Extension Magazine - Fall 2019

catholicextension.org
STORIES OF FAITH FROM CATHOLIC EXTENSION FALL 2019
ENCOUNTER!26
Sisters create energized faith communities 19

Extension | Fall 2019 3
S T O R I E S O F F A I T H F R O M C A T H O L I C E X T E N S I O N
Catholic Extension has published Extension
magazine since 1906 to share with our
donors and friends the stories illustrating our
mission to build faith, inspire hope and ignite
change in communities across America.
Contact Us
Catholic Extension
150 S. Wacker Dr., Suite 2000
Chicago, IL 60606
800.842.7804
magazine@catholicextension.org
catholicextension.org
Board of Governors
CHANCELLOR
Cardinal Blase J. Cupich
Archbishop of Chicago
VICE CHANCELLOR
Most Reverend Gerald F. Kicanas
Bishop Emeritus of Tucson
PRESIDENT
Reverend John J. Wall
VICE CHAIR OF COMMITTEES and SECRETARY
James M. Denny
BOARD MEMBERS
Most Reverend Gerald R. Barnes
Bishop of San Bernardino
Most Reverend Steven Biegler
Bishop of Cheyenne
Dr. Arturo Chávez
Elizabeth Hartigan Connelly
John W. Croghan
Most Reverend Daniel E. Flores, STD
Bishop of Brownsville
Most Reverend Curtis J. Guillory, SVD
Bishop of Beaumont
The Honorable James C. Kenny
Most Reverend Robert N. Lynch
Bishop Emeritus of St. Petersburg
Peter J. McCanna
Andrew J. McKenna
Michael G. O’Grady
Christopher Perry
Karen Sauder
Pamela Scholl
Most Reverend Anthony B. Taylor
Bishop of Little Rock
Most Reverend George L. Thomas
Bishop of Las Vegas
Most Reverend William A. Wack, CSC
Bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee
Edward Wehmer
COVER STORY
Encounter! 26
“Encounter” refers to what
happens when we allow
ourselves to be transformed
by our interaction with others
— especially the poor, the
vulnerable and the marginalized.
Encounters push back against
the indifference that pervades
our world, because they help us
see the world as Christ sees it.
BUILD
NEWS BRIEFS | A new church is built in Texas to
Many hands build new church 10
accommodate increasing numbers of Catholics
A glimpse of Native American
faith traditions 12
PHOTO GALLERY | New Jersey pastors visit parish in
New Mexico
INSPIRE
communities 19
Sisters create energized faith
FEATURE STORY | Latin American sisters bring the Church to
Hispanics and leave a legacy of transformation
A shared vision for change 20
FOUNDATIONS | Conrad N. Hilton Foundation supports
religious women to be agents of change
IGNITE
Donors take a broad view of
community 34
DONOR PROFILE | Men’s club of suburban Chicago parish
supports Catholic Extension
Reaching the last frontier 36
SEMINARIAN Q&A | Seminarian in Air Force Reserves serves
the vast territory of Alaska
Your investment in Catholic Extension is tax
deductible to the extent allowed by law. Catholic
Extension is a nonprofit 501(c)( 3 ) organization.
ISSN Number: 0884-7533
©2019 The Catholic Church Extension Society
All rights reserved.
Extension is a publication provided to you and your
family by Catholic Extension. If you do not wish to
continue receiving Extension, e-mail magazine@
catholicextension.org and we will remove you from
this mailing list.
Letter from Father Wall 4
Mission Needs 8
Connect 38

4
Letter from Father Wall
Extension | Fall 2019 5
A culture of encounter opens minds
and hearts
Father Jack Wall and Sister Silvia Chacón in Fort Hancock, Texas.
Dear Friends,
The terrible
tragedy
in El Paso
and the
sorrowful
events
in rural
Mississippi
challenges
us to more deeply heed
the heartfelt words of Pope
Francis:
“We the Church refuse to
see the poor and the marginalized
as mere numbers or
statistics. We choose to see
people with unique names,
unique faces, and unique
families. We choose to see
our shared humanity.”
As we grieve with these
suffering communities—two
places close to the hearts of
all of us who share in the
mission of Catholic Extension
—we also stand in solidarity
with them. For decades now,
you and our many donors
have created a spiritual bond
with our brothers and sisters
in El Paso, Mississippi, and
hundreds of other faith-filled
communities across America.
You have rooted yourself in
their lives and in their challenging
circumstances. You
have deepened your awareness
of God’s all-embracing
love that fuses us together in
faith. And you have worked
through the conduit of Catholic
Extension to be an instrument
of transformation in the
hearts, homes, and communities
of those we serve.
Though there is physical
distance between us and
them, we are convinced that
the deepest spiritual truth is
our sacred communion with
one another, our oneness in
God’s love.
Pope Francis continually
confronts all the powers in
the world that choose to separate,
divide, alienate or terrorize.
He does so by calling
us to embrace a deeper power
– the power of “encounter.”
Francis firmly believes that
“encounter” is the antidote
to the shadow of indifference
that pervades our world.
Indifference makes us blind
to the dignity, humanity, and
pain of others. He said, “If I do
not stop, if I do not look, if I
do not touch, if I do not speak,
I cannot create an encounter.”
You know this or you
wouldn’t be a part of Catholic
Extension and our shared
desire with you to seek and
encourage encounters that
break through the many walls
that divide the human family.
Inspired by Francis, I urge
us all to look, to stop, touch
and speak – that we might
encounter the face of God.
To encounter is to step
outside of ourselves to gen-
uinely meet others, particularly
the poor, the suffering,
and the marginalized. At
Catholic Extension, we are
called into the poorest places
not to “bring God,” but to
encounter the transforming
mystery of God’s presence at
work among the people we
serve. In turn, we help create
communities and a culture
of encounter in the poorest
places of America.
In this issue of Extension,
we share stories about the
men and women whom you
support with your generous
donations, and the many marginalized
people whom they
encounter. We invite you to
reflect on the many extraordinary
ways that the mystery
of God is revealed again and
again–to each of us–through
our diverse encounters with
others. We know that in these
beautiful connections, we
deepen our solidarity with
one another and indeed our
communion with God.
Thank you for walking this
journey with us and investing
so abundantly in our mission.
May God continue to bless you
and all whom you encounter.
Gratefully,
Rev. John J. Wall
PRESIDENT, CATHOLIC EXTENSION

