MIRACLE AT CASA HOGAR
By Karen (Kappel ’59) Welniak
EDITOR’S NOTE: From August 5 to August 12, 2024, the Columbus Catholic Schools Casa Hogar Mission Team traveled to Peru and the Casa Hogar Orphanage. Casa Hogar is a mission of the Diocese of La Crosse and was created by Father Joe Walijewski, or Juan Pablo II. The CCS Casa Hogar Mission Team raises money to travel to Peru every other year.
This past summer, the 16 members (which included some of our Spanish students, CCS alumni, parents and staff) worked on volunteer projects such as sorting 28 suitcases of shoes/donations, playing games with the orphans, painting park equipment, watering trees and putting up a volleyball net. Karen Welniak, an alumni of the CCHS Class of 1959, traveled with our Mission Team this past summer and shared this amazing story!
To fulfill a lifelong dream to travel South America, be entrenched in the culture and understand its history and the people themselves… I, as a senior citizen, pursued education to learn the Spanish language from Deb Kennedy, a teacher in the Columbus Catholic School System.
Since then, I’ve visited many South American countries, and I’ve progressed to giving lectures regarding my unique experiences throughout Central Wisconsin to school-aged students (parochial and public); as well as having Mexico being the featured country of the year at the UW-Stevens Point Marshfield Campus annual Cultural Arts Fair. What a journey it has been!
It was an honor to be invited by Columbus Catholic Schools to join the 2024 Casa Hogar Mission Team in their (nearly) two-week mission work in August. Casa Hogar – located in Peru – is an orphanage with three locations, under the direction of Fr. Joe Hirsh. I was a nearly-83-year-old grandmother in a super-energetic and motivated group of teenage high school students, parents, Deb Kennedy, Fr. Jared, etc. This group of 16 was truly dedicated to making a difference; they shine in their commitment - not only physically and mentally, but also religiously in the undertaking for this Peruvian orphanage complex. Congratulations to each and every one of them!
The following is my story.
Tom Vesely of Marshfield is a talented man who, in memory of his wife, makes beautiful one-of-a-kind ornate oak crosses for events such as Holy Communion, Confirmations and weddings, as well as for hospitals, nursing homes, St. Vincent de Paul Outreach, and for any reason anyone may need to be uplifted. Hundreds of Tom’s crosses adorn homes far and wide.
I contacted Tom to provide crosses for the entire Casa Hogar community… of course, for the children, but also for everyone: the workers, cooks, teachers and parents. The quantity I was told was 150, for two orphanages (of which I was aware).
“Okay, I’ll order 200,” I said to myself, “just in case.” The extra 50, if not needed, were to be given to Fr. Hirsh for future use (although Fr. wished it was 100!).
Tom’s startled reaction was unforgettable to say the least. “What?! Did I hear you right? 200 crosses? 200 CROSSES?!” I can still see Tom holding his head. Crosses, crosses, crosses. I became “cross-eyed” counting crosses!
Furthermore, imagine my shock and confusion when – arriving in Peru – I learned that there was also a third orphanage of which I were not aware. The new additional count was conservatively 34, for a total of 184. “Short,” I said to myself, “we will not have enough crosses for everyone.” Please note: the 50 extra crosses had already been delivered to Fr. Hirsh and were not available for distribution at this orphanage.
The crosses were counted again and again. I even visited the orphanage repair shop to fix a few crosses where decorative emblems had loosened. Still not enough crosses.
These crosses were to be distributed following Holy Mass at the third orphanage chapel, preceded by a speech by Fr. Hirsh. More people than usual were there already and Holy Mass has not begun! Now there’s even fewer crosses. We kept thinking about the cross quantity and counting more people arriving… in addition to one man who requested to take home ten crosses for people who were not able to attend the services.
In a panic, I directed my student assistants that we would definitely not have a sufficient supply. The change of plan now was for the crosses to be distributed only to the children first. If any remained following the distribution to the children, they were to be given on a first-come, first-served basis to the adults until gone (with an undetermined, very sizable number of adults not receiving anything).
But then a miracle! When the air cleared and pandemonium ended… everyone in attendance, children and adults, had received their gift to the exact number (including the man who requested ten)!
At first I stood frozen… numb, speechless, flabbergasted… with one of my assistants. “How can this possibly have happened?” we questioned. My first thought was that I had accidentally carried an extra supply of crosses to Peru which was intended for a future Knights of Columbus Christmas party. However, returning home to Marshfield from Peru I immediately checked: all 53 crosses earmarked for the Knights of Columbus remained on my table at home.
Incredible. Unbelievable. But true. Mission accomplished. Hallelujah! AMEN!
With each cross was enclosed my personal prayer poem as follows in both English and Spanish:
This cross for you is a gift of love.
To honor you and our God above.
To hold and pray, to hear God’s call.
In thanks, in sadness, for things big and small.
For strength, good health, happiness for all.
May God always bless each day
In every special beautiful way.
Forever in Christ.
May peace fill your heart.
- The Columbus Catholic Mission Team 2024
Click here to learn more about Casa Hogar: https://www.homeajpm.org/
Click here to learn more about the CCS Casa Hogar Mission Team: https://www.columbuscatholicschools.org/schools/peru_mission_team.cfm
FIELDHOUSE UPDATE
This past summer you may have seen some big changes to our Columbus campus! Since our groundbreaking on May 23, 2024, Marawood Construction and its subcontractors have been very busy! We invite you to visit our Fieldhouse Facebook page and view our progress, including:
• pouring the footings
• windows removed on the north side of the building and the openings blocked up
• a new fire exit installed
• precast wall panels installed
• roof joists were placed
With the project anticipated to be finished by August 2025, our current junior class (Class of 2026) can expect to use the facility next year!
COLUMBUS SIGNING DAY
This past fall we hired four of our alumni to work at Columbus Catholic Schools! Not pictured: Claire (Pinter ‘12) Schroeder. Welcome back to Columbus!
MARSHFIELD'S 150
CLICK HERE to read more about these alumni who were highlighted in “Marshfield’s 150: Heroes and Leaders, Past and Present.” (Note: this is a Facebook page.) Includes: Gladys (Spencer ‘54) and Alvin Brock, Michael Feirer ’68, Dr. Patricia (Bloczynski ‘67) Stuhr, and Denny Goeres ’65. Congratulations!
