COVENANT HOUSE

A Franciscan priest recounts the history of his mission and the founding of the Covenant Houses and, in graphic detail, reveals the lives of the desperate street kids who, without his help, might have been lost forever

The 15-year history of Covenant House, founded as a haven for runaway and sexually exploited children by Ritter, a Franciscan priest, is chronicled in this collection of newsletters sent monthly to friends and benefactors. They tell of how in 1968 Ritter accepted and implemented the challenge of his college students in New York City to put his preaching into practice. From a decrepit apartment in the East Village, he made a shelter for the rootless kids he calls "urban nomads." In 1972 the project was formally chartered as Covenant House. Ritter then moved on to the challenge of helping abused youngsters and now such children are offered safety, nurturance and counseling at the shelter. Covenant House is today an international agency, accepting all comers. The well-written newsletters are also an indirect portrait of the strong faith and tireless action of the author.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Challenged by a college student to "practice what he preached," Fr. Ritter moved to New York's Lower East Side in 1966, where he founded Covenant House, a refuge for runaways. These excerpts from monthly newsletters tell the story of the program's struggles and growth: a subsequent move to Times Square; immersion in a battle with the sex industry; expansion to other centers. Fr. Ritter's radical faith, anger, and a special ability to discern God's presence in these young people infuses this disturbing narrative in a most unusual way. Highly recommended. EC
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.