Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki
Archbishop of Milwaukee
 

Last night, I participated in my fifth Catholic Relief Services (CRS) event since I’ve been Archbishop of Milwaukee. The archdiocese has a special relationship with CRS that began with my predecessor, Cardinal Dolan. The mission of CRS is to assist nations and peoples across the globe. If there is a crisis, catastrophe or human suffering anywhere in the world, you can be sure that CRS is there. The CRS relationship with the Archdiocese of Milwaukee is unlike any other in the country.

Over the last two years, CRS has partnered with the Diocese of Meki, in Ethiopia, in a life altering project built on the involvement, sacrifice and commitment of Archdiocese of Milwaukee volunteers who have traveled there. The project is called Empowering Women and Girls. This project helps women and girls overcome gender discrimination, realize their potential and assume leadership roles in their communities.

It starts with education that is often denied or cut off early, especially for girls in rural areas. Girls are also subjected to harmful traditional practices such as marriage by abduction (which often includes rape); lack of property rights; forced marriage at an early age; and the tragically widespread practice of female genital mutilation (FGM). Enhancing the English language skills of Ethiopian women would help the future academic success of these young women to address their situations. The teachers, who are volunteers, enhance the English language skills around issues of health and sanitation and around the elimination of harmful traditional practices against women and young girls.

These amazing Milwaukee volunteer teachers pay their own airfare to the Diocese of Meki. Private donations to the project through CRS provide support while they are on the ground. During the last two years, this project has trained 270 teachers. The program has started another project for girls and young women who have never gone to school, and has consolidated the support of traditional, government, religious and tribal leadership. What does this mean? It means that they are empowering women to take control of their lives and affect generations to come, whether as community leaders or mothers or wives or simply empowered individuals within our global community.

The Honorable Tommy Thompson, former governor of the State of Wisconsin, announced that a challenge grant had been made to this CRS project in the amount of $200,000. This grant is in place until the end of 2014. Imagine what good works this donation could accomplish in the hands of those who wish to change the world for the better. If you’d like to make a donation, contact Mr. Rob Shelledy, director of Catholic Social Justice Ministry and our diocesan director for CRS. He can be reached at 414-758-2286 or shelledyr@archmil.org.

We all know that raising the awareness of our sisters to their potential can only create a more stable world. It begins with our responsibility to LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Would you like to donate to the Ethiopia challenge? Please write a check to Catholic Relief Services and write in the memo line: Ethiopia WI Challenge

Then kindly send checks to:

Catholic Relief Services
P.O. Box 5200
Harlan, IA 51593-0700

Note: This blog originally appeared as the October 14, 2014 "Love One Another" email sent to Catholics throughout the Archdiocese of Milwaukee by Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki. If you are interested in signing up for these email messages, please click here.