Glenmary Challenge Summer 2016

t h e m a g a z i n e o f C at h o l i c m i s s i o n e r s t o r u r a l A m e r i c a

Summer 2016

w w w. g l e n m a r y. o r g

The Culture of Care

Pope Francis: ‘Now is the time for courageous actions’

The People’s Pastoral a vision for the future of

Appalachia

Glenmary Home Missioners Founded by Father William Howard Bishop in 1939, this Catholic society of priests and brothers, along with numerous coworkers, establishes the Catholic Church in smalltown and rural America. Glenmary is the only religious community devoted exclusively to serving the spiritually and materially poor in the rural U.S. home missions. Today, supported entirely through freewill offerings, it staffs missions and ministries throughout Appalachia and the South.

Glenmary missioners serve in areas where fewer than 1 percent are Catholic, a significant percentage have no church affiliation and the poverty rate is alFather William most twice the national average.

Glenmary is known for deeply Howard Bishop respecting the many cultures Glenmary Founder encountered in the home missions—Appalachian, Native American, African American and Latino among others. Its missionary activity includes building Catholic communities, fostering ecumenical cooperation, evangelizing the unchurched, social outreach and working for justice.

Glenmary Challenge This quarterly magazine has three goals: to educate Catholics about the U.S. home missions, to motivate young men to consider Glenmary priesthood or brotherhood, and to invite all Catholics to respond to their baptismal call to be missionary by partnering with Glenmary as financial contributors, prayer partners, professional coworkers and/or volunteers.

Glenmary Challenge is sent to all donors, to U.S. diocesan clergy and to anyone who requests it. (To begin receiving issues, use the contact information below.)

Publisher: Father Chet Artysiewicz Editor: Chris Gramke Assistant Editor: Dale Hanson Art Director: Tricia Sarvak Staff Writers: Margaret Gabriel, Father John S. Rausch Planning-Review Board: Brother David Henley, Brother Curt Kedley, Frank Lesko, Father Neil Pezzulo, Father John S. Rausch, Susan Sweet, Father Don Tranel

Glenmary Home Missioners P.O. Box 465618 • Cincinnati, OH 45246-5618 513-874-8900 • 800-935-0975 www.glenmary.org • info@glenmary.org © 2016 Glenmary Home Missioners. Reprint permission granted upon request.

2

Glenmary Challenge



Summer 2016

My first trip to the home missions FROM THE EDITOR / Chris Gramke

B

ack in late March and early April, I got to see firsthand what life is like at Glenmary missions when I and seven other coworkers traveled to East Tennessee.

Our trip was a four-day venture to three Glenmary missions: St. John Paul II in Rutledge, Blessed Teresa of Calcutta in Maynardville, and St. Michael the Archangel in Erwin.

Some of us had never been on a mission trip before, so it was a new experience. I was struck by the things I saw and learned during my visit.

Foremost in my mind is the amazing dedication, passion and tireless energy of our Glenmary missioners! I have a newfound respect and admiration for the work involved in establishing a Catholic presence in places where it did not exist before.

We encountered individuals and families from a wide range of cultural backgrounds and learned how they live and cope in East Tennessee rural areas. We saw how many people are struggling with poverty every day. We found out about the difficulties of overcoming cultural and language barriers. And we learned just how far people will travel to attend Mass.

B

ut the most memorable thing I experienced was the joy cgramke@glenmary.org and excitement the people in the mission areas feel about the arrival of the Catholic Church and Glenmary. How happy and thrilled the people are that Glenmary has come to their counties, established the Church there and reached out to help people in need. You could see their faces light up as they shared their experiences and their gratitude for having us in their own counties!

That was one trip I’ll never forget.

On the same topic, I highly recommend the insightful page-18 piece on Glenmary by Bishop Richard Stika of the Knoxville diocese.  Chris Gramke

ABOUT THE COVER: The cover art by Christopher Santer was first used on the front cover of the new “People’s Pastoral” from the Catholic Committee of Appalachia—the subject of Father John Rausch’s story in this issue. w w w. g l e n m a r y. o r g

T H E M A G A Z I N E O F C AT H O L I C M I S S I O N E R S T O R U R A L A M E R I C A

Summer 2016

w w w. g l e n m a r y. o r g

Vo l u m e 7 9 / N u m b e r 2

Cover Story

9 art / christopher santer

A Vision for the Future of Appalachia

In the new “People’s Pastoral” issued by the Catholic Committee of Appalachia, the voices of the region’s residents raise awareness of Appalachia’s problems and possibilities.

Feature Story

13

The Culture of Care

This follow-up to Father Neil Pezzulo’s award-winning “Care of Creation” story (Summer 2014) explores how the culture of care and culture of life are interwoven.

Stewardship, Page 13

Departments & columns

4 5 8 12 17 18 w w w. g l e n m a r y. o r g

From the President / Father Chet Artysiewicz

The “spirit of Glenmary” is flourishing in our missioners and missions.

Glenmary News & Notes

Parishioners serve, lead in mission and diocese; novices announced; ‘El Reto’ returns; grant funds outreach. Lay leaders, Page 5

Missioner Reaches Across Brokenness

A Glenmarian attends African-American Protestant churches as a form of interracial/ecumenical outreach.

Mission Spirituality

Father Frank Schenk, age 100, reflects on his Glenmary ministry and the home missioner’s role.

Mission partners, Page 17

Partners in Mission

For decades, the Knors have helped Glenmary through generous donations, volunteer work and planned giving.

A Bishop’s Perspective

Bishop Richard Stika writes about the ways Glenmary has made a major impact in his Knoxville diocese.

Summer 2016



Bishop Stika, Page 18

Glenmary Challenge

3

from the president / Father Chet Artysiewicz

Can do, will do, make do The spirit of Glenmary is flourishing in our missioners and missions

I

n each of my columns I share with you stories of Glenmary’s ministries, perhaps from the parishes we staff in rural and small-town America or about Glenmarians or coworkers in a national or support capacity.

