Glenmary Challenge Autumn 2019

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

G L E N M A R Y. O R G AUTUMN 2019

everyone is a missioner

Pope Francis’ call to mission

gathering at thanksgiving

Breaking bread forms community

the j o y f u l h e a ler

Brother Levis

Thankful for you

FROM THE EDITOR / John Stegeman We are a Catholic society of priests and brothers who, along with numerous coworkers, establish the Catholic Church in small-town and rural America. Founded in 1939 by Father William Howard Bishop, 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, we staff missions and ministries throughout Appalachia and the South.

Glenmary missioners serve in areas where frequently less than one percent of the population is Catholic, a significant percentage have no church affiliation, and the poverty rate is often twice the national average.

Glenmary is known for respecting the many cultures encountered in the home missions. Our missionary activity includes building Catholic communities, fostering ecumenical cooperation, evangelizing the unchurched, social outreach and working for justice.

GLENMARY CHALLENGE Our 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.)

My family and yours likely have something in common.

When we gather for Thanksgiving, we participate in the tradition of saying something we’re thankful for during the pre-meal grace. Admittedly when you are not one of the first two or three people in line to speak, it can take a moment to think of something to say.

I recall one year I was the last to go. Others announced they were thankful to God, for the family being healthy, for the food, etc. There was hardly anything left.

When it came to me I said the first thing that came to my mind. “I’m thankful the last shall be first!

Please pass the potatoes.”

When it comes to Glenmary though, we never run out of things for which we give thanks.

For example, more than 10,000 individuals across the country donate to Glenmary each year, ensuring our important mission work continues. We are so grateful to each and every one of you who has given to this cause. We pray for you daily.

We are grateful also for the uncountable prayers you offer on behalf of the mission work, and to God for calling more men to missionary priesthood and brotherhood.

We’re thankful to our Father in heaven who sees the work Glenmary is doing all across rural Appalachia and the Deep South. God’s grace inspired our founder Father William Howard Bishop to start this enterprise, and God sustains it to this day through your prayer and support.

As we approach the season of Thanksgiving this year, please know that we at Glenmary are thankful for you and your continued support.

GLENMARY HOME MISSIONERS P.O. Box 465618 · Cincinnati, OH 45246-5618 513-874-8900 · 800-935-0975 · challenge@glenmary.org © 2019 Glenmary Home Missioners Reprint permission granted upon request.

COVER: Brother Levis Kuwa brings his joyous smile and technical skill to the ER of Southwest Georgia Regional Medical Center in Randolph County. He says, “I dream of opening a health clinic to help the poor.” (Photo by John Feister)

VOLUME 82

NUMBER 3

Brother Levis

the joyful healer PAGE 1 0

cover story by john feister

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everyone is a missioner

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wise missioner : gifted by god

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brother mike springer : brother , coach , friend

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breaking bread together forms community

Father Aaron Wessman reflects on the universal call to mission in light of Pope Francis' Extraordinary Mission Month in October.

Father Rollie Hautz, lovingly known as “Glenmary's story-teller,� reflects on Glenmary spirituality.

Brothers Dennis Craig and Ken Woods share stories about their time with Brother Mike.

As Thanksgiving approaches, a unique Glenmary gathering brings together students from all over the world.

Publisher: Father Dan Dorsey Editor: John Stegeman Asst. Editor: John Feister Art Director: Cassie Magnotta Staff Writer: Father John Rausch

Planning-Review Board: Brother Craig Digmann, Brother David Henley, Frank Lesko, Father Neil Pezzulo, Lucy Putnam, Father Don Tranel

Donor Advisory Board: Theodore Capossela, Jill Collet, Ivan Doseff, William Goslee, Ken Mahle, Terry Schneeman, Albert Vondra

photo by john feister

Signs of the Times

FROM THE PRESIDENT / Father Dan Dorsey When I was elected president in May I was struck by how much change had occurred since I was first elected president in 2003. After all it had only been 16 years, but the rapid change has been seismic!

On a national level, there was the rapid growth of the internet, the rise of social media, the decline of newspapers & magazines; the smart phone and the second Iraq war to name a few. Glenmary, too, has changed, becoming smaller but with a robust formation program.

Change can be overwhelming, but as Glenmary missioners we are called to read the signs of the times.

In order to do so one must learn from the past, not be afraid of the future and joyfully live in the present.

