Glenmary Challenge Spring 2020

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 SPRING 2020

lenten reflection

Journey into love

hearts & minds meet

Ecumenical breakthrough

AC T I N G LIKE THE APOST LES

Be Serious

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.)

As I read the stories in this issue, one line stuck out to me.

In “A Meeting of Hearts and Minds” (page 14), a story about Catholic dialogue with members of the Churches of Christ, a man of that denomination ruminated on Christian unity. While some might think the goal is impossible, he says that if we take Jesus seriously in the Gospel of John, we cannot do any less than to try and heal the divisions between us.

He’s right. If we take Jesus seriously there’s a lot of things we need to be doing.

Father Steve Pawelk takes Jesus seriously in the way he cares for immigrant members of his community, regardless of their legal status. Brother Jason Muhlenkamp takes Jesus seriously when he brings hope to people in need. Glenmarians across Appalachia and the South take Jesus seriously every day.

This Lent perhaps we can all work to take the words of Jesus more seriously too.

Jesus tells us not to hold grudges (Matt. 5:2325), he tells us to keep our word (Matt. 5:27), he tells us whatever we do or fail to do for the least of his people, we do or fail to do for him (Matt.

25:45). We all like to think we follow these commands, and probably we do some of the time. I can’t speak for you, but I know I could follow these commands and others with more fervor.

Jesus wants us to love him, and he’s told us how to show that love. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” ( John 14:15).

As we begin our journey toward Easter joy, let us take stock of our relationship with Christ, who loves us. If we love him as well, perhaps it is time to get serious.

GLENMARY HOME MISSIONERS P.O. Box 465618 · Cincinnati, OH 45246-5618 513-874-8900 · 800-935-0975 · challenge@glenmary.org © 2020, Glenmary Home Missioners.

Reprint permission granted upon request.

ON THE COVER: Glenmary Brother Jason Muhlenkamp, left, and Baptist Pastor Darrell Alexander are working together to help people in need in Georgia. (Photo by John Feister)

VOLUME 83

NUMBER 1

Acting Like the Apostles

brother jason & pa s t o r d a r r e ll PA G E 1 1

cover story by john feister

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after the raid

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a lenten reflection : journey into love

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a meeting of hearts and minds

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wise missioner

Father Steve Pawelk and the Rutledge, Tenn., St. John Paul II mission feature prominently in a Netflix documentary about immigration.

Father Wil Steinbacher tells us that Lent is about more than fasting and abstaining. His mission parish learned to embrace diversity.

On behalf of Catholics everywhere, Glenmary enters into dialogue with members of the Churches of Christ in Abilene, Texas.

Take time to pray, advises Glenmary Brother Jack Henn. And donĘźt forget to listen to those around you, you might learn something.

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

Planning-Review Board: Br. Craig Digmann, Fr. Dave Glockner, Br. David Henley, Lucy Putnam, Fr. Don Tranel, Fr. Aaron Wessman

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

photo by john feister

The “Lard” Be With You! FROM THE PRESIDENT / Father Dan Dorsey Father Chet Artysiewicz, my predecessor as president of Glenmary, recently returned home from a fourmonth sabbatical program in Australia. The language of the program was English but there was an issue. Participants in the program came from all over the world, from many cultures. English was a common language, but the way it was spoken and understood was not!

At one point, much to his surprise, one of the sisters from Vietnam observed that, “Father Chet’s accent is the most difficult for me to understand.”

As Father Chet was sharing this it occurred to me that we all have accents. Typically we are surrounded by those whose accent is exactly like ours, so we don’t notice. But nonetheless we have an accent.

We might find some accents exotic or quaint, and it can often be challenging to understand the person.

For instance, years ago while in Rome, I was in a study group with two Scottish priests. The two would share their insights and invariably I would have no idea what they were talking about! To my ear their English sounded more like German because of its guttural 4

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nature. Of course they had no problem understanding each other and they probably went away from our meetings shaking their heads and trying to decipher my English.

To further illustrate this: I am originally from St. Louis and if you attend Mass there you will probably never hear the priest say, “the Lord be with you” but rather “the Lard be with you!” What I have come to realize is my neighborhood, region of the country and my ethnic background have sculpted my accent. It wasn’t until I attended college in Memphis that I began to encounter people with significantly different accents.

The challenge of language is understanding the other person even if their accent is different from yours. It’s not only the words, but also the culture that language reflects.

Which brings me to mission: The challenge is to understand those you are serving and to avoid the temptation to expect them to speak like you do. “Seek first to understand, not to be understood,” says the Prayer of St. Francis. The best missioners treat the people

glenmary news & notes Future bright for formation program

g r ow t h / Current students progress, new students join

Glenmary Home Missioners has a robust formation class with 15 men studying to become missionary brothers or priests. Here’s a look at some recent news from the program.