In this issue of the Challenge, I would like to provide you with a glimpse of the “spirit of Glenmary” as manifested by Glenmarians themselves. The article’s heading provides you with a succinct description of that spirit.

C

an do. A friend of mine joined the Seabees and shared their motto with me: “The difficult we do at once; the impossible takes a bit longer.” We love that “can-do” spirit in those who are undaunted by obstacles. There’s a contagious enthusiasm about such people. In football parlance: “It’s fourth and goal—give him the ball!”

Glenmarians respond to the formidable challenge to live and serve in regions not their own, with no large Catholic culture to support them. The missionary call is, in a sense, a vocation within a vocation—to choose to minister where you are very much a minority. I cannot explain from where the “can-do” attitude comes; I can only attest to its presence in Glenmarians regardless of personality and disposition.

W

ill do. The above spirit forges a connection between the individuals and Glenmary. But that spirit needs to be nurtured and repeatedly renewed. “Can do” becomes “will do” as we dedicate ourselves daily to this ministry. Our Oath process reflects this commitment: we begin by pledging ourselves to live the Glenmary way of life for one year at a time. After three one-year commitments, a member becomes eligible to profess Final Oath, dedicating his whole life to the Glenmary apostolate.

Each passing year of dedication reinforces the “will do” of Final Oath commitment. At our annual Assembly this year, we will recognize the anniversaries of eight men who have served cumulatively for more than 400 years—and counting.

4

Glenmary Challenge



Summer 2016

M

ake do. “Making do” simply reflects everyone’s experience at some point.

How many of you readers started out struggling to make ends meet, making do with limited paychecks, and trying to stretch it when your families expanded?

In the missions where Glenmary missioners serve, resources are very limited. I experienced this fact again recently as I squeezed between the audiovisual equipment and stacks of tables and chairs to reach a mission church’s “sacristy,” although that is a grandiose term for a single closet rod where the vestments were hung in a congested corner. Whether it is Father Chet rented space, used equipment Artysiewicz or limited personnel to fulfill cartysiewicz@glenmary.org the necessary tasks, Glenmarians will “make do” with what’s available and, I’m happy to say, with very little complaint.

And here’s the capper: When finally the day comes when space and resources are ample, the missioner seldom gets to enjoy the enhancements because by then the parish is returned to the care of the diocese. He moves on to the next assignment, where the watchword is—once again—“make do.”

I

f you have never met a Glenmarian in person, this “description” will afford you a peek at our spirit. We do not think about it much ourselves; it is just…who we are, recipients of God’s grace.

Now, let me add that if you are someone perhaps feeling a tug toward the call to ministry and the above description seems to resonate with you, I would invite you to investigate a bit. A phone call to Brother David Henley (513-881-7494) could help you discern if this calling is a match for you.

Thank you to all our supporters who enable us to joyfully exercise this difficult ministry daily—and to keep the seemingly impossible  in our sights as well. w w w. g l e n m a r y. o r g

Glenmary

Parishioners make mark on diocesan, parish life

news &notes photos / courtesy st. michael mission

L A y l e a d e rs h i p

Erwin, Tenn., mission members serve, lead [tennessee] Luis Reynoso, a member of Glenmary’s St. Michael mission in Erwin, was one of

award winner: Luis

with Cardinal Rigali.

lay mission leaders: See accompanying story.

two high-school youths in the Diocese of Knoxville who received the 2015 Timothy Award—the highest diocesan honor bestowed on a teenager— at a Mass celebrated by Cardinal Justin Rigali (see photo at left).

Criteria include living as a disciple of Christ, demonstrating Gospel

values through service, and exhibiting Christian leadership.

“Luis is a dynamic and enthusiastic young man and leader,” said mission pastor Father Tom Charters. “He was a very active member of the Diocesan Youth Ministry Advisory Council (DYMAC).”

Meanwhile, the four

Erwin parishioners pictured at left—Alma Andrade, Ambrocia Andrade, Patricia Ponce and Lorena Reynoso (Luis’ mother)—received program and diocesan catechetical certificates after completion of a Southeast Pastoral Institute (SEPI) Spanish-language program in basics of theology.

Lorena and Alma are also taking an Englishlanguage catechist training course so they’ll be well prepared to coordinate future parish religiouseducation programs.

The four women are involved in a variety of mission ministries. Lorena and Alma were already active as catechists. Ambrocia is the social chair, responsible for organizing all mission celebrations. Lorena, Alma and Patricia have also done outreach work with migrant workers.

L A R G E S T N O V I C E G R O U P I N R E C E N T HI S T O R Y

Glenmary announces new novitiate class Some students also installed at seminaries as lectors, acolyte [ohio] Four Glenmary students recently applied for and were accepted into the new Glenmary novitiate class, a oneyear program beginning July 1. The new novices include (in photos, left to right) Jose Carlos Miguel Lopez, Samuel Mungai, Aloysius Ssendawula and Kenneth Wandera. w w w. g l e n m a r y. o r g

“The novitiate is the next step of discernment and preparation for them on their journey to becoming Glenmarians and missioners,” said Father Dan Dorsey. He and Father Tom Kirkendoll are novitiate codirectors.

Novices spend the first part of the year studying about Glenmary’s history,

mission and spirituality.

Then each is assigned to a mission, where he has the chance to experience mission life and ministries. Finally, he spends the last months of his novitiate preparing for his First Glenmary Oath.

Also this past spring, the following students were installed in the Summer 2016



Ministry of Lector: Jose Carlos at Sacred Heart Seminary (Hales Corners, Wisc.), and Samuel and Aloysius at St. Meinrad (Ind.) Seminary.

In addition, Richard Toboso, who professed his First Glenmary Oath last May, was installed in the Ministry of Acolyte at St. Meinrad Seminary.