I would like to share my reflections as I seek to discern the signs of the times and how they might

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GLENMARY CHALLENGE glenmary.org

impact Glenmary’s work.

First, the missionary effort that our founder Father William Howard Bishop and his band of followers embarked on in 1939 is as necessary today as it was 80 years ago.

We must be creative and reach out to those on the margins, the lost and forgotten.

We must live and witness to a simple lifestyle that cherishes creation and in which we see ourselves as stewards.

As priests and brothers, we must always be transparent and accountable to you, to each other and to the larger Church.

Glenmary must engage young people and invite them to be a part of our movement.

We must constantly remind every parish and dio-

cese and individual Catholic that we are missionary by virtue of our baptism.

Let me close with a quote from a homily that Father Aaron Wessman gave to the Glenmary community in May. “When Glenmarians see the flames that threaten to burn up the heart of the Church and of rural America, we run into the fire. We can’t help but respond. It might not be the same response that was given years ago. But we see the evidence: • We see Kenyans far from home dancing in thanksgiving for this charism.

• We see hungry humanity being fed by this charism.

• We see mistreated migrants finding sanctuary through this charism.

• We see hardened hearts seeing the dignity of others because of this charism.

• We see powerless prisoners finding freedom in this charism.

• We see our polluted planet being healed by this charism.

• We see starving souls being nourished through this charism.

glenmary news & notes Newly ordained priests give thanks

m ission l i f e / Glenmarians return home to celebrate Masses Glenmary Fathers Richard Toboso and Charles Aketch visited their native

Kenya following their April 27 ordinations to give thanks for their reception of the sacrament of Holy Orders by celebrating Masses of Thanksgiving.

Masses were celebrated at each man’s home parish and at their

family homes. Dozens of local priests and religious attended, as did

a delegation of Glenmarians and friends from the United States.

As is local custom, the hours-long Masses were filled with singing

and dancing and shouts of joy. Fathers Charles and Richard were quite

literally lifted up to God by the congregations during the celebration.

Father Charles is serving at Holy Family mission in Macon County, Tenn.,

while Father Richard is assigned to St. Teresa of Kolkata in Union County, Tenn.

photo by brother david henley

For we are Glenmarians. Because of this, lives—souls—are being saved.”

LEFT: Glenmary President Father Dan Dorsey exudes the joy of the gospel beside the historic mission bell outside Glenmaryʼs Novitiate House in Cincinnati, Ohio. RIGHT: Glenmary Father Richard Toboso is celebrated at the conclusion of a Mass of Thanksgiving at his familyʼs home in Kenya.

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ar o und t he m i s s ion s

photo by brother david henley

• At the start of the school year St. John Paul II Mission in Grainger County, Tenn., gave away more than 100 backpacks with school supplies to students in need. The backpacks were given to the mission by parishioners at St. John Paul II Catholic parish in Carroll, Iowa. The Glenmary mission also gave away new school clothes.

• St. Teresa of Kolkata Catholic Church gave away 98 backpacks to school children at the mission, and an additional 60 to the larger community.

• Holy Family Catholic Church in Lafayette, Tenn., hosted 210 children for its summer Bible school program.

• Glenmary missioners spread the news of the Home Missions and raised funds by visiting parishes and giving appeal talks. This year 17 missioners have given 50 appeals across 16 states. Special thanks to the parishes who have hosted these talks.

Glenmarians revisit their roots

m ission hi story / Group makes pilgrimage to St. Martin, Ohio Glenmary President Father Dan Dorsey led an excursion July 29 to an im-

portant site in Glenmary’s history, St. Martin Chapel in Brown County, Ohio.

• Five new students recently joined Glenmaryʼs formation program.

The men, Joseph Maundu, Fredrick Ochieng, Cavine Okello, Kevin Riedel and Cyrus Samba, bring the number of men in formation for Glenmary to 13.

St. Martin holds a special place in the hearts of Glenmarians. Glen-

mary Founder Father William Howard Bishop spent years looking for a diocese to serve as a base for his proposed society of missioners until then-Archbishop of Cincinnati John T. McNicholas gave his approv-

al. Shortly after, the archbishop assigned Father Bishop to St. Martin.

On July 11, 1937 Father Bishop wrote a short entry in his diary.

• Glenmary brothers and coworkers staffed a booth at the FEST, a Catholic event in Cleveland, Ohio. More than 40,000 people attended the event.

“Landed at St. Martin to begin work of founding Home Mission Society.”