• Glenmary men in formation José Carlos Miguel Lopez, Samuel Mungai and Kenneth Wandera will profess their Final Oaths with Glenmary on May 23 at St. John Neumann Catholic Church in Cincinnati, Ohio. They will be ordained to the diaconate June 27 at Holy Family Catholic Church in Lafayette, Tenn., by Diocese of Nashville Bishop J. Mark Spalding. Their ordination to the priesthood is tentatively scheduled for 2021.

• Glenmary priesthood candidates are making progress towards their ordinations. At St. Meinrad seminary Feb. 13, Willy Kyagulanyi received the ministry of acolyte while Joseph Maundu, Fredrick Ochieng', Cavine Okello and Cyrus Samba received the ministry of lector.

• The Glenmary formation program welcomed two new students in January—Corey Soignier and Jude Smith, both of Louisiana.

• Glenmary Vocation Director Brother David Henley recently returned from a Come and See Retreat in Kenya. Two men from Uganda and two from Kenya participated in the retreat along with Brother David and Father Les Schmidt. The Glenmary formation program includes men from five countries: United States, Mexico, Kenya, Uganda and Vietnam.

photo by john feister

they encounter with respect and reverence.

As Glenmary missioners we are called to minister and live with people whose accents and cultures are different than our own. Our mission is to “pitch our tent” ( John 1:14) with those we live with and come to love. Our founder, Father William Howard Bishop, instructed his missioners to “adopt all of the people of your mission area as your own. Christ died for every one of them. They are yours because you are his ambassadors.”

You will find the pages of Glenmary Challenge filled with those whose accents are different than mine and probably yours also: those who come from different faith traditions; those whose country of origin is different than ours; those whose skin color is different than mine; those whose first language is Spanish, or a language from the Philippines. The most important grace for a missioner is to listen with patience even when you don’t understand, and then to listen some more.

I invite you to watch the documentary “After the Raid” on Netflix.

It features one of our priests, Father Steve Pawelk, and one of our missions in eastern Tennessee, St. John Paul II in Grainger County. As you listen and watch, see how many accents you can detect. We are missioners to the people who speak with every one of them.

OPPOSITE PAGE: Father Dan Dorsey is all smiles. RIGHT: A diverse group of young men make up Glenmary's formation program. Fifteen men are preparing to be Glenmary priests or brothers.

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ar o un d t h e m is s ion s • Members of St. Teresa of Kolkata Catholic Church in Maynardville, Tenn., celebrated the one-year anniversary of their new church’s construction on Feb. 2. To mark the occasion, a tree was planted in honor of founding pastor Father Steve Pawelk.

photo by john feister

• Father Neil Pezzulo, pastor of St. John Paul II Catholic mission in Rutledge, Tenn., took part in an ecumenical Lenten revival. Father Neil preached March 2 at a local Baptist church on the first night of the revival.

The second night took place at the Catholic church, and the final night was held at the Methodist parish.

• John Feister, assistant editor of Glenmary Challenge magazine was named Communicator of the Year by the Salesian Guild of Cincinnati. John, who was once a Glenmary student, was longtime editor at St. Anthony Messenger magazine and Franciscan Media. He joined the Glenmary Challenge staff in July of 2018.

Father Les honored by AUSCP mission awar ene ss / Priest given John XXIII award

Glenmary Father Les Schmidt is one of two winners of the prestigious St. John XXIII award given by the Association of United States Catholic Priests (AUSCP).

• A group from Fordham University visited the Glenmary Volunteer Program in January. Together with Toppa Joppa staff they provided insulation on a house for a family in need, worked on a handicapped ramp and prepared firewood to help local residents heat their homes.

The award is given to someone in the Church who has given excep-

tional witness to promoting the vision of the Second Vatican Council. The other winner was Daughters of Charity Sister Carol Keehan.

Father Bob Bonnot, who nominated Father Les, said the award was,

“well deserved as an example of priestly zeal, missionary discipleship, and Vatican II enthusiasm.”

Father Les was one of 17 people nominated. The award will be pre-

sented June 24 in Linthicum, Maryland.

Father Les is currently working with “Gathering for Mission,” a program

that aims to facilitate dialogue among bishops and clergy. Father Les said

Gathering for Mission works hand in hand with the mission of the AUSCP. Learn more: GatheringForMission.org

The AUSCP was founded in 2011 and is the largest association of

photo by joe grosek

priests in the United States. Part of its stated mission is to help support the

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continuing implementation of Vatican II teachings. The group seeks to add the voice of priests to public conversation within the Church.