Glenmary Challenge

5

glenmary

news & notes

continued

outr e ac h an d vocat i ons

‘El Reto’ magazine available in June A variety of uses planned for annual Spanish publication [ohio] The second issue of the annual 16-page El Reto Glenmary (Glenmary Challenge) will be available June 3.

This edition of the Spanish-language publication will contain stories from the Glenmary Challenge Winter 2015 and Spring 2016 issues, as well as general information about Glenmary and Father Bishop and stories from the missions.

The publication will help spread the word about Glenmary’s home mission ministry and outreach among those

whose primary language is Spanish.

It will also be used as a handout when Glenmary staff make presentations to vocation and donor groups. In addition, missioners and coworkers who minister to Spanish-speaking persons in mission communities and mission counties will receive copies for distribution.

For more information: Contact Brother David Henley at vocations@glenmary.org or 800-935-0975.

Establish a

Glenmary Gift Annuity Today

It’s as

Easy Pie!

as

How do you rate?

B

y establishing a Glenmary charitable gift annuity you: • Have the satisfaction of helping Glenmary continue its mission and ministry.

• Receive a charitable tax deduction and lifetime fixed income (with deferred payment option).

For more information about how a Glenmary Gift Annuity can help you and Glenmary, please contact:

Susan Lambert, Planned Giving Officer 800.935.0975 • slambert@glenmary.org

The following table shows figures based on a one-life annuity of $15,000. Rates are based on the gift annuity rates recommended by the American Council on Gift Annuities.

Age 60 65 70 75 80 85 90

Rate Annual Income 4.4% $660 4.7% $705 5.1% $765 5.8% $870 6.8% $1,020 7.8% $1,170 9.0% $1,350

All information is strictly confidential. This information is not legal advice. A future donor should seek the guidance of a qualified estate and/or tax professional to understand the consequences of a gift. Glenmary gift annuities are not issued in Alabama or Hawaii.

6

Glenmary Challenge



Summer 2016

Around the Missions  Brother Curt Kedley and Father John Rausch are golden jubilarians this year, celebrating 50 years as Glenmarians. Fathers Rollie Hautz, Bob Rademacher and Frank Schenk are marking a special milestone as well: their 65th anniversary as Glenmary members.

The three were part of what Glenmary founder Father Bishop referred to as the society’s “good company of men.”  Grupo Huellas, a performance group of 10 young adults from El Salvador, presented the play Paschal Mystery to 60 members of the St. Joan of Arc mission in Plymouth, N.C., March 22.

The group travels the East Coast of the United States raising money and empowering young people by heightening awareness about their Catholic faith.

The funds raised are used to help senior citizens living in poverty in El Salvador.

The event was part of the mission’s education program, connecting art with the catechizing of children and adults at the mission.  St. Luke mission in Cuthbert, Ga., recently started its first religious education classes for students ages 8-18.

Classes meet on Sundays and include sacramental preparation. At the same time, the mission is also offering English as a Second Language (ESL) classes for Latino adults.  Brother Levis Kuwa graduated from the University of Cincinnati April 29 with a bachelor’s degree in nursing. He will begin the first assignment of his nursing ministry June 15 in western Georgia and will reside in Blakely, site of Holy Family mission.  Brother Craig Digmann will begin a Catholic presence ministry in Hancock County, Tenn., July 1. Brother Joe Steen will become Glenmary’s personnel resource person, residing in Maynardville, Tenn., effective August 1.  Father Neil Pezzulo is a founding board member of FaCT Ohio, a new interfaith environmental group. w w w. g l e n m a r y. o r g

SOCIAL OUTREACH

Grant allows mission to open new outreach center [tennessee] Glenmary’s St. John Paul II mission in Rutledge, Tenn., has received a $10,000 grant from Glenmary to open an outreach center in Bean Station, Tenn.

This center, called Mercy House, will be located in northern Grainger County, about 15 miles from Rutledge. The location was chosen, according to mission pastor Father Steve Pawelk, because of the urgent need for resources in that part of the county.

“Many of the calls I receive for financial help are from folks who live in trailer parks in that area,” he said. “With this outreach site, we can provide immediate help to the residents in need.”

The center will be staffed and run solely by volunteers. Teresa Nardi and Jacob Masson will be the volunteers in charge. Teresa lives in the nearby town of Blaine and attends St. John Paul II mission. She recently received a twoyear certificate in spiritual direc-

photoS / Chris Gramke

Funding paves way for Mercy House project to serve people in need in Grainger County, Tenn.

Help is on the way: The new Mercy House in Bean Station,

Tenn., will provide much-needed resources for people in northern Grainger County, especially residents of nearby trailer parks.

tion from the Ursuline Sisters of Owensboro, Ky. Jacob, a convert to Catholicism, is from Bean Station and also attends St. John Paul II mission. He is a former premedical student who lost his sight during his graduate-school years at the University of Tennessee.

Father Steve expects Mercy

House will be a busy place when it opens sometime in June 2016.

“We anticipate that it will be a place to listen to the stories of the poor and unchurched,” he said.

“We hope to have a computer lab and printer since there is no library in town. We’ll also have some food and clothing on hand.

Most outreach services will be referral-based. In addition, we plan to have a small pot of soup available, as well as a spiritual reading corner.”

The purpose of the outreach site is to establish a stronger Catholic presence and a pre-evangelization ministry in the county’s largest population center. Operating hours are yet to be determined, but the plan is for Mercy House to be open two afternoons and one evening each week.

“The grant will allow us to help many people,” said Father Steve.

It will also be used to cover the cost of rent and help pay utilities including water and heat.

PASTOR’S HOME VISIT: Father Steve visits and checks on the well-being of a mother (not in photo) and family in Grainger County. w w w. g l e n m a r y. o r g

Summer 2016



Glenmary Challenge

7

Interracial and ecumenical ministry / by Frank Lesko

Brother reaches across brokenness Attends African-American Protestant churches as ministry of presence and solidarity Editor’s Note: Brother Curt Kedley, a Glenmary senior member ministering in Bertie County, N.C., has been a Glenmarian for 50 years—serving in six states in a range of social outreach and vocation ministries.

