Extension magazine - Fall 2023

4
Letter from Father Wall
Extension | Fall 2023 5
Can you be
proud of the
Catholic Church?
Dear Friends,
Iknow there is a lot you can
read about the Catholic
Church that is downright
dispiriting. People constantly
bring up to me in conversation
their anger about the
Church’s human frailties, the
ideological fault lines and the
institutional failures. I don’t
dismiss any of their discouragement.
These real challenges
need attention and
solutions.
But, through my work at
Catholic Extension, I am also
blessed to be in touch with
the side of the Church where
there is abundant heroism,
big ideas, daily sacrifice and
life-giving impact at every
turn. Having exposure to this
part of the Church not only
reinforces why I am Catholic
but also why I am absolutely
proud to be so.
If you are searching for
inspiration, this is most definitely
the magazine for you,
whether you are Catholic or
not. I hope that you share
my joy and awe in all that is
being accomplished in the
name of this Church that
moves hearts, improves lives
and leads to the betterment
of society.
We present to you the
2023 class for our Lumen
Christi Award (Latin for “light
of Christ”). Since 1978, the
Lumen Christi Award has
been Catholic Extension’s
highest honor. It is given
annually to people who radiate
and reveal the light of
Christ present in the communities
where they serve.
This year’s class consists of 34
nominees and seven finalists.
For me, each of the seven
finalists you will read about
is somewhat like our seven
sacraments—they are unique
symbols of God’s love that
serve as conduits of actual
grace that flows generously
to God’s people through their
deliberate actions.
What this year’s finalists
share in common is that they
all reach out to people who
are at their lowest point. They
minister to those who are
victims of disasters, betrayal,
war, violence and societal
exclusion. Yet, instead of
letting them remain as victims,
our finalists step up in
big ways to help restore their
humanity and reclaim their
full potential. They do this
by radiating and revealing
Christ’s light that is present
among them, that needs to
be let out.
When girls as young as 11
are abused and assaulted, our
award finalist St. María Eufrasia
Home takes them in and
helps them heal and plot a
hope-filled pathway forward.
Its staff has helped 1,000
such girls.
When a war in Ukraine
shattered an entire country, a
group of nuns rushed to the
frontlines of war and to refugees
to help the most vulnerable
survive. These sisters
don’t plan on stopping anytime
soon.
When human bodies of
those fleeing Haiti wash up
on American shores, a poor
pastor in Puerto Rico ministers
to the living and the
dead to remind us and them
that they are beloved children
of God.
When children who have
so many emotional problems
that they cannot find foster
or adoptive parents, a nun in
Nebraska gives them a home,
family and love.
When the 2020 earthquakes
destroyed their city,
parish church and school,
a young principal in Guayanilla,
Puerto Rico, found
a way to give children an
excellent Catholic education
amid the wreckage.
When poor educational
outcomes plagued the Blackfeet
Native children of Montana,
a religious brother took
on a ministry to help students
close the achievement
gap and change their destiny.
And when Hispanic Catholics
were isolated across
rural Utah, one woman figured
out a way to bring these
marginalized communities
into the heart of the Church
and diocese.
Christ’s light was there the
whole time in these seemingly
God-forsaken circumstances,
but these finalists
found ways to let that light
break through the darkness.
These finalists represent
a small fraction of the daily
activities of the Catholic
Church that go unnoticed by
so many of us. It is too easy to
focus on the blemishes of the
Church, while turning a blind
eye to the beauty of its people
and the light of Christ that
burns brightly within them.
I hope that these Lumen
Christi nominees and finalists
truly illuminate your heart
and soul as you read their stories,
just as they have for me.
I thank you for your support
of Catholic Extension,
which seeks to build up
vibrant and transformative
Catholic faith communities
such as these. As you will see,
these faith communities not
only contribute immensely
to the spiritual health of our
country but also to our societal
health.
That is why there is no
doubt in my mind that one
of the best ways we can
strengthen our country is to
build up faith communities
through Catholic Extension.
This year’s Lumen Christi
Award nominees and finalists
are case studies that highlight
how faith communities are
an indispensable pillar of our
American society.
May God bless you and all
whom you love,
Rev. John J. Wall
PRESIDENT, CATHOLIC EXTENSION
Father Jack Wall
and more than
60 women faith
leaders supported
by Catholic
Extension met
Pope Francis
in spring 2023.
The Holy Father
commended our
mission.