Extension Magazine - Summer 2022

catholicextension.org
STORIES OF FAITH FROM CATHOLIC EXTENSION
SUMMER 2022
AID TO REFUGEES FROM THE WAR
OUR CATHOLIC
RESPONSE
TO UKRAINE
8
Mission in the mountains:
THE CHURCH IN APPALACHIA 17

Extension | Summer 2022 3
Catholic Extension has published Extension
magazine since 1906 to share with our donors
and friends the stories illustrating our mission:
to work in solidarity with people in America’s
poorest regions to build up vibrant and
transformative Catholic faith communities.
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
Contact Us
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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
Elizabeth Hartigan Connelly
BOARD MEMBERS
Most Reverend Gerald R. Barnes
Bishop Emeritus of San Bernardino
Most Reverend Steven Biegler
Bishop of Cheyenne
John W. Croghan
Most Reverend Daniel E. Flores, STD
Bishop of Brownsville
Most Reverend Curtis J. Guillory, SVD
Bishop Emeritus 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
Andrew Reyes
Karen Sauder
Pamela Scholl
Most Reverend Anthony B. Taylor
Bishop of Little Rock
Most Reverend George L. Thomas, Ph.D.
Bishop of Las Vegas
Most Reverend William A. Wack, CSC
Bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee
Edward Wehmer
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ISSN Number: 0884-7533
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Children
displaced by
war 8
Our cover image is of a Ukrainian-
American bishop, Bohdan Danylo,
blessing a child at a Mass for
refugees he celebrated at the
Ukraine-Poland border.
This edition of Extension
magazine discusses our long
relationship with the Ukrainian
Catholic Church in America,
which provides us an immediate
and effective pathway to help the
Catholic Church in Ukraine as it
cares for vulnerable people in the
war-torn nation. This includes the
refugee children pictured above
being sheltered by Catholic sisters
in Ukraine.
BUILD
United with Ukraine 8
COVER STORY | Extension support to the Ukrainian Catholic
INSPIRE
The Catholic Church’s powerful
presence in Appalachia 18
FEATURE STORY | Legendary pastor’s vision continues today
IGNITE
Church provides humanitarian aid to refugees
Please help fuel our priests 14
MISSION NEEDS | Pastors who travel hundreds of miles for
ministry need extra assistance as gas prices climb
A willingness to help anyone 26
FEATURE STORY | Small Catholic parishes make an enormous
difference in Appalachia
New church in El Paso welcomes
more families 29
CONNECT | Rapidly growing parish thanks Extension donors
for help building a new church
Endowment propels Health Wagon in
Appalachia to the next level 30
DONOR PROFILE | Gift continues to advance lifesaving health
care services in the mountains of Virginia
Letter from Father Wall 4
News briefs 7

4
Letter from Father Wall
Extension | Summer 2022 5
T
Love is
the highest law
and our
deepest truth
he words of the late Father
Adolfo Nicolás, former superior
general of the Society of
Jesus, struck me when more
than a decade ago he said
that we live in a time characterized
by the “globalization
of superficiality.” What he
meant, I believe, is that we
humans are enticed now
more than ever to spend our
lives solely on the surface
level, feeding our minds and
hearts with a steady diet
of “empty calories” that
are readily available to us
through modern technology
and media.
We risk missing the deeper
purpose and meaning of our
lives when we keep spinning
in the shallow places of
human existence where fear,
cynicism and indifference
thrive, without ever venturing
“out into deep water” (Luke
5:4).
But these past several
months have been somewhat
of an awakening for the
human family following the
invasion of Ukraine, in which
we have seen the reemergence
of an appreciation for
values and ideals grounded in
Scripture, such as self-sacrifice,
welcoming the stranger
and befriending the orphan
and widow.
The most prominent
Ukrainian Catholic prelate
in the United States, Archbishop
Borys Gudziak, whose
ministry is supported by
Catholic Extension, believes
we are learning a great deal
as a human family from our
Ukrainian brothers and sisters.
In a recent interview he said,
“Ukrainians are giving purpose
to civilization. … They’re
reminding us of the ultimate
values. … Freedom is not free.
And sometimes even the
ultimate sacrifice is warranted.
But it’s warranted and people
take it on, because they
believe in eternal life.”
In other words, these values
are not just relegated to a
bygone era. They are alive and
well today in many parts of
the world like Ukraine as well
as in our own country. This
includes Appalachia, a place
we call special attention to in
this magazine.
In our work at Catholic
Extension, we are the collaborators
of many heroic
people who consistently make
conscious choices to love and
sacrifice on behalf of others,
without seeking anything in
return.
They have come to understand
that a life well lived is
not spent on the surface but
rather in constant pursuit of
our highest calling to love
more deeply and serve more
readily.
This magazine’s pages are
filled with stories of people
and parishes supported by
you, our donors, who have
joined their lives, hearts and
minds to causes that are bigger
than themselves.
Like the laywoman in
rural Kentucky who spends
70 hours a week serving
the homeless through her
Extension-supported parish,
driven by her simple desire to
help restore people’s human
dignity one person at a time.
Or the group of Ukrainian
nuns who through our special
support converted their
convents into refugee shelters
for displaced families and
children in war-torn Ukraine.
Likewise, the approximately
100 young men from
the 87 Extension dioceses
who are being ordained to
the priesthood this year
thanks to your support of
their education.
These Catholic leaders
with whom we partner show
us that love is in fact the
highest law and our deepest
truth. Mindful of the mystery
of God at work in their lives,
they willingly lay down their
lives in service of others.
One of my personal heroes,
Sister Marie-Paule Willem,
FMM, Catholic Extension’s
2018 Lumen Christi Award
honoree, said it best: “There
is so much misery in our
society because of the capacity
we humans have to reject
love.” She knows this so well,
having lived through the Nazi
invasion in her home country
of Belgium and after seeing
death camps in South America
as a young religious sister.
But she is also convinced that
the troubles of our times can
be overcome by embracing
our call to love. We can break
through the powerful vortex
of superficiality, the storms of
fear, the clouds of cynicism
“[There has been] an awakening
for the human family following
the invasion of Ukraine ... we
have seen the reemergence of
an appreciation for values and
ideals grounded in Scripture,
such as self-sacrifice, welcoming
the stranger and befriending the
orphan and widow.”
and the outbreaks of violence
that chronically ail our world
by simply embracing this
highest law and deepest truth.
As Christians, we are given
the commandment of love
from the God of Love, who
came to this world to shed
his blood, tears and very life
on our behalf, only to restore
it into something new and
beautiful. We are meant to do
the same with our lives.
I thank you for the great
gift of love that you share
with people who are suffering,
the people in distress and
those crying out for our help.
Through your support of
Catholic Extension, you are a
direct companion to a great
generation of people living
out the call to love and serve
the Lord and all of humanity.
God bless you and all
whom you love,
Rev. John J. Wall
PRESIDENT, CATHOLIC EXTENSION

