What's Going on at Casa?
Roof Repair
Our 130-year-old former convent suffers from the wear and tear that you would expect of any centenarian. Recently, we had to have a precarious roof completed so our guests could remain dry inside. Several other repairs await our attention as our budget allows.
We have also been hard at work getting our meditation garden area ready for a long and cold Wisconsin winter.
Comunidad de Amigos - Casa Romero's Childrens Choir
Each Fall and Spring, Casa Romero welcomes Latina moms to our Spiritual Journey of Motherhood program, a series of eight evenings that offer Moms the opportunity to build a supportive community and embrace motherhood as the sacred vocation that it is. Casa has always offered childcare to enable these women to attend but this year Guisela Dominguez, Casa's House Manager and a very experienced choir director, has transformed simple childcare into a source of joy and music and musical beauty. Guisela, with a rag-tag collection of musical instruments and with the help of several of Casa's youth leaders, is forming a Posada choir. A glorious element of this effort is Guisela's integration of several children with special needs into the ensemble.
Dia de los Muertos
Following a centuries old Latinpo tradition to remember and honor deceased loved ones each November 2, Casa celebrated Dia de los Muertos by erecting an altar at the Center on Bruce street. Filling the altar with stylized skeletons and other symbols depicting human mortality, including photographs of the deceased, Latinos poke fun at death and highlight their deep belief in the resurrection to eternal life.Thank you,Guisela Dominguez, for putting this altar together!
Healing Trauma
Most of Casa's staff attended the recent "Healing Trauma, Healthy Communities" conference sponsored by Saint A and Marquette University. Many of the good people we serve suffer from family separation and the many stresses that come from living in poverty. We improved our compassionate understanding as well as a deep appreciation for the power of supportive relationships to buffer the full impact of stressful experiences. It's a good thing to hear that the latest findings in behavioral science affirm the nurturing work that Casa Romero undertakes with individuals and families.