B

photo / frank lesko

roken. That is the first word Brother Curt Kedley uses to describe the areas in rural Georgia and eastern North Carolina where he has served.

He has seen brokenness in the festering, multigenerational poverty; in the lack of support and nourishment of human beings to help them reach their potential; in the persistent racial divide between black and white; and in the gulf between Catholics and Protestants. It’s daunting to discern what one person could do in response.

The answer came to him at the Pine Tree Festival in Hancock County, Ga., in 1993. He was one of very few white people there among thousands of African-Americans.

A woman approached him, and they started talking. The conversation ended with an invitation: “You have got to come to our church,” she told him.

“I’ll be there tomorrow!” replied Brother Curt. He described this as a “very spiritual encounter” and said he Brother Curt Kedley has never looked back.

He found his direction: one significant way that he’d reach out across the brokenness was through solidarity in worship.

He started visiting other churches, mostly African-American Protestant ones. He’d select a group of around a half-dozen churches where he would worship regularly. He was careful to cultivate a steady presence and eventually become part of the community. Over the years, he has phased over 50 churches in and out of his rotation.

Brother Curt knows his vocation well. He has the soul of a consecrated religious brother. He has never wanted to conduct a worship service; instead, he prefers to be among the people.

What he did not expect was that he would almost invariably be given a leadership role 8

Glenmary Challenge



Summer 2016

in the services. It could be reading Scripture, praying or even preaching. He would be asked to sit up front with the other worship leaders.

The African-American community often recognizes visiting ministry professionals this way.

“I always felt distant from the people,” he said.

Since relocating to North Carolina, he has been careful to be part of the general congregation, where he feels right at home.

A

t first glance, the ministry appears straightforward—he attends churches as a form of interracial and ecumenical outreach. But that deceptive simplicity hides a profound spirituality of presence and solidarity.

Being present is a way of saying: I want to enter your world and share in that with you. I want to be part of your lives—the good and the bad.

The goal is not to fix or change things but just to be there. It is a way of acknowledging that all people are children of the same God, and each person is deserving of our time and attention.

Jesus modeled solidarity by sharing in the human condition through the Incarnation.

Brother Curt freely admits he goes to African-American Protestant churches to be nourished, as well. “It is always an honor to be there,” he said. “The black churches have an incredible sense of hospitality.”

He affirms that breaking down the racial barrier is foremost, but the ecumenical connection is also important. Historically, Catholics have rarely reached out to the AfricanAmerican community, especially in rural areas.

Glenmary has long promoted visiting other churches in its ecumenical outreach, and Brother Curt Kedley is a shining example.

H

is many years of regular outreach to dozens of churches may seem daunting to the average person. However, there may be some things we can glean from his story and apply to our own lives. Perhaps each of us can find a church that is different from his or her own and visit it from time to time.

This can be a great way to share goodwill and show by example our oneness in Christ. 

Frank Lesko is Glenmary’s director of Catholic-Evangelical relations. w w w. g l e n m a r y. o r g

photo / courtesy catholic committee of appalachia

Pastoral from the people: The new pastoral issued by the Catholic Committee of Appalachia (CCA)

came from listening sessions throughout Appalachia, where over a thousand people shared their experiences.

A Vision For The

Future of Appalachia In the new ‘People’s Pastoral,’ the voices of the region’s residents raise awareness of Appalachia’s challenges and potential

By Father John S. Rausch

L

ike a long letter written home filled with stories and sentiments of longing, a new pastoral letter shares important insights from the people of Appalachia. Issued last December by the Catholic Committee of Appalachia (CCA), the pastoral—The Telling Takes Us Home: Taking Our Place in the Stories That Shape Us—continues the voice of the Church in the mountains, based on experience, to raise awareness of the problems and possibilities of the Appalachian region. It greets the reader with unique regional stories and suggests a vision of how Appalachia, and indeed the dominant U.S. culture, can evolve.

Bishop John Stowe, OFM Conv., whose Diocese of Lexington contains 40 Appalachian counties in eastern Kentucky, reflected that the w w w. g l e n m a r y. o r g

pastoral came from over a thousand people in numerous listening sessions across Appalachia sharing their experiences—“with special attention to marginalized persons and the devastated Earth.” He noted that Pope Francis’ recent encyclical, Laudato Si, “treats the themes of the cry of the poor and the cry of the Earth in ways that resonate with great importance in our part of the world,” and commended members of CCA for listening “with their hearts as Pope Francis has called us to do.”

The Tradition of Appalachian Pastorals This pastoral, commonly called the “People’s Pastoral,” continues the tradition of reflections  Summer 2016



Glenmary Challenge

9

photo / courtesy catholic committee of appalachia

nut, hickory and oak—some eight feet in diameter—were purchased by Northern agents and hauled by rail to their sawmills. Huge coal seams, sometimes five feet thick, produced a minimum of 5,000 tons per acre for outside steel mills. The economic story of Appalachia revolved around its immense abundance of resources.

When, however, the story of the mountains moves from “resource” to “home,” a different picture emerges.

The enormous wealth and profits of Appalachia were drained from the region, leaving many in their home ‘Act of violence’: “The practice of strip mining has become increascommunities impoverished ingly mechanized and severe, and its most violent form has been dubbed and staring at a desecrated ‘mountaintop removal.’”—The “People’s Pastoral” Earth. As global capitalism sought to maximize profits at any cost, its wake left a arising from the situation in the mountains. In homeland of increased health hazards and sick1975 the Appalachian bishops wrote their seminal nesses from pollution: asthma, cancers, tumors, pastoral, This Land Is Home to Me, which under- liver disease, kidney stones, lung disease, rashes, scored the powerlessness of the people in light of burning eyes, birth defects and stillbirths.