Extension | Summer 2022 7
BUILD
OUR SUPPORT TO UKRAINE 8 | MISSION NEEDS 14
Good news from
around the country
LARGE ORDINATION
CLASS
NORTH DAKOTA
MACC ANNIVERSARY
TEXAS
UKRAINE STORY
REACHES MILLIONS
NATIONWIDE
NEW YOUNG ADULT
GRADUATES
NATIONWIDE
The Diocese of Bismarck,
North Dakota, is
ordaining five men to
the priesthood this
summer. For a diocese of
60,000 Catholics, this is
an extraordinary number.
This continues a long
trend of smaller dioceses
successfully cultivating
many new vocations. The
Bismarck ordinandi are
among more than 400
seminarians who receive
support from our donors
each year.
The Mexican American
Catholic College (MACC)
is celebrating its 50th
anniversary. MACC
educates Church leaders
for service in a culturally
diverse Church and
society. Over the years,
Catholic Extension has
partnered with MACC
to provide instruction to
religious sisters, priests,
lay leaders and young
people aspiring to serve
the Church in dioceses
across the United States.
Catholic Extension organized
a national media
tour in April to highlight
Ukrainian-Catholic Bishop
Bohdan Danylo’s trip
to the Ukraine border following
the Russian invasion.
He was the first U.S.
bishop to travel to the region.
Catholic Extension
supports the Ukrainian
Catholic Eparchy of St.
Josaphat in Parma, Ohio,
which he leads. Bishop
Danylo’s message seeking
prayers and support for
Ukraine reached 45 million
people. See story, page 8.
Eight young adults will
complete their master’s degrees
in theology through
Catholic Extension’s Young
Adult Leadership Initiative.
These leaders live
in under-resourced dioceses
across the country,
from Georgia to Alaska.
They will use their degrees
to serve the Church
and strengthen faith and
ministry among young
people. The schools from
which they will graduate include
Boston College, the
University of Notre Dame
and Fordham University.
Father Jack
Wall, president
of Catholic
Extension, speaks
with sisters in
the U.S.-Latin
American Sisters
Exchange Program
at the chapel
at the Mexican
American Catholic
College, which
is celebrating its
50th anniversary.
See next page.
SISTERS OF THE HOLY FAMILY CELEBRATE 150 YEARS
The Sisters of the Holy Family are commemorating
the 150th anniversary of their founding with a
year-long celebration. The mission of this California-based
congregation is to seek out and advocate
for the poor and needy, especially families. The sisters
stand against conditions that demean or undermine
the dignity of persons or the sacredness of the family. As
part of their jubilee celebrations, they gave a generous gift
to Catholic Extension to support the ministries of other religious
sisters in our network serving vulnerable families.
NEWS BRIEFS

8
BUILD Summer 2022 9
Cover Story | Ukraine
Archbishop Borys Gudziak
of the Ukrainian Catholic
Archeparchy of Philadelphia
addresses a rally for peace in
Washington, D.C.
Father Jason Charron, a Ukrainian-American Catholic
priest from the Extension-supported Ukrainian Catholic
Eparchy of St. Josaphat in Parma, Ohio, traveled to
Ukraine to rescue 22 orphans from Kyiv. He took them to
safety at the western border days after the war broke out.
UNITED with UKRAINE
Bishop Bohdan Danylo, who
leads the Extension-supported
Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of
St. Josaphat in Parma, Ohio,
blesses a refugee in Gdańsk,
Poland, after celebrating the
liturgy with Ukrainian refugees.
In March Bishop Danylo
became the first U.S. bishop to
travel to the border after the
war broke out, a trip sponsored
by Catholic Extension.
Extension support to the Ukrainian Catholic Church provides
humanitarian aid to refugees
On February 24, 2022,
the nation of Ukraine
was invaded by Russia.
The ensuing weeks of
devastating attacks
have killed thousands of innocent
civilians and forced millions of
Ukrainians to flee their homeland.
Even the most optimistic outlooks
for Ukraine’s future acknowledge
that pain and suffering will linger
for years to come for millions of
people.
Around the world people are
looking for ways they can help
Ukrainians. One group deeply connected
to the daily realities of the
people of Ukraine is the Ukrainian
Catholic population here in the U.S.
Catholic Extension has supported
the Ukrainian Catholic Church in
the United States since 1979. The
Church includes four “eparchies”
(that is, dioceses) based in Philadelphia;
Chicago; Stamford, Connecticut;
and Parma, Ohio, operating
approximately 200 Ukrainian Catholic
parishes—many of which have
been built with Extension funding.
The Ukrainian Catholic Church
in America and the Catholic
Church in Ukraine are incredibly
interconnected, not just spiritually
but also administratively, as
Ukrainian-American bishops share
leadership duties for the Church
in Ukraine as part of the “synodal”
leadership structure. What’s more,
Breathing with both lungs
The Roman Catholic Church and
the Eastern-rite churches are in full
communion. St. Pope John Paul II
famously said the “Church must
breathe with Her two lungs!” This
referred to the complementary
relationship of the Western and
Eastern Churches. Perhaps now
more than ever we are seeing that
vision of unity in mission through
the Church’s response to Ukraine.
A day after the invasion, Pope
Francis thanked the Ukrainian
Catholic Church, the largest of the
23 Eastern-rite Catholic Churches
in full communion with the
Holy See, for its closeness to the
Ukrainian people. He praised its
You can help the Ukrainian Catholic Church by visiting catholicextension.org/ukraine
Ukrainian Catholic dioceses in the
United States regularly sponsor
many projects in Ukraine. And our
Ukrainian-American priests are
commonly trained as seminarians
in Ukraine, as are our religious
sisters.
Bishop Bohdan Danylo, a
Pope Francis appointed Ukrainian-American
Archbishop Borys Gudziak to the Ukrainian
Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia in 2019.
Born in Syracuse, New York, to Ukrainian
immigrant parents, he has served the global
Church in many capacities, including as the
president of the Ukrainian Catholic University
in Lviv, Ukraine. Most recently, Pope Francis
named him a member of the Vatican Dicastery for
Communications.
commitment to remaining among the
people and being of service to those
most in need.
Ukrainian-American bishop who
shepherds the Extension-supported
Ukrainian Eparchy of St.
Josaphat in Parma, Ohio, became
the first U.S. bishop to travel to the
Ukraine-Poland border since the
war broke out. Just two weeks prior
to the invasion, Bishop Danylo had
been in Ukraine for his quarterly
visit. He commented how life was
eerily normal in spite of the looming
invasion. The border he crossed
from Ukraine to Poland during
that visit only took four minutes to
cross. It now takes up to four days.
He returned to that same border
in late March with Catholic
Extension’s sponsorship to deliver
aid and to be present among the
40,000 daily refugees passing
through that same area. He had
the opportunity to observe firsthand
the impact of the funds provided
by our donors and to minister
directly to refugees. In an
email to Catholic Extension, he
remarked, “It has been an educational,
heartbreaking and sober
journey for me.” Upon his return to
the United States, Catholic Extension
organized a media tour for
Bishop Danylo to share his experience
and plead for more help. The
tour helped him reach an audience
of 45 million people.
Our Ukrainian-American Catholic
leaders know the situation in
Ukraine intimately, because their
own family members and brothers
and sisters in faith are the
ones being affected. Most importantly,
they know where help is
most needed at this time and have
proven effective at getting funds
into Ukraine to support the humanitarian
effort. Additionally, priests
from the United States have journeyed
to Ukraine personally,
including a Ukrainian Catholic pastor,
Father Jason Charron, who traveled
to Ukraine to personally evacuate
22 orphans shortly after Russia’s
invasion.
The Catholic Church in Ukraine
represents less than 10 percent
of the total population, but it has
immense credibility among the
people, making it a natural network
for humanitarian outreach.
Its credibility is grounded in the
fact that the Catholic Church in
Ukraine has always identified
with the persecuted because the
Church has been subject to persecution.
Archbishop Borys Gudziak
of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy
of Philadelphia—an Extension-supported
eparchy—said, “The
sad story is, over the last 250 years,
every time Ukraine has been occupied
by a Russian regime, whether
its Tsarist, Communist, or ‘Putinist,’
the Ukrainian Catholic Church is
strangled. But it is never killed,
because it is the Body of Christ, and
it rises again.”
The Catholic Church in Ukraine
has a well-established record of
speaking truth to power, regardless
of the consequences. There are living
memories of celebrating Mass
in secret under Soviet rule. Therefore,
it is the persecuted Catholic
Church that, at the time of this
writing, remains in place in all
areas of Ukraine. And it is doing
everything to alleviate the suffering
of Her people, whether they are
Catholic or not.
Parishes, seminaries, convents
and the Ukrainian Catholic University
have all been converted into
refugee shelters, where vulnerable
families, children, the elderly
and the sick receive food, medicine
and transportation to evacuate the
country.
Our Ukrainian-American Catholic
eparchies continue to be
besieged with requests for help on
a daily basis. Fortunately, with the
help of our generous donors, they
are able to immediately respond to
many of these requests.