Extension | Fall 2019 7
BUILD
MISSION NEEDS 8 | NEWS BRIEFS 10 | GALLERY 12
Good news from
around the country
How will you be remembered?
Do you want to support Catholic Extension in a meaningful way?
Learn how you can build a legacy of faith, hope and change in the lives of
Catholics in America for generations to come.
Contact the Planned Giving team at 1-800-842-7804
or plannedgiving@catholicextension.org
"
Please cut along the dotted line and mail to:
Catholic Extension, 150 South Wacker Drive, Suite 2000, Chicago, IL 60606
I have made Catholic Extension
a beneficiary of my estate in the
following manner:
St. Anthony
School
in Zuni, NM
hosts visiting
New Jersey
pastors.
See story
on page 12.
Name
Birth Date
Address
City State Zip
Phone Number
Email
I would like to know more about making
a lasting gift through my estate plan. I’m
interested in:
gifts by will or living trust.
gifts that provide me and/or my
family with lifetime income.

8 BUILD Mission Needs
Extension | Fall 2019 9
ANCHORAGE ALASKA
Marshall Islands
Samoa-Pago
Alaska
With the coming
of winter’s extreme
cold and snow, the
diocesan center
in Anchorage is in
need of $30,000
for energy-efficient
heating, windows
and lighting.
THESE REQUESTS NEED YOUR HELP
Highlights on this map are pending
requests from mission areas in the U.S.
Please donate to Catholic Extension
to make them possible. Thank you!
PAGO PAGO
AMERICAN SAMOA
On a mountainside
in American
Samoa,
termites have
damaged
Alao Catholic
Church.
$20,000 is
needed for new
ceiling and floor tiles, and paint.
STOCKTON CALIFORNIA
The annual
procession
honoring
Our Lady of
Guadalupe will
attract a crowd
of more than
12,000 people.
The diocese
requests $18,000 to support this
year’s celebration.
BUTTE MONTANA
A multi-parish
youth community
is the
only one of
its kind in this
rural town.
Four parishes
are seeking
$5,750 to help
fund three years of youth ministry
programs, with the goal of helping
youth to encounter Christ and embrace
the traditions of their faith.
EL PASO TEXAS
San Pedro de
Jesús Maldonado
is looking for
a new church
home to support
its growing
numbers.
$40,000 will
offset the costs
of a building purchase and replace
a portable unit they currently use.
LETCHER COUNTY
KENTUCKY
Father Robert
Adams is
pastor of a
parish founded
in 1913 around
the coal mining
industry in
Appalachia.
$17,600 will support his salary and
ensure he can continue to provide
spiritual nourishment to a parish
that can only offer $328 in each
week’s collection.
SCHRIEVER LOUISIANA
St. Bridget
Church requests
$5,000 for TVs,
whiteboards,
and other
supplies to
better engage
the 150 youth
in formation
programs, year-round classes,
and vacation bible school.
CATHOLIC EXTENSION
MISSION AREAS
ISSION NEEDS
Hawaii
PROJECTS IN MISSION AREAS
THAT NEED YOUR SUPPORT
NON-MISSION AREAS
Puerto Rico
St. Thomas-
Virgin Islands

10
BUILD
News Briefs
Extension | Fall 2019 11
HIGHLIGHTS
CATHOLIC REPORT
UNITED STATES
NEW TV MARKET
CHARLESTON,
SOUTH CAROLINA
LUMEN CHRISTI
AWARD
UNITED STATES
PARISH PARTNERS
CHICAGO
Spirit of Francis
On October 3, the Sixth
Annual Spirit of Francis
Award dinner will be held
at the Metropolitan Club
in New York to honor Dr.
Ramon Tallaj, chairman
of the board of SOMOS
Community Care and
Chairman and president
of Corinthian Medical
IPA. Doctor Tallaj is
shining the light for thousands
of low-income
patients in New York City
by providing them with
primary medicine. For
more information or to
make a reservation, visit
catholicextension.org/
francis-newyork.
Digital Annual Report
For the first time, Catholic
Extension’s annual
report is available in a
digital version. Please
visit catholicextension.
org/annual-report.
Many hands build a new church
With the help of faith communities in both Chicago and Boston,
parishioners of San Juan Diego in Citrus City, Texas, are worshipping
in a new church. The church was the dream of the Missionary
Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, who longed to support
the increasing numbers and spiritual needs of immigrant communities
in the area.
Father Tom Hurley, pastor of Old St. Pat’s in Chicago, was so
compelled by the powerful example of the Church’s growth, he
brought the story home to his parish, who contributed nearly
$30,000 towards Catholic Extension’s $90,000 commitment to
help with construction.
When news of the mission parish reached Boston, Cardinal
Sean O’Malley donated stained-glass windows from Saints Peter
and Paul Church in South Boston that was closing.
Parishioners are thrilled and grateful for their new church,
which was dedicated in July.
COURTESY EDUARDO HERNÁNDEZ/DIOCESE OF BROWNSVILLE
An article about Catholic
Extension’s U.S.-Latin
America Sisters Exchange
Program appeared recently
in National Catholic
Reporter’s Global Sisters
Report. The story quotes
Dr. Arturo Chávez, president
of the Mexican American
Catholic College and
Catholic Extension board
member, about his longheld
belief, “When you
need something done —
call sisters.” Photo: Sister
Maryud Cortes at Boston
College graduation.
MPAYING IT FORWARD
ore than 30
years ago, St.
Paul Parish
in Vienna,
Illinois, wanted to expand
its sanctuary for a growing
congregation. The parish
Catholic Extension’s
weekly TV Mass has expanded
into a new market.
Adding to its existing audience
in Tucson, Arizona,
on KOLD Channel 13, the
Mass is also seen on Sunday
mornings in Charleston,
South Carolina, on
WCBD, Channel 2. Masses
are broadcast from four
mission churches and information
about Catholic
Extension is included.
Viewers may also see it at
catholicextension.org/
tvmass.
reached out to Catholic Extension, who gave
$50,000 to complete the project. Recently,
parishioners found in a drawer the plaque
Forty-nine individuals
from mission dioceses
supported by Catholic
Extenson have been
nominated for the annual
Lumen Christi Award.
Serving in an array of ministries,
each one uniquely
represents the hands and
feet of the Church on the
frontlines. These amazing
nominees are profiled
at lumenchristiaward.
org. The winter edition of
Extension magazine will
feature this year’s finalists
and our honoree.
given to their church in
1988 from Catholic Extension,
asking them to
remember in their prayers
the donors who helped
with their expansion.
Moved by these words,
they did their own act of
generosity and raised $10,000 for Catholic
Extension to “pay it forward” to another parish
in need.
Through Catholic Extension’s
Parish Partnerships
Program, St. John Catholic
Church in Glenwood,
Illinois, raised $2,500 to
help rebuilding efforts
for St. Dominic Church
in Panama City, Florida,
which was damaged in
Hurricane Michael. “Your
support means so much
to us,” said Mark Gutcher,
parish manager, who said
they are still in process of
cleaning up, decontaminating
and rebuilding the
church, which could still
take a year.
NEWS BRIEFS