Even worse, death stalked due to indifference corporate ownership and power. It called for establishing centers of reflection where rich and poor and negligence: The Sago Mine disaster of 2006 killed 12, and the Upper Big Branch explosion in alike could discuss the mandates of the Gospel.

Twenty years later in 1995, the Appalachian 2010 took 29. Yet, few remember the 2004 tragbishops issued their second pastoral, At Home edy at Inman, a town a few miles north of Appalain the Web of Life, which situated Appalachia in chia, Va., a former Glenmary mission area.

At 2:30 a.m. one morning, a bulldozer driver the global economy that views the region as a mineral colony. It summoned people from the building a road to a strip mine dislodged a threeculture of death to the culture of life by living foot-round boulder, causing it to roll down a 600and consuming in a sustainable manner. Now, foot mountain and crash through the side of a again 20 years later, this third pastoral is coming house, killing a three-year-old child asleep in his directly from local folks and people involved in bed. Numerous folks had previously complained community ministry. And it captures a lost way to the company about their foundations and walls of viewing reality: understanding Appalachia being cracked from blasting. They had rocks and boulders rolling into their yards, “but nothing can through stories. be compared to losing a child’s life,” said a horrified neighbor.

Stories Have a Point of View When life and culture get so easily dismissed for The pastoral states that in Appalachia, stories the sake of profit, the region readily shows itself, connect people to one another and the land. It in the words of the pastoral, as “a sacrifice zone.” then draws the conclusion: “When the story of these mountains as ‘resource’ takes over the story Change the Story of the mountains as ‘home,’ we become homeless in our own place, and disconnected from Earth Because stories illustrate a point of view, they can be misused to continue situations of injustice. For and one another.”

During the Second Industrial Revolution example, many offer simplistic reasons to explain (1870-1914), Appalachia yielded great quantities the situation in the mountains: too much regulaof timber and coal that fed America’s burgeoning tion killed the coal industry, poverty is a product industrial output. Large stands of poplar, chest- of the culture, or Appalachia is a land left behind. 

10

Glenmary Challenge



Summer 2016

w w w. g l e n m a r y. o r g

photo / COURTESY INDUSTRIALL GLOBAL UNION

MINE WORKERS’ PROTEST: This 2013 rally in Charleston, W.Va., was against a mining company’s efforts to break the mine workers’ union. Glenmary Fathers John Rausch (with sign in left foreground) and Les Schmidt (white-haired man in center) stood in solidarity with the workers.

On the other hand, stories coming from people directly affected by the social and economic forces and those about the Earth itself assume an integrity that gives them authority. For example, McRoberts in Letcher County, Ky., a coal camp, experienced no significant flooding from 1957 to 1999. But beginning in 2000, it faced five major floods in 18 months. The town was ringed with strip mining. Were the floods an act of God? Did McRoberts experience the bad luck of a 100-year flood five times in a row? No, change the story.

The residents were the victims of human-inspired activity, and the earth was disturbed beyond its capacity to absorb the rainfall.

The Magisterium of the Poor and the Earth

voice of God coming more from the least among us than from those with wealth or power. The pastoral states, “We believe that the voices of the poor are to be in some sense our first teachers.”

Later, linking with thoughts from the Holy Father, the pastoral continues: “And more, we believe, like Pope Francis, that Earth ‘is among the most abandoned and maltreated of our poor,’ abused and used up in ways that do not respect its integrity and limits.”

Hence, the pastoral uses the term magisterium (meaning “teaching authority”) in phrases like “the magisterium of the poor” and “the magisterium of the Earth” to affirm the importance of the stories from the marginalized and our common home.

The Stories Continue The “People’s Pastoral” emphasizes stories as a way to understand reality concretely and not by ideology. Glenmary Father Les Schmidt said, “Embracing some three years of sharing stories, the pastoral invites us to join that harmony of listening. In the footsteps of Pope Francis, listening promotes the first step for solidarity with the poor and the  devastated Earth.”

Glenmary Father John Rausch was a member of CCA’s People’s Pastoral Committee.

Glenmary Father Les Schmidt served as a consultant during the pastoral’s development.

Glenmary Brother Joe Steen is a member of the CCA Board of Directors. To read any of the three Appalachian pastorals online or to order copies, visit www.ccappal.org.

Stories add the living dimension to any topic, and the pastoral presents a multitude of people voicing their struggles. They include the land, women, coalfield residents, miners, the economically vulnerable, the homeless, the imprisoned, people of color and the LGBT community.

“We wanted to listen to the people and places who hurt the most, so we can create new paths forward to embody a Church that Pope Francis envisions,” said Michael Iafrate, the lead author of the pastoral and chair of the CCA board.

The pastoral uses the phrase “culture of encounter,” which has become a catchphrase of Pope Francis to mean engaging everyone and everything in dia- APPALACHIAN PASTORALS: (left, 1975) This Land Is Home to Me; logue and with respect. Biblical (center, 1995) At Home in the Web of Life; and (right, 2015) The theology consistently hears the Telling Takes Us Home. w w w. g l e n m a r y. o r g

Summer 2016



Glenmary Challenge

11

Mission Spirituality

‘We are instruments of God’ At age 100, Father Frank reflects on his Glenmary ministry and the missioner’s role Editor’s Note: Father Frank Schenk has been a Glenmarian for 65 years, serving in five states and in Colombia, South America. He now lives at a Cincinnati nursing-care/assisted-living residence along with some other Glenmary senior members. Following are excerpts from a recent interview with the centenarian: Q: Why did you first feel called to be a priest and a Glenmary home missioner?

A: Since I was a young boy, it was in my mind to be a servant of the Lord and the Church. I went to a minor seminary for two years after grade school, but then became ill with osteomyelitis for five years, almost died, and didn’t return to that seminary. But I decided early in college that I definitely wanted to be a priest. And I first read about Glenmary in a Protestant publication!