10
BUILD
Cover Story
Extension | Summer 2022 11
PROVIDING SUPPLIES FOR
THOSE IN NEED
The Sisters of St. Basil the Great are
out on the front lines providing
food, diapers, hygiene products and
other essential materials to families and
vulnerable children in Ukraine. They need
our continued support to the Catholic
Church in Ukraine to carry on this vital
ministry.
“At the moment, all these things:
products, diapers, hygiene products,
etc., the sisters buy in Ukraine, but our
financial resources are depleted,” Sister
Danyila said. “We are thankful for any help
in this hard time for Ukrainian people.”
REPORTING FROM THE WAR ZONE
The photos in this gallery come directly from Catholic leaders in
the war zone. They underscore:
• The closeness of the Catholic Church’s leaders to the realities
of the war, and;
• The immediate impact of our support to the Ukrainian Catholic
Church.
FUNDING UKRANIAN CHURCH EFFORTS
Catholic Extension’s emergency funding to the Ukrainian
Catholic Church has supported the Sisters of St. Basil
the Great, who are working to shelter, feed and evacuate
vulnerable families and children.
Sister M. Danyila Vynnyk, provincial superior of the order,
shared a letter and photographs detailing how the sisters
provide aid.
“Most families, especially mothers with children and
seniors, live in our convents a few days and move abroad,”
she wrote. “Every day 10 to 15 families live in the convents,
and the sisters serve them gladly and sacrificially.”
HELPING CHILDREN
WITH DISABILITIES
The Sisters of St. Basil the
Great delivered supplies
to a school in Ukraine where
children with disabilities were
being housed after evacuating
from central and eastern
Ukraine.

12
BUILD
Cover Story
Extension | Summer 2022 13
PROTECTING THE INNOCENT CHILDREN
Bishop Bohdan Danylo meets
with children at the Markian
Shashkevich School in Przemyśl,
Poland. At that time, the school was
hosting 170 refugee children.
“Children are resilient; that’s one
blessing of being a child. But, then,
could you imagine knowing that
your father is on the other side and
your mom is just constantly praying
that he will be alive?” Bishop Danylo
explained to the Associated Press.
He remarked to Catholic Extension
that his trip to the Ukraine-Poland
border was an “educational,
heartbreaking and sober journey
for me.”
NOURISHING
THE SOUL AND
THE BODY
Sister of St. Basil
the Great Yosyfa
Lesnichenko feeds
an evacuated child in
Ukraine. The situation in
Ukraine is heartbreaking
on so many levels. Thanks to
funds provided by Extension
donors, hospitalized
children, orphans and those
with special needs are cared
for by these loving sisters.
ASSISTING THE ELDERLY WHO HAVE FLED
Bishop Bohdan Danylo meets with Ukrainian
elders from Donetsk, Kharkiv and Sumy,
who have fled to Poland due to the invasion.
“I was amazed by the kindness of those
people,” Bishop Danylo told the Associated
Press in an April interview. “The trip, which
usually takes seven hours, took three to four
days for them fleeing the war zone. They stood
for two days in February and March. They still
didn’t lose their humanity.”
BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND DINNER FOR IMMIGRANT FAMILIES
Father Ihor Boyko, rector of Holy
Spirit Seminary near Lviv in western
Ukraine, received Extension support. The
seminary is sheltering refugee families as
they journey out of the country to safety.
“Every day, the kitchen staff prepares
a full breakfast, lunch and dinner for
immigrants. If necessary, we provide baby
food,” he said.
The seminary is located near a strategic
water source and is being protected by
members of the Ukrainian defense. The
kitchen staff feeds them as well.
“I express my sincere gratitude to all the
donors who support us. May God reward
you a hundredfold for supporting Ukraine
in this difficult time,” said Father Boyko.
GIVING SHELTER TO REFUGEES
Arefugee mother has brought her daughter to shelter
at Holy Spirit Seminary, supported by Catholic
Extension, in western Ukraine. This family is one of
thousands that have journeyed for days to reach safety.
You can help the Ukrainian Catholic Church by visiting catholicextension.org/ukraine

