Extension magazine

catholicextension.org

STORIES OF FAITH FROM CATHOLIC EXTENSION SOCIETY FALL 2025

YOUNG,

HAPPY

PRIESTS

LEARN WHY

THEY SAID YES 18

The largest rebuilding project in American Christianity 14

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 S O C I E T Y

Catholic Extension Society has published

Extension magazine since 1906 to share with

our donors and friends the stories illustrating

our mission: to work in solidarity with people

to build up vibrant and transformative Catholic

faith communities among the poor in the

poorest regions of America.

Contact Us

Catholic Extension Society

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Chicago, IL 60606

800.842.7804

magazine@catholicextension.org


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

William D. Forsyth

Most Reverend Ronald Hicks

Bishop of Joliet

The Honorable James C. Kenny

Most Reverend Robert N. Lynch

Bishop Emeritus of St. Petersburg

Peter J. McCanna

Michael G. O’Grady

Christopher Perry

Andrew Reyes

Sister Fatima Santiago, ICM

Karen Sauder

Pamela Scholl

Most Reverend Anthony B. Taylor

Bishop of Little Rock

Most Reverend George L. Thomas, Ph.D.

Archbishop of Las Vegas

Timothy Turner

Most Reverend William A. Wack, CSC

Bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee

Edward Wehmer

Your investment in Catholic Extension Society

is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Catholic Extension Society is a nonprofit

501(c)( 3 ) organization.

ISSN Number: 0884-7533

©2025 The Catholic Church Extension Society

All rights reserved.

Extension is a publication provided to you and

your family by Catholic Extension Society. If you

do not wish to continue receiving Extension,

email magazine@catholicextension.org and we

will remove you from this mailing list.

The impact of

great priests 18

This year, Catholic Extension

Society is funding the education

of hundreds of seminarians from

68 dioceses across the country.

For decades, we have supported

the formation of our future priests,

who will go on to benefit the

communities they will one day

serve.

A new priestly vocation requires

the best of our care and steady

support. In this issue, read about

three young men who have

answered the sacred call.

BUILD

DC priest rushed to grieving families

after deadly plane crash 12

FEATURE | Pastor offered solace in the darkest moments of

January 2025 tragedy

The Church is rising again in Puerto

Rico 14

CHURCH BUILDING | Restoration of hundreds of damaged

Catholic churches and schools has officially begun

INSPIRE

millions 20

Small-town priest now shepherd of

SEMINARIANS | Catholic Extension Society funded the

education and early ministry of Archbishop Joe S. Vásquez

Navajo grandmothers cry out for our

help 34

FEATURE | New initiative helps Native communities pass on

the Catholic faith and preserve Indigenous culture

IGNITE

A growing diocese in the desert 38

BISHOP Q&A | Retired bishop’s vision for transforming the

Diocese of San Bernardino

Undaunted by disaster 44

PARISH PARTNERSHIPS | Priest uses military training to be a

force for good in a diocese beset by multiple catastrophes

Letter from Father Wall 4

Mission needs 8

Priest’s last gift 40

Pray the Rosary 42

Connect 46

Extension | Fall 2025 3

4

Letter from Father Wall


You are a blessing to others

Anyone who knows me knows

that I love poetry.

In just a few short phrases,

a gifted poet can sometimes

say what might take

the rest of us 1,000 words.

One poem that has

resonated with me

lately is the 1933 poem

“Vacillation” by the Irish poet

and Nobel laureate, William

Butler Yeats. He writes:

“My fiftieth year had come and gone,

I sat, a solitary man,

In a crowded London shop,

An open book and empty cup

On the marble table-top.

While on the shop and street I gazed

My body of a sudden blazed;

And twenty minutes more or less

It seemed, so great my happiness,

That I was blessed and could bless.”

In this poem we are invited

into the musings of a man

who is in the latter part of his

life, and as he sits in a coffee

shop, he realizes that there

is still so much he can do to

bless others. This fills him

with happiness to the point

where his body “blazed.”

The emptiness of his coffee

cup contrasts with his heart,

which is utterly full of appreciation

as he savors his blessings

and his ability to bless

others.

This magazine is largely

about people and communities

who have discovered a profound

purpose in their lives;

their hearts are ablaze with

happiness as they recognize

their ability to bless others.