Being a missionary priest in Father Frank Schenk this country interested me deeply, so I began corresponding with (Glenmary founder) Father Bishop and traveled to Cincinnati in 1948 to meet with him. I liked him and Glenmary, he accepted me, and I joined.

Q: Can you give some examples of the most joyful and fulfilling parts of your ministry and the most challenging parts—and how God helped you meet the challenges?

A: Of course, every ministry assignment has been a combination of the two. We have to realize we are instruments of God. In the end, it’s God’s grace that makes everything fall into place.

As just one example of my assignments: I became a first-time pastor in Spruce Pine, N.C. (1956-64). We had three counties and 40,000 people in our mission area, with only about 100 Catholics. The congregations were in Spruce Pine and Burnsville. We built up Catholic community spirit in many ways, including parish dinners and movie showings, for a real family feeling. We also wanted to make sure others would see us as warm and welcoming.

I reached out to the larger community in different ways. I tried to join the Kiwanis but was rejected. I had a 15-minute weekly radio show 12

Glenmary Challenge



Summer 2016

on the local station, sharing Catholic teachings to dispel ignorance about the Church and evangelize. But the local newspaper editor wouldn’t sell me space for a spirituality column. Four years later, though, when John Kennedy was running for president in 1960, the local Rotary Club asked me to speak on what could be expected of this Catholic if he became president.

My presentation was well received and quieted the waters! Then in 1963, the newspaper editor gave me free space for my weekly column called “Christian Living.” It all showed that when people get to know you and realize you’re not a danger, it changes things.

At a nearby prison, I reached out to inmates on a human level and showed entertaining movies. They were okay with my being a priest because I took an interest in them. One prisoner with a life sentence came to me for several years to learn more about the Catholic faith and sincerely wanted to join. I finally baptized him at our mission. He soon got out of prison on good behavior and got a job at a Catholic parish. I was the helper in his faith journey: it’s God and people’s own openness that allow them to be converted. But it was always a joy when it happened at my missions.

We also succeeded in building a much-needed church in Burnsville. I persuaded Glenmary’s president Father Borchers to let us build it as a mostly local project to save money and also build up the community.

Q: As a senior member, you chose to keep serving in mission areas until your last stay at Plunketville, Okla. (1999-2005), where you turned 90. Why? A: I wanted to serve people in the missions until my death and to prepare for dying. There were only a handful of Catholics in Plunketville, but I assisted at diocesan parishes, too. Glenmary president Father Dan Dorsey finally asked me to come back to Cincinnati headquarters to live because he was concerned about my welfare.

Q: What is your ministry now?

A: Prayer is my main ministry. On my nursingcare floor, I sometimes visit people who the staff tells me don’t have relatives or friends coming in and would appreciate having conversations.  w w w. g l e n m a r y. o r g

feature story

The Culture of Care Glenmarians follow in the footsteps of Pope Francis, who says that now is the time for courageous actions and strategies in caring for creation

By Father Neil Pezzulo

I

n his historic address to Congress last fall, Pope Francis called us to “redirect our steps…now is the time for courageous actions and strategies aimed at implementing a culture of care.” This phrase caught my attention and my imagination.

A “culture of care” strikes me as being integral to our faith lives, like the culture of life to which St. John Paul II called us almost a generation ago.

After spending time reflecting on both the culture of care and the culture of life, I better understand how intimately and integrally they are connected. Honestly, I struggle to separate the two. Without care/stewardship as a primary response to creation, we will not have life. Actu-

w w w. g l e n m a r y. o r g

ally, after reflecting, I have come to see them as interchangeable at times.

Even though it has been a long-held teaching of our Church that we should care for God’s creation as stewards and not as conquerors, the topic is not spoken about often or freely among my fellow disciples. This area of our faith is often misunderstood.

From the encyclical Populorum Progressio (On the Development of Peoples) by Pope Paul VI, 1967: “Already on the first page of Sacred Scripture we read these words: ‘Fill the earth and subdue it.’ (Gn 1:28) By these words we are taught that all things of the world have been created for  Summer 2016



Glenmary Challenge

13

‘ Nature cannot be regarded as something separate from ourselves or as a mere setting in which we live.

We are part of nature. . .’

—Pope Francis, Laudato Si 14

Glenmary Challenge



Summer 2016

w w w. g l e n m a r y. o r g

a network which we will never fully explore and understand.” (Pope Francis, Laudato Si, #138) In the same prophetic encyclical Laudato Si, released in June 2015, Pope Francis also reminded us that:

 man, and that this task has been entrusted to him to enhance their value by the resources of his intellect, and by his toil to complete and perfect them for his own use.

“Now if the earth has been created for the purpose of furnishing individuals either with the necessities of a livelihood or the means for progress, it follows that each man has the right to get from it what is necessary for him.

“The Second Vatican Ecumenical Council has reminded us of this in these words: ‘God destined the earth with all that it contains for the use of all men and nations, in such a way that created things in fair share should accrue to all men under the leadership of justice with charity as a companion.” (#22)

H

ow unfortunate that we as disciples do not speak more often, even passionately, about the culture of care in the same way we speak openly and passionately about the culture of life.

As someone who believes, as a tenet of my faith, that I am called to protect and steward creation as both a legacy from my ancestors and an inheritance for the next generation, I am always confused by the sometime total disregard for stewardship I witness on both a large and small scale.

An understanding that we can simply use the Earth as if it is a commodity to be bought and sold at the whim of an individual is not and never has been our Catholic understanding of the world.

I have come to realize as a fruit of my reflections that as one person, I must use what influence I have to cooperate with and protect nature.

Even though my influence may be limited, it is not irrelevant. I may not be able to singlehandedly change a corporate or government policy that is contrary to a culture of care of creation and a culture of life, but I can exercise my influence as a disciple.

I, as a disciple, can take responsibility for my portion of the world and attempt to live out my discipleship in an ecologically responsible manner. Yet I do not take these steps in a vacuum.

