March 4, 1988 The Message -- for Catholics of Southwestern Indiana
III I I
°
The Recycle Center
3
Program gives00.assistance to poor and.needy in Spencer County area
By MARY T. ELLERT
Message Staff Writer
/n indigent young couple
with a sick baby went to the
Spencer County Recycle Center
D-because they couldn't afford
their rent payment last month.
They waited patiently for their
turn to talk to the director,
Sister Judith Briselden, D.C.
"If this place wasn't here, a
lot of people would be in bad
shape," said the husband.
"She's helped us when nobody
else would."
The Recycle Center is a non-
denominational social service
,ency located at 410 Main
'treet in Rockport, Ind.
"Recycle Center is probably
an unfortunate name because
we get calls to process
aluminum cans," said Sister
Briselden.
"It's a program to assist with
the immediate needs of food,
shelter and day-to-day living,"
she explained. "It meets a need
in the county and really reflects
the care and concern of the peo-
ple here."
The Recycle Center maintains
a food pantry and a "Thrift
Shop" that sells used clothing
• and household items. It gives
the poor and needy financial
assistance for rent, utilities,
medicine and transportation,
The agency also offers emergen-
cy help, counseling and referral
services, tutoring and tax
assistance for the elderly.
, The Recycle Center serves
,,people Who are not usually
eligible for assistance from
other agencies," according to
Sister Briselden.
She spoke of the "Catholic
involvement" in the Recycle
Center. Father James Lex,
former pastor at St. Bernard
Church, Rockport, was one of
the Spencer County clergymen
instrumental in starting the
agency in 1977, according to
Sister Briselden. Sister Jackie
Kissel, a Benedictine nun, was
the first director; several
Daughters of Charity have also
served as directors.
In addition, two members of
the Recycle Center's board of
directors, Bill Young and Leona
Chinn, belong to St. Bernard
parish, said Sister Briselden.
She noted regular cash and
food donations from St. Ber-
nard, St. Martin Church,
Chrisney, and St. Rupert
Church, Red Brush. The Recy-
cle Center "is the way our
Catholic churches in the county
serve the needs of the poor,"
she explained.
Sister Briselden was also
quick to point out the Reoycle
Center is also very ecumenical.
"The (Catholic) church has
been very involved in both its
foundation and its support, but
it is supported by all the chur-
ches in the county and is a non-
profit, non-denominational
organization," said Sister
Briselden.
Funding is also received from
the United Way of
Southwestern Indiana and the
Employee Mildred Gibbs and director Sister Judith Briselden stand in front of the Spencer County
Recycle Center, located at 410 Main Street in Rockport, Ind. Gibbs works at the Thrift Shop through
the Indiana Green Thumb program, which provides part-time work for men and women age 55 and
over. -- Message Photo by Mary T. Ellert
Catholic Charities' Christian
Sharing Fund. A grant from the
Daughters of Charity assists the
elderly, she said.
In addition to her work with
the Recycle .Center, Sister
Briselden has also founded the
"Southern Indiana Literacy
Council" to assist the
undereducated adul'ts *in
Spencer County.
Sister Briselden has trained
around 35 tutors, "many of
whom are presently tutoring
adults who request our
services."
"We're headquartered at the
Rockport public library and
recently have moved to Perry
County, with a center at the Tell
City library," she said.
Editor's note: Those in-
terested in literacy services or
in donating food, clothing or
household goods should "call
the Recycle Center, 649-4946. It
is open weekdays, 8 a.m.-4:30
p.m. and on Saturdays, 10
a.m.-2 p.m.
Continued from page 1
Catholic Education Foundation
"is to help make it possible for
every child to have the advan-
tage of attending one of our
Catholic high schools." The let-
ter continues, "to help achieve
cr. this goal, the Foundation has
been providing tuition
assistance to worthy, needy
students to continue their
education in this environment.
Too, we are committed to finan-
cially assisting the Marian Day
School Program of educating
the physically handicapped
and the special children.
A financial report, "an ac-
counting of our stewardship for
the last twenty years," is being
mailed with the letters.
Also being made available
this .year is a list of answers to
the "most frequently asked
questions" about Catholic
schools.
Don't overlook Trip Guard Reimbursement Service with
your AAA membership, especially during the winter
driving season. When your auto is damaged and
disabled as a result of a traffic accident or collision 50
miles or more from home and reported to the police,
AAA Southern Indiana will reimburse the member up to
$250 per accident for unexpected emergency expense.
AAA Trip Guard service covers:
local meals and lodging
• commercial car rental
• commercial transportation to your destination or home
For all the details arid a copy of the Trip Guard proce-
dures contact your Ioc.l AAA Southern Indiana office
in Evansville or Jasper.
In response to the question
about competition with public
schools, the foundation
response is that "our schools
have a pattern and tradition of
excellence in education. Our
students consistantly score
above the national average on
the Scholastic Aptitude Test.
Each year, we have students in
each of our schools who receive
National Honor Merit
recognition."
The 'response to a question
about religious eduation at the
Catholic schools states "there
are specially trained teachers in
our religious departments. Our
religious staff this year consists
of two priests, two religious
I
brothers, one deacon and six
religious sisters preparing the
students in this area of educa-
tion. The religious departments
try to meet not only the doc-
trinal needs of the students, but
their sacramental and moral
needs. The students are en-
couraged to spend time in ser-
vice to others. Because
religious education is a shared
responsibility of parents and
school, a monthly newsletter is
sent to the parents informing
them of what is being taught
and experienced."
The Catholic Education
Foundation was founded in
1968 by the late Archbishop
Paul Leibold, Msgr. Patrick
For information on
vocations contact:
Father David Fleck, Vocations Office,
424-5536 Ext. 111
COMPARE OUR NEW
AUTO and HOME
RATES
INSURANCE AGENCY
464-5993
OLH00t
Kilfoil, Msgr. Thomas Clarke,
Joseph E. O'Daniel, Marvin J.
Evans, John F. Berry, Lewis
Rhiver and John Carroll. Accor-.
ding to the current foundation
president, "these pioneers were
in accord in the philosophy that
Catholic high schools are need-
ed, and that they provide ex-
cellent academic training while
instilling Christian morality for
the future leaders in our
nation."
Father Lefler takes
leave of absence
Father John W. Lefler, 57, is
on medical leave, according to
Bishop Francis R. Shea. Tem-
porary arrangements have been
made to provide for theL
sacramental needs of St. Mar-
tin, Chrisney, where Father
Lefler has served as pastor since
May, 1984.
Father Raymond L. Kuper is
presiding at weekend liturgies,
temporarily. Father Kuper is
the Director of Catholic Educa-
tion for the diocese.
Call the Covenant House
9-LINS,
a hotline for troubled
youth and families,
open 24-hours a day,
seven days a week,
from anywhere in the U.S.
1-800-999-9999
I I I I i i
Evansville 425-2288, Jasper 634-1213, or 1-800-851-0222 (in IN}