12
BUILD
Gallery
Extension | Fall 2019 13
A glimpse of Native
American faith traditions
Pastors discover the Church’s beauty in
faraway places
Three priests from New Jersey recently discovered that it is
much more than 2,000 miles that separates their parishes from
one in Zuni, New Mexico, where St. Anthony Church and School
serve the people of the Zuni pueblo.
Participating in a Catholic Extension-sponsored trip, Fathers
Thomas Walsh, David Pekola and Michael Krull got a firsthand
look at how St. Anthony encourages students to embrace their
heritage and incorporates native traditions into their classrooms
and Masses.
Located in a community where nearly 40 percent of the population
lives below the poverty line, the parish and school are
steeped in the belief that “Catholic faith and education is the
key for Native American youth to break the cycle of unemployment
and poverty.”
Father Patrick McGuire, SMA, who leads the parish and
school, warmly welcomed the visiting pastors to a day in the life
of his students. Catholic Extension helps to support the parish.
Saint Anthony
students in Zuni,
New Mexico are
proud of their
beautiful heritage
and celebrate their
traditions outside
the parish church.

14
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Gallery
Extension | Fall 2019 15
LEFT Fathers Krull, Walsh and Pekola (left
to right) joined St. Anthony students in their
classroom. “We need to be open to other
spiritual traditions,” said Father Walsh.
BELOW Saint Anthony students proudly
show the visiting priests how they frequently
incorporate ancestral customs into their faith.
Saint Anthony students in Zuni, New Mexico, are fortunate to study at this outstanding school,
attend regular Mass and be part of a caring community who is committed to their growth.
The visiting pastors join students and Father McGuire (lower left) and Father Akano (lower right),
of the Society of African Missions (SMA Fathers), for Mass to celebrate the diversity of cultures.

16
BUILD
Gallery
Extension | Fall 2019 17
RIGHT Father McGuire greets students after Mass
at St. Anthony Church and School. He is beloved
in this community and is an inspiring leader who
values and upholds the dignity of the Zuni people.
BELOW Saint Anthony students perform for the
visiting pastors. Father McGuire encourages the
students to keep their native traditions alive.
Father McGuire (far left), and
visiting pastors join students
for Mass. “I have found the
Church to be alive but suffering
in New Mexico,” said Father
Walsh, reflecting on the
Church’s challenges here.
The visiting pastors were
grateful to visit Saint Anthony
School, which has been
serving the Zuni for nearly
100 years in New Mexico,
and meet the students who
are carrying the torch of their
people’s traditional ways.
This experience deeply
broadened their perspectives
on the diverse ministries of the
Church in the United States.

Extension | Fall 2019 19
INSPIRE Features of faith
FEATURE 19 | COVER STORY 26
SISTERS CREATE
ENERGIZED FAITH COMMUNITIES
Through diverse ministries, they leave a legacy of confident leaders
Sister María
de la Luz Solís
Lara, of Mexico,
at Cristo
Rey Parish
in Salinas,
California,
reaching out to
bring Hispanics
into the parish
community.
In 2014, Catholic Extension
teamed up with the Conrad
N. Hilton Foundation to create
the U.S.-Latin American
Sisters Exchange Program
(USLASEP). Through this
innovative initiative, sisters
arrived from Latin America in
groups of three to four to join
U.S. parishes and become catalysts
of change for thousands
of Hispanic immigrants in these
faith communities.
Five years ago, 36 sisters from
Latin America arrived at 12 poor
communities in the United States.
They have created more than 250
programs and served more than
100,000 people in diverse areas
stretching from Washington
to Maine.
At the culmination of five years
of dedicated service, we recently
said goodbye to 36 Latin American
“When I arrived, people did not feel the parish was theirs,” Sister Luz said, “I helped them become
leaders,” said Sister Luz, teaching a faith formation class at Cristo Rey Parish.
sisters who returned home to
continue their ministries in their
native countries. We are eternally
grateful for their determination,
wisdom and monumental impact in
bringing Hispanic immigrants into
the Church in America.
We just passed the baton to a
second group of Latin American
sisters who will carry on this
beautiful partnership and offer their
own gifts and talents to continue
changing the trajectories of
Hispanic communities throughout
our country.