I live in a crowded world that I must engage respectfully and prayerfully, always remembering “how everything is interconnected…part of w w w. g l e n m a r y. o r g

“When we speak of the ‘environment,’ what we really mean is a relationship existing between nature and the society which lives in it. Nature cannot be regarded as something separate from ourselves or as a mere setting in which we live.

We are part of nature, included in it, and thus in constant interaction with it.” (#139)

M

y life as a disciple is interconnected with the entire web of creation.

This includes being interconnected both with my fellow disciples and with the world as I experience it. This interconnectedness is at the core of my understanding as a Catholic that we are all in this together. It’s a relationship that requires time and attention.

Pope Francis offers me hope and solace that I’m not in this alone. I and all other human beings have received the call to care of creation and life.

With this confidence that I am not alone, I can use the world’s resources responsibly, using only what I need (which is often at odds with what I want). I can make decisions that put my thoughts, actions and prayers at the service of the culture of care and the culture of life—and not at the service of the culture of Neil.

I can remember the relationship that exists between nature and society and can remember that I am not separate from any of these realities. I find myself at the crossroads of nature and society, and with this honored position I cannot be passive.

It’s an interesting challenge we have before us: not to be passive, but to be engaged with and energized by both a culture of care and a culture of life.

As God’s people, we can enter into a respectful conversation about what it means to be  Summer 2016



Glenmary Challenge

15

photo / Chris Gramke

WEB OF CREATION: “Everything is interconnected...part of a network which we will never fully explore and understand.”—Pope Francis, Laudato Si

good stewards of creation, in joyful appreciation of the God-given beauty and wonder of nature. And we can answer our call to stewardship by developing a culture of care of creation and life, by respecting all human life, and by protecting and preserving the Earth.

Over the past couple of days, the buds on the trees have begun to burst out, giving new life and new hope to the season. The grass is turning green, and I can hear birds chirping and the distant sound of lawnmowers in the neighborhood behind my house.

Spring is here, and all creation is singing with joy. The time has come to pray, to reflect and to take action. The time has come to appreciate the gift that comes to us from God in the interconnectedness of all of creation.

The time has come to imagine what life could be like if we all adopted a culture of care and a culture of life. 

16

Glenmary Challenge



Summer 2016

photo / dale hanson



Father Neil Pezzulo is a member of Glenmary’s Committee on the Environment and serves as first vice president on Glenmary’s Executive Council.

STEWARDSHIP OF CREATION: Father Neil Pezzulo (right) and Father John Rausch (second from left) join in an interfaith panel discussion on environmental issues. w w w. g l e n m a r y. o r g

Partners in mission / by Dale Hanson

Couple answers call to give back They’ve devoted time and treasure to helping those in need and supporting Glenmary

M

arilyn said they began giving to Glenmary in 1987 partly because of her mother’s longtime, quiet example of generosity to missionary groups. Then in 1997, the pair included Glenmary in their trust. And in 2007 Marilyn went on a weeklong group mission trip to the Glenmary Farm in Vanceburg, Ky., “because it was a good place to do volunteer work.”

Later that year, the couple made their first of many annual major donations to Glenmary.

In addition, they went on a Glenmary-sponsored mission trip back to Vanceburg, where they helped with “Project Merry Christmas,” a local effort to make sure children in need received Christmas presents.

Marilyn stressed that she and Rich firmly believe in Glenmary’s ministry of establishing a Catholic presence in U.S. counties where there has not been one, reaching out to all the people in need, and bringing souls to Christ.

Over the years, they have also developed warm w w w. g l e n m a r y. o r g

personal relationships with Glenmarians and lay coworkers. “They are so kind, friendly and down-to-earth,” she said. “By talking to them directly, hearing them share what they’re doing in the missions, and volunteering with them, we feel even more connected.”

In 2012, the couple also established an annuity with the missionary group.

From 2013 through 2015, the Knors and several other Glenmary supporters traveled to the Glenmary mission sites of Maynardville and Rutledge, Tenn., for a week each year to serve local residents in need.

The male volunteers, including Rich, completed projects such as building ramps and decks for people Marilyn and Rich Knor with disabilities, replacing rotted flooring in a home, installing siding on another home and building a raised flower bed for seniors.

Meanwhile, Marilyn and the female volunteers visited, talked with and helped people at nursing homes, an adult day-care facility and a senior center—as well as working at food pantries and taking Communion to homebound people.

“We’ve just been very happy to get to know and serve the people there,” Rich said. photo / tricia sarvak

W

e see ourselves as part of Glenmary, in our small way,” said Marilyn Knor of Centerville, Ohio, about herself and husband, Rich. Both now 79, they have been supporting and building a relationship with Glenmary for almost three decades.

Along the way, they’ve been very generous donors and planned givers through their trust and annuity, in addition to being involved in many hands-on volunteer efforts and other activities with Glenmary and fellow supporters.

“We’ve been blessed, and we need to give back to the community and charitable organizations,” said Marilyn. “Glenmary has become the group with which we’re most involved. After our four children grew up and got married, we made some decisions about doing more for others and for the Lord.”

For example, they traveled to Mississippi to do volunteer work after Hurricane Katrina.

And their many local volunteer roles include— to name a few—working at the St. Vincent de Paul and Catholic Social Services food pantries, as well as delivering baby supplies from the St. Vincent de Paul pantry to a Right to Life Resource Center for new mothers.

A

nd Marilyn added, “Glenmary missioners make a difference in many people’s lives—and praying for, supporting and volunteering with them has given us the chance to be part of their ministry. When we included Glenmary in our trust and set up our annuity, we realized these were ways we could keep helping them in the future.”  Summer 2016



Glenmary Challenge

17

A bishop’s perspective / by Bishop Richard F. Stika, Diocese of Knoxville

Glenmary’s impact in our diocese Y

photo / courtesy diocese of knoxville

ou don’t need to drive far from Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Church in Maynardville, Tenn., to see what we’re up against. A thick, sturdy, white sign, measuring roughly 12 feet by 4 feet and supported by three steel posts, carries words of ridicule and retribution aimed at our pope and our beliefs. It is, perhaps, the most visible display of contempt for Catholics in a region not known for Catholicism.

