Extension magazine - Spring 2024

14
BUILD
News Briefs
Extension | Spring 2024 15
HIGHLIGHTS
Become a parish
partner
Does your parish
want to support the
mission of Catholic
Extension Society?
Visit catholicextension.
org/parishpartnerships
or contact
Natalie Donatello
at ndonatello@
catholicextension.org
to learn more.
Follow us on social
media
Follow Catholic Extension
Society’s social
media channels to see
more stories, photos
and videos about the
vibrant faith communities
we support!
Facebook:
@CatholicExtension
Instagram:
@catholicextension
X (Formerly Twitter):
@CathExtension
Large cohort of sisters arrive in the U.S.
Catholic Extension Society recently welcomed a new cohort of 30
religious sisters to the United States through our U.S.-Latin American
Sisters Exchange Program that began in 2013, with funding
from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. The program provides a
university degree to religious sisters from Latin American congregations
while they serve marginalized communities in Extension
dioceses. To date, 150 sisters have participated in the program.
This newest cohort come from 10 distinct communities in
Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico
and Nicaragua. The sisters will minister in dioceses across the
country in Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, Idaho, Iowa, Florida and
Georgia. Their ministries are projected to touch the lives of more
than 100,000 people over the next five years. We offer our thanks
to the sisters for their beautiful witness of self-sacrificing love and
for their commitment to serve the Church in the United States!
NEW BOARD OF
GOVERNORS MEMBER
CHICAGO
William D. Forsyth joined
Catholic Extension Society’s
Board of Governors
this year. He serves on the
University of Illinois Foundation
Board of Directors,
as well. A parishioner
at Saints Faith, Hope &
Charity Catholic Church in
Winnetka, Illinois, he has
also participated in our
immersion trips to witness
our work with faith communities
like the Diocese of
Jackson, Mississippi (pictured
above). He brings his
commitment to help support
our mission.
2025 JUBILEE EDITION
CALENDAR
NATIONWIDE
Catholic Extension Society’s
2025 Jubilee Year calendar,
titled “Places of
Pilgrimage,” is on sale
now. Explore the holiest
pilgrimage sites worldwide
in this 12-month journey
inspired by the pope’s
Holy Year theme, “Pilgrims
of Hope.” Calendars are
available in English and
bilingually. One hundred
percent of the proceeds
supports our mission.
Order calendars for your
parish at catholicextension.org/calendars.
NEW SHEPHERD IN
VAST REGION
ALASKA
In October, Bishop Steven
Maekawa, OP, was
ordained as bishop of
the Diocese of Fairbanks,
Alaska. He now shepherds
the largest geographical
diocese in the
United States, covering
409,000 square miles. He
travels by plane, snowmobile
or boat to visit 37
out of the diocese’s 46
parishes. Catholic Extension
Society supports this
region to ensure Catholic
communities can receive
the sacraments and develop
local leaders.
FIVE CARDINALS SHOW THEIR SUPPORT
500 PARISH
PARTNERS
NATIONWIDE
Since formally establishing
Catholic Extension Society’s
Parish Partnership
program in 2018, nearly
500 parishes nationwide
have joined our mission
to support poor faith communities
across the country.
Twenty-one parish
partners are uniting with
us this Lenten season to
continue this work. Learn
more by visiting
catholicextension.org/
parish-partners, and
read about the transformative
impact of these
partnerships on page 40.
Five U.S. cardinals attended Catholic Extension
Society’s Spirit of Francis Award Dinner
in New York this past November to honor
Archbishop Roberto Octavio González Nieves
of San Juan, Puerto Pico. The cardinals showed their
appreciation for his commendable leadership following
multiple natural disasters. Pictured with the
archbishop (center) from left to right are Father Jack Wall and Cardinals Christophe
Pierre, Wilton Gregory, Blase Cupich, Daniel DiNardo and Timothy Dolan.
NEWS BRIEFS