ABOVE: Father Les at his family's farm in Adams County, Ohio, where he grew up, near an early Glenmary mission in West Union. LEFT: Mountain Manager Michael Canonico prepares a work site in Grainger County, Tenn.

glenmary.org

photo by rodrigo reyes Father Steve Pawelk stops to pray with a parishioner who lost a family member to deportation after an immigration raid in Bean Station, Tenn. The raid's aftermath is the subject of a Netflix documentary.

After the Raid

Documentary on immigration enforcement shows Glenmary’s love of neighbor put into action. story by john stegeman

There’s no getting around it. Immigration is a difficult issue. Whether one believes in welcoming the stranger or prefers building walls, the lives of real people are at stake. While some of those people live near the Mexican border, many live in the heart of Mission Land, USA. In April of 2018 in Bean Station, Tenn., not far from Glenmary’s St. John Paul II mission, a major raid at a meat processing plant rounded up nearly 100 workers.

The raid made national news and took breadwinners away from their families. It struck fear into the heart of a local community, where many of the residents had lived for years. With nowhere to turn, people gathered at the Glenmary mission.

The raid, and the mission church’s role in caring for the community in the aftermath, is the focus of “After the Raid,” a Netflix Original documentary by director Rodrigo Reyes.

“At the end of the day, for me, the story of the community always came together with the church,” Reyes said. “People really felt safe there.”

The documentary was released on Netflix Dec. 19 and is 25 minutes long. It covers the emotional fallout of the raid, and shows the church as a real center for community and healing.

Glenmary Father Steve Pawelk, then-pastor of St. John Paul II, is featured heavily in the film. He said Spring 2020

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At the end of the day, for me, the story of the community always came together with the church. People really felt safe there.”

“But if they wanted to tell the story of the people as it was unfolding, then we will do so.”

Reyes agreed.

“What’s missing in the debate is people,” he said.

“We’re missing that connection with real people. If I made it too political it was just going to be pigeonholed and half the country wouldn’t listen to the story. I wanted to give people the experience without guiding it.

“You watch it and in 20 minutes you get way deeper than you would in 20 minutes on prime-time news,” Reyes added. “It becomes real.”

Glenmary President Father Dan Dorsey spoke highly of Father Steve and his mission’s role in caring for people during and after the raid.

“It’s like being in a triage unit,” he said. “You don’t ask if someone is black, white, green, or brown, you just tend to them. As missioners that’s what we’re called to do. The image I love to use is to ask people, if this were Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus in Egypt fleeing for their lives, what would be my response?”

After the raid, parishioners of St. John Paul II took in immigrants, some of whom were fellow parishioners, who needed a place to stay. The encounters fostered understanding and friendships.

photo by rodrigo reyes

his parishioners have a plan in times of crisis: Gather at the church. As soon as he arrived on the day of the raid, a car pulled up with seven children, none of whom could legally drive, seeking shelter. They were uncertain whether their parents would be coming home. Other parishioners, fearing additional enforcement actions, hid in the woods until someone could pick them up.

The situation was unique, but for Father Steve, it was about helping the people in his community.

“As a pastor you’re just ministering to people,” Father Steve said. “I never know who’s undocumented and who’s documented until there is a crisis and I don’t want to know. I just minister to people. …Politics should not define our Christian life. The Republican or Democratic platforms should not override the Bible. As a matter of fact, not even the U.S. Constitution should override the Bible. That should be our primary document of faith.”

“After the Raid” generally avoids politics. It shows a young mother whose husband was taken raising her child alone. It shows a parishioner who took in a Hispanic family bonding over a grill out. What it shows is a community.

“I said [to the producers] if this was going to be political, I didn’t want to be a part of it,” Father Steve said.

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Kenneth Wandera (lower right) is a Glenmary seminarian, to be ordained a deacon this coming June. Brother David Henley (back row, right) stands next to Glenmary President Father Dan Dorsey, posing with the Erwin, Tenn., youth group at the National Catholic Youth Conference.

Hearts Burning for Christ

Mission teens from Tennessee grow their faith at national assembly of young-adult Catholics by kenneth wandera

Some things are hidden in plain sight. This Fall I had the thrill of attending the National Catholic Youth Conference. I was chaperone for a group of young people from Glenmary’s St. Michael the Archangel mission in Erwin, Tenn. Among 25,000 participants, their enthusiasm was contagious!

The Sunday after the conference was the Feast of Christ the King, which got me to thinking. In the Gospel that weekend we read about Jesus crucified. In that Gospel there is a deafening silence of God, wrapped in utter darkness amidst a lot of chatter at Golgotha, the “place of the skull.”

