Extension magazine - Spring 2023
A beautiful mosaic of St. Patrick is displayed on St. Patrick Cathedral in the Diocese of El Paso, Texas. He is the patron of this majority-Hispanic community, as well as many other Catholic Extension-supported diverse faith communities across the country.Today, his story of resilience and faith resonates with the descendants of those who fled hunger and poverty in Ireland, as well as refugees finding new homes in America.
A beautiful mosaic of St. Patrick is displayed on St. Patrick Cathedral in the Diocese of El Paso, Texas. He is the patron of this majority-Hispanic community, as well as many other Catholic Extension-supported diverse faith communities across the country.Today, his story of resilience and faith resonates with the descendants of those who fled hunger and poverty in Ireland, as well as refugees finding new homes in America.
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34 INSPIRE<br />
Cover Story<br />
<strong>Extension</strong> | <strong>Spring</strong> <strong>2023</strong> 35<br />
Meanwhile, in music class at<br />
St. Nicholas, her children are being<br />
taught a special song in the<br />
Ukrainian language by their bilingual<br />
teacher. The song translates<br />
to:<br />
Irene Lesiw is<br />
the administrative<br />
assistant at St.<br />
Nicholas Ukrainian<br />
Catholic School.<br />
IGNITE Making a difference<br />
SISTERS’ MISSION IN PUERTO RICO 42 | DONOR PROFILE 44<br />
Lord, oh the Great and<br />
Almighty,<br />
Protect our beloved Ukraine,<br />
Bless her with freedom and<br />
light<br />
Of your holy rays.<br />
KEEPING THE DOORS OPEN<br />
Refugee families from Ukraine<br />
arrive with just the clothes on<br />
their backs and have absolutely no<br />
ability to pay tuition at the school,<br />
which already operates on a shoestring<br />
budget. Even modestly paid<br />
Catholic schoolteachers are digging<br />
into their own pockets to try<br />
to help them.<br />
Sister Kathleen Hutsko, SSMI,<br />
the school principal, said although<br />
they didn’t have the resources to<br />
help these families, they simply<br />
could not turn a blind eye to them.<br />
“We had to open our doors,”<br />
she recalled. “Nothing could be<br />
closer to being back in Ukraine<br />
as here because they hear their<br />
language, their culture. Every<br />
classroom has children who know<br />
Ukrainian and English.”<br />
At the end of each school day at<br />
St. Nicholas and other Ukrainian<br />
Catholic schools in the United<br />
States, there are signs of hope and<br />
promise.<br />
Lesiw said of the refugee families,<br />
“When we dismiss the children,<br />
you see the parents are all<br />
smiling faces and just keep saying<br />
‘thank you’ to us. They keep<br />
thanking us because they know<br />
their child is OK, they’re learning<br />
and they’re in a safe environment.<br />
We’re doing God’s work.”<br />
Share your legacy.<br />
People like you have named Catholic<br />
<strong>Extension</strong> as a beneficiary of their estate to<br />
leave a lasting impact on Catholic faith<br />
communities in the poorest regions of<br />
our country.<br />
Become a treasured member of the<br />
LEGACY CLUB to positively change the<br />
lives of millions of Catholics in America for<br />
generations to come<br />
Contact:<br />
Frances Caan, Manager of Planned Giving<br />
plannedgiving@catholicextension.org<br />
800-842-7804<br />
Diocese of Gallup, New Mexico<br />
A young<br />
student enjoys<br />
tutoring and<br />
encouragement<br />
at an afterschool<br />
program<br />
supported<br />
by Catholic<br />
<strong>Extension</strong> in<br />
Lawrenceburg,<br />
Kentucky.<br />
See story, page 38.<br />
legacy.catholicextension.org<br />
Legacy<br />
Club<br />
PHOTO CHRIS STRONG
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