The chapel, now officially called St. Martin Chapel of St. Angela Meri-

ci parish, is still standing and well-cared for, but no longer in regular use.

The visit to St. Martin by six Glenmarians—Father Dan, Father Chet Ar-

tysiewicz, Father Tom Kirkendoll, Brother Jack Henn, Brother David Henley and Glenmary novice Kevin Riedel—was one of spiritual renewal. After visit-

photo by frankie wamsley

ing St. Martin, the group celebrated Mass at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in

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Cincinnati, where Father Bishop and deceased Glenmarians are interred.

“It was a good day,” said Father Chet. “It was a prayerful and reflective

time, getting in touch with our roots.”

ABOVE: (L to R) Brother David Henley, Novice Kevin Riedel, Fathers Dan Dorsey, Tom Kirkendoll, Chet Artysiewicz and Brother Jack Henn visited St. Martin Chapel.

LEFT: Bishop Nelson Perez, bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland, smiles with Glenmary representatives Wilmar Zabala, Brother Larry Johnson and Rachel Wamsley.

glenmary.org

Migrant Pastor

Glenmary Father Vic Subb, pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church in Lafayette, Tenn., appeared on the Gente Puente (Bridge Builders) podcast Aug. 6 to share his experience of ministering to migrant Hispanic farm workers in the rural South.

Specifically, Father Vic discussed ways to build pastoral relationships with these workers who are far from home, isolated from the local community and only in the region for a few months each year.

“Put yourself in the position of the migrant worker—in a strange country, you can’t speak the language, you are with some people from your country but your mind is always back home thinking of your family or children,” said Father Vic. “How would you feel? I think it’s a tremendous outreach for our churches. I don’t think we can say it’s someone else’s job or that we don’t have the time.”

The podcast and transcript of the interview can be found at patticc.com/seasonal-migrants.

photo by john feister

m iss ion wor k / Reaching out

Glenmary novice sent to mission

m ission f or mat ion / Riedel takes next step on journey Amid the clanging of the mission bell, Kevin Riedel, one of 13 men in formation for Glenmary Home Missioners, was sent forth Aug. 6 for the mission-placement portion of his novitiate year.

Glenmary President Father Dan Dorsey and Novitiate Co-di-

rector Father Tom Kirkendoll presided over the blessing. As is Glenmary’s tradition, Riedel received a crucifix, and his car was sprinkled with holy water as he drove away. The mission bell out-

side the novitiate house rang out to announce his departure.

Kevin has since been stationed at Glenmary’s Holy Family Catholic

Church in Lafayette, Tenn., where he is connecting with the community.

“Life here in Lafayette has been good,” he said. “My first week here

overlapped with two of the other seminarians, so they helped show me around the parish and the county. Now that they have gone back to

seminary, I have been settling in and looking for ministry opportunities.”

For

a

Glenmary

student,

the

novitiate

year

is

the

final

photo by dale hansen

stage before making his First Oath with the society. As discernment continues, the student may eventually make his Fi-

nal Oath, becoming part of the Glenmary community for life.

ABOVE: Father Tom Kirkendoll blesses Glenmary Novice Kevin Riedel before sending him forth to his mission assignment. LEFT: Father Vic Subb distributes Holy Communion to migrant workers. Father Vic has a passion for reaching out to people on the margins of society.

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photo by cassie magnotta

Everyone Is a Missioner by father aaron wessman

Pope Francis has proclaimed October to be an “Extraordinary Mission Month.” It’s the 100th anniversary of a teaching that propelled the Church to think creatively about her missionary call. The days after World War I caused Pope Benedict XV to chart a renewed, deeper sense of mission in his teaching document Maximum Illud. That renewal continues to this day.

One hundred years ago, Pope Benedict XV talked about mission in terms of two goals: the salvation of souls and planting the Church. These two goals were affirmed at Vatican II, but within a renewed sense of mission. In that way we seek not simply an otherworldly sense of mission, and not the colonial, conquering sense of mission we might have considered in the past. Mission today has framed the ‘salvation of souls’ in the context of a holistic, integral and even cosmic 8

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glenmary.org

understanding of salvation.

Yes, the Church is still concerned about the salvation of individuals and, true to scripture, maintains that every individual will be held accountable for his or her life. However we understand more fully that salvation includes the sanctification and redemption of the entire person, who exists within a particular culture, is part of a particular people, and is woven into the tapestry of creation.