20 INSPIRE
Feature
Extension | Fall 2019 21
A SHARED
VISION FOR CHANGE
Celebrating our partnership with the Conrad
N. Hilton Foundation to empower sisters
LEFT At St. James Chapel in Chicago,
Fr. Jack Wall (center, left) and Cardinal
Cupich (center, right) celebrate Mass
with Sr. Jane (center) and the Latin
American sisters.
BELOW In Kalamazoo, Sandra Rayas
(right) is inspired by Sister Maryud
Cortes of Colombia.
On a summer
evening in southwest
Michigan,
26-year-old Sandra
Rayas stood up at a
parish dinner. With
a warm, clear message, she thanked
Catholic Extension and the Conrad
N. Hilton Foundation on behalf of
dozens of her fellow parishioners.
She had never considered herself a
leader, but that all changed with the
arrival of three sisters from Colombia
who came to her parish five years
ago to serve Hispanic communities.
Now she is considering a career
within the Church.
“The sisters planted a seed in
every one of us here, helping us
grow into the leaders that we want
to be,” she said.
The sisters’ ministry in Kalamazoo
is part of the U.S.-Latin American
Sisters Exchange Program
(USLASEP), whose
mission is to strengthen
the Church in the U.S.
and Latin America
through a collaboration
between international
religious congregations
and under-resourced
dioceses. This program
is made possible with
$5.4 million in funding
from the Hilton Foundation.
“We accompany Catholic Extension
to fulfill their mission as we fulfill
our own mission,”
said Sister Jane
Wakahiu, Ph.D.,
director of The
Foundation’s Catholic
Sisters Programs.
A dynamic leader,
who belongs to the
Little Sisters of St.
Francis and hails
from Kenya, Sister
Jane knows that
religious sisters are
LEFT Sister Jane
Wakahiu (right) of the
Hilton Foundation greets
a Latin American sister in
Chicago during a reunion
of the sisters.
determined, resilient and wellpoised
to relieve suffering among
the world’s poorest.
She said that The Foundation’s
founder, Conrad
N. Hilton, also understood
the strength of sisters.
Having been educated by
sisters, he knew they were
resourceful, charitable and
natural leaders. He was
so thankful for the impact
they had in his life, that
upon his death, he created
a foundation to support Catholic
sisters in their dedication to uplifting
the disadvantaged.
Sister Jane appreciates that
through the USLASEP, the sisters
immerse in the Hispanic communities
they serve. “They become members
of those communities,” she said.
“And when the residents see them
every day, they begin to transform.”
She believes the Latin American
sisters’ willingness to encounter
and accompany those on the
margins and their ability to foster
deep personal connections is why
this program is so successful.
She also applauds the program’s
emphasis on ongoing education and
training for the sisters. This model
allows them to enhance their own
leadership skills and immediately put
this expertise into practice.
Coming to the United States
broadens the sisters’ capacity to lead
in a rapidly changing society. “The
world is becoming very cosmopolitan,”
she said. “The sisters need
experience working in other
cultures to become effective
agents of social change. They
learn new ways of engagement
and problem-solving.”
She notes that as the sisters
gain experience and education,
they are prepared and empowered
for leadership in ministries in their
home countries. They have grown
spiritually and academically and
gained confidence.
Additionally, they are leaving
behind new leaders within their communities
whom they have inspired
and mentored to carry on their work.
“We are so grateful for our
partnership with the Conrad N. Hilton
Foundation,” said Father Jack Wall,
president of Catholic Extension.
“This program has taken off beyond
our wildest dreams, and we greatly
appreciate The Foundation’s
vision, willingness to take a risk and
financial support. This program is
improving the lives of thousands
of Hispanic immigrants throughout
the country and dozens of sisters.
We look forward to witnessing the
continuing transformations.”
In May, 12 sisters graduated from Boston College with a master’s degree in applied leadership.

22
INSPIRE
Feature
Extension | Fall 2019 23
Imagine…
In a small house in Des Moines, Iowa, lives
a family, originally from Colombia, with
two young children.
To make ends meet, they share the home with another
family. Five days a week, the father’s job at the tool
factory starts at 5 a.m. and he often works overtime until
8 p.m. The mother cleans houses during the day and
works at a restaurant in the evenings. Navigating childcare
and the school system is not easy, especially with a very
basic understanding of English. They’re doing their best to
raise children in a new culture, while maintaining family
values and traditions. And the cold winter climate is just
so different from back home.
There is one ray of hope—their faith. The Catholic Church. It is the one place that bridges
their old life and their new life. They yearn for a sense of belonging. But there is only one
Mass offered in Spanish and no ministries geared toward them. One day, they hear that
Latin American sisters are joining the parish to help people like them manage their very
difficult lives and become more active in the Church. Their prayers are answered!
CREATING A REFUGE
This story describes the situation
of many immigrant families in
the U.S. before the sisters arrived.
Catholic churches across America
have seen great increases in
Hispanic populations—who bring
energy and growth to parishes—
but present a pastoral challenge
of how to serve them and integrate
them into their communities.
The Latin American sisters have
courageously and heroically met
this challenge. They have tirelessly
led migrant ministries, taught religious
education, cared for people
in their homes and offered sacramental
preparation and pastoral
care. They have inspired young
people to consider vocations and
dramatically increased Mass attendance
at their parishes. In a true
missionary spirit, they have formed
new leaders to carry on their
activities.
Additionally, the sisters gained
so much themselves during their
stay. They attended several education
and leadership training
courses and workshops. We have
partnered with many institutions—
Mexican American Catholic College,
Boston College, Southeast
Pastoral Institute, Barry University
and Loyola University Chicago—
for these amazing opportunities.
Twelve sisters even obtained a
master’s degree at Boston College
in applied leadership.
The sisters’ mission is to listen
deeply, offer empathy and minimize
the burdens of immigrants.
They are extending in the most
genuine and beautiful ways the
basic tenets of the Church: mercy,
solidarity and joy. Here is a sampling
of their work.
DIOCESE OF BISMARCK,
NORTH DAKOTA
With the oil boom in North
Dakota, workers poured in,
including Hispanics. Some arrived
with families, and others solo, but
they were unsettled and had not
formed communities. In 2014,
three Mexican sisters arrived at St.
Joseph Parish in Williston, precisely
to bring these immigrants
into the Church.
“We reach out to the children so that they feel safe and loved when their parents are working so hard,” said Sister Brenda, working in Bismarck.
“When we arrived, the Hispanics
were scattered and not members
of the parish,” said Sister Brenda
Hernández Valdes.
The sisters set off to
find them. They went
knocking door to door
at housing units and
Bismarck
invited workers to join
the parish. They also
walked the aisles at
Walmart. “It is a perfect place,” Sister
Brenda said. “Everyone shops there,
so we met lots of people. Many had
never even seen a sister in a habit.”
NORTH DAKOTA
Fargo
The sisters frequented laundromats
and RV parks. Wherever there
were potentially people in need of
spiritual nourishment—particularly
those who had a deeprooted
faith but were lost
in the new city—the sisters
were there to embrace
them.
“We bring them a sense
of belonging,” she said.
“When we arrived, there was
a monthly Mass in Spanish that
about 30 people attended,” said Sr.
Brenda. “Now it’s twice a month and
100 to 200 attend.”
They have created ministries for
liturgy, sacramental preparation and
faith formation. They visit people’s
homes to pray the rosary and organize
Hispanic festivals.
“Our impact in the community
is our presence,” Sister Brenda said.
“We remind people of their relationship
to God as baptized people.”
Likewise, she is changed. “I am
not the same person I was when
I arrived,” she said. “My faith has
grown with each encounter.”

