Extension Magazine - Fall 2021

Extension | Fall 2021 17
sion to convert to Catholicism.
She joined the parish council
of St. Francis Xavier Mission and
eventually was invited to serve
on the Diocese of San Angelo’s finance
council.
REPAIRING HER CHURCH
While juggling a job and new
baby, Jacoby dove into the massive
undertaking to repair drafty
old St. Francis. She used her hourlong
daily work commute
to make phone calls
and push the project forward,
collaborating with
the church’s pastor, Father
Terry Brenon. She worked
within her parish finance
council to raise funds and
consulted with Catholics
from the surrounding area
who had completed their
own renovation projects.
It was challenging to find a
qualified contractor able to renovate
a historic church and willing
to work in the remote location. The
town is far from any major city and
2021 u 2022
Lumen
Christi
AWARD
FINALIST
LEFT Racheal
Jacoby spearheaded
the restoration
of St. Francis
Xavier Mission
in the Diocese of
San Angelo, Texas,
ensuring the beloved
church can serve
future generations.
BELOW LEFT Racheal
Jacoby and her
daughter, Heidi
does not have much more than a
gas station, small café, feed elevator,
post office and city hall building.
But Jacoby’s patience was rewarded.
“We ended up finding really
amazing contractors,” she said.
“Waiting that long was providential
because we had someone who
took the project as seriously as we
did.”
When the project began, she
ensured that the pews,
floors and stained-glass
windows—cherished historical
elements of the
church—were carefully and
tastefully renovated. New
ceiling lights and a metal
roof were installed, and
the foundation and walls
were fixed.
Parishioners celebrated
the first Mass in the newly
renovated church in September
2020. Since then, Jacoby has
seen an increase in families from
the surrounding area who have
made special trips to worship in
the church. As word spread about
the big project, she has also seen
new faces—curious travelers from
nearby Highway 87 who stop in
to see the lovely space and attend
Mass.
“The results of Racheal’s work
are beautiful and will benefit the
Catholic community of Melvin for
generations,” said Bishop Michael
J. Sis of San Angelo. “The church
has a brighter and more welcoming
feeling for guests and, more
importantly, it is safer for families
to attend.”
Jacoby’s experience is a reminder
of why Catholic Extension
continues to invest in church
building and renovation in dioceses
across the country. Sacred
spaces are places of welcome,
where the Church can do her essential
work caring for souls, passing
on faith and values and transforming
society from generation to
generation.
Not long after St. Francis’ reopening,
Jacoby and her husband
welcomed a son into the world,
and baptized him in the church.
Her daughter, now 4 years old,
asks eagerly every week: When do
they get to go to Mass?
“We want to do better for our
own children and do everything
we can to ensure they remain in
the faith,” said Jacoby. “For me,
that started with making sure they
would always have a church to call
home.”
One hundred and eight years
after Catholic Extension’s original
investment in this mission in Melvin,
the future continues to hold
great potential for the Church deep
in the heart of Texas.