Second, the need to ‘plant the Church’ is reinterpreted in light of a theology of the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is more than a piece of earth or a group of people. It is the more comprehensive and eternal, Christ-ended reality towards which the Church is journeying.

This understanding plays out in very practical ways.

For instance, that the Church might not be effectively planted in a particular territory does not mean that God has not been present and active in the lives of the people.

It does not mean that the Kingdom, at least its beginnings, did not exist in these territories before Christians arrived. Furthermore, just because a person does not have access to a ‘planted church’ does not preclude or exclude her participation in, or contribution to, the Kingdom of God. Finally, the ultimate goal of the Church’s mission is no longer viewed as simply establishing the Church, as important as that is. The ultimate goal of mission is the Kingdom of God: a kingdom which will only fully exist at world’s end.

So, let me propose three themes for us to reflect upon, in our culture, in our own Glenmary family, on this 100th anniversary of Maximum Illud.

LEFT: God's glory is proclaimed through the beauty of his creation in rural Tennessee, at a farm near Glenmary's Group Volunteer Program in Grainger County. BELOW: Glenmary volunteers deliver groceries in rural Tennessee, serving others as missioners in the unique way God has called them.

photo by cassie magnotta

Care of Creation All of creation can be a means of grace that engenders the missionary work of the Church. Though fallen, the cosmos has been ordered to proclaim the glory of God. The universe’s expanse, or the beauty of a flower, are each, in its own way, ordered towards bringing people into the fullness of the reality of salvation.

Broader Invitation The old mentality of Catholics has been that missioners are men and women religious sent off to mission lands. We understand now, more fully, that all Christians, on account of our baptism, are called to be missioners. Everyone isn’t called to some distant land, or even to our home missions, but every Christian is called to a particular mission to be lived out in the world. Mission, after all, is the very beating heart of the Church.

photo by john feister

Collaboration and Dialogue The Church cannot simply see her mission as expanding the boundary line between the Church and the world ‘outside.’ What is required of missioners, therefore, is a commitment to dialogue with the world to determine, as much as is possible, how the Kingdom has been a part of the world, and how people might be invited to a deeper relationship with the Lord of the Kingdom, Jesus Christ.

ABOVE: Father Aaron Wessman, S.T.D., Ph.D., is Glenmary's First Vice-president. He holds a doctorate in systematic theology, with an emphasis in missiology, from the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium. He recently served as missionary pastor in Bertie and Washington counties, N.C. Autumn 2019 GLENMARY CHALLENGE

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Brother Levis

the joyful healer story + photos by john feister It’s 6 p.m. in Blakely, Georgia, and Glenmary Brother Levis Kuwa is heading quickly up Route 28 to the emergency room. He’s not injured or anything. Brother Levis is a nurse at Southwest Georgia Regional Medical Center, night shift.

Brother Levis will tend to all manner of problems as the night goes on. As the cotton and sorghum fields whiz by, he prays that tonight will be slow. Thirty miles later, he arrives in Cuthbert, in adjoining Randolph County, parks his car in the small hospital lot, crosses a quiet street to the one-story hospital, and punches in. His coworkers eagerly greet him—he is a welcome member of this emergency room staff.

“Where are you from?” his patients, hearing his Kenyan accent, sometimes ask. “That’s a very good conversation starter!” he says with a laugh. “The first thing I tell them is that I took the wrong exit and kept going!” Brother Levis is the kind of nurse you’d want to have: 10

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glenmary.org

Serving the Underserved When he came to the United States, Brother Levis was surprised to see good healthcare unevenly available. “I discovered there were a lot of people suffering with minor ailments who are afraid to go to the hospital because they could not afford it, or did not have insurance. There is a gap there. So I requested of Glenmary whether I could pursue that.”

That is the way his calling became his profession. Already he had two degrees in philosophy,and a professional certification in banking. He left those behind, professionally at least, and enrolled in nursing school at

photo courtesy of glenmary archive

He has a sense of humor, and underneath that, a joyful take on life. And he knows what he’s doing.

“I grew up in hospital quarters,” says Brother Levis of his boyhood home, in Nairobi, Kenya. “We used to live in government houses inside a big hospital, sort of like a hospital village.” That’s a bit like the historic Public Health Service hospitals in the United States. Everyone on the compound was in some way part of the hospital family of doctors, nurses and so on. “I was comfortable enough around hospitals since I was a little kid, but I never really wanted to go into healthcare. I didn't want to follow the family business!”

