Responding to construction needs at the Casa Eudes home for girls in Tijuana has been a key ministry of St. James Mission Circle since its founding in 1977.  Initially, there was the need to make the girls’ home safe and secure; then there was the need to provide adequate housing for both the nuns and the girls living there; then there was the community outreach of constructing a thrift shop and a clinic on the premises; and later, a Vocational Training Center was opened for the girls and the surrounding community.  To this day, a small group of dedicated men continue to meet building maintenance needs of the Casa on an ongoing basis.

As more people from St. James embraced Mission Circle’s work in Tijuana, we saw an opportunity to work on projects outside Casa Eudes, such as sewing co-ops, food co-ops, and various types of construction projects.  The construction projects included homes for the needy, small community centers, classrooms, chapels (and supporting buildings).  The largest construction project outside of Casa Eudes was the major renovation of a 5,000-square-foot building for Mother Antonia Brenner and the Eudist Servants of the Eleventh Hour, the Catholic congregation for mature women she founded.  The renovation took four years and was completed in July of 2004.  The renovated building is now known as Corazon De Maria, and is the mother house for the congregation.

Mission Circle’s recent construction efforts over the last two years have included 1) constructing three additional classrooms, made of used garage doors, at the chapel of San Rafael in colonia El Florido IV; 2) working with Young Neighbors In Action, a national summer youth program, in designing and constructing the roof for a chapel at the mission of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Nueva Esperanza; 3) renovating & upgrading the home of a poor family near the chapel of San Eugenio in colonia La Morita; 4) constructing four homes for needy families in Nueva Esperanza as part of the Young Neighbors in Action program; 5) supporting the construction by the community of a meeting room/salon at the chapel of San Miguel Augustin Pro in colonia Terrazas de Valle I;  6) miscellaneous projects involving drywall & painting at the chapel of San Miguel Augustin Pro; and 7) partial (still in progress) construction of a bathroom facility at the mission of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Nueva Esperanza.

The construction team is a fluid, flexible and fun group; people participate as long and as often as they are able to do so.   In addition to the people of St. James parish, a group of young adults from St. Brigid parish in Pacific Beach participates once a month in Tijuana construction.  Workdays are Wednesday and Saturday, with some members going both days, some going only one day, and still others going every other week or only during the winter. 

Joining the construction team requires a lot more commitment than skill – no one on the team is a professional tradesman, and the building standards in Tijuana are, well, somewhat more forgiving.  To explore how you can be a part of the construction team, contact Pete Godefroy (858-755-0613 Peteg8@pacbell.net).  We would welcome your involvement and help.