Here's a great article I found in the Boston People's Voice

"A New Ministry Reaches Out"

The Scientology Volunteer Ministry of Codman Square is running free after-school study skiils training as well as hosting routine community meetings, all in an effort to get involved in Dorchester, an area of Boston that one would not expect the Church of Scientology to set up shop in.

"These are some of the many initiatives that we are working on to help out the community," states the ministry's director Rev. Robert W. Castagna, a Cambridge resident and photographer who has worked within the community setting for years. "I started off teaching photography to senior citizens , kids and the homeless all on a volunteer basis. Then I decided to make my impact greater and get involved as a minister. I also run a Scientology prison ministry."

Robert's wife, Ksenia, a musicial who has opened for the likes of Willie Nelson, Robert Cray and the Indicgo Girls, has started to wrok along side her husband and is the supervisor of the after-school iitiative. Her vision is to not just help people with their homework, but to instill positive study habits into student sand adults alike, that will last them a lifetime and truly make a difference for the long haul.

While Rev. Catagna states that he is an outsider, living in Cambridge, growing up in the Berkshires and opening up a ministry in Dorchester, he feels it is just another challenge to overcome. "To me it is not a matter of black and white. It is a matter of hey, I see there is a need over there, let's do something about it."

"I read in the paper that gangs are organizing and that there is senseless violence. From this I say Scientology has some solutions that can help," says Rev. Castagna. "So I get busy doing something."

The Scientology philosophy is founded on the works of L. Ron Hubbard. The Scientology Volunteer Ministry provides free booklets and service tot he community and can be reached at (617) 82504280. The ministry is located at 628 Washington Street in Codman Square. The after school initiative is available free of charge and is ehld Wednesdays from 2:00 to 7:00. Parents are encouraged to get involved and volunteers are provided free training.


By the way, Robert is a terrific photographer, as aluded to in the article. Here's an example of his work: