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STO RIES OF FA I TH FRO M CATH O L I C E XTE N SI O N
S PR I N G 20 16
CAT H OL IC M INIST R IE S OF M E RCY 18
TODAY’S GOOD SAMARITANS
Living Stations of the Cross in California 12
STORIES OF FAITH FROM CATHOLIC EXTENSION
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Board of Governors CHANCELLOR
Most Reverend Blase J. Cupich Archbishop of Chicago VICE CHANCELLOR
Most Reverend Gerald F. Kicanas, D.D. Bishop of Tucson PRESIDENT
Reverend John J. Wall
VICE CHAIR OF COMMITTEES and SECRETARY
James M. Denny
Arturo Chávez, Ph.D. Most Reverend Paul S. Coakley Archbishop of Oklahoma City Elizabeth Hartigan Connelly John W. Croghan Most Reverend Daniel E. Flores, S.T.D. Bishop of Brownsville Most Reverend Curtis J. Guillory, SVD, D.D. Bishop of Beaumont The Honorable James C. Kenny Most Reverend Robert N. Lynch Bishop of St. Petersburg Peter J. McCanna Andrew J. McKenna Christopher Perry Pamela Scholl Most Reverend Anthony B. Taylor Bishop of Little Rock Most Reverend George L. Thomas, Ph.D. Bishop of Helena Edward Wehmer EDITORS Elizabeth Boo Neuberger
Meinrad Scherer-Emunds
COVER STORY
Works of Mercy 18 To celebrate the Jubilee Year of Mercy, our collection of stories profiles some of today’s Good Samaritans who embody the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.
PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY Rich Kalonick ART DIRECTION Elio Leturia
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COVER ILLUSTRATION BY NIKLAS ASKER
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Way of the cross 12
| Parishes in Fresno diocese re-enact Christ’s crucifixion
GALLERY
Two nations, one faith 16 THE POPE AT THE BORDER
INSPIRE
| El Paso celebrates pope’s visit
A sacrament of mercy 26 FEATURE
| Reflections of a busy confessor
A long shelf life 30 ROOTS
| Extension magazine turns 110
IGNITE
A spirit of generosity 34
| Archbishop Kurtz on the role of Catholic Extension in today’s Church BISHOP’S PULPIT
Child’s play inspires charity 40 DONOR PROFILE
who help God
| Longtime donor likes helping those
Letter from Father Wall 4 Heard around the Church 6 Mission Map 8 News Briefs 10 Seminarian Q&A 36 Foundations 37 Connect 38 Artful Prayer 51
4 Letter from Father Wall
Let us rediscover God’s mercy this year
T THIS YEAR OF MERCY CALLS us to reflect more deeply on what it means to be followers of Christ in this time and age and ultimately to better understand God. Pope Francis has called mercy the “essence of the gospel” and Pope Benedict XVI has said that “mercy is the very name of God, the face with which He revealed Himself in Jesus Christ.” The cover of this issue of Extension magazine depicts the familiar parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37) in which Jesus called His listeners to mercy. In response to the question “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus shows us that we are the ones who need to be neighbors to
the injured man in the ditch and who, by extension, need to reach out to anyone who is in front of us. And that gospel story also illustrates that answering His call must transcend our many human divisions between outsider “Samaritans” and our own “in-groups.” In this issue we look at some of the many ways in which Catholic faith communities around the country are answering Jesus’ call and are becoming such neighbors of mercy to those in need (see stories beginning on page 18). With their corporal and spiritual works of mercy (listed on page 18), they make God’s love manifest in their communities: In Bismarck, North Dakota, Benedictine Sister Kathleen Atkinson and her Ministry on the Margins “visit the imprisoned.” In Laredo, Texas, a group of parishioners called the Samaritans “visit the sick.” In Lenoir, North Carolina, Father Julio C. Domínguez “forgives offenses willingly” and, as a result, has seen parishioners flock to the sacrament of reconciliation. And on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, Geraldine Provencial and her ministry of mercy “comfort the sorrowful.”
As Father Domínguez points out, in this Year of Mercy, the Church is calling us to rediscover the sacrament of reconciliation, which in a very special way invites us to experience directly the power of God’s merciful love for us. This sacrament has always made me aware of the various disconnects of reality in our lives — times when we don’t feel that sense of community we long for, times when we feel that we are missing the mark. Going to confession makes us reflect on how we let other forces in life keep us from that sense of community or oneness with God and our neighbors. The word “confession” also has that other deeper,
“
Ultimately, what we are called to confess is our experience of God’s merciful love, which is so much stronger than all our shortcomings and our separations.”
original meaning of avowing and giving witness to our faith. Ultimately, what we are called to confess is our experience of God’s merciful love, which is so much stronger than all our shortcomings and our separations. In this Year of Mercy, Pope Francis is inviting us to feel the power of what Pope
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St. John XXIII called the “medicine of mercy.” It can be for us a source of healing, a source of reconciliation, a source of deeper peace and deeper connectedness in life. We are meant to be more connected; and the face of that connectedness is mercy. At Catholic Extension we feel blessed to continuously experience the power of God’s mercy in the flesh when we witness all the ways in which mercy is being lived by faithful men and women, often in very challenging situations of poverty and disconnectedness. Through our work with so many inspiring Catholics around the country, we keep getting invited into experiences of compassion, of oneness, of
healing and of reconciliation. We then get to tell that story and get to invite you into these experiences. Through participating in the work of Catholic Extension, you too can experience faith and mercy in action. In building up Catholic faith communities, Catholic Extension makes it possible for these communities to become signs of reconciliation, of healing, of hope and of new possibilities and leads people to discover deeper ways of being alive to each other. These faith communities become places where God’s mercy is tangible. In the famous Prayer of St. Francis, we pray, “Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.” What we are praying for is to become expressions of God’s mercy. We can be this, and Lord, please make me this. And that is also Catholic Extension’s plea: Lord, make us instruments of Your peace. And so, in this Year of Mercy, we ask God not just for mercy for ourselves but to help us be God’s mercy for others, just like the Good Samaritan was and just like so many faith communities around this country continue to be. Come join us!
Rev. John J. Wall PRESIDENT, CATHOLIC EXTENSION
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Heard Around the Church
Avoiding the ditches What’s most important is to be in awe of God’s lavish mercy upon us. If I am gratefully and humbly aware that God is ever merciful to me, a sinner, I’m more likely to be merciful to others. The first big obstacle to God’s mercy on our part is when we conclude our sins are so ugly, so nauseating, so wretched, that we can never receive God’s mercy. ... I can never be forgiven. … The second towering obstacle to God’s mercy is, I’m afraid, much more common today: Most of us feel we do not need God’s mercy! I’m OK, you’re OK! Those other poor slobs may be sinners, … but I’m not. Mercy is a great idea for those unsophisticated, superstitious, unenlightened, guilt-ridden folks. But none for me, thanks. I have no sins. … Let’s accept the invitation of ... Pope Francis, and walk that road to salvation, avoiding the two ditches … on either side! —Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Catholic New York, Dec. 10 The face of Christ One cannot understand a true Christian who is not merciful, just as one cannot comprehend God without His mercy.
‘Without mercy, our hearts beat wrong’ The JUBILEE YEAR OF MERCY, which began December 8 and lasts through November 20, has captured the imagination of the Church around the world. Here are some reflections on mercy from American bishops and Pope Francis.
PHOTO TROY R. BENNETT | BANGOR DAILY NEWS
Bishop Robert Deeley of Portland, Maine, blesses prisoner Anthony Hayman at the Maine Correctional Facility in Windham on Christmas Eve. One of the corporal works of mercy is “visiting the imprisoned,” and in his homily Bishop Deeley told the inmates that “Jesus is the human face of God’s mercy” and that “mercy is what God wants us to share with one another.” This is the word summarizing the essence of the Gospel: mercy. It is the fundamental feature of the face of Christ — that face that we recognize in the various aspects of His existence — when He goes to meet all, when He heals the sick, when He sits at the table with sinners, and above all when, nailed to the cross, He forgives; there we see the face of divine mercy. Let us not be afraid: Let us allow ourselves to be embraced by the mercy of God who awaits us and forgives all. Nothing is sweeter than His mercy. Let us allow ourselves to be caressed by
God: The Lord is so good, and He forgives all. —Pope Francis, Angelus, Dec. 8 Heart health Misericordia literally means to have pity in one’s heart. Mercy is not just an attitude or an occasional sentiment. Rather, it is a strength or virtue that shapes and enlivens one’s heart. Without mercy, our hearts beat wrong; without mercy, we suffer from heart disease. —Archbishop Blase Cupich, Catholic New World, Dec. 13
A revolution of tenderness The world must discover that God is a father, that there’s mercy, that cruelty isn’t the way. … I continue to say that today the revolution [needed] is that of tenderness, because justice and all the rest come from it. We have to cultivate the revolution of tenderness today as a fruit of this Year of Mercy, the tenderness of God toward each one of us. —Pope Francis, Interview with Credere, Dec. 2
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Good news from around the country
MISSION MAP 8 | NEWS BRIEFS 10 | TWO NATIONS, ONE FAITH 16
In the annual Way of the Cross procession in Kingsburg in the Diocese of Fresno, California, Claude Baal plays the role of Jesus. Gallery on page 12.
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DIOCESE OF HELENA MONTANA $7,500 is requested to subsidize a priest’s salary and travel expenses to two parishes with no resident priest. These parishes cover 3,400 square miles, serving 120 families. DIOCESE OF SALT LAKE CITY UTAH
Chalan Kanoa
$2,300 will support the diocese’s director of liturgy in obtaining a master’s degree in pastoral studies from the Catholic Theological Union.
DIOCESE OF SANTA ROSA CALIFORNIA The diocese is seeking Agana (Guam) $40,000 to host religious summer camps for middle school and high school students and retreats for students in partnership with NET Ministries.
Caroline Islands
Marshall Islands
DIOCESE OF LAS CRUCES NEW MEXICO $6,400 is needed for a hospital ministry coordinator stipend and to purchase rosaries and prayer cards to serve two major hospitals, various hospice care centers and assisted living facilities. Last year eucharistic ministers in the diocese made more than 14,000 visits to the sick.
Alaska
Samoa-Pago Pago
DIOCESE OF JUNEAU ALASKA The diocesan office requests $47,500 for basic operations, including eight full-time and four part-time positions, in a territory the size of the state of Arkansas and serving 10,600 Catholics.
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DIOCESE OF MARQUETTE MICHIGAN $32,000 is needed to help fund tuition for six seminarians studying at Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit.
ARCHDIOCESE OF MILITARY SERVICES WASHINGTON, DC Serving worldwide, Catholic Extension provided $25,000 to assist with three priestly ordinations and one diaconate ordination. The AMS receives no funding from the military or the government, relying solely on private donors to support all programs.
DIOCESE OF SALINA KANSAS To help with a shortage of priests, the diocese has requested $7,000 to support three deacons in the diaconate program.
DIOCESE OF TULSA OKLAHOMA $12,500 is requested to support a campus minister and operations for St. John Catholic Student Center at Oklahoma State University, reaching 400 students a year.
DIOCESE OF SAVANNAH GEORGIA Nativity of Our Lady, a mission church serving 100 families and the only Catholic presence in McIntosh County, needs $7,000 to repair stained glass windows. St. ThomasVirgin Islands
CATHOLIC EXTENSION MISSION DIOCESES
Puerto Rico
PROJECTS IN MISSION DIOCESES THAT NEED YOUR SUPPORT NON-MISSION DIOCESES
Hawaii
CATHOLIC EXTENSION IN ACTION
MISSION MAP
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10 News Briefs
HIGHLIGHTS Catholic Extension video series The first four episodes of our compelling broadcast video series are being viewed, among other channels, on EWTN, Catholic TV and at videoseries. catholicextension. org. Please watch these inspirational and educational segments and share them in your parish groups. 2015 Seminarian Endowment Challenge Catholic Extension offered a $475,000 matching grant for seminarians, and 11 dioceses responded, jointly raising over $1 million and greatly exceeding expectations. Congratulations to the dioceses of Bismarck, Colorado Springs, El Paso, Jackson, Lake Charles, Las Cruces, Lubbock, Marquette and Memphis and the eparchies of Our Lady of Lebanon and St. Maron.
Young leaders’ ‘great blessing’ Twenty-four young lay leaders from mission dioceses attended a January 8-10 retreat of Catholic Extension’s Young Adult Leadership Initiative in Tucson, Arizona. The participants included youth, young adult, campus, and faith formation ministers either currently enrolled in the initiative or recently graduated. They reflected on their ministries, their theology studies and their own faith experiences. They also deepened their relationship with Catholic Extension. Catholic Extension partners with mission dioceses and three Catholic universities to make the Young Adult Leaders’ ministry positions and theological education possible. Alma Benítez, a Young Adult Leader from the Diocese of Yakima, Washington, spoke for the group when she said the program was “a great blessing.” Getting a first-rate Catholic education for her ministry, she said, enables her to “give back to people who have sacrificed so much.”
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NATIONAL CATHOLIC SISTERS WEEK UNITED STATES
NEW VICE CHANCELLOR CHICAGO
YEAR OF MERCY PRAYERS UNITED STATES
LEGATUS SUMMIT ORLANDO, FLA.
In March National Catholic Sisters Week was celebrated nationwide to recognize women religious and honor their commitment to improve the lives of others. This celebration included events throughout the country — prayer gatherings, storytelling and retreats — to thank sisters and to build awareness of their unique and profound contributions. Catholic Extension has long supported the ministries of sisters and annually extends $2.4 million to subsidize their salaries.
With Archbishop Joseph Kurtz stepping down from the Board of Governors, Bishop Gerald Kicanas has become Vice Chancellor of Catholic Extension. Originally from the Archdiocese of Chicago, where he worked for 25 years, Bishop Kicanas has been deeply involved with vocations, the permanent diaconate and lay ministry. He is now the bishop of Tucson, a mission diocese, and has been a Catholic Extension board member since 2014.
One of the spiritual works of mercy is praying for the living and the dead. Through social media, we are organizing a national Year of Mercy prayer campaign and invite you to share your prayer intentions. Use your phone to take a short video of yourself (about 10 seconds) stating a simple intention followed by “Lord, have mercy.” Send it to socialmedia@ catholicextension.org. Intentions will be posted online on April 3, Divine Mercy Sunday.
Legatus, an organization of 4,000 Catholic business leaders who are committed to live and spread the Catholic faith in their business and personal lives held its annual summit Jan. 28-30 in Orlando, Florida. It was titled “No more comfortable Catholicism.” Catholic Extension staff attended the conference and supported a table. Legatus chapters meet regularly nationwide and call their lay movement “Ambassadors for Christ in the marketplace.”
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he 35 women religious participating in Catholic Extension’s five-year U.S. Latin American Sisters Exchange Program gathered January 21-30 in San Antonio. They shared their experiences in 11 mission dioceses, continued their studies
at the Mexican American Catholic College and deepened friendships. Sister Gabriela Cruz Ruiz, DJBP, from Mexico, who is working in the Diocese of Charleston, South Carolina, said, “I love being a sister because God’s love is so amazing, so great and so merciful.”
NEWS BRIEFS
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12 Gallery
Gallery Way of the Cross The Way of the Cross is a devotion that honors Christ’s final journey of His earthly life. It is based on the 14 significant events of His crucifixion — the Stations of the Cross — beginning with His sentencing, continuing with His carrying the cross through Jerusalem and ending with His burial. Every year on Good Friday, Catholic communities throughout the world re-enact the Way of the Cross with live performances of the story. It is a powerful reminder of Christ’s suffering and sacrifice for us. In the Diocese of Fresno, California, several parishes stage their own versions of Living Stations of the Cross with colorful costumes, long processions and large crowds of pilgrims and onlookers. This tradition is strong in two towns, Kingsburg and Easton, both of which have significant migrant populations. The procession in Easton, shown here, has more than 400 participants, many of whom are day laborers who must sacrifice their daily wages to attend. The Hispanic ministry coordinator for the Diocese of Fresno, Brenda Noriega — whose salary Catholic Extension funds — works with faith communities throughout the diocese, including Kingsburg and Easton, to support these annual processions and to strengthen migrants’ connection to — PHOTOS BY RICH KALONICK the Church.
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14 Gallery
ABOVE Young and old come to watch the performance in Easton. RIGHT Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry the cross (fifth station).
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LEFT A gathering of 300 people in Kingsburg experiences the Living Stations of the Cross and watches as Jesus falls. Many of the performers and participants are migrant workers in Kingsburg, which is headquarters of Sun-Maid, the largest raisin and dried fruit processor in the world.
ABOVE Jesus carries the cross through the fields of Easton. The man in the role of Jesus, Alberto Varela, has participated in the event three times, and this is his first time playing Jesus. “The procession brings us all together, helps us become a solid community and builds our faith,” he said.
In this scene in Kingsburg, Pontius Pilate, Roman governor of Judea, sentences Jesus to death (first station). Veronica (center) holds the cloth with which she has wiped the face of Jesus (sixth station).
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16 The Pope at the Border
Yards from the U.S.-Mexico border fence, Pope Francis prays for migrants.
Two nations, one faith Pope Francis comes to the U.S.-Mexico border
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n February 17, capping his six-day visit to Mexico, Pope Francis came to the U.S.-Mexico border in Juárez, Mexico, across the Rio Grande river from El Paso, Texas. Before celebrating Mass, the pope walked up a ramp next to the border fence toward a large cross on a platform overlooking the river. He prayed silently and laid flowers at the foot of the cross to commemorate those who have died trying to cross the border. Then the pope turned and blessed a group of 600 faithful assembled on a levee on the U.S. side. The majority of the group was made up of migrants, refugees, workers, survivors of violence, detained unaccompanied children and poor people from El Paso’s colonias. The Diocese of El Paso called them “Pope Francis VIPs.” The subsequent papal Mass was simulcast to the nearby Sun Bowl of the University of Texas at El Paso, where some 30,000 people had gathered. The event, called “Two Nations, One Faith,” included a musical and cultural program. Catholic Extension’s president Father Jack Wall spoke at the
LEFT At the Sun Bowl, Father
Jack Wall thanked El Pasoans “for all that you do on this border to live our Catholic faith and to serve the poor.”
LEFT BELOW 30,000 attended
the “Two Nations, One Faith” event sponsored by Catholic Extension.
event. He prayed for the protection of “today’s vulnerable people” by Our Lady of Guadalupe and blessed those assembled with holy water gathered from the Rio Grande and previously blessed by Pope Francis. He elicited a delighted roar from the crowd when he concluded with the Spanish chant “¡Francisco, hermano, ya eres un tejano” (Brother Francis, you are a Texan!) a playful twist on the chant (... ya eres mexicano) heard
throughout the pope’s visit to Mexico. During the Mass, Pope Francis blessed all who had gathered in the El Paso stadium. “Thanks to the help of technology, we can pray, sing and celebrate together this merciful love which the Lord gives us and which no frontier can prevent us from sharing,” the pope said to loud cheers. Catholic Extension provided event planning and fundraising assistance to the Diocese of El Paso and served as a major sponsor of the events. For 110 years Catholic Extension has partnered with the diocese and has provided assistance to the U.S. dioceses along the border totaling more than $122 million in today’s money.
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Features of faith
WORKS OF MERCY 18 | VISIT THE IMPRISONED 22 | MAGAZINE TURNS 110 30
Sheri Miller’s roving food truck feeds the hungry in Cairo in the Diocese of Belleville, Illinois. For her ministry of mercy, she was a 2011 finalist for the Lumen Christi Award. Cover story on page 18.
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18 Works of Mercy
Feed the hungry The “Kitchen Ministry” of San Felipe de Jesús Parish in Fennville, Michigan, feeds the community and raises funds for this parish serving migrant farmworkers in the Kalamazoo diocese. Sisters Berley Gámez Hernández and Maryud Cortez Restrepo, Missionary Sisters of the Divine Spirit from Colombia, are part of Catholic Extension’s U.S.-Latin American Sisters Exchange Program.
Pray for the living and the dead Vernon the Boy, a Chippewa Cree artist on the Rocky Boy Indian Reservation in Box Elder, Montana, is a parishioner at St. Mary Church. He has started a unique bereavement ministry by painting portraits of deceased parishioners for their wakes and funerals. Catholic Extension helped build St. Mary Church and has been supporting its pastor’s salary for decades.
Shelter the homeless Sister Luz Lara Solís, a Catechist Sister of Jesus Crucified from Mexico, talks to a homeless woman in Salinas, California. She is also part of Catholic Extension’s U.S.-Latin American Sisters Exchange Program.
Clothe the naked The Attic, a thrift store run by St. Paul Catholic Mission in McKee, Kentucky, offers clothing to the many needy families in the Appalachian mountains. Catholic Extension helped pay the salary of the mission’s pastoral associate. n To view a Catholic Extension video on St. Paul’s ministries, visit catholicextension.org/McKee.
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WORKS OF MERCY Catholic ministries that embody mercy “APART FROM THE MERCY OF GOD there is no other source of hope for mankind,” Pope St. John Paul II preached 14 years ago. For this Year of Mercy, Pope Francis has called for a “revolution of tenderness.” He has asked Catholics to “cultivate the tenderness of God toward each one of us” and to “commit to making our own the mercy of the Good Samaritan.” Catholic tradition has identified a few particular ways of cultivating that tenderness and mercy of God: the seven corporal and the seven spiritual works of mercy. This year the Church is urging all Catholics to rediscover and practice these works in a very intentional way. In these pages we highlight some of the many ministries of mercy that Catholic Extension helps to make possible. These ministries embody corporal works of mercy like visiting the imprisoned and visiting the sick as well as spiritual works such as forgiving offenses willingly and comforting the sorrowful.
Seven Corporal Works of Mercy
• FEED THE HUNGRY • GIVE DRINK TO THE THIRSTY • CLOTHE THE NAKED • VISIT THE IMPRISONED • SHELTER THE HOMELESS • VISIT THE SICK • BURY THE DEAD
Seven Spiritual Works of Mercy • COUNSEL THE DOUBTFUL • INSTRUCT THE IGNORANT • CONVERT THE SINNER • COMFORT THE SORROWFUL • FORGIVE OFFENSES WILLINGLY • BEAR WRONGS PATIENTLY • PRAY FOR THE LIVING AND THE DEAD
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20 Works of Mercy
MERCY IN AND OUT OF JAIL A sister in North Dakota serves people in times of transition and crisis
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ne day, while conducting her twice-weekly Bible study with the prisoners at North Dakota State Penitentiary, Benedictine Sister Kathleen Atkinson encountered a life-changing situation. She heard that a prisoner, whom she knew from her visits to the “men in the pen,” was about to be released. How exciting, she thought. But when she saw him, he was nervous and upset. He was from a small farming community in northeast North Dakota and had never been to Bismarck. He was terrified. “Suddenly after four years in prison, he was expected to walk through the gates, find his way to and around town, apply for a job, find housing, access to social services, earn money to purchase bed linens, towels and all the basic needs — essentially, to re-establish his life,” she said. “I’d be scared, too!” The next Friday, she met him at the prison gate. He was carrying all his belongings in a backpack and a mesh laundry bag. First they went to McDonald’s, then to buy some essentials. She brought him to Grandma’s House, a low-rent apartment building in downtown Bismarck and one of the few places that rents to former prisoners. Once he had a room, they strategized about jobs. And so began his new life.
And so too began Sister Atkinson’s new mission to help those in transition. In 2013 she founded Ministry on the Margins, a group to assist those who fall through the cracks during times of crisis — those recently released from prison, struggling with addiction, in between jobs or facing a medical emergency. “We help people who have fallen out of income, lost housing or slipped behind and can’t catch up,” she said. A rented space in downtown Bismarck has become home central for Ministry on the Margins. It is a coffeehouse, a meeting place, a food pantry — a sanctuary. People can drop in anytime to socialize, get basic supplies, receive employment advice and other counseling and, basically, be uplifted. Sister Atkinson, from the Annunciation Monastery in Bismarck, is ready to dole out whatever is needed — not only encouragement, but often, a frank “get back on your feet” discussion. Still at the core of her ministry, her Bible study keeps people grounded in God. Having faith allows them to aspire to something greater in their life. Sister Atkinson helps them to understand that even if their past may not have reflected the best of themselves, God is merciful and God’s grace is more powerful than the forces that have held them back. By learning to see themselves as children of God, they begin to believe in their own goodness and
James often stops by the Ministry on the Margins center for guidance, fellowship and a cup of coffee.
find that forging a new path for themselves is possible. James, another former inmate, said, “I couldn’t get a job because of my record, but Sister Kathleen wasn’t easy on me. She is like a mother — she is firm, but she doesn’t mislead you.”
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Mercy is going to be messy; but that is the reality of my family here, and it is also the reality of the global family.”
“I was finding excuses to not be successful, and she said, ‘You can do anything.’ She saw me as a person and not just as an ex-prisoner,” he said. “She works with outcasts, people with marks. She makes you feel comfortable in your own skin so you can go out and say, ‘Hey, I made a mistake. But I can do better, give me a chance.’” James found a job. “Now, I even have keys to a bank,” he said, grinning. He is a janitor there. Ministry on the Margins, with
VISIT THE IMPRISONED
Benedictine Sister Kathleen Atkinson ministers to people inside prison walls and to those who are released from prison.
a cadre of 60 volunteers, serves about 200 people a week. Every year more than 1,000 men and women in North Dakota finish their time of incarceration and re-enter society. The group also ministers to family members who have someone in prison. Recently Sister Atkinson helped a grandmother whose two adult children were simultaneously sentenced for drug use, leaving her with six grandchildren to support on her fixed income. Sister Atkinson’s prison ministry is also going strong. Since starting her Tuesday and Wednesday evening visits in 2010, she has helped to celebrate several baptisms, first Communions and confirmations. “We have inmates gathering daily for rosary,” she said. “Two men just became Benedictine oblates [lay
associates] and made a solemn profession to our prioress to live the Benedictine way of life according to their state in life.” Ministry on the Margins is a beautiful example of what Pope Francis has in mind for the Year of Mercy. “The Holy Father calls us to be people of action and to be compassionate rather than judgmental,” she said. “He has acknowledged that this type of presence in the world is going to be messy; but that is the reality of my family here, and, likewise, it is the reality of the global family.” Sister Atkinson was honored in 2015 as a finalist for Catholic Extension’s Lumen Christi Award and received a Catholic Extension grant for her ministry. Her light shines brightly as an advocate for the marginalized.
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22 Support the Work
of Extension magazine we are bringing you many different inspiring stories that show how Catholic Extension is building faith and spreading mercy around this country.
IN THIS SPRING ISSUE
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SUPPORT PRISON MINISTRY 2015-2016 Lumen Christi Award finalist Sister Kathleen Atkinson is reflecting God’s mercy in her ministry with prisoners and others who “fall through the cracks” (page 20). Join us in supporting many Catholic prison ministry initiatives throughout the country. For example, you can help bring the light of faith to prisoners in the Diocese of Amarillo, Texas (photo below). Coordinated by a dedicated group of deacons, this prison ministry reaches inmates in seven prisons. And through the comprehensive prison ministry of the Diocese of Lafayette, Louisiana, your generous donations will not only provide Catholic outreach to prisoners but also to the victims and survivors of violent crime.
PROVIDE A PASTOR FOR A VIBRANT BUT POOR INNERCITY PARISH IN TEXAS “The Samaritans” who visit the elderly, sick and infirm (page 24) are a ministry of San Francisco Javier Mission in Laredo, Texas. Your donations can help provide a salary stipend for its dedicated pastor, Oblate Father Bill Davis. The mission is located in a poor inner-city neighborhood that is known as the “Devil’s Corner” because of its violent crime rate. The mission provides a haven of hope in a very challenging place.
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SUPPORT NATIVE AMERICAN MINISTRIES In addition to our work at St. Francis Mission on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota (page 28) and at St. Mary Church on the Rocky Boy Reservation in Montana (page 18), we provide more than $1 million annually to help Native American ministries in 20 Catholic dioceses. For example, you can help provide this year’s salary subsidies to Franciscan Father Eddie Fronske and his staff at the White Mountain Apache Reservation in Arizona, which is part of the Diocese of Gallup. The three parishes there are a model of bringing the richness of the Catholic faith together with the traditions of the Apache people.
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We thank you for making these stories happen and look forward to continuing to partner with you in meeting the many needs in America’s mission dioceses.
good works happen 6
CONTRIBUTE TO THE NEW “MERCY FUND” Follow Archbishop Joseph Kurtz’s example (page 35) and make it a special priority during this Year of Mercy to support the Church’s pastoral outreach and spiritual care to the poor, displaced and vulnerable. Through this new fund, your donations will provide much needed help to 10 poor dioceses.
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EDUCATE SEMINARIANS FROM MISSISSIPPI Seminarians like Nick Adam (page 36) and others in the Diocese of Jackson, Mississippi, are eager to bring the sacraments to the faithful. Vocations to the priesthood have been growing in many financially struggling mission dioceses. Help support the education of our future generation of priests.
HELP REPAIR A HISTORIC RURAL CHURCH In the Diocese of Savannah, Georgia, Nativity of Our Lady Church in Darien (page 9), built in 1945, serves as a significant Catholic beacon in rural southeastern Georgia and needs assistance to repair stained glass windows in its sanctuary. Many other church buildings in mission dioceses also need funds for restoration.
HOW CAN YOU HELP? It’s easy. Use the attached ENVELOPE for your donation or donate at give.catholicextension.org. Thank you and God bless you!
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24 Works of Mercy
ABOVE Rather than retire, Father
Bill Davis, OMI, took on the challenge of leading one of the poorest parishes in the Laredo diocese.
RIGHT Samaritans regularly visit the sick, the elderly, the disabled and the homebound. Gloria Contreras, left, and Chavela Vargas, right, comfort an infirm woman.
D
elfina Flores loves Tuesdays. On that day, she puts on a bright pink shirt and heads to her church, San Francisco Javier Mission in Laredo, Texas, and meets a group of 10 women in pink shirts. They clean the church, they pray together and then they set off to fulfill the quote that is emblazoned on the backs of their shirts: “Whatever you do for the least of my brothers, you do unto me. Matthew 25:40.” They are called the Samaritans. The group began in 2014 when Oblate Father Bill Davis, their
TODAY’S GOOD SAMARITANS In a culture where the elderly are often forgotten, one parish ministry in south Texas has made them front and center. pastor was struggling to assist all of his parishioners, especially the homebound, in this low-income community and asked the women to help. Their mission is to lend a hand to anyone who needs it — the elderly, the disabled, the sick, the lonely and the grieving. They clean houses, they visit, they provide food, they comfort in times of disaster, they pray the rosary. In
short they make life better—one person at a time. To fund their small but mighty ministry, they each contribute one dollar a week to buy cleaning supplies, food and prizes for lottery games that they host in nursing homes. “The elderly love to play the lottery,” Flores said, “especially when they have a chance to win something.”
“
Extension | Spring 2016 25
The Samaritans want to spread the love of Jesus in as many homes as they can find.”
VISIT THE SICK
—FATHER BILL DAVIS, OMI San Francisco Javier Mission, Laredo, Texas
Their funds also help pay for medical bills and transportation costs when people go to the hospital. “We can’t give much,” she said, “But at that moment, 50 bucks can really help.” About 20 people are visited regularly by the Samaritans, but the women are always ready to respond in a crisis. “A family recently lost their house in a fire. We gathered clothes and household items from people in the community to give them.” One particular parishioner that Flores remembers fondly is a woman who was bedridden. Her husband worked all day and she was alone. When the Samaritans arrived, they saw that she was
very poor, the house was dirty and there were no curtains on the windows. “We wanted her to look around and see her house as clean and beautiful,” she said. They spruced up the place, made curtains and left her with food. A fellow Samaritan continued each week to take the woman, who was in a wheelchair, to her own house to bathe her. Slowly, the woman has gotten a little better and now walks with a walker. And the best part, Flores said, is that the woman is going to Church now. When the Samaritans see her there, “It is so powerful. We cry, we pray, we sing together.” Others too have started attending Mass after being visited by the Samaritans. And for those that are unable to attend because of disabilities, the Samaritans say a rosary with them. The Samaritan women are a diverse group. Flores is 72 years old and retired, but as long as she can move, she said, she wants to “continue to take joy to these people because it makes me so happy too.” The Samaritans have taken a big load off the shoulders of Father Davis, the octogenarian pastor who, rather than retire, agreed to take on the challenge of leading
Delfina Flores is thrilled to care for those in need in her own community and always looks forward to her weekly commitment to help.
one of the poorest parishes in the Diocese of Laredo. Catholic Extension has subsidized Father Davis’ salary since 2006. “Lay ministry should be automatic,” he said. “Once you are baptized, you belong to a family. And we all need to care for this family. The Samaritans put God’s love into action.” In this Year of Mercy, the Catholic Church celebrates all efforts — no matter how big or small — to reach out to the marginalized. And the Samaritans, who show love and tenderness to people who really need it, are embodying the kind of “revolution of tenderness” Pope Francis is trying to encourage throughout this year. Flores sums it up: “We need to see poor people all the same — the same as us — just because they are not rich, we can still give them a smile.” At the end of the day — her favorite day — Flores folds her pink shirt up until next Tuesday.
INSPIRE
26 Works of Mercy
LEFT St. Francis parish-
ioners who participated in the “School of Faith” formation program their pastor created.
RIGHT Father Domínguez
says that the sacrament of reconciliation gives people strength and grace for their life journeys.
A SACRAMENT OF MERCY A busy confessor in North Carolina reflects on the gift of reconciliation BY FATHER JULIO C. DOMÍNGUEZ
I
believe that one great way for Catholics to renew our hearts and refocus our lives on mercy this year can be a recommitment to the sacrament of reconciliation. In this sacrament we are giving God a wonderful opportunity to extend God’s love to us. As Jesus told us in the parable of the prodigal son, our Father is always looking into the distance, hoping that one of His sons or daughters will come home so He can have a great feast. Unlike in many other parishes today, in our parish of St. Francis of Assisi in Lenoir, North Carolina, many parishioners regularly take part in the sacrament of reconciliation. I’d like to think that is because they have come to understand the beauty of this sacrament and to see it exactly for what it is — a moment of grace in which they approach God, not to be judged but to be forgiven. The God of mercy, the good Father, is
waiting for them with open arms to reconcile them with Him and with the Church. They find that the sacrament of reconciliation gives them strength and grace for their journey. As pastors we should always be ready and willing to administer this sacrament because with it we are passing along a great gift from our loving Father. Of course, parishes need to have a regular schedule for confessions, but we cannot limit the access to this sacrament to what Pope Francis has called “scheduled ministry.” Because many people nowadays can’t come at the times we have set, we must receive them on their own times. A friend recently approached me and said, “Father, I have many sins, and I have not gone to confession in a long time, but that doesn’t mean I have forgotten about it.” I asked him, “What do you want to confess? Why don’t you come over to see me today?” When he came to me, I realized that he was carrying many heavy burdens in his
life and that they were leading him to despair. He cried a lot and was relieved. I finally saw him smile. He told me, “Father, I wish more priests made time to help us with what is tormenting us.” After giving him some advice, I asked him to “go and sin no more,” called on God’s mercy and absolved the friend of his sins. We also need to create more opportunities for our children and young people to experience this grace. Few parents bring their children to the sacrament of reconciliation at the times when we offer it. But each week we have
FORGIVE OFFENSES WILLINGLY
Extension | Spring 2016 27
the children in our catechism classrooms, so we should regularly offer them the sacrament during their classes. My experience has been that many of them seize that opportunity. Similarly, with young people in our youth groups, it is a matter of using the time we already have with them and inviting them. That way they can develop a habit of confessing and steadily growing in their consciences. The liturgical seasons are also important in this healing work. At St. Francis we hold communal penance services during Advent
and Lent, and we invite eight priests to help. It fills me with great joy to see so many parishioners come to these services to receive the sacrament. I often find myself thinking: “Who am I to get into your most private life?” Yet the parishioners invite me into the sacred precincts of their consciences, hoping that I can help them. It keeps me humble and always brings home to me why I was ordained a priest. During confession I learn of the different circumstances of our parishioners, which often are very difficult. And it is during confes-
sion that I can see a clear reflection of how we are doing in the pastoral care of our parishioners. Father Julio C. Domínguez is the pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Lenoir, North Carolina. From 2009 until 2014, Catholic Extension funded Father Domínguez’ “School of Faith” (Escuela de Fe), which provides catechesis and formation for Hispanic leadership at the parish and for the larger Diocese of Charlotte, North Carolina. Catholic Extension has also helped with the distribution of Bibles at St. Francis. Father Domínguez was nominated for the 2012 Lumen Christi Award.
INSPIRE
28 Works of Mercy
A
HEALING DEEP HURT AND PAIN A ministry of mercy tackles the suicide epidemic on a Lakota reservation
COMFORT THE SORROWFUL
sad reality on a number of Native American reservations is the high suicide rate there. That is especially true on the Rosebud Reservation in south central South Dakota. In 2007— at the height of an ongoing suicide epidemic— the number of deaths by suicide on Rosebud was roughly 13 times the national average, making it, according to one report, the highest in the world. To help address this crisis, St. Francis Mission, a Jesuit ministry on this Lakota reservation, has started a suicide and crisis hotline. For Geraldine Provencial, its director, her work has a very strong personal motivation: “What inspires me to work with the suicide and crisis hotline is the experience I have had with suicides in my own immediate family. I lost a sister to suicide, a brother to suicide and my grandson’s mother to suicide, which has resulted in my taking care of my grandson today, who is 11 years old. He is my inspiration.” Not having had support when she herself had to deal with these suicides, spurs Provencial today to reach out to others on the reservation who are experiencing these difficulties. Provencial said, “To work with this type of program takes courage because there is a lot of sadness that is part of the suicide crisis. The hurt and pain that people are carrying within themselves does not go away when they take their lives. The pain just gets passed on to us family members, and we feel that for the rest of our lives.” She relies on her faith to carry her through and help her find
Geraldine Provencial, director of the suicide and crisis hotline of St. Francis Mission, says her ministry is providing the “last grasp of hope.”
Extension | Spring 2016 29
LEFT Poverty and addiction are major contrib-
uting factors to the high suicide rate on the Rosebud Reservation.
Catholic Extension helped build St. Francis Church (shown in the background) in 1910.
hope, so that, in turn, she can help others and “be there for them when those kinds of thoughts cross their minds.” She has also found that “faith is a huge piece in people’s recovery and helps them to find what they are seeking. The Catholic faith can give a person something they can lean on to find direction in their lives and better their lives.” On the 24/7 hotline, she and her trained volunteers talk both with individuals who are contemplating suicide and with family members concerned that someone may be thinking about ending his or her life. “The hotline is providing that last grasp of hope. Some of the individuals will ask for prayers for strength to help them get through their most difficult time, which is part of the reason why they reach out to us.” In emergency situations, “the main priority is to keep the person on the line and talking. This could mean being on the phone for a
couple of hours.” The responders work to identify the caller’s location and to get the tribal police to get him or her to the local Indian Health Services emergency room for mental health and support services. “When people in crisis call,” Provencial said, “we never know what type of call it is going to be. Some of the callers just need someone to listen to them.” Provencial also directs the Icimani Ya Waste’ (Lakota for “Good journey”) Recovery Center, where she facilitates a monthly, fourday program to tackle the family dynamics involved in addiction and holds recovery-related meetings and 12-step programs. Drug and alcohol abuse, 10 times the national rate, is a major contributing factor to the reservation’s high suicide rate, and both are rooted in a larger bleak socio-economic reality. The Rosebud Reservation has one of the highest unemploy-
To view a Catholic Extension video featuring St. Francis Mission, visit catholicextension.org/NativeAmerican.
n
ment rates in the country— about 83 percent— and Todd County, where Rosebud is located, is the third poorest county in the United States. Domestic violence, sexual assault and gang violence have also been identified as major factors contributing to despair and suicide on the reservation. Provencial is part of the first group of people whose salary Catholic Extension is helping to pay through a new Health Ministry Salary Subsidy Initiative. Started last fall, the initiative was made possible by an anonymous gift from a foundation. Catholic Extension has had a long-standing relationship with St. Francis Mission, going back to helping build the mission in 1910. Today Catholic Extension helps fund the mission’s healing and recovery ministries. According to its president, Jesuit Father John Hatcher, the mission’s strong focus on healing ministries has come from asking the question, “Where are people hurting, and how can the Church minister to them?” Addressing alcoholism and the suicide epidemic are top priorities. “Through the hotline, we’ve been able to intervene with people who are in extreme danger of killing or hurting themselves or being hurt by someone else,” Father Hatcher said. “Once we’ve sent out emergency vehicles, we can follow up with them and continue the healing.” St. Francis Mission is one outstanding example of how even in a place where pain and suffering run so deep, mercy must know no bounds.
INSPIRE
30 Roots
First issue of Extension magazine in April 1906.
A long shelf life
A
Extension | Spring 2016 31
A
EXTENSION MAGAZINE TURNS 110 FEW SIGNIFICANT magazines published in the United States have survived more than 100 years. Scientific American is the oldest monthly magazine, continuously published since 1845. It was followed by Harper’s and Atlantic in the 1850s and Ladies Home Journal and Good Housekeeping in the 1880s. In the Catholic world, St. Anthony Messenger, first published in 1893, is the oldest magazine still in print, while Extension, the publication you are reading right now, is the second oldest and was started 110 years ago, in April 1906. Despite the current crisis in publishing, Extension magazine is thriving with the best of them and — through thick and thin — continues to bring you stories that matter.
All of these magazines have survived by identifying a role, staying focused on relevant issues, and adapting to the changing winds of the world. Our magazine differs from the pack in that we report primarily on people and activities that our organization knows well and to which we are extending support. Every story in our magazine is one that we are closely tracking, rooting for, and financially backing. We believe that our articles, published for 110 years in our magazine — and in recent decades online as well — tell a very important story about the Catholic experience in our country. Few American Catholics travel frequently to remote, rural pockets in the U.S. or see the challenges that their fellow Catholics in economically disadvantaged areas face. We bring these realities to you. We fill in the gaps. We hope that our stories broaden American perceptions about the Catholic faith, encourage you to lend a hand to fellow Catholics and, ultimately, help shape the future of our Church. Extension magazine was started by Catholic Extension’s founder, Father Francis Clement Kelley, who was also its main writer, editor and manager for years. His vision was to share the experiences of “home missions” with U.S. Catholics, who, he The JOY of the GOSPEL believed, needed to understand and assist other Catholics in need.
STORIES OF FAITH FROM CATHOLIC EXTENSION
WINTER 2015
EMBRACING THE POPE’S CALL TO ‘GO OUT TO THE PERIPHERIES’
6
STO RIE S O F FA ITH F RO M CATHO LIC E X TE NS IO N SP RIN G 20 15
YO UNG CAT HO LI C S H AVE A PASS I O N FO R JE S US AND FO R HE LP I NG P E E R S
HEARTS ON FIRE
22
Lay Ministry Movement: Extension Lay Volunteers to Today 32
Father Fredy Angel receives 2015–2016 Lumen Christi Award 24
With a first print run of 50,000 copies in April 1906, Extension magazine became established as a quarterly publication. But after a year, Father Kelley turned it into a monthly and decided to “change its character into that of a small Catholic edition of the Ladies Home Journal.” In addition to stories from the home missions, it featured fictional stories, recipes, Catholic dating tips and a section for children. By the 1950s paid subscriptions reached 600,000. This robust circulation was achieved largely through door-todoor salespeople who blanketed the country and helped Extension become standard reading in many Catholic households. The magazine was funded mainly through outside advertisements. However, with new technology and evolving habits in the 1960s, advertising commitments started shifting to television. The magazine deeply felt the impact. In 1968 Catholic Extension decided to carry on with Extension, without advertisements, to return to its original quest to inform readers about the “home missions,” and to make the magazine available to donors without a subscription fee. In 2006 it became a quarterly publication. Catholic Extension’s mission is to build faith, inspire hope and ignite change in America’s most marginalized communities. But this undertaking is hard to grasp without stories. Our stories give life — voices, faces, landscapes, details and emotions — to our mission. Our stories put us all on the same page.
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50 Donor Profile
For it is in giving that we receive
Your generosity lives on, building faith, inspiring hope and igniting change in poor Catholic communities across America for years to come.
Please include Catholic Extension in your will or estate plan today. To learn how you can add Catholic Extension to your will or estate plan, contact Melissa Babcock at 1-800-842-7804, or
[email protected] or mail the form below.
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Spring 2016 33
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Making a difference
SEMINARIAN Q&A 36 | FOUNDATIONS 37 | DONOR PROFILE 40
Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz says Catholic Extension is a “wonderful example of how Christ brings us together as one Church.” Bishop’s Pulpit on page 34. PHOTO CNS
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34 Bishop’s Pulpit
A spirit of generosity Archbishop Kurtz on the role of Catholic Extension in today’s Church
ARCHBISHOP JOSEPH E. KURTZ
of Louisville, Kentucky, has just completed his six-year service as the vice chancellor of Catholic Extension. He became actively involved with Catholic Extension when he served as the bishop of the mission diocese of Knoxville, Tennessee, from 1999 until 2007. He is currently the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
W
hat are the most important things you have learned from working with Catholic Extension? The first is generosity. Christ calls for generosity from donors, from the people who work at Catholic Extension and from those who benefit. There is a great spirit of generosity that surrounds Catholic Extension. And second: We often talk about the communion of Church, how the Church is united and one. The experience of Catholic Extension in bringing together local churches in need and donors from throughout the United States is a wonderful example of how Christ brings us together as one Church.
I remember getting a call, when I was bishop of Knoxville, that someone had read an article in Extension magazine about Franciscan Father Tom Vos’ ministry in east Tennessee. Impressed by the article, that person wrote a $10,000 check that was to be used for a church in east Tennessee. I was able to connect the donor with a parish that was building a church. The priest was thrilled to find that in Catholic Extension he had a partner he never knew existed. What do you see as the particular role Catholic Extension plays in the Catholic Church of the United States today? I see two roles. The first one is: Pope Francis is talking a lot about “accompanying,” walking with people in need. For over 100 years, the bread and butter of Catholic Extension has been helping people build and repair church buildings, and that has been a tremendous act of accompaniment. The second thing is the recent efforts in capacity-building, in helping to develop leaders in the mission dioceses. Through that important work, Catholic Extension has had a great, positive impact on the Catholic Church in the United States. That includes the education of seminarians, the development of Hispanic Lay
Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz says this Year of Mercy is a great clarion call to focus on the time-honored mission of mercy.
Leaders and the development of Young Adult Leaders in the Church. I had several seminarians whom we would never have been able to afford to send to a seminary without the education funding from Catholic Extension. I am also thinking of several wonderful young Latinos who have benefited from Catholic Extension programs. I recently got a letter from a former youth minister in Johnson City, Tennessee, who now works in South Carolina. If it weren’t for the support of Catholic Extension, she would never have had the chance to become the leader she is today. How do you see Pope Francis’ call to “go out to the peripheries” relating to the mission of Catholic Extension? In many ways the call of Pope Francis to go out to the peripheries — which is the call of Jesus — and the more than 110-year-old mission of Catholic Extension to do just that are a great fit. Catholic Extension has anticipated for decades the call that Pope Francis
Extension | Spring 2016 35
“
Christ calls for generosity. There is a great spirit of generosity that surrounds Catholic Extension.”