We hear, “He saved others, why can’t he save himself if he is the Messiah?” Instead of many realizing that he is the king, we are flatlined with the Roman soldiers: “If you are king of the Jews, save yourself!” It took the second criminal to see Jesus the king, hidden in plain sight.

For me that gospel insight culminates an encounter with Christ at the conference. There I saw that young people are not losing their faith as many say. If they were, these 25,000 young people would not be gathered in a downtown Indianapolis football stadium. Bishop Pierre made that same point, speaking to the young people: “I look at all of you and I say to myself, they are wrong!”

At one point, the youth held up their cellphones as flashlights, and the stadium became like a night sky, filled with stars. In that moment, these young people had set the world on fire. They had become the light of the world, that light that the Gospel of John tells us the night cannot overcome!

My heart was burning for Christ throughout this event. The joy on the faces of these young people gathered from across the nation and beyond! When a football stadium becomes a holy place of worship, the king is present. When young people reach out to strangers, God is there. With endless lines to the confessional, the young and indeed all of us realize, like the criminal on the cross next to Jesus’, that we belong to a kingdom (and a king) different from what this world offers.

Let us pray for the young people, with their immense gifts and potential, their vitality and hope. Let’s pray that no one, no trend, no distrust, no illness, will rob them of the gift and the treasure of their faith. Let them hold fast to the knowledge of their dignity as beloved children of God! In them, just like in the rest of the human race, and indeed the whole cosmos, there is Jesus, King of the Universe, now in plain sight, and with us always!

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Journey Into Love a lenten reflection

father wil steinbacher ' s mission embraces diversity Lent also calls us to reach out to those we don’t know who need our help. It is this kind of selfless love that changes hearts.

The journey of Lent into love must be lived over and over again; this is why we celebrate it yearly. The forces of darkness are powerful, and it is only letting the grace of the journey wash over us again and again that we come to see how we are set free by the love of Jesus. The love of Jesus received and lived is the goal of Lent.

Lent is not just about fasting and abstaining, though of course these are good practices. Lent is about the love Jesus shows for all people from the cross.

A Journey Begins I saw this during our Lenten observance at Glenmary’s St. Francis of Assisi mission in New Albany, Mississippi, where I was pastor.

Our hearts were changed and our understanding of the importance of our journey became evident.

I received a letter from someone who was interested in becoming a Catholic. The writer was M.B. Mayfield, who turned out to be a gentle person of African-American descent. He was moved by the journey to love. He found a home and love in the midst of the people of St. Francis.

Love Is Expansive This sense of love moved us to gather with our brothers and sisters of other faiths, and we began to see change in our community. We had the first ever service between the African-American church, Zion Baptist, and the mostly white Catholic church in Union County. This is no small thing in Mississippi!

We continued working together, and were able to gather the Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists and ourselves to share funds, volunteers and time to help the poor in the county. It was an ecumenical endeavor that helped others to live a bit better.

The journey of love calls us to recognize and set aside our prejudices and see that people who are different are also the same.

Love is expansive. It opens up understandings of the great mysteries we celebrate during Lent and Easter.

Let’s rededicate ourselves to love, our only hope, this Lent!

Father Wil Steinbacher's Mississippi mission church broke down barriers between Christian churches in the county by participating in interfaith services in the 1980s.

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The red-dirt roads of Georgia are the ground where Brother Jason (left) and Pastor Darrell reach out together. (BOTTOM LEFT) Brother Jason knocks on an apartment door on his route picking up participants in the C-Hope program.

Acting Like the Apostles

A Catholic Brother and a Baptist preacher work together to change lives in rural Georgia. story + photos by john feister

Glenmary Brother Jason Muhlenkamp is a man on a mission in Georgia’s southwest corner. Driving outside of Blakely, past pavement to the red-dirt roads, to a mobile home down a gravel drive, he leaves his van and knocks on a worn screen door. A weary-eyed woman eventually answers his knock and begs off coming into town today. Brother Jason quietly accepts her excuse and comes back to the van, then drives off to his next stop.

It’s the day for “Neighbor to Neighbor,” a twice-a-week program that Brother Jason, a social worker, has started with a local Baptist minister, Pastor Darrell Alexander (New Zion Baptist Church). As we drive off, Brother Jason explains that the woman who lives in the mobile home we just left has a drug problem, which seems to have returned.