14 BUILD Mission Needs
Extension | Summer 2022 15
PLEASE HELP
FUEL OUR PRIESTS
Amid the war in Ukraine, soaring fuel prices are
impacting the Catholic Church in our own country. Many
priests supported by Catholic Extension serve multiple
parishes across vast geographic distances. Traveling to
far-flung communities is more costly than ever.
Your donation will help pay the rising transportation
costs for the priests we support as they journey far and
wide to serve those on the peripheries. To contribute to
one of these projects, please contact us at magazine@
catholicextension.org or call 800-842-7804.
VIDA MONTANA
TENAKEE SPRINGS ALASKA
St. Francis Chapel
in Tenakee Springs,
Chalan Kanoa
Alaska, is located
128 nautical
miles southwest
of Juneau and is
Guam
only accessible by
airplane or ferry.
Your donation will
support the travel for a circuit priest
from the Archdiocese of Anchorage-
Juneau to reach this remote Alaskan
Caroline Islands village, a hunting and fishing
community.
Marshall Islands
ARAGON NEW MEXICO
In the Diocese of
Gallup, New Mexico,
Father Anthony
Dike travels over
400 miles every
weekend to serve
three faith communities.
Along with
celebrating Mass
at each of the churches, his ministry
also includes bringing Communion to
homebound parishioners. Your donation
will continue to fuel his travel and
ministry to those on the peripheries.
St. Ann Church in Vida, Montana, is one of
four churches Father Martin Ezeihuaku serves
in the 52,000-squaremile
Diocese of Great
Falls-Billings. Round-trip
travel from his home
parish on the Fort Peck
Reservation in Wolf Point
to three additional faith
communities adds up to
nearly 300 miles. Your
donation will support his ministry throughout
the Montana mountains.
SIERRA BLANCA TEXAS
Our Lady of
Miracles Church
sits in rural
western Texas,
where summer
temperatures
climb well over
100 degress. The
church was built
in 1916 with assistance from Catholic
Extension after the completion of the
transcontinental railway. Your donation
will help Father Francisco Hernández
fuel his tank to travel 70 miles round
trip from his home parish to serve this
remote outpost of the Church.
BOONEVILLE MISSISSIPPI
Father Mario Solórzano drives 65 miles
round trip twice a week to deliver the
Eucharist to a
humble church, St.
Francis of Assisi
in Booneville,
Mississippi, in
the Diocese of
Jackson, which is
the only Catholic
presence in the
county. Your support will continue to
pay for the fuel that brings him there.
Samoa-Pago Pago
EXTENSION DIOCESES
Your donation will be applied to a similar need
should your specified project be fully funded
before we receive your support. Thank you!
Hawaii
ISSION NEEDS
Puerto Rico
St. Thomas-
Virgin Islands

catholicextension.org
THE GIFT
THAT PAYS
YOU BACK
STORIES OF FAITH FROM CATHOLIC EXTENSION
SUMMER 2022
A Catholic Extension
charitable gift annuity
offers you immediate
financial benefits and will
help communities that are
poor in resources but rich
in faith. Future generations
will thank you!
NEW
HIGHER
RATES!
• Receive fixed, stable
payments for life
• Get immediate and future
tax benefits
• Make a lasting impact
For a personalized proposal,
contact Betty Assell at 800-842-7804
or Bassell@catholicextension.org
or visit 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
NEW HIGHER PAYOUT RATES!
AGE
4.5%
4.8%
5.3%
6.0%
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8.1%
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60 65 70 75 80 85 90+
Rates effective July 1, 2022
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APPALACHIA:
MISSION IN
THEMOUNTAINS
Catholic communities lift people up and save lives 22

18 INSPIRE
Feature Story | Appalachia
Extension | Summer 2022 19
MISSISSIPPI
This summer 2022 issue of Extension magazine was originally
devoted to the vibrant stories of faith and hope amid great hardships
in Appalachia. However, the attack on Ukraine, and our subsequent
immediate support to the Ukrainian Catholic Church, warranted
the space on our cover to capture this moment in time. On the
previous page we include our original cover concept as a special
acknowledgement of the groundbreaking work of the Church in this
challenged yet beautiful region.
THE CATHOLIC
CHURCH’S
POWERFUL
PRESENCE IN
Appalachia
Catholic
Extension has
invested $150
million in the
Church in the
Appalachia
region since
1905.
TENNESSEE
LEGENDARY PASTOR’S VISION
CONTINUES TODAY
KENTUCKY
ALABAMA
OHIO
GEORGIA
NEW YORK
PENNSYLVANIA
WEST
VIRGINIA
SOUTH
CAROLINA
VIRGINIA
MARYLAND
NORTH
CAROLINA
WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
St. Ann Catholic Church in Deer Lodge,
Tennessee, built with Catholic Extension
support in 1913.
In an area where less than 1 percent of the population
is Catholic, Msgr. Ralph Beiting is remembered
as one of the most prominent people in the
foothills of eastern Kentucky.
The tenacious pastor passed away in 2012, but
his five decades of service laid the groundwork for the
small but powerful presence of the Catholic Church
in Appalachia today. He arrived in 1950, encountering
economic and housing conditions that resembled
something closer to a developing country. Roads were
unpaved, treacherous and narrow. Homes were hardly
more than shacks and didn’t have plumbing, electricity
or insulation. Families and children were uneducated
and had no access to medical care. Msgr. Beiting made
it his mission to go out into the “hills and hollers” and
bring the mercy of the Church to these communities.
Twenty years after his missionary work began, he received
the honorary title of monsignor by Pope Paul VI.
In a story published in Extension magazine in 1986,
Msgr. Beiting likened his ministry to the origins of
Christianity. “In the early Church, the message of Christ
had to be delivered directly to the people, in the streets
of their towns and villages,” he said.
Appalachia is as immense as it is beautiful, stretching
from northern Alabama and Georgia to southern
New York state. Although the region is abundant in natural
resources, a large percentage of its inhabitants have
never benefited from long-term economic prosperity.
To this day, severe and persistent poverty is sadly the
norm in many parts of Appalachia. This includes eastern
Kentucky, where many counties experience the
lowest household income, educational attainment and
life expectancy in the country.
The region, which is part of the Extension-supported
Diocese of Lexington, has had a coal-based economy
that has largely vanished. In the early 20th century, coal
fueled the country’s industrial and economic boom.
Msgr. Ralph Beiting, photographed by Catholic Extension two years before being
welcomed into eternal life in 2012.
But the few well-paying jobs left in
the mines today are a vestige of a
bygone era.
A SPIRIT OF HOPE
Through these overwhelming
challenges, the people have
found an uplifting voice and a helping
hand in the Catholic Church.
Catholic Extension has been present
in the area since 1906—just a
year after our founding—with a
grant to help build a church in Jackson,
Kentucky. Since then we have
worked in solidarity with faith
leaders in eastern Kentucky and
throughout Appalachia to live out
the Church’s mission by providing
a spiritual presence and corporal
mercy to all of God’s children.
In 1925 Extension magazine
shared a letter from Ann Steward,
chairwoman of an organization
working to develop missions
in Tennessee. She focused on the
community surrounding the humble
Deer Lodge Chapel, which was
built with support from Catholic
Extension. “The little chapel, all
unpainted, has for its only exterior
mark of a house of Catholic worship,
a cross that rises like the very
spirit of hope against the outline of
the nearby mountain ranges,” she
wrote. “The mountaineers come
miles and miles to the little chapel
in the worst weather if they can get
over the roads—and this is not always
the case.”
She described the perseverance
St. Clare Chapel in Berea, Kentucky, began
with nothing more than a run-down home and
the determined spirit of Msgr. Ralph Beiting to
serve God’s children in eastern Kentucky.
of the Deer Lodge pastor: “Father
Campbell travels the trails, seeking,
inviting, encouraging, covering as
much ground as any human being
could cover; but it is an almost superhuman
task for one man, even
if he is a beloved priest, to build, to
create, and to carry on in 12 counties
and four mission stations.”
CHRISTIAN OUTREACH FOR ALL
Msgr. Beiting began his ministry
in a similar way. Just a year after he
was ordained in 1949, he was assigned
to serve 3 1/2 counties.
He asked God for the strength
to take on the mammoth challenge
and set to work. “I just fell in
love with the Church as a missionary
agent to bring God’s message
to all those people who needed it,”
he said.
He planted a sign reading “St.
Clare’s Catholic Chapel” in front
of a run-down house that would
serve as his church. Then he began
to immerse himself in the community.
In 2002 Catholic Extension
helped build the church that
is home to the parish today.
The church is one of nine mission
chapels that Msgr. Beiting
would go on to found between 1951

