ukraine.'"

Find the March newsletter here: https://dymusa.org/catch-the-fire-magazine/

#orderofpreachers #dominicanorder #catholicinsta #faith #catholicyouth #youthministry #youngadultministry #spring #popefrancis
A Night to Remember… Read about or watch our I A Night to Remember… 

Read about or watch our Inaugural DYM USA Gala here: https://dymusa.org/2022-gala/

We are so thankful for all of our donors who made this possible, and a huge congratulations to Sr. Mary Soher, OP on receiving the Sr. Pat Brady Award!

#dominicanus #gala #youthministry #youngadultministry #dominican #stcatherine #stdominic #catholicyouth
See you tonight for the inaugural DYM USA Gala! See you tonight for the inaugural DYM USA Gala! 

Make sure to join us at 7:30 PM Eastern. 

The link has been sent to your email - search for "DYM USA Gala Link" or "Eventbrite" and reach out if you are having trouble. 

Thank you to EVERYONE for making this possible tonight!

P.S. Can't make it tonight? You're still able to win a prize so make sure to check our website and emails to see if YOU were a lucky prize winner tonight!
Who will be our lucky prize winners? https://dymu Who will be our lucky prize winners?

https://dymusa.org/dym-gala/

#dominicanlife #spirituality #inauguralgala #dominicanus #orderofpreachers #dominicans #stcatherine
We’d love for you to join us at the virtual DYM We’d love for you to join us at the virtual DYM USA Gala this Friday, March 11, 2022 at 7:30 PM Eastern to help us honor Sister Mary Soher. 

During Catholic Sisters Week, this award holds even more meaning as a way to spotlight women religious who are dedicated to sharing their spirituality, charisms, and community.

We hope to see you there!

Visit https://dymusa.org/dym-gala/ for more information and tickets. 

#catholicsistersweek #catholicsoffacebook #catholicsofinstagram #sisters #preaching #domicanus #dominicans #orderofpreachers #ministry
We're 1 week away! Join us next week by visiting: We're 1 week away! Join us next week by visiting: https://dymusa.org/dym-gala/

#dominicanlife #spirituality #inauguralgala #dominicanus #orderofpreachers #dominicans #stcatherine
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