That changed for him when he met Glenmary. He had studied with the Augustinians back home, but stumbled into Glenmary through internet research.

After meeting Glenmary’s vocation director Father Steve Pawelk, who had come to Nairobi, he heard his calling. That was back in 2005, when Levis was 22.

Before coming on board, Father Steve asked Levis to do ministry in Kenya for a year, as a kind of vocational test.

“He gave me a choice of whatever ministry I would like to do,” Levis recalls. Like St. Francis, to whom “what had seemed bitter became sweet,” Brother Levis turned to what he had been running from. “I requested the Kenya National Hospital to let me do a ministry there for one year.”

His earliest start was pastoral ministry at the hospital.

“I visited the patients, I prayed with them. I listened to their problems or whatever may be going on with their families and where the Church might be able to help. I actually enjoyed that,” he says with his winning smile, then admits, “I loved that.”

the University of Cincinnati in 2011. Now he’s in a busy ministry among the underserved in Early and Randolph Counties, with two other Glenmarians, Brother Jason Muhlenkamp (social worker) and Father Mike Kerin (pastor of two mission parishes). These counties, tucked into southwest Georgia, close to the Alabama state line, once were home to plantations and slavery, and virulent racism. Agriculture is still king. Today 25% of area families live in poverty, including almost 49% of children. And having very few Catholics makes Church-based ministry challenging.

Brother Levis is not the first nurse in Glenmary (see page 13). His choice follows an inner prayer: “Where would you like me to work? What am I suited for?

What do you make me? You encounter someone who's really sick and suffering and you feel, I wish I could help,” he says. God gave Levis the compassion, sharp intellect, and fearlessness, to help. He’s been at the medical center, in the emergency room, for about a year and a half.

‘Are They Breathing?’

Brother Levis can talk for a long time about life in the emergency room. No two days are the same. In this rural OPPOSITE PAGE (from top): Brother Levis combines his pastoral skills with strong technical skills. After a long night, he is ready to walk out the doors and drive 30 miles home. He will sleep until early afternoon, then help with Brother Jason’s ministry. ABOVE: In 2015 Brother Levis professed his Final Oath to the Glenmary community.

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“I dream of opening a free clinic to help the poor, the marginalized and forgotten people." hospital, sometimes things in the ER move fast; sometimes not. “We can only handle six people at the same time. Working in the emergency room means that you have to be able to anticipate. You do not know who’s walking through the door. The ambulance may bring in car accidents, gunshot wounds, or someone experiencing a cardiac arrest.”

An initial assessment can be as critical as, “Are they breathing?” he says, or as non-urgent as “a sore throat that started 30 minutes ago!” His hospital is the only resource in the area, so they don’t turn anyone away, including the non-insured.

On a slow night, there might be only one patient in the ER. That’s when Brother Levis can shine as a religious Brother. “I get to sit down with them and ask them about their life, and get personal.”

There are less pleasant times when his pastoral training is needed, too. He recalls one emergency that led to death. “We did CPR, followed the lifesaving protocols,” he says, but it was too late. The family was in the waiting room, and “some were hysterical,” he says. “At this point, everyone—the doctor, the other nurses, some of the other workers—looked at me and said, ‘You’re the closest thing we have to a chaplain.’” That’s the kind of acceptance he had hoped for when he came to south Georgia.

His work won’t end in the emergency room at Cuthbert. “I dream of opening a free clinic to help the poor, the marginalized and forgotten people.” There people won’t miss medical treatment for fear of cost. He’ll continue his training, and become a nurse practitioner, who can do just that. Maybe, he hopes, a few other people will join him.

LEFT, FROM TOP: Brother Levis has a variety of duties during nights in the ER, including monitoring the condition of patients, as illustrated here. Brother Jason Muhlenkamp leads a pre-employment training program in Early County. Father Mike Kerin, left, and Brother Levis stop for a photo after Mass at Holy Family church in Blakely.

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glenmary.org

photos courtesy of glenmary archive CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Father Fid (left) is an inspiration for Josiah Kimani's (right) nursing interest. Josiah is a Glenmary student. Father Fid, years back, nursing in emergencies near Glenmary's mission in Peebles, Ohio, carries the tools of his trade. The late Brother David Brooks was a nurse and a magician. Notice the Star of Life EMT pendant he wears. A young Brother Ken Woods does what he loves best: tend to the needs of sick and elderly people.

a legacy of nursing missioners Brother Levis isn’t the first Glenmarian to pursue a career in

other forms of ministry during the day and evening before

bers) and Brother David Brooks (deceased) all were nurses.