Extension | Summer 2022 21
With your support
THE LIGHT
OF CHRIST
Msgr. Beiting
brought lifechanging
services
and hope to
families in the
heart of coal
country for 50
years.
shines throughout America
PLEASE GIVE TODAY
catholicextension.org/contribute
or 1-800-842-7804
Kenai in the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau, Alaska
Msgr. Ralph Beiting shared a story in Extension
magazine in 1966 that described how his
mission reached a family experiencing severe
poverty. The children were given food and
clothing so they could go to school. They were
invited to Bible classes at the Catholic church,
built with support from Catholic Extension.
and 1990, eight of which were established
with support from Catholic
Extension.
Although he knew how it was
to be poor, having grown up during
the Great Depression with 10 siblings,
he was astounded by the
conditions in which he found the
Appalachian people. He discovered
entire families living in debilitated
structures with no modern
amenities—often just a coal-burning
stove. He encountered children
with nothing to eat or wear. One
family could only live in one of its
two rooms because they had to
tear up the floorboards of the second
room to burn for heat.
Msgr. Beiting decided to start a
summer camp to give the children
a place to go where they could eat
steady meals, engage in healthy
recreation and learn about God’s
love and their own potential in life.
“I could give them dreams.
I can talk to them about a better
tomorrow,” he said. The camp
was created independently of the
Church because he knew that if it
> Several quotes and photos from Msgr.
Beiting provided by the documentary “50
Years in the Mountains,” produced by
Pinnacle Productions for the Christian
Appalachian Project.
were labeled Catholic, the children
would not be allowed to come due
to long-held prejudice.
Msgr. Beiting grew familiar with
more families and their needs as
he drove the children to and from
the camp. He found that they
wanted to be self-sufficient and
find jobs to live independently.
However, they lacked the education
and skills to improve their situations.
In 1964 he formed the Christian
Appalachian Project—a nonprofit
which now serves more than
1 million people each year, across
the 13 states of the Appalachian region.
In addition to providing basic
living essentials such as food and
clothing, the organization supports
early childhood education, home
repair, care for elders, family counseling
and more. “We’re going to
do more than just give things away.
We’re going to give opportunities
away,” said Msgr. Beiting.
Like the camp, the ambitious
project was formed independently
of the Church to better reach those
it was designed to serve. Msgr. Beiting
credits his bishops for understanding
his vision and enabling
this mission to reach as many people
as possible.
“It was a Catholic venture into
ecumenism,” he said. “I don’t think
there’s any other church that has
ever made an ecumenical stand
that is as powerful as the Catholic
Church made with the Christian
Appalachian Project.”
PASSING THE TORCH
Today, Msgr. Beiting’s pioneering
spirit endures in the communities
and hearts of those who continue
the good works of the Church.
New challenges—the pandemic,
the continued decline of the coal
industry, natural disasters, a rise in
drug addictions—emerge relentlessly.
They only add to the struggles
in these mountains.
But through these trials, the
Catholic Church—though few in
number—has remained a strong,
steady and hope-filled presence.
Our following stories detail how
clergy and lay leaders are stepping
up to answer today’s pressing physical
and spiritual needs in Appalachia.
They are fulfilling Msgr. Beiting’s
decree:
“You’re going to have to go out
there and wade those creeks and
climb those hills and get your feet
wet and your hands dirty. You’re going
to work.”