24 INSPIRE
Feature
Extension | Fall 2019 25
DIOCESE OF TYLER, TEXAS
Dominican Sister Yelitza Ayala
Gilot arrived in Jacksonville, Texas,
in 2014 with two other sisters from
Puerto Rico to work at Our Lady
of Sorrows. In a poor area where
only 5 percent of the population
is Catholic and immigrants were
increasing, the sisters
immediately saw the
Amarillo
hardships. “Immigrants
worked so many jobs
and had no time for
Lubbock
family,” she
said.
El Paso San
Angelo
The sisters
created a religious
education course,
where children and
parents learn side by side. They
organized retreats for teens and
programs for youth.
They worked with big
groups and one on one. “A
woman from Guatemala was
seeking political asylum, but
the process is difficult,” she
said. “I accompanied her to
lawyer appointments and all her
meetings. Her suffering became
my suffering.”
“Immigrants lack self-esteem,”
she said. “We help them see
their talents and strengthen
their faith.”
She has also gained from her
service. “With every person I
meet, I have learned so much
about our Church, which is so
diverse. I have seen Christ in each
person,” she said.
Laredo
TEXAS
Brownsville
WASHINGTON
Yakima
Sister Yelitza
teaches religious
education to middle
school students
at Our Lady of
Sorrows.
Tyler
Beaumont
DIOCESE OF YAKIMA,
WASHINGTON
In the Yakima Valley, thousands
of temporary migrants arrive each
summer for the cherry
and apple harvest.
Workers go to the fields
at 4 a.m. daily. Most stay
at migrant camps, often
with their families. Sixteen
In Jacksonville, Sister Yelitza visits
parishioners to help keep their families close
to the Church.
camps are spread across the
37,000-square-mile diocese.
Sister Isabel Doñate Valdez
and two sisters brought the Church
to workers in the fields. Partnering
with seminarians, they helped to
organize regular Masses for the
migrants and their families at the
camps. They created a literacy
wagon to teach children to read.
“We are empowering these
immigrants to lead healthier, faithfilled
and more productive lives,”
she said.
“We keep these
children learning
despite their
difficult travel
schedules and let
them know they
are important to
the parish,” said
Sister Isabel,
who is working
the literacy
wagon in Yakima.
“We remind immigrants that they belong to the Church,” said Sister Isabel, with a migrant in
Yakima. “We listen.”

26 INSPIRE
Cover Story
Extension | Fall 2019 27
STORIES OF
ENCOUNTER
Father Wayne
Watts (left) and
Father Karol Tybor
of Chicago visit a
migrant in El Paso.
When you see people face to face,
the experience comes to life, the people come to life,
and Christ comes to life.
We all live in a bubble, and we can break that bubble.
It has to be an encounter – I believe
in a personal encounter.
— PASTOR ON IMMERSION TRIP
Immersion trips for
pastors bring moments
of revelation and
transformation
A
veteran priest from
Boston is sitting in the
south Alabama home
where three generations
of an immigrant
family live, transfixed by their story
of journey from Guatemala to a new
life in the United States. A Chicago
priest sits on a cot in a makeshift
shelter in El Paso in order to listen
closely to young children and their
young mothers describe the harrowing
experience of fleeing violence
back home. Another Chicago priest
enters a poor house in Fort Hancock,
Texas to offer the residents comfort
and bless their home. These are but
a few of the many stories of encounter
that have impacted those traveling
with Catholic Extension’s Mission
Immersion program.
Over the past two years, thanks to
a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc.,
we have offered priests the opportunity
to visit parishes, schools and
other Church ministries that serve
marginalized populations. In the
company of pastor friends and led
by Catholic Extension staff, they see
firsthand the work of the Church in
parts of the country very different
from the ones in which they serve.
These immersions offer the opportunity
for encounter—opportunities to
see Jesus in a new way in the faces
of others.
Why southern Alabama or El Paso
or Fort Hancock? Because these are
Father Brian
Flynn (right)
greets a
parishioner in
Dothan, Alabama.
Father Oswaldo
Guillén of
Chicago prays
with migrants in
El Paso.
the places where suffering people
find in the Church a haven, a source
of hope and people who show them
Jesus. Traveling to these places,
people find themselves deeply
touched by the raw encounter with
self-giving love so much at the heart
of the Church’s mission.
In these moments, stepping
outside of ourselves and seeing the
realities of others—especially those
who are excluded, marginalized and
in pain— we stop and listen, and
we gain a vastly new perspective.
These encounters stretch our heart
and mind and allow us to see the
world with new eyes. Each encounter
breaks through the barriers of
isolation and indifference by putting
us face to face with Christ, whose
presence we come to recognize in
our neighbor. Pope Francis asks us
to be open to these encounters and
we at Catholic Extension are facilitating
them in powerful ways.
The following highlights are from
two immersion trips through the eyes
and words of the pastors who experienced
them.