“Pastor Darrell had this idea 10 years ago,” says Brother Jason, speaking not only of Neighbor to Neighbor, but also of a handful of other programs, all operating under the banner of C-Hope Ministries (“see hope”). The Spring 2020

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pastor, a career U.S. Air Force officer, had recently retired and now lives in Blakely. He got interested in community service soon after he arrived, then eventually felt called to lead a Baptist congregation. On the service side, “He needed to collaborate with somebody, to build a proper support system,” says Brother Jason. He found a partner in Brother Jason and Glenmary.

The next stop on our ride is a housing project in town, where Brother Jason once again leaves the van and walks to a few apartments, and people head for the van. One is a former felon, on probation still; others just need a job and signed up for the small stipend that Neighbor to Neighbor offers to keep people coming. As the van fills we finally arrive at Blakely’s Neighborhood Service Center, where class soon will begin.

“The goal is to promote self-sufficiency,” Brother Jason says. Participants meet twice a week for a morning, working towards personal responsibility to better shape their future. “The goal of the program is for the participants to set goals,” says Brother Jason. The goals are in four areas: faith and family, finance and education, social, and physical health and well-being. “Maybe they have dreams, and sometimes these dreams get hidden because people are stuck in survival mode.

We try to move them from surviving to thriving.”

Early County, after all, is a place where survival itself is an issue for many. It has a poverty rate of 28%, more than double the national average (13%).

Friendship in Ministry Brother Jason and Pastor Darrell first met at a local ministerial fellowship, explains Brother Jason, then worked together at a Thanksgiving meal. “That was the start of a good friendship,” Brother Jason says. They worked together on smaller charity projects, then, with Glenmary Father John Brown, organized a summer Bible school that remains a staple in the community. Along the way, they developed into a partnership of service. Both men are charismatic, each in his own way. C-Hope Ministries, home of Neighbor to Neighbor, pairs Brother Jason’s skill as a social worker with Pastor Darrell’s skill of organizing and maintaining programs.

Pastor Darrell likens it to a scene from Acts of the Apostles, chapter 3: “I view what Jason and I do is like Peter and John going into the Temple to pray. As they’re going in they met this lame man. The lame man is all of these people that we deal with, looking for somebody to lift them. I view Brother Jason and I as Peter and John. John was more TOP and BOTTOM: Brother Jason teaches a small group of participants at C-Hope twice weekly. MIDDLE: Pastor Darrell Alexander brings his Air Force experience to help cultivate responsible habits for participants.

Pastor Darrell, his wife, Sondra, and Brother Jason are developing a gymnasium, donated by the community, to be used by C-Hope.

the Catholic, that laid-back type,” says Pastor Darrell.

He laughs as he says that, since you might think Peter, the first pope, would be the Catholic!

He picks up a little preaching energy as he continues: “John was more well presented. He knew the script.

Peter was that fiery guy, always getting in trouble, you know, going right out there. I viewed myself kind of like Peter with the more charismatic type of preaching.

What I love is, they decided to put aside their differences. Now, they have reason to be different. Peter could say, ‘Listen, I am the rock. I oughta’ be...’ But John could say, ‘Wait a minute, I’m the beloved! I’m his best friend!’

But they decided to put aside those differences and go to church together. And on their way to church, they ran into a lame man. And that’s us, running into all of these folks around these parts.” That’s Brother Jason and Pastor Darrell on their way to Church, together.

‘Nothing but the Lord’ For the next few hours, here at the Center, Brother Jason will instruct the Neighbor to Neighbor participants, Lakisha, Crystal, Keisha, Kita, and Willie, leading them through a gentle discussion of how to set goals, and why they haven’t set goals in the past. Sometimes the issue has been domestic violence, rejection, addiction; in other cases it’s being overwhelmed by single parenthood and low-wage jobs. Brother Jason walks them through this curriculum of self-examination and life development that he brings from his social-work training. At some point, Pastor Darrell walks in, listens, and shares. His

position as a local, African American Baptist minister carries of lot of influence with this group of participants.

The preacher and the brother, one more vocal, one quiet, know that Pastor Darrell's dream of C-Hope Ministries has brought an opening for both of them to reach out in the community.

Pastor Darrell offers the example of a house fire: “We had two families whose homes burned. They lost everything. We were able to walk into that situation because of what Glenmary and others are contributing. ‘How are you doing, Pastor Darrell?’ the families say. My reply: ‘This is Brother Jason from C-Hope. We’re here to help you in this situation. I know it looks like you have no hope.’

“We were there to put them in temporary housing until Red Cross kicked in. We were able to clothe them until clothing came. We were able to give them food and shelter. That right there is nothing but the Lord, us being able to come together and be able to do that. And the community sees us working together.”

