This month we are spotlighting Father Don Nevins and the work that’s being done at St. Agnes to strengthen communities.
How did you end up at St. Agnes and how has working with the community impacted you?
I have been serving in the Hispanic community in Pilsen and Little Village most of my 38 years as a priest, having previously been at St. Ann’s, St. Procopius, and St. Francis of Assisi before coming here to St. Agnes of Bohemia in 2008. I have learned so much over the years from the community, which it is really hard to imagine some of the things I did and said when I was first ordained, and how I had to really take time to appreciate a new culture as well as a different language.
What does a healthy community mean to you?
To me a healthy community is a community that learns to respect others and brings together the resources to nurture healthy, stable families and allows people of all ages to grow in their knowledge and wisdom. To put it another way, there have to be good schools for children, good job opportunities for adults, and safe living space for all, which would include security, a lack of violence, and homes that people really want to live in.
Can you give us an example of a family that’s been impacted by a parish program?
We have had many people in the parish who have gone through programs of leadership training, and it is so gratifying to see them take interest in new areas of life and become leaders that other people in the community come to look up to and respect.
How does St. Agnes work with youth to prevent youth violence in the community?
Here at St. Agnes we have a youth group and a young adults group, which give some of our young people alternatives to gangs and violence in the community. But we also have a group for at-risk youth who are recommended by some of the schools around us. These young people come together a few times a week with mentors as well as with instructors, especially in art, as a means of focusing their creative talents in constructive ways.
How has partnering with community organizations like The Resurrection Project strengthened outreach initiatives?
Partnering with community organizations is really a must for a parish. There is so much that we do not know about or do not have the time to organize around, that a community organization helps us to do for our parishioners as well as for the larger community. This makes it possible for us to extend our outreach at times, but also to help our parish leaders grow in their own talents and develop their own personal resources.
What are some upcoming St. Agnes initiatives you would like the community to know about and participate in?
We are constantly working on evangelization. One project that we have undertaken has led us to have teams of two people go out to visit people who live here, whether they are parishioners or not.  What we are doing now is focusing on some of the people who have come to us for food baskets and Christmas gifts for children to see what other services and resources of the parish they can take advantage of.

Return to Nueva Vida February 2014 here.