Sept. News – Martyrs and the Beauty – and the Poverty – of the Countryside – Solidarity 3 of 3
Solidarity among the martyrs and the charming town of Teotepeque The St. Edward High School visitors (June 2022) learned of El Salvador past at Park Cuscatlan, which has a wall of names (like that in the US for the Vietnam war) of those who died in the war. Then, at the Chapel of the Four […]
Summer Fun 2022
The COAR teens recite prayers and wishes for the World Day of Peace. Archbishop Escobar watches (under that big yellow arrow). Monica is baptized, surrounded by her COAR family Cleaning: Monica returns to daily (gloriously ordinary, lifegiving, and safe) life St. Romero’s Birthday celebrated at the school – Aug. 15th
Your Gifts are a Living Posada
Providing our Children Room at the Inn A “posada” is a traditional procession during the nine days before Christmas in Latin America. (The COAR children staged it in November when we visited.) A couple, playing Mary and Joseph, knock on doors asking for a room. The “innkeepers” behind the room refuse them entry. (Sometimes the […]
Exciting Podcast on COAR’s past & future
In the September episode of the Generative Spirits Rachel Drotar of the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland speaks to Sr. Sheila Marie Tobbe, OSU, and Mary Stevenson, Executive Director of COAR, about the mission and history of COAR and how its connection to Cleveland has lasted for decades. We invite you to listen to […]
Solidarity in these divided times
Whenever we have visitors at COAR, the students (in the school) and the residents (living at COAR in foster care) thrill, delight, and overwhelm us with their generosity of spirit and their creativity in signs, decorations, hand-crafted gifts, and culinary confections. Really, it is a wonderful experience to be enveloped by their youth, exuberance, and […]
Community Film School and Facing Reality
Or, how to keep busy during an ongoing pandemic . . . Interhouse soccer tournaments, daily gospel reflections, and Zumba videos can only get you so far—even with the usual schoolwork and household chores. So Marta, our director, has found a creative outlet for six of our COAR kids. She’s signed them up for film […]
Special Feature: COAR Kids’ Artwork
Thanks to this summer’s auction, we here at COAR (and you) have been privileged to enjoy some of the paintings from our residents. But now, these wonderful young artists are getting internet-wide exposure through participation in the Memory and Resistance exhibit. This exhibit, sponsored by InterReligious Task Force on Central America and Colombia, COAR Peace Mission, Ursuline […]
This is why you give: 40 years of keeping children safe and enabling resilience
The children are safe from this pandemic. The children are meeting the challenges of this pandemic. The children will be prepared when this pandemic ends. When this 40th year began we thought it would be non-stop celebrations at the Children’s Village, in our town and parish in Zaragoza, all over El Salvador, and among supporters […]
Notes From Quarantine
As we’ve been preparing the Spring Sponsorship mailing to go out, (Don’t worry, sponsors, you’ll get to read your whole letter for yourself soon!) a common thread runs through the residents’ letters. Staying. At. Home. We’re all living through the same storm these days, so let’s take a look at what the COAR residents are […]
“Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return”
The COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine are the backdrop for Lent, Easter, and the Resurrection. The children are healthy, thanks to you. They are praying for your health amidst this COVID-19 pandemic. Lent began at COAR on February 26th, Ash Wednesday, with the traditional Catholic ceremony of making a cross on the forehead with ashes of the […]