22 INSPIRE
Feature Story | Appalachia
Extension | Summer 2022 23
A
disabled woman
with a leak in her
ceiling is unable to
repair her home.
Two Catholic sisters
and a group of volunteers come by
to offer friendship and fix the leak.
A retired mine worker, suffering
from black lung disease, receives
an electricity bill he cannot
pay. He calls the electric company,
and a representative tells him to
get in touch with a Catholic church
for help.
These scenes are common in
eastern Kentucky, where many
counties endure some of the most
extreme poverty in the United
States. The region’s towns, left in
decline largely due to the departure
of the coal industry, are populated
with households struggling to
access the most basic necessities—
food, heat, medical care, safe housing
and more. But that is not where
the story ends. Where there is poverty,
there is also generosity. Where
there is human and economic
frailty, there is also immense faith
and a sense of purpose. People
lacking material goods often have a
surplus of love.
Although only a fraction of 1
percent of the population is Catholic
in this region, a resilient network
of Catholic missions serves
their communities, embracing
their challenges and their inherent
beauty.
SEE THE
FACE OF
CHRIST
IN EACH
PERSON
CATHOLIC
COMMUNITIES IN
EASTERN KENTUCKY’S
MOUNTAINS
LIFT PEOPLE UP
AND SAVE LIVES
tled in a rare patch of flat land in
the mountains. Inside, stacked
among folding tables and in closets,
are boxes and boxes of clothing,
hygiene products and other
household necessities.
When Sister Marge Eilerman, a
Sister of St. Francis of Tiffin, Ohio,
arrived here in 1986, there was no
church and only one Catholic person
in the entire county. She turned
an old smokehouse into a chapel
and set to work reaching out to the
community. People held misconceptions
and misgivings about the
Catholic Church’s presence, but
through Sister Marge’s many years
of ministry, she has become a beloved
and trusted figure in town.
Sister Angie Kiel, also a Sister
of St. Francis of Tiffin, joined Sister
Marge 12 years ago. They live in
a trailer next to the church, previously
owned and gifted to them by
Msgr. Ralph Beiting (see his story
on page 18). The parish has grown
to 17 families, most of whom are
Catholic Extension helped build Holy Trinity
Catholic Church in Harlan, Kentucky, in 1949.
converts. Each week’s collection
averages to about $5. This might
seem incredibly insignificant until
one comprehends the scale of the
mission that takes place beyond
the walls of this humble mountain
church.
Under the leadership of the sisters,
the parishioners of Holy Family
have united with their community,
which struggles with many
Youth join Sisters Marge Eilerman and Angie Kiel, OSF, to serve the
community in Booneville, Kentucky.
hardships such as lack of employment
opportunities and poor
health. According to U.S. Census
data, more than 35 percent of the
population lives below the poverty
line.
People regularly turn to the parish,
which does everything in its
power to help with both short- and
long-term challenges.
The sisters have established a
network of volunteers to assist
with home repair. On such meager
incomes, people have no money
left over to fix leaking pipes or
rotting floors, which are common
problems in manufactured
houses. For example, volunteers
built a wheelchair ramp for a disabled
elderly woman using funding
from Sisters
on the Frontlines—a
Catholic
Extension initiative
that offered
emergency
grants to Catholic
sisters serving
in poor regions
across the United
States during the
pandemic.
More than just
helping with the
Sisters Marge
Eilerman and
Angie Kiel, OSF,
promote hope
and dignity to
all in Booneville,
Kentucky. Catholic
Extension helped
build their logcabin-style
Holy
Family Catholic
Church.
A SMALL LOG CABIN CHURCH
WITH A BIG MISSION
In 1990 Catholic Extension
helped build Holy Family Catholic
Church in Booneville in the Diocese
of Lexington, Kentucky. The
charming log cabin church is nesimmediate
needs of people, Holy
Family takes a more wholistic approach
to helping people by building
relationships in the community.
“The outreach has been a part
of helping people live a more dignified
life,” said Sister Marge. “It is
more than repaid by the beauty of
the people here.”
“I like to serve here because the
people are so honest and authentic,”
said Sister Angie. “I really see
the face of Christ in each person I
meet, and that deepens my faith.”
No problem is off-limits. They
helped one mother escape with her
children from an abusive relationship.
They paid the electric bill for a
grandmother taking care of her two
teenage grandchildren, who needed
to use the computer to do their
homework.
Each year during Christmas, the
sisters set up a “store” that allows
people, especially elders, to have
their own private time to browse for
much-needed items like soap, blankets,
socks and more. Sister Angie
said these community members
tell her the experience makes
them feel respected and dignified.
“That brings the presence of Jesus
to them,” she said.
Although most who visit the

24 INSPIRE
Feature Story | Appalachia
Extension | Summer 2022 25
church are not Catholic themselves,
they find solace within its
log walls.
“The comment we get most frequently
from people who visit the
church here is that it is so peaceful.
I think that’s something we all
long for in our lives—to find a place
where we can be at home,” said
Sister Marge.
“The other asset that people frequently
attribute to our small parish
here is that of hospitality. Everyone
is welcome,” she added.
“You are welcome as the person
you are.”
The Church community works
hard to uphold Appalachian cultural
traditions such as gardening and
quilting by bringing the community
together to pass along these
teachings to the young people.
Those who do join the parish
find spiritual fulfillment in
their small faith community
and through the sacraments. An
eighth-grade boy joined their vacation
Bible school. He said, “I’d
like to become Catholic because
I have a hole in my heart and I
think Jesus is the only one who
can fill it.” After he completed
the Rite of Christian Initiation of
Adults (RCIA), his mother chose
LEFT Catholic
Extension supports the
St. George Church
faith community in
Jenkins, Kentucky.
RIGHT Missionaries
of Charity Sisters
Drita Maris, Abelette
and Sujaya follow in
the footsteps of their
foundress, Mother
Teresa, in serving the
“poorest of the poor.”
to be baptized along with her two
daughters.
The charismatic sisters and
the hospitable Catholic community
they lead have established
long-standing relationships within
and outside the community to
help them in their mission.
GOD’S MERCY IN COAL COUNTRY
A two-hour drive south, Father
Terrence de Silva leads faith
communities and outreach in the
heart of coal country. He is pastor
of three churches: Holy Trinity in
Harlan, St. Stephen in Cumberland,
and the Church of the Resurrection
in Lynch. Catholic Extension
helped build Holy Trinity in 1949.
Father de Silva arrived in 2019,
the first residential priest at Holy
Trinity after more than 32 years. He
found a small but determined faith
community that had persisted all
those years without a priest. The
previous year, a blow struck the already
struggling community when
a coal company went bankrupt
and did not pay out wages to its
employees.
In the ensuing pandemic and
declining local economy, Father de
Silva has become familiar with the
extreme need in the community.
Father Terrence de Silva, pastor of Holy Trinity
Catholic Church in the Diocese of Lexington,
Kentucky, prepares boxes of food to distribute
to families.
tors are certified teachers. These
services are a beacon of hope for
families in an area working to overcome
decades of poor education.
Recently, during the pandemic,
many children have fallen behind
in their schooling because the internet
quality is so poor.
Trenna Cornett, the director of
the program, has heard
feedback from local
schools that the preschoolers
from the program
are more prepared
for kindergarten than any
other children.
“It’s more than tutoring.
It gets to be mentoring,”
she said. “We have
children who come back
year after year, and we
have seen kids from detrimental
situations who
have done well.”
Sometimes, while he
is driving between parishes,
Father de Silva
spots someone walking
along the road. It
can take seven hours or
more to walk between
the nearest towns. He’ll
pull over, offer a ride and
tell them to come to the
church for help.
MOTHER TERESA’S
LEGACY IN JENKINS
At first glance, it might
seem unusual that four
Missionaries of Charity,
in their trademark blue
and white veils, would
come to the remote mountains
of Kentucky to carry on the mission
of their foundress, Mother Teresa.
They are vowed to serve the
“poorest of the poor”—a category
more commonly associated with
developing countries. But anyone
who knows the situation in Jenkins
will report that these sisters
are living out their vocation to the
fullest extent.
Sisters Sujaya, Drita Maris,
Abelette and Donald live in a
People often call the parish
asking for help with
food, clothing and bills.
It wasn’t long after he arrived
that he learned the
electric company itself
was telling people to contact
the Catholic Church
for help. “This is what we
have to do,” Father de
Silva said. “Preaching is
good. We have to let the
people know what the
Church teaches us and
what Jesus has taught
us. But we have to feed them first,
right? Jesus did the same thing.”
The food pantry at St. Stephen is
the largest in the county, distributing
600 boxes of food each month.
People have said they would starve
without it. The parish distributes
food from Holy Trinity to about 50
families in the area.
The Holy Trinity property also
contains additional school buildings,
which are used for tutoring
and preschool. All of the instructiny
convent without television,
phones or washing machines, in
accordance with their vow of poverty.
Nearby is St. George Church,
a quaint white chapel tucked into
the hills. The parish they serve
is among hundreds of poor faith
communities supported by Catholic
Extension.
In 1982 Mother Teresa visited to
mark the opening of the convent.
“Wherever the sisters go they
become the sunshine of God’s love,
the hope of eternal happiness and
the burning faith of God’s love.
Wherever they go that is all I pray
for,” she told reporters when the
convent was opened.
The sisters serving today are fulfilling
these beautiful words of
their foundress. They spend their
days visiting houses and arranging
the distribution of lifesaving
supplies, bringing the mercy and
love of Christ into people’s hearts
and homes. They often find families,
the elderly or the disabled surviving
on the last crumbs of food
or shivering in the cold and dark.
The sisters once discovered an
81-year-old woman keeping warm
with just a hair dryer. They quickly
brought her a space heater.
These men and women in Appalachia
who have committed their
lives to serving God’s children express
their profound joy in their
work, regardless of its challenges.
They know they are connected in
mission with the countless individuals
who send prayers and generous
gifts, including those who support
the mission of Catholic Extension.
Down in Booneville, Sister
Marge has a message for them:
“Thank you for all you’re doing for
the people of the mountains.”