North Carolina mountains. Later, stationed in Elkton, Ky., he

nursing. Brother Ken Woods, Father Fid Levri (senior mem-

Glenmary student Josiah Kimani is discerning a ministry in nursing, too.

Father Fid was a nurse before joining Glenmary. From

time to time over his priestly service, he also served as a

nurse. “I see the body and the soul together, in balance.”

His lessons from nursing? “Good health is so important, to

I went to work." He started in Georgia, then nursed in the helped start a health clinic for people who couldn’t afford health care.

Community outreach, a big part of Glenmary’s mis-

sion, drove Brother Ken. Residents knew he was a Catholic brother. “It was a witness to Catholic faith.”

Josiah Kimani, before entering Glenmary formation,

be balanced; not extreme in any regard,” he says. “That’s

spent a year with St. Teresa of Kolkata’s order in the Phil-

Brother Ken’s nursing career goes back about 40 years.

ple.” Working among Tennessee nursing home residents

where joy lies.”

“I wanted to work in a nursing home because I would have more contact with permanent residents and their families.

“I always wanted to work night shift because I could do

ippines. He realized, “I needed to be out there with peo-

cemented his desire. As he discerns his vocation, he has

growing confidence: “I love this. I want to be compassionate; I want to help them.”

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Wise Missioner

interviews on glenmary spirituality

father rollie hautz : gifted by god I really enjoy the breviary [prayer book], reading the psalms and all that.

You can see why Father Rollie (Roland) Hautz is called Glenmary’s “official storyteller” even at age 92.

It’s a mile-a-minute talking with him, as fascinating stories spill forth. “I was made pastor at 27,” he proudly notes, “and was pastor till I was 87. That’s the most of any Glenmarian.”

He’s also proud of building two churches, in Coeburn and Lebanon, Virginia, in his early mission days. His ministry over the years was mostly in Appalachia, in eight missions from Ohio to Georgia, and mountain towns in between.

He’s had a colorful career not only as pastor, but as a street preacher, a pamphleteer, a radio announcer, and who knows what else! He hosted close to a thousand volunteers over all those years.

Q: What are you most passionate about?

A: Reading scripture, that’s the basis of the whole thing. These days 14

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Q: What is your favorite scripture passage?

A: Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, chapter 2, verses 6-12. You have everything there you need to know about the Church.

It was originally a baptismal hymn in the early Church. They did baptism by immersion, and there were three steps down. Then one gets immersed, then there are three steps up.

These verses talk about how our Lord came down and was obedient even to death. And then, when you’re coming up the other side, how God exalted him. Then it ends up with “Praise to you, O Lord, our God.” Q: But why does it speak to you personally?

A: It speaks to me because in just six verses it sums up the whole Christian message, how Jesus came, why he came, what he did-he died for us-and then he was glorified. And so, in just six verses you’ve got everything you need to know about the Church! glenmary.org

Q: What is your favorite prayer?

A: Overall, the rosary has been my favorite prayer, mostly because it’s a vehicle for thinking about Jesus. In parishes I was always busy in ministry. But to say the rosary you gotta block out time. You’re concentrating on Jesus. It gets you thinking about spiritual values.

Q: What’s your greatest learning?

A: Kindness, patience. It’s more of a gift than a learning. The Lord made me very calm, so stuff can be happening all around me.

Q: You’re able to evangelize in a down-to-earth way, aren’t you?

A: That was just the Lord’s gift. In fact, I’m 92 years old, and I don’t take any credit for that, either. The last time I was a patient in the hospital was when I was born!

Q: What kind of advice would you give to a young person today ?

A: I’d just say: Really love and appreciate the faith. We’re so blessed with the heritage that we have. The more we can appreciate what the Lord gave us as far as the faith is concerned, the better off we’re going to be.

—John Feister This interview is part of a series on the spirituality of Glenmarians.

Brother Mike

brother, coach, caregiver 1938-2019

memories of a humble and loving friend

I met Brother Mike in 1965 when I first came to Glenmary. It was at our former headquarters; he was in charge of the boilers. He loved sports. We always were playing softball or touch football out in our fields. He coached basketball and football at nearby St. Gabriel’s. The people loved him.

We became close friends over the years. When we’d be together, we hung out and sometimes we would watch a couple movies and stuff like that. We just really enjoyed each other’s presence.

