From Fr. Jenkins

October 25, 2005

Dear Members of the Notre Dame Community:

I want to thank you for your continued interest in supporting the
regions of the Gulf Coast affected by Hurricane Katrina. As we
approach nearly 60 days since Katrina struck land, it is apparent that
the work of rebuilding the region will persist for many years. These
efforts affect small children and seniors, families and neighborhoods,
churches and businesses. For this reason, it is encouraging to know
that many of you continue to provide assistance in a variety of ways.
The following is an update for you on two recent developments
regarding the University's efforts to provide support.

The first development is a trip I took last Wednesday, October 19, to
Louisiana with a delegation of Notre Dame faculty and staff. We
arranged a meeting with Archbishop Alfred Hughes of the Archdiocese of
New Orleans to explore how the University could lend its resources --
specifically, its knowledge base to assist the archdiocese in
addressing short and long-term needs. We wanted to explore how
expertise from disciplines such as the sciences, engineering,
architecture, and business could be applied to recovery efforts.

Along with me were six others: Rev. William M. Lies, C.S.C., director
of the Center for Social Concerns; Mr. William Purcell, associate
director for Catholic social tradition and practice in the Center for
Social Concerns; Dr. Frances L. Shavers, executive assistant to the
president; Professors Philip Bess from the School of Architecture and
Ahsan Kareem of the College of Engineering; and Dean Carolyn Woo of
the Mendoza College of Business. I want to thank each of these
individuals for their generosity.

Our visit was remarkable in many ways. I will share two of my
observations with you, admittedly only pointing to a small portion of
the residents' and volunteers' daily lives.

We flew into New Orleans' Louis Armstrong Airport in the early morning
and immediately toured three neighborhoods: Lakeview, St. Bernard
Parish, and the Ninth Ward before our afternoon meeting with
Archbishop Hughes in Baton Rouge.

My first observation was of the breadth of destruction and loss.
People have not only lost houses, but also homes of 20 to 40 years;
not only have they lost neighborhood stores and gas stations, but they
also can no longer find their neighbors; not only have they lost jobs,
but many now must also rely on the kindness of strangers; not only
have they lost schools and churches, but also a sense of belonging.

From street to street, community to community, there was both
extensive physical damage as well as an eerie stillness - a lack of
life. Except for automobiles that motored down the nearby highway,
many of the neighborhood streets were quiet and empty. There were no
children playing in the parks; there were no dogs barking or birds
flying; restaurants and stores were boarded up; abandoned city buses
sat in the middle of grass-covered medians.

In order to address the widespread need, Archbishop Hughes described
the early efforts of the diocese immediately following the hurricane
as being focused on the people. Struggling to tend to virtual
parishes, many New Orleans priests are now assigned to cities outside
New Orleans. They have delivered pastoral care to evacuees and rescue
workers in airports, rescue sites, and morgues. In September alone,
more than 7 million pounds of food were distributed, as compared to an
annual food distribution of 8 million pounds.

My second (and perhaps, most lasting) observation was that the people
with whom we met were inspirational. They were tremendously strong,
resilient, and optimistic. Faith united people of different religious
traditions, socio-economic classes, and ethnic backgrounds. Martin,
an employee of the diocese and a lifetime resident of New Orleans,
walked us through his parents' home of more than 20 years. There, the
sense of loss was palpable and the power of nature was clear.
Everything was destroyed - insulation had collapsed from the ceiling,
furniture was upended, and the smell of mold filled the air. For this
family, there would be no return; however, Martin managed to smile and
say, "We'll be fine." A similar determination was evident in nearly
everyone we met. There was still love for the city and hope for its
future.

At day's end, we agreed to keep open the lines of communication
between the diocese and the University as the city evaluates how best
to move forward with plans to rebuild. Many factors remain unclear or
unknown. How will the city house volunteers when residents are seeking
shelter as well? How many people will return to the city after days,
months, or years of living in other areas? How can the church address
the needs of its members through spiritual and social ministries? How
can the churches collaborate with the private and public sectors to
address issues of education and economic growth? In what ways can
volunteers most respectfully assist communities, allowing residents to
self-determine their futures? What changes can be made to new or
existing structures to minimize the likelihood of damage in the case
of future hurricanes? These and other questions will be the focus of
many conversations.

The second development to share with you is a partnership between
Notre Dame and Xavier University of New Orleans, a Catholic and
historically black institution. With the approval of Xavier President
Dr. Norman Francis and the Xavier Board of Trustees, Notre Dame will
serve as the planning and host site for the Summer 2006 Xavier
University Institute for Black Catholic Studies (IBCS), which is led
by Sister Jaime T. Phelps, O.P., director and professor of systematic
theology. This collaboration is supported by Notre Dame's Office of
the President, Office of the Provost, Graduate School, College of Arts
and Letters, and Department of Theology. In particular, I acknowledge
Professors Don Pope-Davis and John Cavadini, Vice Presidents Jean Ann
Linney and Jeff Kantor, and Dean Mark Roche of the College of Arts and
Letters for their roles in facilitating the discussions between our
campuses.

Founded in 1980, the Institute for Black Catholic Studies (IBCS)
offers programs in pastoral ministries, religious education and
pastoral theology, taught from the perspective of the Christian faith
expressed in the Black religious community. The IBCS offers a
Master=92s of Theology Program (the only such program in Black Catholic
theology in the United States) in addition to several certificate and
enrichment programs. (For more information, see
<www.xula.edu/IBCS.) We are pleased to
welcome the faculty, staff and students of Xavier IBCS to Notre Dame
while Dr. Francis and other members of the leadership team work to
re-open the university's doors.

Finally, I want to acknowledge the efforts of individuals,
particularly those within the Notre Dame community, who assisted in
these two initiatives as well as various other relief projects.
Although I will not list your names here, please know that I am
grateful to each of you who helped plan the trip to New Orleans and
were part of the traveling delegation. I also greatly appreciate
those of you who reached out to your colleagues at Xavier to see how
we could assist. Additionally, I know that many others' faculty,
staff, students, and alumni are making your own contributions. I
thank you for embodying the spirit of Our Lady's University.

Most important, I thank the people of the Gulf Coast for their
inspiration. I thank Archbishop Hughes and Dr. Francis for their
leadership; I thank the many other people of the region who continue
with their tireless work and unwavering faith. Margaret Mead once
observed, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." This has
never been more evident in this country than it is now.

May God's blessing be with you all.

In Notre Dame,
Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C.
President