26 INSPIRE
Feature Story | Appalachia
Extension | Summer 2022 27
The Diocese of Lexington,
Kentucky, serves
the Appalachian
Mountains, where
Catholics represent
less than one half of a percent of
the total population in most of its
counties. That means that the percentage
of Catholics in Saudi Arabia
is actually higher than it is in
East Kentucky. Parishes are small,
their facilities often are very simple,
priests are few and far between,
and the church’s financial
means are extremely limited given
that nearly all of the counties they
serve in the mountains experience
persistent poverty.
But these limitations have never
provided an excuse for self-pity or
small thinking among the Catholics
of the Appalachian Mountains.
Instead, their circumstances have
pushed them to be more committed
to their faith and more dedicated
to the Church’s mission of
bringing good news and glad tidings
to the poor.
A largely dismantled coal industry,
which was the longtime economic
backbone of the region, has
left many people in distress due to
the challenges of poverty, food insecurity
and inadequate housing
that have ensued along with the
dramatic economic downturn.
Nonetheless, the Catholic
Church, with as few resources and
people as it has, still possesses a
strong reputation in the area as the
place where anyone who has need
can get help.
GIVING BACK BY LOVING ALL
Queen of All Saints, a parish
supported by Catholic Extension
in Beattyville, Kentucky, is a prime
example. In 2020, a catastrophic
A WILLINGNESS
TO HELP
ANYONE
SMALL CATHOLIC PARISHES
MAKE AN ENORMOUS DIFFERENCE
IN APPALACHIA
flood destroyed all of its buildings,
including its church, rectory and
parish hall. Though the church remains
in shambles, with its interior
completely gutted, its mission
remains alive and well.
Phyllis Gardner is a parish volunteer
who was attracted to the
Catholic Church five years ago after
she encountered Sisters Marge
Eilerman and Angie Kiel, OSF (see
page 22). She now works up to
70 hours a week at the local parish
outreach center in Beattyville,
which delivers essential items to
the poor and homeless. She perhaps
more than most people can
appreciate this church ministry as
she too was homeless at one time.
She ate out of dumpsters to survive.
But she said the worst part of
being homeless was “having people
look down their noses at you.”
ABOVE Queen
of All Saints in
Beattyville, Kentucky,
is strengthened by
many years of Catholic
Extension support.
RIGHT Lori and
Dan Helfrich
build up faith and
community as parish
life coordinators
at Mother of Good
Counsel Parish in the
Diocese of Lexington,
Kentucky.
Phyllis Gardner, who
was once homeless
herself, joined the
mission of the Catholic
Church to help serve
the needy.
Her mission is more than to
just deliver items like coats, blankets
and diapers, but rather to give
the needy and homeless a sense
of their God-given human dignity.
She said her work is made possible
through her love of Christ and
her understanding of His self-sac-
rificing love on behalf of all humanity.
“We are all God’s children,”
she said with conviction. “I love
[the homeless]. If I see someone in
need, I’ll help them.”
A LAY COUPLE LEADS THE WAY
In Hazard, Kentucky, Mother
of Good Counsel Parish, with its
70 active families, has an equally
strong presence in the community.
The last permanently stationed
pastor to serve this parish left five
years ago. Now the church, built by
Catholic coal miners generations
ago, has three itinerate priests who
periodically travel into town to offer
Masses. Meanwhile, the dayto-day
administration and pastoral
care of the community is led by
a lay married couple, Lori and Dan
Helfrich. Catholic Extension supports
their positions.
Originally from Illinois, the Helfrichs
began their roles in Hazard
as parish life coordinators in
2018. They realized that to be effective
they must be out in the
community building relationships
even though Catholics remain an
incredibly small minority in the
area.
In addition to their
regular parish duties
of religious education
and facility maintenance,
their primary
focus is to be a visible
presence of the Catholic
Church in Hazard.
They do everything
from supporting
the local food pantry
to working with organizations
to help address
housing issues.
Because transportation is such a
problem in the “hills and hollers”
of Kentucky, poverty can sometimes
be hidden away and the
people in greatest need can be
the hardest to reach. The Helfrichs
build trust with and give voice to
these vulnerable people.
Artwork depicting “Our Lady
of the Mines” at Mother
of Good Counsel Parish in
Hazard, Kentucky.
They estimate that 80 percent of
their time is spent out in the community.
Instead of just maintaining
the church property and its
operations, they are maintaining
the church’s reputation of a profound
willingness to help anyone,
no matter what religion or background.
They strive to simply “be
normal” and authentic to create alliances
and bonds with others, instead
of trying to assume ecclesial
personas to gain credibility.
Their approach works well as
people place their trust in the
Catholic parish, outside organizations
collaborate with it, and some
people even decide to join the
Catholic Church. As many as one
third of the parishioners are converts
to the faith, with more joining
each year since the Helfrichs’
arrival.
The Helfrichs now feel at home
in Hazard and have a real familial
sense of connection
with the people of
these mountains.
For those who are
unfamiliar with what it
means to be a “church
on a mission,” they
should look no further
than East Kentucky.
This is a place in
the country where the
Catholic Church never
had the option to rest
on its laurels, rely on its
existing institutional
strength or lean on its strength in
numbers. Instead, it has always
been a collection of people, small
in number but resolute and clear
about their purpose and mission as
a Catholic people.

