I would have never imagined that being a computer “geek” or a technologically proficient person had something to do with Catholic Social Teaching. Well, at least nobody mentioned it when I took that class at Washington Theological Union. Thanks to the vision of Father Ray Corkery, O.Carm., and to the generosity of the Carmelite Human Development Fund, the basic gospel values of community, dignity of individuals, and solidarity with the poor, are embodied in this cybernetic and technological venture with the youth in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Joliet, Illinois. With a $5,000.00 grant from the Carmelite Human Development Fund, the parish obtained nine brand-new Compaq laptop computers with Windows Vista programming, a projector to help with the instruction, and a wireless router to make the Religious Education wing an internet wireless facility. The advantage to having laptops instead of desktops is that classes can be held anywhere in the building in case the classrooms may are in use for another purpose.

We were aware of the need to promote community leadership through education. We were also aware that our Latino population does not enjoy most of the benefits of modern technology. Oftentimes their skills are deficient due to the lack of proper instruction. Of all the possible topics and alternatives that computers and cyberspace can offer, Mr. German Cutz, the designer and instructor of the workshop, taught our youth to design and create web pages. In addition, they learned skills to use and edit digital images from cameras and video recorders. Mr. Cutz’s talent, youthful personality and instruction style kept our youngsters motivated and engaged in their learning. During the ten-week course the instructor and students came up with clever as well as entertaining webpages for different purposes.

Thanks to these activities, the parish can provide these young Latino children the means to a higher educational and developmental level. Some of the families within the parish are ridden by fear of deportation. Others are unemployed or underemployed. Many receive sub-standard salaries, and are often subjected to working 18 (or more) hour-long shift days. It is very difficult for parents under these circumstances to think about providing any kind of advancement for their children. Undereducated parents, regardless of their immigration status, spend most of their time and energy providing basic necessities. There is no time left to encourage their children to succeed in education. As a Latino parish who promotes human dignity and equal social opportunity, we have the challenge to bring in the latest technological, economical and social advances that Latino immigrants sometimes overlook due to their financial and social disadvantage.

It is our hope that opportunities like these may bring some change in our impoverished and disadvantaged parish. These young people will in turn teach others to use computers creatively. They may also use their new skill for higher education or commercial purposes.

These new computers are allowing us to help the parents of our students as well. We will shortly be starting a ten-week long course to promote reading literacy through the use of the internet. Reading motivation and skills are poor among Latino’s of any age, which causes even more social, cultural and economical disadvantages. This may be the beginning for them. If their interest in searching the World Wide Web is heightened, then possibly they will continue to use the internet for research, an important tool to enhance their reading ability.

All of us at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Joliet, Illinois, are grateful to the Province and the Carmelite Human Development Fund. By their charity the parishioners’ children are on the brink of a social change with a promise of hope for a thriving community.