I think he was a happy guy. He was outgoing. Brother Mike really engaged with people.

I looked up to him early on because he was low-key, but he touched people’s lives. And people really accepted him for who he was.

He was just out there and would do his stuff. He was not intimidating, so he had a lot of friends everywhere he went.

In later years, when he came to Glenmary headquarters to help me with senior members, he moved right next door to me upstairs.

As friendly as he was, he could get frustrated real quick with sports on TV. Sometimes I’d hear him yelling next door and I’d go over. He’d

be watching sports—Detroit Tigers or Lions—and they’d made a wrong call. We’d laugh about it together.

He was the best friend you could ever have! He’d be there for you whenever you needed him. He loved music, too. The more songs, the better. He loved to lead music at Mass.

—Brother Dennis Craig I lived with Brother Mike for eight years, and worked as a nurse in the same facility where he led activities, and have many fond memories.

One thing he loved to do— and residents really loved him doing this—was the morning devotional.

Residents would gather in a common room. Some were in wheelchairs, others would walk into the room with canes, some just walked.

He would lead them in hymns, especially of the old favorite ones.

Then he would read the Gospel of that particular day. He would make a short comment on the Gospel, then would lead everyone in prayer.

The whole thing lasted about 20 minutes.

Once in a while he would miss a day for some reason or other and the residents would really want to know why. “Where is Brother

Mike? Is Brother Mike going to be here today? We sure miss Brother Mike!”

He had a puppet, too, that he would put on his hand and go around to help stimulate their memory. He would talk like the puppet was talking. People enjoyed his sense of humor.

He and I had planned all along to live together as senior members, but once we both reached that age he knew there was a need at headquarters. He moved there to help Brother Dennis care for the older Glenmarians.

—Brother Ken Woods

Brothers Dennis (left) and Ken served in the missions with Brother Mike.

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Gathering at Thanksgiving

breaking bread together forms community by john stegeman On a uniquely American holiday—Thanksgiving—men from Kenya, Uganda, Vietnam, Mexico and the United States come together around a table. They are Glenmary’s men in formation, and this special time together allows them to give thanks for each other, share stories, and experience a bit of the community life they can expect when they make their Final Oaths as Glenmarians.

The tradition dates back almost 50 years, but no one is sure whose idea it was. Glenmary students in different stages of formation have often studied in different places, but at Thanksgiving they gather as a group along with Glenmary’s vocation and formation teams, and others, for Mass, meals and fellowship.

In recent years, with Glenmary seeing a rise in international vocations, the gathering has taken on new importance. Not only do the students get to know each other better, but they also learn about each other’s cultures. The students from outside the U.S. get to experience Thanksgiving, a cultural touchstone.

ABOVE: The annual Thanksgiving gathering is a special part of Glenmary formation. Shown clockwise preparing food for the meal are student Josiah Kimani, Vocation Director Brother David Henley, students José Carlos Miguel Lopez and Samuel Mungai, and aspirant Thomas Nguyen.

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GLENMARY CHALLENGE

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different countries and it’s really beautiful,” he says. “It’s a fun time to be with your brothers. We don’t always get to see each other.”

The gathering is often joined by Glenmarians who live in the area, Glenmary sisters and others. Sometimes as many as 30 people attend. The event is a three-day affair. Past years have included talent shows, cornhole tournaments, hiking and more.

“It gives us time for praying together, laughing together and sharing together,” Brother David says.

In the end, that’s something to be thankful for.

TOP LEFT: Father Dan Dorsey celebrates Mass during the gathering. TOP RIGHT: The Thanksgiving meal is a cross cultural gathering. BELOW: A moment of levity highlights the fellowship experienced at the annual Thanksgiving gathering for students.

photos courtesy of glenmary vocations

“They get to learn what the Thanksgiving holiday means in an American cultural setting within their Glenmary family,” says Brother David Henley, Glenmary’s vocation director. “It’s participation learning, not studying in a book. They’re participating and celebrating what a Thanksgiving gathering is all about.”

For the last decade or so the gathering has taken place in the Diocese of Owensboro, Ky., at a Catholic camp.

Brother David buys and prepares the turkey. Based on a shopping list from students, he also buys ingredients for various cultural dishes that make for a unique meal.

Glenmary aspirant Thomas Nguyen, who was born in Vietnam and immigrated to the U.S. at age 3, enjoys the intercultural and community-building aspects of the gathering.