IGNITE 29
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CONNECT 29 | DONOR PROFILE 30
Making a difference
From the mail
In Texas, San Pedro de Jesus Maldonado Mission exterior and interior
Sister
Bernadette
Kenny, MMM,
treats an
Appalachian
child in 1998. Her
Health Wagon
ministry has grown
significantly
through the
support of donors
Peter and Eileen
Maren. See story,
page 30.
Greetings Catholic Extension,
MY NAME IS Father Brian Hess,
and I’m the pastor of Corpus Christi,
St. Paul’s, and St. Anthony’s in rural
northeast Wyoming in the Diocese
of Cheyenne. I am blessed to get to
drive 150 miles every Sunday to minister
to God’s people, and I’m so
grateful for the grant to help offset the
costs of those drives. Catholic Extension’s
help enables us to devote more
resources to form our parishioners
and minister to the needy in our small
towns.
Living in small towns certainly
comes with sacrifices (100-mile
round trip to buy clothes, anyone?),
but the blessings far outweigh the
difficulties. We live close to nature
thanks to our forest and our ranches,
and this helps us to stay close to our
God. And in parishes as small as ours,
it’s easier to know all your brothers
and sisters in Christ, and to be known
by them in turn. The distances help to
draw us closer, and we’re grateful for
VISIT OUR WEBSITE
catholicextension.org
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER
twitter.com/CathExtension
Dear donors,
THANKS TO THE SUPPORT from Catholic Extension, we were given an opportunity
to build a new worship center which was much needed in our community.
While reflecting on this past year and remembering all that our parish has
accomplished, the main success story that comes to mind is how our parish
has grown.
The new mission began in a small portable chapel in the summer of 2018
where about 50 members would come together to worship and grow closer to
God. Within this past year our parish has grown to 600 families and is still continuing
to grow. We cannot express how much this new worship center has
had such a positive impact on our community here in El Paso, Texas.
› Father Saul Pacheco | Pastor, San Pedro de Jesus Maldonado Mission
Diocese of El Paso, TX
Catholic Extension’s help in covering
those distances.
› Father Brian Hess | Pastor, Corpus
Christi, St. Paul’s and St. Anthony’s
Diocese of Cheyenne, WY
Dear Catholic Extension,
I PARTICIPATED IN the Theology of
the Body Retreat through the Diocese
of Birmingham’s Hispanic youth
ministry. The talks and activities were
great, but the highlight for me was
having perpetual adoration throughout
the entire weekend. This allowed
for personal time with the Lord to contemplate
about what we were learn-
LIKE US ON FACEBOOK
facebook.com/CatholicExtension
POST ON INSTAGRAM
instagram.com/CatholicExtension
ing. It was a very special experience.
The joy on people’s faces after spending
time with Jesus in adoration at 2, 3
and 4 a.m. was indescribably beautiful
to witness.
› Hugo Castillo | Hispanic youth
ministry participant
Diocese of Birmingham, AL
GET IN TOUCH
Please contact us at magazine@
catholicextension.org or
150 S. Wacker Drive, Suite 2000,
Chicago, IL 60606

30
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Donor Profile
Extension | Summer 2022 31
Endowment propels Health Wagon
in Appalachia to the next level
Twenty years later,
gift continues
to advance lifesaving
health care services
in the mountains
of Virginia
In 1998 a story in Extension
magazine arrived in the
Florida home of longtime
Catholic Extension donors
Peter and Eileen Maren and
captured their attention.
The article detailed the ministry of
Sister Bernadette Kenny, a nurse
practitioner and Medical Missionary
of Mary. The devoted sister,
affectionately known in the community
as Sister Bernie, spent her
days driving up and down the steep
Appalachian hills of southwest Virginia
in a Winnebago motor home.
The old, run-down vehicle had
been converted into a mobile clinic
to deliver free health care to those
living in isolation and poverty in
one of the country’s most economically
depressed areas.
Sister Bernie had been serving
the people in the Diocese of Richmond
for 20 years, initially working
out of her Volkswagen Beetle
to provide health care and a kind,
listening ear. She had just received
the Lumen Christi Award, Catholic
Extension’s highest honor given to
people who radiate and reveal the
light of Christ present in the communities
where they serve.
Eileen was immediately curious.
“Appalachia always held
an interest for me,” she said. “I
always had it in the back of my
head, wanting to visit it. And I
guess God knew that because He
sent Extension magazine to us,
and the article hit my eye.”
Care in our own country
The Marens understand the
importance of providing care and
service within their community
and to our country. Eileen, who
grew up in the Bronx, enjoyed
working one-on-one with patients
as a nurse for 25 years. Peter,
originally from New Jersey, served
in the Army for four years. He and
Eileen met in Florida as he began
his 32-year-long career at the
University of Florida as a benefits
administrator. They believe it
is only human to recognize and
respond to the need of those in
our own backyard, especially
Appalachia. Although the people
are often known as the “forgotten
poor in America,” they have so
much to offer through their resil-
ience, kindness and culture.
Inspired by the lifesaving
work of Sister Bernie and her
shoestring budget ministry, the
Marens decided to give a $1 million
endowment to Catholic Extension
to fund the Health Wagon. On giving
to Extension, Peter said, “You
know where your money’s going—
it’s going directly to the people.”
Through this generous gift,
Sister Bernie’s humble ministry
has grown into a well-established
network of nurses and physicians
who provide every aspect
TOP LEFT Through the support of
Peter and Eileen Maren, the Health
Wagon has grown to three fully
equipped mobile health clinics and
two permanent buildings.
LEFT Eileen and Peter Maren visit a
Health Wagon medical fair in Wise,
Virginia.
Sister Bernadette
Kenny,
MMM, worked
out of a converted,
worn-down
motor home
when Peter and
Eileen Maren
first read about
the Health
Wagon.
of quality health care, including
vision, dental and many specialized
fields of medicine. The
ministry’s three mobile clinics
are now equipped with top-ofthe-line
medical equipment and
supplies. Sister Bernie is no longer
driving the mammoth vehicles.
Now in her 80s, she handed the
reins to a longtime nurse and
colleague several years ago. Even
so, Sister Bernie continues to be
a guiding presence of healing
and love within the Appalachian
community.
The Marens visited this corner
of Virginia several times, and
they have witnessed firsthand the
transformative work of the Health
Wagon. They have met those who
have been empowered by the
ministry to improve their health
and that of their loved ones. The
ministry, which values inclusiveness,
spirituality and community
collaboration, ensures its patients
have free access to health education
in addition to its exceptional
health care. “It’s a very humbling
experience,” said Eileen.
A gift that goes the distance
The Marens appreciate the
ministry’s universal approach,
which mirrors that of the Catholic
Church—to extend love and care
to all, regardless of faith or background.
Two decades after their
contribution, their gift continues
to be a reliable source of funding.
The financial assets, managed by
Catholic Extension, are invested
soundly and will help the ministry
continue to grow in its mission.
“It’s very rewarding to see
situations like the Health Wagon,
where they’ve done very positive
things. Part of that is investing the
money correctly,” said Peter. “As
a result, they’ve grown leaps and
bounds.”
Through their gift, the Marens
initiated a ripple effect that will
drastically improve the lives of the
people in this region for generations
to come. “I think you’ll see
that the younger generation will
start to thrive, and you’ll have a
more positive situation,” said
Peter. “We wouldn’t have been
able to do what we did if it wasn’t
through Catholic Extension.”

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