Message of the Month


“Our roof, presently, is on life support.”

Dear Friend,

That’s what Sister Irene Kelly, SSND, Development Director for the School Sisters of Notre Dame in Cagus, Puerto Rico told us during the first of two calls she made to the SOAR! office.

Each time sister called, she asked anxiously for help to cover the cost of major repairs for a convent where their retired and infirm sisters live.

Torrential rains and battering winds over the years have caused great damage to the building.

Patches to the roof no longer offer sufficient protection against global devastations, environmental erosion, and earthquakes.

Recently, for example, they experienced an earthquake in their area that measured 5.3 on the Ritcher Scale.

The sisters had to be evacuated in the past because of flooding, high winds, and falling debris, as well as lack of water and electricity. A new roof would help to keep the sisters safe at home.

The cost of repairing the roof is estimated at $25,000. The estimate for the replacement is $60,000.

But let’s not support just more patch work.

SOAR! wants to help protect the sisters by awarding a grant to cover the cost of a roof replacement – to lessen any damage by winds and rains during the hurricane seasons –and thus keep the sisters safe.

The convent is now home for 14 sisters who are elderly or infirm. With a re-organization of the of the School Sisters of Notre Dame in Latin America, however, the convent is in
the planning stages of becoming the retirement home for all the School Sisters of Latin America.

The sisters are hoping and praying that they will receive help to either repair or replace the roof.

You can help make those hopes and prayers come true.

Your contribution of just $15, $25, $50 . . . or more, if you can afford it . . . when added to contributions from our other friends . . . could make it possible for SOAR! to award a grant to cover the repair or, hopefully, the replacement of the damaged roof.


Before you lay this letter aside, let us join in this Irish Blessing, asking that help will soon arrive for the sisters:
May the sun always shine
on their window panes.
May the rainbow be
certain to follow each rain.
May the hands of friends
always be near them.
May God fill their hearts
with gladness to cheer them.

Thank you in advance, for whatever help you can give the sisters.

God bless you.

Sincerely,




P.S. Please be sure to let us know of any special intentions to be remembered in the prayers of the grant recipients.