28 INSPIRE
Cover Story
Extension | Fall 2019 29
TRIP TO
GULF COAST
PARTICIPANTS: Father William Devine, pastor, St. Thomas Aquinas,
Bridgewater, Massachusetts; Father Brian Flynn, pastor, St. Mary
and Sacred Heart Churches, Lynn, Massachusetts
SECOND STOP | ST. DOMINIC CHURCH
PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA
In the Florida Panhandle the pastors witnessed
the destruction of Hurricane Michael, including the
heavily damaged St. Dominic Church; to understand
how the parish is coping and helping the community
during this difficult time; and to see its rebuilding
efforts.
“In addition to rebuilding, the parish is helping
people find work, housing and cash assistance
for those who have been displaced,” said Father
Devine. “It was evident to me that ‘Church’ is not
just a building, but its mission, as Pope Francis
often states, is to get out of the building and into
the streets in order to give life and hope to the
surrounding community.”
“There was so much work to be done,” said Father
Flynn. “It is a place where you expect a lot of noise, a
lot of business, but it seems to be almost a forgotten
place now—it has an eerie silence—and needs to
be brought to people’s attention. Catholic Extension
hasn’t forgotten and is working there. But the community
needs a new sense of normalcy and stability.”
Father Michael Nixon, pastor of St. Dominic, shows Father
Devine (center) and Father Flynn the damage to his parish.
FIRST STOP | SAINT PETER THE APOSTLE CHURCH
PASCAGOULA, MISSISSIPPI
Saint Peter the Apostle, one of the “The music that I heard that
original black Catholic parishes, has evening with the constancy
served the Pascagoula community of refrains expressed trust in
since 1907. The church was destroyed God and offered exuberant
15 years ago during Hurricane Katrina words of praise. The faith
and rebuilt with Catholic Extension’s and passion with which the
help. Fathers William Devine and Brian words were sung brought
Flynn visited the parish of 235 families out emotions and a desire in everyone
present to praise God.”
for an evening of music and dancing.
“The opportunity to travel,
“It was an experience that
learn and observe the work being reminded me of what the Church is
done by parishioners, clergy and called to do,” said Father Flynn. “A
the great Church helped me to very personal Church as opposed
broaden my understanding of the to institutional. When you’re really
Church. It also helped to put my doing God’s work, it can bring joy. That
priorities in perspective,” said really struck me — the big challenges
Father Devine.
that they’re facing, but the joy in their
“The experience at St. Peter the faces and in their hearts.”
Apostle Parish helped me to appreciate
the passionate faith of its African
American parishioners,” he added.
TOP The choir of St. Peter the
Apostle Church performs.
ABOVE A St. Peter parishioner talks
to Father Devine (left) and Father
Flynn in the parish hall.
RIGHT Father Flynn (left) and Father
Devine pray with immigrants in
Dothan.
THIRD STOP | ST. COLUMBA PARISH
DOTHAN, ALABAMA
Saint Columba Parish, whose faith community Catholic
Extension has funded since 1914, is integrating increasing
numbers of Hispanic immigrants into its historically
Anglo parish. They met with parishioners to understand
their daily challenges.
“Here are good and faithful people who have fled their
homelands seeking opportunities to better themselves
and are struggling to support their families,” said Father
Flynn. “The parish offers spiritual support as they seek to
remain in a place they have called home for many years.”
“The Church that I witnessed on this trip is the
Church that I believe God has called us to be,” he
added. “As a pastor who find himself dealing with financial,
personnel and facilities issues all too much, it was
refreshing to see a Church dealing with God’s people in
such a beautiful way.”
Father Devine said, “It is hard to be stressed out
about minor damage in our own parish center or the
demands of work when I think of a family of 15 people
living in a trailer with little money, fear of being
deported, no medical insurance and no license and
still smiling.”

Extension | Fall 2019 31
TRIP TO SOUTHWEST
PARTICIPANTS: Father Wayne Watts, St. Joseph Church, Wilmette, IL; Father Kevin
Feeney, Sheil Catholic Center, Evanston, IL; Father Edward Panek, St. Raymond,
Mount Pleasant, IL; Father William Tkachuk. St. Francis Xavier Parish, LaGrange, IL;
Father Marc Reszel, St. John of the Cross, Western Springs, IL; Father Louis Tylka,
St. Julie Billiart, Tinley Park, IL; Father Oswaldo Guillen, St. Cecilia Church, Mount
Prospect, IL; and Father Karol Tybor, St. John Church, Glenwood, IL.
SECOND STOP | MOUNT CRISTO REY
SUNLAND PARK, NEW MEXICO
In the early morning hours, the group ascended Sierra de Cristo
Rey to the famous cross that serves as a magnificent shrine for
Catholics. Bishop Emeritus Ricardo Ramírez, CSB, described to the
group the significance of this site for pilgrims in the region. Pointing
to the impact of migration here, he called to mind the words that
former New York City mayor Ed Koch spoke to Archbishop Timothy
Dolan when he arrived as archbishop to the city. Coming to Ellis
Island, Koch said, immigrants were welcomed by two ladies: Lady
Liberty and Holy Mother Church. Today, Bishop Ramírez said, the
Church is similarly in the position of offering hospice to the tired,
poor, huddled masses of immigrants.
The pastors celebrated Mass on top of Mount Cristo Rey with
Bishop Ramírez. In his homily, the bishop asked the group to “See
the world below through the eyes of Christ, acknowledge
the many ways that His beloved people suffer and recall how
Christ himself took on our human condition in order to manifest
and embody God’s mercy.”
Father Tkachuk encounters migrants at the El Paso diocesan shelter.
FIRST STOP | DIOCESAN CENTER EL PASO, TEXAS
To accommodate historically
large numbers of migrant families
legally seeking asylum into this
country, earlier this year the
diocesan center had converted one
of its buildings into a migrant shelter
to welcome them. The pastors met
with the migrants to learn firsthand
of their journeys, hardships and
hopes.
“This experience opened
my eyes and heart to a deeper
appreciation of the realities of
those seeking asylum in this
country,” said Father Tkachuk.
“In the process, I saw how the
Church, the people of God, are
witness to a living faith and,
in so doing, bring vibrancy to
communities of worship.”
“They view mission as living
their faith by reaching out to those
in greater need and focusing on
what can be done rather than what
seems impossible,” he added. “We
become non-mission when we
lose that spirit of hospitality and
focus on what we think we lack or
do not have in sufficiency. ‘It is in
giving that we receive.’ The Church
is alive and growing among them
because they live this.”
Father Reszel remarked, “I have
a deepened understanding and
appreciation of the issues of the
border and the response of the
Church.”
Father Watts was very moved
by what he saw and said, “At the
welcome center, I met a man who
gathered enough money to fly with
his son and wife from Honduras
to Mexico City and then walked
carrying his son from Mexico City
to the border. When we met him,
one shoe was off, revealing a
foot, covered with ointment and
severely damaged from the walk.
And this man said, ‘It’s all worth
it for my son. The pain is worth
it. The uncertainty is worth it.
Because I did it for my son.’ These
people that were in that room
were all filled with stories. And
filled with hope.”
Father Tylka said, “I am a better
person from this experience. I
am better educated about the
complexity and reality of the
border crisis.”
THIRD STOP | SANTA TERESA
MISSION PARISH
FORT HANCOCK, TEXAS
The pastors met Sister Silvia Chacón,
ASC, the parish life coordinator at Santa
Teresa Mission Parish in Fort Hancock.
The church does not have a resident
priest, so she is responsible for the all of
the daily activities at the parish: religious
education, pastoral care and outreach
ministries, in this extremely poor town.
The pastors accompanied her to meet
a parishioner with many hardships: she
suffers from multiple sclerosis, but cares
for her 3-year-old twin grandchildren;
her husband was ill; and her former
house burned down. She is haunted
by nightmares and asked the priests to
bless her new home.
Father Tylka said, “The chance to learn
from the mission dioceses about their
approaches to ministry are invaluable.
With fewer priests, we have to rethink our
models of being a parish and they have
insights to offer us.”
The pastors visit a parishioner with Sister Chacón (fourth from left).
Father Guillén blesses the new home of a parishioner.

