Seeking to help the sisters of Fraternite Notre Dame as much as possible, supporters have taken to GoFundMe in order to raise funds for the nuns as they continue to endure the harsh Chicago winter without a workable boiler.
The campaign’s organizer and senior producer of Chicago morning television show, Windy City LIVE., Hank Mendheim stated, “A fraternity of Chicago nuns desperately needs your help. The sisters of Fraternite Notre Dame in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood have no heating right now during Chicago’s coldest time of year. Their boilers broke and they were told it would take $40,000 for repairs.
Since we first launched this GoFundMe, contractors have told the Sisters that their boilers cannot be repaired and must be replaced. A new system could cost them as much as $200,000. These are nuns who selflessly feed 200 homeless people each and every day and right now they are staying warm using only 4 space heaters. Even the Holy Water in the church has frozen.
Sister Marie-Valerie says, ‘We have faith in God’ that someone will help. ABC 7 Chicago’s daily talk show, Windy City LIVE, launched this page help to keep these nuns warm during these historic low temperatures. You have respondeded generously, but more help is needed. Each church of the archdiocese operates independently, so these Sisters very much need our help. Please donate what you can.”
Within only four days, the crowdfunding initiative has captured $153,000 thanks to over 3,000 donors. During a recent update, Mendheim shared, “The sisters of Fraternite Notre Dame have raised the money they need to replace the boilers that broke. They are so thankful and so grateful for all of the donations. Any additional funds will go toward a new roof that their church desperately needs! AGAIN, thank you from all of us at Windy City LIVE and ABC 7 Chicago.”
Fraternite Notre Dame has its Mother House in Chicago, along with a Novitiate/Seminary for religious Friars and future priests, and a Novitiate for religious Nuns.
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