Extension Magazine - Fall 2021
In 1978, St. Pope John Paul II said, " Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors for Christ!" His words echo in our ears today as churches across the country have literally reopened their doors after many months of restrictions. The Catholic Church's mission to serve, to heal and to reach people's hears in Christ's name has never shut down, as is revealed in the accomplishments of our 2021 Lumen Christi Award finalists- such as Racheal Jacoby, who recently restored ST. Francis Xavier Mission in Melvin, Texas.
In 1978, St. Pope John Paul II said, " Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors for Christ!" His words echo in our ears today as churches across the country have literally reopened their doors after many months of restrictions. The Catholic Church's mission to serve, to heal and to reach people's hears in Christ's name has never shut down, as is revealed in the accomplishments of our 2021 Lumen Christi Award finalists- such as Racheal Jacoby, who recently restored ST. Francis Xavier Mission in Melvin, Texas.
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28 INSPIRE<br />
Lumen Christi Finalist<br />
Every day thousands<br />
of children go to bed<br />
in East St. Louis, Illinois,<br />
with dreams of<br />
a brighter future. But<br />
those dreams need<br />
some real-life guardian angels to<br />
help nurture them to fruition.<br />
For decades, East St. Louis has<br />
been plagued by systemic poverty.<br />
Street violence and shootings are<br />
realities that rob too many children<br />
of their innocence. The city’s local<br />
schools lack essential funding and<br />
support, leaving children with few<br />
pathways to a brighter future.<br />
But, thankfully, these children<br />
have not been abandoned in their<br />
struggle thanks to a tireless religious<br />
sister.<br />
Leading a powerful ministry for<br />
the children of East St. Louis in the<br />
Diocese of Belleville is Sister Julia<br />
Huiskamp, DC, MSW. She founded<br />
Griffin Center in 1986 and has been<br />
a light of hope to generations of<br />
children and families in East St.<br />
Louis ever since.<br />
Griffin Center is a community<br />
center that offers summer camps<br />
and after-school programs for kids.<br />
Griffin Center, founded in 1986 by Sister Julia<br />
Huiskamp, DC, MSW, provides children a safe,<br />
nurturing environment.<br />
SISTER JULIA HUISKAMP, DC, MSW |<br />
DIOCESE OF BELLEVILLE, ILLINOIS<br />
The guardian angel<br />
of East St. Louis<br />
The center helps children develop<br />
their social and learning skills,<br />
deepen their character and ignite<br />
their faith.<br />
“We made it our policy early on<br />
… to give these kids wings so they<br />
can fly out of here and set out to be<br />
their best selves,” said Sister Julia.<br />
STARTING A LIFE OF SERVICE<br />
Before entering religious life 61<br />
years ago, Sister Julia was an aspiring<br />
journalist for the Daily Gate<br />
City newspaper in her hometown<br />
of Keokuk, Iowa. She entered the<br />
Daughters of Charity knowing<br />
their great commitment to serving<br />
the poor. Her aim from the start of<br />
Sister Julia Huiskamp, DC, MSW, helps<br />
children develop social and academic<br />
skills at Griffin Center in East St. Louis.<br />
her consecrated life was to bring<br />
comfort to God’s children. For six<br />
decades she has done just that.<br />
“It’s very important for children<br />
to know that they have a friend<br />
and a mentor and people who care<br />
about them,” she said.<br />
In efforts to best serve children<br />
in underprivileged communities,<br />
Sister Julia earned a master’s<br />
degree in social work from Saint<br />
Louis University. She went on to<br />
serve children on Chicago’s west<br />
side for 18 years beginning in 1967.<br />
In 1985 the Daughters of Charity<br />
informed her that she would be<br />
moving to a new mission in East<br />
St. Louis.
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