Extension | Fall 2019 33
“IN GIVING,
WE ARE
RECEIVING.”
INCOME
FOR
LIFE!
IGNITE
SEMINARIAN Q&A 36 | CONNECT 38
Making a difference
A Catholic Extension charitable
gift annuity offers you immediate
financial benefits and will help
communities that are poor in
resources but rich in faith for
generations to come.
• Receive fixed payments for life
• Get immediate and future tax benefits
AGE
Minimum age is 55
ANNUAL
PAYOUT RATE
55-59 4.3-4.6%
60-64 4.7-5.0%
65-69 5.1-5.4%
• Make a lasting impact
70-74 5.6-6.1%
For a personalized proposal,
contact Betty Assell at 800-842-7804
or Bassell@catholicextension.org
75-79 6.2-7.1%
80-84 7.3--8.1%
85-89 8.3-9.2%
catholicextension.org/annuities
Please cut along
the dotted line and
mail to: Catholic
Extension, 150
South Wacker
Drive, Suite 2000,
Chicago, IL 60606
_____ Please contact me
90+ 9.5%
Two-life rates available upon request
Rates Effective July 1, 2018
_____ Please send a sample charitable gift annuity proposal for $__________________
Name(s)__________________________________________________Age(s)_____________
Address__________________________________________________
City___________________________________State_________________Zip______________
St. Paul of
the Cross
parishioners,
avid supporters
of Catholic
Extension,
gather in
Chicago. Story
on page 34.
Phone________________________________Email__________________________________

34
IGNITE
Donor Profile
Extension | Fall 2019 35
Donors take a broad
view of community
Parish men’s club helps locally and nationally
St. Paul of the Cross
parishioners, Dan Johnston
and Julie Johnston, Joe
Haugh, and Bob Horak
gather at the Chicago River.
‘‘
Catholic Extension
is an example of
what it means
to be a universal
Church,” said
Dan Johnston, a
parishioner of St. Paul of the Cross
in Park Ridge, Illinois.
“It’s a focus on the word
‘Extension.’ Extending your arm
to others and lending a hand,”
he added.
Along with friends Joe Haugh
and Bob Horak, he is part of the
parish’s men’s club. Together with
dozens of other men from the
parish, the club meets to socialize
and deepen their faith.
Johnston believes that people
should give back to their
communities, and Catholic
Extension is an opportunity to
help communities outside of their
hometown who are connected
to them by faith. “Catholic
Extension is another expression
Father Jack Wall
celebrates Mass with
St. Paul of the Cross
parishioners at the
Chicago headquarters
of Catholic Extension.
of community,” he said. “And
integrating faith into all aspects
of our lives takes us out of the
four walls of church.”
Haugh is an old friend of Father
Jack Wall, former pastor of Old St.
Patrick’s Church in Chicago. Father
Wall married Haugh and his wife
Siobhan and baptized his children.
When the Holy See appointed
Fr. Wall as president of Catholic
Extension, Haugh was exposed to
the good work the organization
does for the Church across the
United States. He shared the
Catholic Extension story with his
men’s club, including Horak and
Johnston.
Horak and his wife Sara have
since become Socius Circle
members (see box below).
“Catholic Extension embodies
PHOTO CHRIS STRONG
what’s really good about the
Catholic Church,” he said.
Each man is dedicated to St.
Paul of the Cross Parish because
it helps them keep their faith at
the center of their lives. It is not
just where they attend Mass on
Sundays. It’s where their kids go
to school and where the parents
socialize.
“This parish is like an
extended family for many
of us,” said Horak.
Haugh agreed. “I feel so
blessed in this parish. I feel like I
found my people.”
The men speak highly of the
benefits of getting together with
friends for an important cause.
“For us, it’s about getting good
friends, good people together,”
said Horak. “It’s got to be
something people look forward
to. Anyone can call up their five
best friends and do it.”
“It can’t be an obligation,”
Haugh added. “We found a group
of people that have the same
Catholic identity and the same
type of camaraderie and we ran
with it.”
Having invested in their small
men’s club and their larger parish
community, they are reaching
out and supporting even broader
faith communities across the
United States through Catholic
Extension.
What is Socius Circle? Based on Socius, the Latin word for companion, it is an opportunity to
partner with Catholic Extension to serve poor Catholic communities. Members share an abiding
commitment to Catholic Extension’s mission and have taken an additional step by contributing
$1,000 or more annually. For more information, visit catholicextension.org/socius-circle