“We all come together and cook different dishes from

Autumn 2019 GLENMARY CHALLENGE

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letters to the editor a beautiful message

May we pray for your loved ones?

all souls day / Submit your intentions by phone, e-mail, or online

A Glenmary Challenge came to my mailbox today and I read the whole magazine. What a beautiful message.

Marian Galvin · St. Louis, Mo. a great story

God bless you! Your article on Father Leo Schloemer was fantastic! Father Leo was my “kin folk.” He was my mother’s cousin.

I was privileged to know Father Leo most of my life. I am now 75 years young. All the fantastic words written

by Father Neil Pezzulo were excellent and most kind! Thanks to you and your staff for a great story.

Tom Bonhaus · Cincinnati, Ohio

A special Mass will be celebrated at Glenmary’s Our Lady of the Fields Chapel in Cincinnati, Ohio, on the Feast of All Souls.

Praying for the dead is a Christian obligation. Although the

Church prays for the faithful departed throughout the liturgical year, All Souls is a special day of commemoration when the Church re-

members, prays for, and offers Masses for those who have died.

The All Souls Day Mass will be offered on Nov. 2 for the de-

ceased

family

members

and

friends

of

Glenmary

donors.

Father Don Tranel, director of Glenmary’s Development Office, will pre-

side at the Mass. To have loved ones remembered at the All Souls Mass, contact us by emailing Father Don at donorservices@glenmary.org, by calling 800-935-0975, or online at www.glenmary.org/allsouls.

There are many ways to support the missions!

Father Leo Schloemer was called the “Lone Ranger, i.e., the only priest in Ranger, Texas, and four surrounding communities” where his territory covered 1,000-plus square miles.

• • • • • •

we want your feedback !

Send to: Editor, Glenmary Challenge, P.O. Box 465618, Cincinnati, OH 45246.

Email: challenge@glenmary.org.

Comments are printed at the discretion of the editor and may be edited for clarity and space. Please include a postal address with your letter.

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Make a gift of cash or appreciated assets Join Glenmary’s Monthly Giving Program Make a gift from your IRA Include Glenmary in your will Establish a Glenmary Gift Annuity Join us in prayer for Glenmary vocations For more information, contact: Luke Carey, Planned Giving Officer lcarey@glenmary.org 800-935-0975

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T H E W E B S I T E O F C AT H O L I C MISSIONERS TO RURAL AMERICA

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Come and See If Glenmary stirs your heart, come and see the missions, meet the missioners, and see if this is where God is calling you to make a difference!

glenmary.org/come-and-see Spend a Gap-Year with Glenmary

Will you join us for the Adult Mission Week?

Come experience a week of service and faith with like-minded adults at our Group Volunteer Program.

You can make a difference in the home missions!

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Spend a year serving God and others as a long-term volunteer at our Group Volunteer Program on Joppa Mountain in Tenn. Your life will be changed!

glenmary.org/volunteer Join our Monthly Giving Program Are you passionate about supporting the missions? Monthly giving provides a sustained income to continue bringing God's love to rural America!

glenmary.org/donate Where does Glenmary serve?

Check out the interactive map showing the states that have been home to Glenmary in the past, and the ones we serve today!

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Ohio to Kenya Glenmary Brother David Henley trots the globe in search of vocations to serve the U.S. home missions.

glenmary.org/missioner-trots-globe-for-vocations

Do you shop on Amazon?

All you have to do is designate that your charity of choice is Glenmary, and Amazon will donate a portion of each purchase made to us.

glenmary.org/amazon-smile Inside the Life of a Missioner

A Success Story The former mission in Grayson, Ky., is a strong example of a mission thriving years after Glenmary moved on.

glenmary.org/grayson-a-success-story

Follow us on Facebook to learn more about the daily lives of our missionary priests, brothers, co-workers and volunteers!

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Autumn 2019 GLENMARY CHALLENGE

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NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION

P.O. Box 465618 ¡ Cincinnati, OH 45246-5618

is god calling you?

Are you searching for meaning in your life?

brother or sister. Glenmarians serve the poor and

feel something in your heart that is moving

Appalachia and the rural South. Contact us to find

Are you willing to let Jesus lead you? Do you

you to try and make a difference in the world?

You may have a vocation as a Glenmary priest,

neglected on the margins of American society — out if God is calling you to a deeper relationship

with Him as a Glenmary Home Missioner.

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