The next day, it’s early morning back at the Glenmary house, where Brothers Jason and Levis live. (Brother Levis nurses in neighboring Randolph County, where Glenmary Father Mike Kerin serves.) Brother Jason is the first one up, drinking a cup of coffee and taking care of emails before he heads off to the day’s activities. Then he’s out the door, heading for his car. “We’ve shared joys, struggles, challenges, and through that, we’ve built bridges,” he’ll say later about Pastor Darrell. Along the way, like St. Peter and St. John, they’ve helped a whole lot of people.

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LEFT: On the ACU campus, Glenmary Father Frank Ruff walks and talks with Churches of Christ theologian Keith Stanglin. RIGHT: Churches of Christ leader Israel Chaffin (left) and Glenmary Brother Craig Digmann share faith.

A Meeting of Hearts and Minds It’s a Texas-sized challenge, but Glenmary and Churches of Christ members are working toward greater unity. story + photos by john feister

“I’ve been dreaming of this day for 40 years!” That’s Glenmary Father Frank Ruff, excited to be part of breaking new ground in ecumenism. This past January the Glenmary Ecumenical Commission spent three days faith-sharing and praying with a group of ministers and members from the Churches of Christ, at Abilene Christian University (ACU) in Abilene, Texas.

“It was a moment of grace,” says Glenmary First Vicepresident Father Aaron Wessman, who made the long trip to north-central Texas to participate. “This kind of a breakthrough with a community like the Churches of Christ is not a small thing.”

A scholar and minister from Churches of Christ echoes Father Aaron. Douglas A. Foster, who spent his career teaching Christian history at ACU, reflects, “When you’re talking about visible Christian unity, some people say, ‘Well, that will never happen.’ But it is a priority. If we take Jesus’ prayer for unity in John’s Gospel seriously, we can not do any less. These couple of days were absolutely successful.”

The meeting took place in the library amid ACU’s 4,000-student campus. Father Aaron describes it, from the Catholic side, as “an informal dialogue under the umbrella of the United States bishops.” Glenmary’s 14

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ecumenical work, particularly through its Ecumenical Commission, is in the name of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops.

A Movement for Unity The Churches of Christ are part of a broader Protestant movement, the American Restoration Movement, which set out in the early 1800s to restore what it considered lost or neglected Christian practice and to build Christian unity. Three of its leaders, Presbyterian minister Barton W. Stone and the Presbyterian father and son Thomas and Alexander Campbell, came together in central Kentucky to practice “unity amidst diversity.” In what has become known as the Stone-Campbell movement, they sought for Christians to do the same in every community, in simple worship and service.

Each congregation in Churches of Christ maintains its independence, which remains one huge visible difference from Catholicism. Perhaps the other biggest difference from Catholicism is the movement’s reliance solely on the New Testament for its practice of Christianity.

Alas, this movement for Christian unity was unable to hold itself together. People of varying backgrounds couldn’t overcome differences of understanding about

When you’re talking visible Church unity, some people say, ‘Well, that will never happen.’ But it is a priority. We can not do any less. the nature of the Church and its mission, wrote Foster in “The Story of the Churches of Christ.” The heirs of the movement are three loose affiliations of congregations that are present worldwide today in the Churches of Christ, the Christian Churches and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), including over six million members worldwide.

Thirty universities the movement spawned include Pepperdine University, Lipscomb University, and, of course, ACU. Churches of Christ congregations are in every U.S. state, especially in the American South. They also are in 80 countries, especially India, and in many African locations.

“That All May be One” The key to the three-day meeting was faith sharing, which may well be the most effective way for Christians to move past barriers of misunderstanding, even fear.

The group of about 15 took turns over a day and a half sharing how Christian faith came to them and how it has shaped their lives. “You have to really make friends in order to get very far with trust and working together,” says Richard Roland, a Churches of Christ leader who works in Memphis, Tennessee. “These groups have been separated for a long time. And a lot of us really believe in Jesus’ prayer of John 17, “that all may be one.” That

plays itself out in communities back home, says Douglas Foster: “If you in fact are really, truly creating friendships at a spiritual level, it can lead to conversations concerning faith. And if a person does not have faith, you can offer, through conversation and modeling, the life of a Christian, a follower of Christ.”

This type of sharing doesn’t come easily. Glenmary Father Frank Ruff, longtime ecumenist with the Southern Baptist Convention, recalls a relationship he had with a Churches of Christ minister back in Tennessee, where he was stationed to provide Catholic ministry to the people of the local county. “We met together every six weeks for a year, but could never have a relaxed faith sharing. We always ended disagreeing. I’ve always regretted that.” He dreamed of a day when that faith sharing could happen.