36
IGNITE
Seminarian Q&A
Extension | Fall 2019 37
Reaching the last frontier
Seminarian in Alaska serves in true mission territory
Madison Hayes, Archdiocese of
Anchorage, is entering his third
year studying theology at the
Pontifical North American College
in Rome, with support from
Catholic Extension. We asked
why he feels called to serve tiny Alaskan towns—some
accessible only by plane or boat.
uTake us back to your childhood.
When did you first hear God’s call?
I was born into a military family
in California. When I was 2, we
moved to Ramstein Air Force Base
in Germany. My parents were
Protestant, but not practicing.
Then my mother met a Catholic
woman and started taking my four
brothers and me to Mass.
Madison Hayes,
seminarian in the
Airforce Reserves,
takes a selfie in
Seward, Alaska.
I loved that sense of community.
As humans, we are made to
be in community. The Catholic
community on base was dynamic.
We gathered on Monday nights for
the rosary, shared meals and did
service projects together. At age
10, I was so excited to be baptized
into a close-knit faith community!
At a confirmation retreat, I felt
the first calling to priesthood and
asked a chaplain what I needed to
do. He said, “God will start opening
doors in prayer and make
clear the way He wants you to go.”
Chaplains encouraged my
vocation—especially by modeling
healthy, happy priesthood.
Additionally, going on family pilgrimages
and making a trip to
the Holy Land during high school
fueled my budding spiritual life.
While the idea simmered, I
attended college, graduating with
a business degree in 2010. Shortly
afterwards, I joined the Air Force.
Following training in Texas and
Oklahoma, I was assigned to
Alaska—which was a great blessing,
because I am outdoorsy,
adventurous and a big fisherman.
uBut the call to priesthood
returned?
Yes, I often met with priests,
sharing my desire to serve God
and others. Also, I could see that
Alaska needed priests. Once on a
fishing trip in Valdez, I woke up
early to attend Sunday Mass in
town. I was heartbroken to hear
there was no Mass because the
pastor was on rotation to another
rural parish. Encountering this
priest shortage made me realize
that Alaska is mission territory.
I wanted to help.
Through the Archdiocese of
Anchorage, I entered St. Paul
Seminary School of Divinity in
Minnesota in 2015. I am finishing
my studies at the Pontifical North
American College in Rome and
will be ordained, God willing, in
2021. I am a chaplain candidate
in the Air Force reserves, so I will
serve both the archdiocese and in
the military.
uWhy do you want to encounter
Alaskans who are so isolated?
The Church’s role always starts
with meeting people where they
are, even in very remote areas—
but it does not end there. We are
called to bring them the fullness
of truth, to show them the beauty
of the Church and help them pursue
goodness through a relationship
with God.
On my summer pastoral assignment
in Alaska this year, I traveled
with a priest to serve Sunday Mass
on the southern tip of the Kenai
Peninsula. For years, the parish
hasn’t had a resident priest, but
one was just named. I could see
their excitement for more consistent
availability of the sacraments,
especially daily Mass and regular
confessions. One day, I will be a
priest like that.
uWhy is Catholic Extension’s
support for seminarians in
Alaska important?
Financing seminarians’ education
is a big burden to mission
dioceses. Over a priest’s lifetime,
he will serve in several places and
reach many Catholics. Catholic
Extension enables us to impact
people who otherwise would
not have access to the Catholic
Church, or only rarely.
I am grateful to Catholic Extension
donors who let us bring Jesus
Christ to the furthest ends of the
world.
There is no greater love than
to lay down one’s life for others.
Everyone in the military knows
this. And a priest is much the
same. He lays down his life for
the Church.

38
IGNITE
Connect
Extension | Fall 2019 39
From the mail
From social media
On Twitter, below, sisters take selfie with Father Rafael Capo of the
Southeast Pastoral Institute while in Texas
Dear Catholic Extension donors,
THANK YOU SO MUCH for helping us
to fund the much-needed repairs and
restoration of our century old stained
glass window project. This fall, our
parish can JOYFULLY celebrate the
centennial of our church building!
The restoration and repairs to these
100-year-old windows are a wonderful
reminder of what faith and hard work
can accomplish.
› Carol Beauchamp | Parishioner,
St. Joseph Parish,
Diocese of Marquette, MI
Jenelle Gergen directs communications at the Diocese of Crookston, MN
Dear Catholic Extension donors,
YOUR SUPPORT HAS allowed me to attend the June 2019 Catholic Media Conference
in St. Petersburg, Florida.
The annual event, which is described as “the destination of choice for Catholic
communications professionals” has more than 20 sessions, with tracks covering
both print and digital publishing, communications departments and media relations.
I am extremely grateful for your support.
› Jenelle Gergen | Director of the Office of Communications,
Diocese of Crookston, MN
Dear Catholic Extension,
Seminary has taught me so much
I WANT TO TAKE this opportunity to about God, myself, and how God
thank you all for your generous support works through me in the lives of those
that has helped I will soon be serving as a priest. I feel
make my seminary
education ings I’ve been given with others and to
a particular duty to share the bless-
possible.
show a heartfelt gratitude to those who
Seven years have made it possible. I truly do wish to
ago, I could never thank you for your kind support.
have imagined all › Rev. Mr. Luke Wilgenbusch |
of the incredible gifts that God has had Diocese of Nashville, TN
in store for me during this time.
On Facebook, above,
we show how the
Diocese of Yakima
brings Mass to migrant
farmworkers
Right, our Instagram
post after an evening
celebrating the
U.S.-Latin American
sisters in our
exchange program
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