Others are more subtle.

Misunderstanding about Catholicism has been burning in the psyche of the rural South for decades, East Tennessee included. While our cities and suburbs offer a heterogeneous mix of faith groups, our backroads often lead to out-of-the-way Bishop Richard F. communities Stika whose residents aren’t likely to have met a Catholic—much less understand the Catholic faith.

Enter the Glenmary Home Missioners.

T

here has been a Glenmary presence (off and on) in our diocese for decades, dating back to 1992 when they established a mission church in Monroe County. Thanks to their efforts, St. Joseph the Worker was built and is now a vibrant parish community.

More recently, the work of Father Tom Charters in Erwin and Father Steve Pawelk in Maynardville and Rutledge has further strengthened and grown our Knoxville mission diocese.

Father Steve’s faithful work to establish Blessed Teresa of Cal-

18

Glenmary Challenge



cutta in Maynardville began in 2011 with a handful of Catholic families celebrating Mass in a carport. Since then, Blessed Teresa has grown to roughly 200 families. Sunday Masses in English and Spanish are celebrated in rental space in a small strip mall along state Highway 33. In 2014, I was blessed to elevate Blessed Teresa to a full parish, and in a few years the parishioners there hope to build their own church on a very visible lot across the street from the local high school.

F

ather Tom has been just as dedicated at St. Michael the Archangel mission in Erwin. When Father Tom arrived in 2011, he started building a Catholic community of just a few families. Early on, Masses were held at a local Elks Club. Later, a small ranch home was purchased to serve as a rectory, office and worship space. A bilingual Sunday Mass brings the Anglo and Hispanic communities together each week. Space is tight, and plans are in the works to build their own church nearby.

Just across the mountain from Maynardville, St. John Paul II mission occupies rental space inside a small strip mall in Rutledge. The Catholic community is largely Hispanic, and many of the faithful work in agriculture.

W

orking through the two pastors, the Holy Spirit has guided the building of these Catholic communities in a remarkably short time. Additionally, the “boots on the ground” efforts of Brothers Craig Digmann, Joe Steen and Tom Sheehy in outreach ministries have been inspiring.

Brother Craig has skillfully

Summer 2016

developed trusted, genuine relationships with civic and religious leaders in Union and Grainger counties. Brother Joe has provided assistance through his outreach in carpentry and building renovation. Brother Tom has made vital connections with native residents in his area—and has taken his ministry to the Appalachian Trail, not far from Erwin.

T

he Glenmarians in our diocese have worked toward a more patient, subtle form of conversion—one that breaks down barriers and opens minds; allows non-Catholics and the unchurched to understand more about us as Catholics; and allows a trust of our genuine love for Jesus and the salvation Jesus promises all of us.

When I was ordained bishop in 2009, I invited a stronger Glenmary presence in our diocese. I am grateful for their work in helping me achieve a goal of having a Catholic church in each of the 36 counties in our diocese.

W

hile the road sign I mentioned earlier still stands, the walls of misunderstanding and distrust are coming down.

In many of these communities, we are now welcomed as neighbors and seen as faithful disciples of Jesus—thanks in many ways to the work of the Holy Spirit and the Glenmary priests and brothers serving with us.

Readers’ Views welcome! Send comments to: Editor, Glenmary Challenge, P.O. Box 465618, Cincinnati, OH 45246. Fax: 513-8741690. E-mail: challenge@glenmary.org. Please include a postal address. w w w. g l e n m a r y. o r g

w w w.glenmary.org the w e b site of C atholic missioners to rural A merica

O n line Co nte nts

What’s new Families Return to Church at Glenmary Mission

At a Glenmary mission’s 2016 Easter Vigil, four families were in the process of returning to the Church after not practicing the faith for many years. This story is about one of those families, aided by a welcoming pastor. glenmary.org/faith-journey

Returning family

Departments Ways to Give

There are many ways to donate to the Missions and Ministries Endowment Fund. Find out how. glenmary.org/endowment

Vocations

Discerning a Glenmary vocation? Contact us for information about our summer mission trips. glenmary.org/vocationinfo

Endowment support

Farm and Toppa Joppa Volunteers

Attention Glenmary volunteers: help us stay in touch by updating your contact information. glenmary.org/addressupdate

Glenmary Challenge

Choose to have your next issue of Glenmary Challenge delivered to you electronically. glenmary.org/getchallenge

Electronic delivery

Feature Story Brother Craig: Ecumenism by the Numbers

Brother Craig Digmann has served the people in Glenmary’s East Tennessee mission areas in a variety of ways—including his unique ecumenical ministry to area congregations through church visits. glenmary.org/church-visits

Brother Craig

Gospel Harmony Quartet CD

Order a CD of hymns sung by members of the Gospel Harmony Quartet during tent meetings in Glenmary’s early years. glenmary.org/quartet ‘Care of Creation’ Web Page Visit the “Care of Creation” page on our Web site and find a

variety of resources, including an ecological resource kit for individuals and families. glenmary.org/careofcreation

w w w. g l e n m a r y. o r g

Summer 2016



Gospel music CD

Glenmary Challenge

19

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. Postage PAID Glenmary Home Missioners

photo / Stephanie A. Richer

Glenmary G l i m p s e / Easter Vigil at the missions

T

his and every year during Easter Vigil at Glenmary missions in Appalachia and the South, children and adults enter the Catholic Church. They receive sacraments of initiation—baptism, first Communion and confirmation—after they and their godparents, sponsors and families prepare for this special day with the help of their Glenmary pastors, pastoral coordinators and parish catechists.

Catholic Missioners to Rural America

Glenmary Home Missioners P.O. Box 465618 Cincinnati, OH 45246-5618