Each summer, the perennial Viatorian commitment to Pembroke Township includes the Hearts of Hope junior high service week and continues with their Mission to Pembroke week of service for teens and adults, which took place in mid-July.
Young people took part in a wide range of building, repair, and handyman projects around the Pembroke Township community and Sacred Heart Church.
As the Church celebrates Jubilee 2025 with the theme “Pilgrims of Hope,” Associates Ken and Michelle Barrie, who organize and lead the program, adopted the theme for this year’s mission week, too, held earlier this month. Since their hope and their work is fueled largely by outstanding community support from St. Patrick Church and area parishes, the Viatorian Community, and friends and partners around Kankakee County, they make sure to thank folks for all the teamwork, including in a special letter.
“All of us from the Mission Team would like to thank you for partnering with us. We were truly blessed to work and serve with parishioners of Sacred Heart and with Run-a-Way Buckers Kids Camp,” the Barries wrote.
For mission week, the group completed projects around Pembroke in deckbuilding, rehabbing a playground playset and spreading fresh mulch, fencing in gardens and animal pens, and repairing fences and floors. They also assisted with the weekly Lord’s Lamb Food Pantry and “reclaimed” the grounds of Sacred Heart.
“We completed lots of trimming, weed whacking, taking out volunteer trees, planting flowers, tilling garden boxes, and mulching around the Church,” the Barries said, as the group contributed to making the church grounds a more and more beautiful place to gather for worship and fellowship.
Fr. Moses prays a portion of the Eucharistic prayer as he concelebrates with Bishop Glancy and Fr. Ray.
They started the action-packed week with a mission Mass. Parochial administrator Bishop Christopher Glancy, CSV concelebrated at Sacred Heart with Fr. Moses Mesh, CSV, who loves coming over from Bourbonnais to be with this community, as well as Fr. Ray Lescher, a retired priest of the Diocese of Joliet who has served this community for decades.
As much as the Barries love to do this work and give to this community, they’re also sure to receive the love and care back from these great neighbors: “We worked hard to accomplish some challenging projects. We received so much more than we gave!” they added.