PHOTO CNS
is giving today. It fits perfectly. And as Pope Francis comes to know Catholic Extension, he is going to be one of the great proponents of our work. How did your experience in a mission diocese prepare you for your roles today as archbishop MERCY FUND TO SUPPORT MINISTRY TO THE POOR In honor of Archbishop Kurtz’s service to Catholic Extension’s board of governors, Catholic Extension has just announced a special “Mercy Fund.” Following Archbishop Kurtz’s expressed desire, the Mercy Fund will support the Church’s pastoral outreach and spiritual care to the poor, displaced and vulnerable in this Year of Mercy. This special initiative will support a number of dioceses this year, and it will be one more way that Catholic Extension will be marking this Jubilee year.
in Louisville and president of the bishops’ conference? Being a bishop in a mission diocese ensures that you are close to the people you serve. Knoxville only had 40 parishes, and so I visited them very often. Being able to come to know the people of the diocese and not to simply be an administrator had a great effect on me. I would compare it to the privilege I had to serve as a pastor in two parishes in Pennsylvania. What are your greatest hopes for the Year of Mercy the Church is celebrating this year? The Year of Mercy is a call to touch everyone’s heart, beginning with our own. Both we who are called to serve and those who feel most distant from Christ need our hearts to be touched by mercy. This year is a great clarion call to focus on the time-honored mission of mercy that Pope Francis is giving us. Catholic Extension, of course, is not waiting for people to come to us but is going out to reach people where they are, especially at the
margins. Catholic Extension has been undertaking a mission of mercy for more than a century. Can you share an experience of mercy in your own life? To me, my brother Georgie, who had Down Syndrome, really captured the spirit of mercy. He taught me some important lessons. He made me slow down and “stop and smell the roses” and made me appreciate people. Not living a very complicated life, he was always able to spread joy. He also was not afraid to ask for help when he needed help, and he made it easier for me to do the same. I think that capacity to ask others for help can make us understand what it means to be dependent on God. Looking back over the past six years with Catholic Extension, what else stands out for you? I count it as a great privilege in my life to have come to know and serve the mission of Catholic Extension, and I am grateful for that. I have had great admiration for Cardinal George, the former chancellor, and all of the board, and I know that Archbishop Cupich will continue that strong tradition of leadership. It has been a great privilege over the past six years to come to know and work with the fine staff, beginning with Father Jack Wall.
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36 Seminarian Q&A
W
hy are you becoming a priest? I am inspired by the people of my parish in Meridian, Mississippi, and by the example of my pastor there. The Lord has put this call on my heart and has asked me to discern what life as a priest would be like. Throughout my seminary journey, this call has grown stronger and I am more excited than ever to start ministering with the people in the Diocese of Jackson, Mississippi. What did you do before you joined the seminary? I was a local television news anchor. I reported on everything from tornado touchdowns to local elections and sporting events. Catholic Extension funded your participation in the Institute for Priestly Formation summer program. What did you experience there? I experienced the love of God. The institute helped me develop a robust life of prayer. I realized that my first objective must always be to cultivate my relationship with the Lord in prayer, and out of that prayer come fruits in ministry. What are your favorite ministries? My favorite ministries have to do with talking. I did that as a professional, so I love to speak publicly about the faith, whether in small or large group settings. Hopefully this love will translate into delivering a good homily down the road. I have also worked with hospital and prison ministries, and feel a great duty to care for those who cannot take care of themselves. The Lord calls me to relational ministry. Once I worked on a Hab-
Anchored in faith Seminarian Nick Adam leaves broadcasting career to talk about Christ itat for Humanity project alongside parishioners. Working day to day with people who were living out their faith in marriage and single life inspired me to find out what God was calling me to do. I remember speaking with an older friend about how he met his wife, and he said that his faith played a huge role in the decision. What a novelty for me as a young person, to hear that someone’s relationship with God was so pivotal in a major life decision! This made me start thinking less about what I wanted and more about what God wants for me. Why do you think the upcoming Year of Mercy is important for Catholics? Many Catholics are yearning to experience God’s mercy but may not know that it is readily available in the Church. The sacraments are such incredible vehicles of grace, and yet many people are hesitant to receive them for a variety of reasons. I pray that this year puts the
sacraments — especially the sacrament of reconciliation — back on the map for faithful Catholics. Growing to love confession and to seek God’s forgiveness and healing has helped me so much in my discernment of the priesthood, and it is something that can help others who may also be struggling. Catholic Extension has supported seminarian education in the Diocese of Jackson since the 1920s. How does this assistance help? This assistance makes it possible for me to study in the seminary. The education I am receiving will have a direct impact on thousands of Catholics in the diocese, but it is only possible because of the generosity and support of individuals and organizations such as Catholic Extension. Extension also covered my tuition for the Institute for Priestly Formation, which was a huge help in my discernment and will bear fruit in my ministry for the rest of my life.
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Foundations 37
S. DAKOTA
Dozens of charitable foundations partner with Catholic Extension
WISCONSIN
MICHIGAN
OREGON
MINNESOTTA
Building on firm foundations
NEW YORK
IOWA
PENNSYLVANIA INDIANA
ILLINOIS
COLORADO
OHIO
CALIFORNIA TENNESSEE
N. CAROLINA
Thirty-four foundations in 22 states support Catholic Extension.
TEXAS
A RID FLO
P
NEW JERSEY DELAWARE MARYLAND
ARIZONA
hilanthropy to Catholic Extension and our deserving mission dioceses would not be what it has been for more than 110 years without the tremendous support we receive from charitable foundations across the United States. Catholic faith communities in poor and rural areas of our country have received funding not only from the many individual donors who have supported Catholic Extension throughout our history but also from the generosity of national and local foundations. Foundation grants have funded priests, lay leaders, ministries, sisters, schools and church buildings as well as helped to launch some of our newest Strategic Initiatives such as the U.S. Latin American Sisters Exchange Program and the Health Ministry Initiative. These foundations are an essential part of the charitable support
MASSACHUSETTS
Foundations support the Latin American sisters serving in poor U.S. parishes as part of our Strategic Initiative.
that helps Catholic Extension fulfill the greatest needs of our mission dioceses. We are grateful to the 34 foundations who have been partnering with us. They have made Extension one of their “charities of choice” and have put us among their philanthropic priorities. Our foundations are based throughout the country — coast to coast, north to south. We’re
rooted from Mill City, Oregon, to Wilmington, Delaware, from Des Moines, Iowa, to Houston, Texas. Among our foundation partners are the AJ Frank Family Foundation, Amaturo Family Foundation, the Arthur Foundation, Catholic Community Foundation for Eastern South Dakota, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Dr. Scholl Foundation, Fontana Leadership Development, Inc., Healy Family Foundation, Helen Brach Foundation, Raskob Foundation for Catholic Activities, Inc., the Kuntz Foundation, the Ochylski Family Foundation, William F. O’Connor Foundation and the Strake Foundation. Many foundations choose to be anonymous. We are enormously thankful for all of our charitable foundation assistance.
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38 Connect
GET IN TOUCH Please contact us at magazine@ catholicextension.org or 150 S. Wacker Drive, Suite 2000, Chicago, IL 60606 VISIT OUR WEBSITE catholicextension.org FIND US ON FACEBOOK
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Dear Catholic Extension, I WOULD LIKE TO
take the opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks for all you do for our diaconate programs in the Diocese of Lubbock. It has truly allowed us to provide good resources for continuing education and to begin a new formation
Deacon Ron and Tricia Vowels Dear Catholic Extension,
formation and earned the certificate
THANK YOU FOR helping us to deep-
of pastoral studies from the Oblate
en our spiritual lives and to become
School of Theology in San Antonio.
dedicated servants in building up
This inspired me to pursue a master’s
God’s kingdom. Because of your finan-
in pastoral studies through Loyola Uni-
cial assistance to the Diocese of Lub-
versity’s extension program, made
bock, my husband completed deacon
possible by financial assistance from
formation and was ordained in 2012.
Catholic Extension. I am also in active
He was assigned to San Ramón Cath-
ministry at San Ramón, serving as its
olic Church, a small parish outside of
director of RCIA and on the parish
Lubbock, as the only deacon.
council.
Among his ministries, he has start-
Your help has prepared us both to
ed a local chapter of the Knights of
be strong and dedicated disciples in
Columbus as well as a men’s spiritual-
service to God through the Catholic
ity program. He conducts a bi-weekly
Church.
communion service for inmates in the
Sincerely in Christ,
local county jail and serves on the par-
› Deacon Ron and Tricia Vowels
ish council and finance committee.
| San Ramón Church, Diocese of
I also participated in the deacon
Lubbock, Texas
program. This program, which is in its aspirancy year, has 35 men and their
Dear Catholic Extension,
We give thanks to God for the gener-
wives meeting once a month to dis-
WE CANNOT
ous donors that made your gift possi-
cern their vocation to the diaconate.
THANK YOU
ble. Although we have few resources,
Without your assistance we wouldn’t
enough for your
our faith is strong. We are very thank-
be able to form men and women to
generous assis-
ful for your support. Please pray for us
minister in jails, hospitals and nurs-
tance to St. Bernard
and for our parish, as we’ll pray for you
ing homes in our diocese. We really
Parish in Black-
and your wonderful donors.
appreciate all you do for us.
foot. Your kind donation of $45,000 will
› Father José de Jesús González |
› Deacon Juan Cavazos | Director of
enable us to save our beautiful church
Pastor, St. Bernard Parish, Diocese
Deacons, Diocese of Lubbock, Texas
from literally sinking into the ground.
of Boise, Idaho
WHAT WE ARE HEARING
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Extension | Spring 2016 39
Vision to Grow” church renovation
is a huge blessing for the elderly
ON BEHALF OF
project. We received your generous
folks. Thanks a lot for your prayers
the parishioners
help of $70,000 through the office of
and huge support. God bless all your
of Blessed Sac-
the Diocese of Baker.
endeavors.
Dear Catholic Extension,
› Father José T. Mudakodiyil |
rament Church in
Our Church community is very
Ontario, Oregon,
excited about the work and is look-
Pastor, Blessed Sacrament Church,
I want to express
ing forward to using the remodeled
Diocese of Baker, Ore.
my deepest appreciation for your
facility. The addition of the elevator to
very generous help toward our “New
access the church and its basement
Dear Catholic Extension, I VERY MUCH ENJOY the magazine.
Newly-ordained priests Father Everardo Mora Torres (right) and Father Daniel Martínez-Patino at their ordination Mass last July at Our Lady of Remedies Church in Zitácuaro, Mexico.
It is beautifully designed and engagingly written (I say this as a former reporter for Our Sunday Visitor.) I look forward to its quarterly publication. It does a terrific job of connecting donors to the cause — allowing them to see and feel the nationwide impact of your work in Catholic communities large and Dear Catholic Extension,
grateful. You are a living testimony of
CATHOLIC EXTENSION HAS been a
what it means to be Christian. Your
› Kimberley Heatherington | Dio-
great support in my priesthood for-
faith has been accompanied by good
cese of Arlington, Va.
mation, not only for me but for all the
deeds. May God continue to bless the
seminarians of the Diocese of Biloxi.
ministries that you support.
I personally am very thankful for all
› Father Everardo (Lalo) Mora
of you, for your ministry and for your
Torres | Parochial Vicar, Our Lady
generosity. My family in Mexico is also
of Fatima, Diocese of Biloxi, Miss.
small, near and far. All the best,
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40 Donor Profile
Donor Cornelia Sullivan reflects on having Catholic Extension in her heart
Child’s play inspires charity an enjoyed the Growing up, Sulliv azine. of Extension mag n io children’s sect girl a s ow sh 44 issue This September 19 s.” ut to cu r te Pe r athe playing with the “F
C
ornelia Sullivan remembers Catholic Extension from her childhood back in the 1920s. Her family received Extension magazine — at the time still aiming to be a Catholic version of the Ladies Home Journal — and she vaguely recalls her mother reading it. But what she remembers quite clearly are the children’s pages. “One thing that caught my attention was that they had a section for children,” she said. “It had paper cutouts of priests, and they had all the different vestments a priest would wear. You cut them out, and there were little tabs to put them on the figure. They had an altar and chalices and
hosts and tabernacles. They had all that.” Those “Father Peter cutouts” may just have been fun child’s play, but they created a place in Sullivan’s heart for Catholic Extension. Now, at age 96, she’s a longtime donor. She believes her mother stopped receiving Extension magazine during the Great Depression when her father lost his job as an engineer at Dodge Motors. It wasn’t until decades later that Catholic Extension would once again enter Sullivan’s life.
During that time she finished school, became a teacher, married an army man who fought in World War II, raised five children and moved from her home in Michigan to Philadelphia. Then, in 1977, she was widowed. After her husband died, she decided she’d like to donate more to charity and thought of those paper cutouts from Extension magazine. “I guess I remembered Extension, and I just felt that was where I would like my money to go. I’ve been impressed with all the good they do for the poor parishes that don’t have churches or priests or sisters. I guess I have Extension in my heart.” But the relationship has been mutually beneficial, she said. While Catholic Extension has gained generous contributions from her, Sullivan has also been able to live on the annuities she is paid annually from her gift to Catholic Extension’s Charitable Gift Annuities program. “The annuities have been a lifesaver,” she said. Serving those who serve Of all the ministries Catholic Extension supports, Sullivan said she’s most impressed by the missionaries who give their lives to serve the poor and to spread the Catholic faith, especially here at home. “One thing that I think appeals to me
“
I can’t go out and be a missionary myself, so I want to aid the missionaries.” —CORNELIA SULLIVAN, Catholic Extension longtime donor
is that it’s in the United States,” she said. “There are an awful lot of missionaries that go to other countries, but we need missionaries here just as much, if not more than in other countries.” While the life of a missionary appeals to her, Sullivan recognizes that age and hearing impairments have taken their toll. But she still wants to help those who help God. “I can’t go out and be a missionary myself, so I want to aid the missionaries,” she said. Sullivan explained that she fears younger generations are less and less likely to practice Catholicism in adulthood. But she believes missionaries can help people find their way back into the church. She hopes that by supporting missionaries, she is helping spread the faith. “We’re here in service to people, not just to take care of ourselves,” Sullivan said. “I think Catholic Extension is a wonderful way to do the Lord’s work.”
LEFT Cornelia Sullivan, who has cherished a lifetime relationship with
Catholic Extension, is shown here in her younger years.
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YOUR PRAYERS AND SUPPORT WILL HELP HIM ALONG THE WAY.
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Artful Prayer 43
PRAYER TO ST. MARY MAGDALENE St. Mary Magdalene, you came with springing tears to the spring of mercy, Christ. From Him your burning thirst was abundantly refreshed; through Him your sins were forgiven; by Him your bitter sorrow was consoled. My dearest lady, well you know by your own life what counsel a soul in misery needs, what medicine will restore the sick to health. You are now with the chosen because you are beloved and are beloved because you are chosen of God. Turn to my good that ready access that you once had and still have to the spring of mercy. What can I say, how can I find words to tell, about the burning love with which you sought Him, weeping at the tomb, and wept for Him in your seeking? How He came, who can say how or with what kindness, to comfort you, and made you burn with love still more; how He showed Himself when you did not think to see Him; and how He sought you when, seeking Him, you wept. Hear me, O Lord, for Your love, and for the dear merits of Your beloved Mary. Shake my heart out of its indolence, Lord, and in the ardor of Your love bring me to the everlasting sight of Your glory, where with the Father and the Holy Spirit You live and reign, God, forever. Amen. — BY ST. A N S E L M O F C A N T E R B U RY (1 033 –11 0 9 )
O
n the Tuesday after Easter this year, the reading from the Gospel of John tells of Mary Magdalene’s encounter with the risen Christ. Mary Magdalene was the first witness to the resurrection and has been given the honorary title of “apostle to the apostles.” This scene has been a favorite motif in Christian art since late antiquity, and the artworks are usually titled “Noli me tangere” — after the Latin for Jesus’ words “Do not hold onto me” in John 20:17.
This stained-glass window is from Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Winfield, Alabama. Together with its two mission parishes, Holy Spirit covers four counties with a territory the size of Rhode Island. Catholics in this part of the Bible Belt make up only 0.5 percent of the population. Five years ago the parishioners mounted a strong response to the heartbreaking devastation caused by several tornadoes that had torn through the area. The parish’s many active ministries
include a large religious education program, four Christian Centers of Concern and other assistance to the poor, a growing Hispanic ministry, a shelter for battered women and children, a prison ministry and a ministry to the sick and homebound. Over the past 35 years, Catholic Extension’s support to the parish has included salary subsidies for its pastors and staff and funding for the building of a parish hall/catechetical center and a new church.
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