Catholic parish in Illinois honored for ministry to burned churches

Published: 2007-12-26

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. (CNS) -- Parishioners from St. Isidore Parish in Bloomingdale have spent the last several years helping to rebuild burned worship spaces in Georgia, North Carolina, Arkansas, Texas, Mississippi and Alabama. In December, the group's efforts were honored by the National Coalition for Burned Churches with the 2007 Humble Servant Award, an honor bestowed upon groups that have made a strong impact. St. Isidore Parish was among 10 groups from around the country to receive the award during the coalition's national convention in Atlanta. For 10 years, the National Coalition for Burned Churches has assisted churches in rebuilding after fires. According to the group's statistics, more than 450 churches in the United States were destroyed by arsonists in the last three years. Andy Lareau, the St. Isidore parishioner who started the parish ministry to help burned churches in 2000 and recruited about 140 parishioners to help him, accepted the award from the national coalition Dec. 14. He also accepted four additional awards at the gathering from congregations the ministry has assisted in Mississippi, Alabama and North Carolina.

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