Father Frank’s experience of fear or distance from the Churches of Christ minister would be typical. Just as Catholics a generation ago were discouraged from attending a Protestant worship service, or of marrying a Protestant believer, the Churches of Christ members today tend to be leery of Catholics. One of the ministers told the Glenmary Ecumenical Commission in Abilene, “If my congregation found out I was here, talking to Catholics, they might well dismiss me.” Old habits die hard.

There is a tiny group of Catholic students living on ACU's 4,000-student campus. The Ecumenical Commission met with them and shared about Glenmary's mission in Appalachia and the Deep South.

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Foundations of Fellowship For all of the significant differences between Catholicism and the Churches of Christ, there is a world of similarity. Those things we share in common are the places to further our unity, says Keith Stanglin, a professor at a Churches of Christ seminary in Austin, Texas.

For example, there is the language with which we talk about the Lord’s Supper. “I’ve encouraged people, including my students, and my church, to use biblical language about the Eucharist. Don’t get up there and say, ‘this symbolizes the body of Christ.’ Just say as scripture says; ‘This is the body.’”

The Churches of Christ celebrate communion weekly. But would his church members treat the Body and Blood as Catholics do? “I'm comfortable with saying, yeah, this is the body and the blood. This is the presence of Christ. But I would say, ‘mediated through the Spirit.’ I would stop short of saying this is literal flesh and blood.” Some members of his church, though, would consider communion more as symbolic than the real presence of Christ, he says.

At a Wednesday evening worship service, at a local congregation, the Commission was treated to a simple meal followed by a sample of four-part-harmony singing that is central to Churches of Christ worship—

traditionally no musical instruments are permitted in church (no candles, incense or the like, either). We sang from the hymnbook created for Churches of Christ all over by ACU professor emeritus of music Dr. Jack Boyd, who led singing by a congregation who sang their parts well. The Catholics there agreed: It was inspiring.

Over a plate of Texas barbecue, at a roadside restaurant after the third daylong meeting, Foster reflected on an unexpectedly rich gathering: “I really think that there were seeds planted among some of our people in Churches of Christ. They're going to actually be very intentional about looking for ways, simple ways, to be together, as Father Frank himself modeled. Go to dinner, lunch or breakfast with them, go to their worship services and become friends with people. Out of that can come real understanding.”

Plans are already in the works for follow-up using social media, and for having this kind of gathering with Southern Baptists and other denominations in the future. “I think it changed us,” says Father Aaron. “It certainly changed me. I was reminded of how important ecumenical dialogue is. If people of goodwill come together, it can change people in the body of Christ, and it can really make a difference for the kingdom of God.” Father Frank's 40-year dream is coming true.

Jesus’ Prayer: That They All May Be One

Being part of a small Catholic presence makes ecumenism a basic tool for Glenmary. It might be at ministerial gatherings, or at a jointly sponsored food pantry; or sometimes even, as newcomers, sharing space for Catholic worship at a local Protestant church. Glenmarians are inspired by words of Pope St. John Paul II: “Unity is not something added on, but stands at the very heart of Christ's mission.”

Father Frank Ruff shares the Glenmary maps with then-Pope John Paul II, showing counties where Glenmary brings the five pillars of ministry, one being ecumenism.

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Following the example of then-Pope Paul VI and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Father Frank Gardner and a local Episcopalian pastor shake hands in Norton, Va., in 1966.

Wise Missioner

interviews on glenmary spirituality

brother jack henn : it pays to listen

Jack Henn is a Glenmary Brother who, since 1974, has served in missions in Georgia, Kentucky and North Carolina. His ministries in the field have always been outreach to local communities. He organized local ministers to start a youth center in one community—the only place in town where white and black students could hang out together.

While he was serving in Bertie County, N.C., between 2007 and 2011, he was chosen as Citizen of the Year by the local Chamber of Commerce. He has served Glenmary in various administrative roles, and was once president of the national Religious Brothers Conference.

Q: Being a religious brother, rather than a priest, has been important to you from the beginning. Why did you choose to be a brother?

A: I wanted to work with the people, to walk with them. That’s been deep within me all along. It’s about

being in their struggles, whether it’s material poverty, or emotional struggles, like family issues. I try to listen to them and be nonjudgmental. I don’t necessarily give them advice; just listen and be with them.

I don’t look on myself as a preacher or an overtly religious type person.

I think I just convey a person who cares and is interested in them.

Q: Why is listening important?

A: I think the best way to minister is not to be a kind of fix-it man. It’s tempting to come in with all of the solutions and answers, but there’s always a lot of gray in life. I think the best way is for people to come to their own solutions, to identify their options. If I try to fix it for them, maybe a couple of months later they’ll be back with the same problem.

