Pope Francis Habitat House

The Pope Francis Habitat for Humanity Home was dedicated on Sept. 21 in Evansville. When plans for the house began, the goal was for the dedication to occur during Pope Francis’ visit to the United States.

The festivities began with a Welcome Pope Francis parade; a life-size cut-out of Pope Francis was driven along the parade route in an open convertible.

During the dedication ceremony, Bishop Charles C. Thompson reflected on four relationships in our lives: those with God, those with others, those with ourselves and those with other creation. “We are united with God and one another,” Bishop said, “with this blessing today, for this new home.”

Partner family members, Stephen Ralph and his son, Victor, were “incredibly excited to be a part of the team that built the home.” The father said, “We are not from the area; we were outsiders, and at times, we were homeless. Now, our lives are at a totally different place. We can put down roots.

“Our hearts are filled with gratitude for God and everyone that has shown their support in making our home a reality.”