Ladies Auxiliary of Peter Claver deliver care packages to the Magnificat House

Supreme Lady Michaela LeBlanc of the Ladies Auxiliary division of the Knights of Peter Claver, and Angela Duplechain, Junior Daughter Counselor of Court 138 at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, attend Mass at the University of Houston Catholic Newman Center during a visit to Houston to attend outreach projects within the Archdiocese. (Photo courtesy of the Knights of Peter Claver and Ladies Auxiliary)

HOUSTON — For women reintegrating into society from prison, economic mobility might prove challenging. To help alleviate some of those barriers, the women of the Ladies Auxiliary division of the Knights of Peter Claver donated care packages to the Magnificat House in Houston on Oct. 6.

“Many women are just trying to start over,” said Rose Ellis, the newly elected State Deputy of Texas, KPCLA. “We provided a few items of need to do that. All women need to feel someone cares and have a sister in Christ to watch their back. I believe that the people we help will one day help our sisters tomorrow.”

The donated care packages included personal hygiene products, rain gear, bedding accessories, clothing and other essential care items. The service project, Women Helping Women prison ministry, was attended by Supreme Lady Michaela LeBlanc and a host of other Claver women from local courts around the Houston area.

The concept of this project came after Ellis, a member of the Ladies Auxiliary at St. Mary of the Purification Catholic Church in Houston, had a discussion with various ladies in the organization that saw a need in the community of women that have been neglected and penalized after leaving domestic abuse situations.

“Women Helping Women prison ministry was developed to let our sisters in Christ know we all have experienced difficulties, and they are not alone in their struggles,” she said.

The Missionary Sisters of the Holy Eucharist, who are intake workers at the Magnificat House, and Greg Lueb, a director at Magnificat House, helped coordinate the delivery of the organization's care packages and gave a mini tour to the members of the Knights of Peter Claver and Ladies Auxiliary onsite.

Founded in 1968 by Rose Mary Badami, the Magnificat House provides mental health support and spiritual guidance to men and women as they rebuild their lives in community.

Of the 10 houses that Lueb oversees, two of the houses are designed for women, the Morning Star and the Marian House.

It was a pleasure having the women of the Knights of Peter Claver and Ladies Auxiliary at the Magnificat House, said Lueb.
“Please know you are always welcome,” he added.

The Women Helping Women service project is being duplicated in Beaumont (the Melton Center), San Antonio (the Newly Empowered Women), Austin and Waco.

LeBlanc, who resides in Los Angeles, was in town for several outreach projects, activities and events. One of the outreach missions included meeting with representatives from the University of Houston Newman Center and Texas Southern University.

The Knights of Peter Claver Inc. and Ladies Auxiliary is the largest predominantly Black Cath­olic lay organization in the U.S.
Originally founded on Nov. 7, 1909, in Mobile, Alabama, the Knights of Peter Claver was formed to allow men of color membership in a Catholic fraternal society. The Ladies Auxiliary was authorized in August 1922 and recognized as a Division of the National Council in Galveston in 1926.

Headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, the Knights of Peter Claver is comprised of over 18,000 Catholic family members. The councils (for men) and courts (for women) meet on a monthly basis to plan and organize service projects and other varying events. The junior divisions consist of youth ages 7 to 18.

The order is a member of the International Alliance Catholic Knights. For more information, visit www.kofpc.org.