Q: How does your spirituality feed your ministry?

A: I think I’m more patient now than I was 40 years ago, for one thing! That’s come to me through my prayer life, I think. God gives me the energy, the focus to be present to people. I pray for patience, and for wisdom in working with people.

Spring 2020

Q: How do you pray?

A: Well, everybody has their unique style of prayer. Mine is reading scripture. Mine is a kind of quiet contemplative prayer where I just sit and try to be present to God. I also try to pray the rosary in a contemplative way. But my personality is always wanting to do, to be productive! I think things like, “is this a waste of time?” I could be doing something that could be helping people instead of sitting in a chair and just being present to God. So that’s a real task: to be faithful to prayer when there are so many other things that need attention.

Q: Which is more important to you, personal prayer or community prayer?

A: I pray in my room, and in the chapel. I try to devote an hour each day to prayer. I try to attend Mass daily. Then we have morning and evening community prayer. Both are equally valuable, I think. We don’t operate as individuals; all of us are a part of some sort of community. If you’re married, you have a family that gives you support. If you’re part of a religious community, you have other members who give you the support, the energy, the encouragement to do what you’re doing. We all need each other.

—John Feister GLENMARY CHALLENGE

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letters to the editor thank you

wor d s of w is d om f r om o ur f o un de r “An act of kindness or courtesy is, in the ordinary affairs of life, worth all the inconvenience

and delay that it may cause.”

-Father Wm. Howard Bishop

Thank you for sending me the Glenmary Challenge Winter 2019 magazine. I enjoyed reading it and it brought back memories of my time in Phelps, Ky., where I met with some Glenmary men. I was in Phelps with several Sisters of St. Joseph where we had Habitat for Humanity and got workers to come and help folks get a new home. May God continue to bless you and your ministry in serving others. God bless you!

Sr. Eleanor McNichol · Flourtown, PA long-time reader reports

I have been receiving Glenmary Challenge for 20-plus years and read over each article and picture.

I am a Protestant and feel the love of Christ in these stories. Blessings

This Spring, Give a Gift to Glenmary!

Prayerfully consider partnering with us: • • • •

Save on taxes by giving a gift from your IRA Earn income from a Charitable Gift Annuity Make a gift of stock or appreciated asset Pray for Glenmary vocations!

For more information, contact: Luke Carey, Planned Giving Officer lcarey@glenmary.org 513-881-7441

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to all the Glenmary folks and I enjoy meeting them in the articles.

Maggie Shields · St. Louis, MO a ‘heroic’ challenge

We appreciate reading Glenmary Challenge. All of you clergy and parishioners continue to improve our earthly environment (and heavenly) in a great way—spiritually! You have our continued prayers, praise and thanks. Truly a heroic challenge. Best of success to you in the Roaring 20s!

Joseph Debold · Warwick, NY great article

Great article (“Wait in Joyful Hope,” Winter 2019) on plane vs. bus people. Most of us tend to be plane people, but as we grow old and learn the way of life we become bus people to patiently wait, and let the course of life go as it flows with the guidance of our Lord God. Johcel Hughes · Windsor, NC love for brother joe

I love Brother Joe Steen. I am a better person for having known him. He is truly a messenger from God, and a blessing to all.

Sally Patten · Powder Springs, TN

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.

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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Pilgrimage with Glenmary Father Steve Pawelk is leading a pilgrimage to Our Lady of Guadalupe and the shrines of Mexico. The 10-day trip runs Nov. 2-11 and you're invited!

glenmary.org/a-pilgrimage St. John Paul II Construction

Seven Ways to Celebrate Lent Think about the missions this Lent. Glenmarians share ways to keep your penitential season holy.

glenmary.org/7-ways-to-celebrate-Lent-with-Glenmary

Despite some delays as a result of weather, construction is underway on St. John Paul II Catholic Mission's new church home.

glenmary.org/jp2update Follow Us On Facebook Glenmary's Facebook page shares inspiring quotes, news from the home missions and fun things happening each week. Become a follower today!

Facebook.com/glenmary.org Download the Glenmary App Part of Glenmary's unique style of ministry is to embrace the cultural celebrations of people we serve.

Glenmary now has a free app for your smartphone! Connect with our missioners and receive daily inspiration.

Download from your app store.

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A Filipino Tradition in North Carolina

Check Out Our YouTube Channel

Missioner Saint Weekly A recurring feature at Glenmary.org is Missioner Saint of the Week. Come read how the saints were missioners!

Glenmary posts new videos from our missioners each week. Hear their stories first by subscribing to our channel on Youtube.

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