But to be a blessing to others,

we must first be in touch

with our own blessings in life.

Behavioral scientists tell

us that people who are able

to count their blessings (no

matter their circumstances

in life) are generally happier

and more resilient. They are

able to avoid the temptation

of despair and they are capable

of doing more for others.

In other words, there is

both spiritual and emotional

power in recognizing that we

are blessed, and perhaps even

more power when we realize

that we can bless others.

That is what is happening

in the hearts of the young

priests and seminarians you

will read about in this issue.

They are giving the prime of

their lives to the service of the

Church and realizing the happiness

of a life lived for the

purpose of blessing others.

You will also read about the

humble roots of a young seminarian

we supported decades

ago from West Texas. He is

the son of a mechanic and

seamstress and picked cotton

with his brothers for his summer

job while studying for

the priesthood. Joe Vásquez

was recently installed as the

new archbishop of Galveston-Houston,

the fifth largest

diocese in the country. How

blessed must he feel, and how

ready must he be to bless others

in this new role!

Consider the people of

Puerto Rico who have faced a

nearly decade-long period of

multiple natural disasters but

have never failed to count

their blessings along the

way; nor have they stopped

believing that their actions

today will lead to a bright

future for their island. Their

belief in their blessedness is

starting to pay off: They have

begun, with Catholic Extension

Society’s help, the largest

rebuilding of churches

and Catholic schools (600+

facilities) in the history of

American Christianity. As

you will see, this historical

restoration project will bless

all of Puerto Rican society.

As Yeats realizes in his

poem, there is no stage in life

when we cease to be a blessing

to others.

That includes extraordinary

people like Father Thomas

Relihan of Sacramento, California,

who after 100 years

of life and 75 years as a priest

decided that upon his death

there was one more blessing

he wanted to bestow: He

left a legacy gift to Catholic

Extension Society, which is

now supporting the education

of young seminarians across

the country.

I hope that in reading these

stories you come to reflect

upon the blessings in your

own life and, more importantly,

how much you are, in

fact, blessing others through

your support of Catholic

Extension Society.

As you read this issue of

Extension, I hope the magnitude

of the blessings you offer

in the lives of people you

have never met and communities

you have perhaps never

visited will set your hearts

ablaze. Your support is creating

countless blessings all

across our country, both in

the present and undoubtedly

for many years to come.

May God bless you and all

whom you love.

Rev. John J. Wall

PRESIDENT,

CATHOLIC EXTENSION SOCIETY

Father Jack

Wall thanks Juan

Carlos Cintrón,

a parishioner

who is helping

to manage

the upcoming

repairs at Sacred

Heart Chapel

in Humacao,

Puerto Rico.

See how we

are restoring

churches across

the island on

page 14.


THE GIFT

THAT PAYS

YOU BACK

BUILD

News from

around the country

NEWS BRIEFS 10 | FATHER EDLEFSEN’S RESPONSE TO DEADLY CRASH 12

A Catholic Extension Society

charitable gift annuity gives

you an attractive income for as long

as you live and makes a lasting

impact on poor faith communities

across the country.

• Receive fixed, stable payments for life

• Get immediate and future tax benefits

Did you know?

If you are 70 1/2 or older, a

QCD from your IRA can be

used to fund a charitable gift

annuity with us.

Some restrictions apply.

To learn more, talk to your

advisor or contact us below!

ATTRACTIVE

PAYOUT RATES

Effective January 1, 2024

AGE

5.2%

5.7%

For a personalized proposal, contact Betty Assell at 800-842-7804 or

bassell@catholicextension.org

or visit catholicextension.org/annuities

60

65

6.3%

70

7.0%

75

8.1%

80

9.1%

85

10.1%

90+

Workers repair

the hurricanedamaged

bell

tower of San Juan

Bautista Cathedral

in Puerto Rico.

See how the

reconstruction

of hundreds of

churches is now

underway across

the island on

page 14.

8 BUILD Mission Needs


Your donation will be applied to a similar

need should your specified project be fully

funded before we receive your support.

Thank you!

PLEASE HELP FAITH

COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE

UNITED STATES

Your donation will keep the presence of the Catholic Church strong in our

country. To contribute to one of these projects, please contact us at

magazine@catholicextension.org or call 1-800-842-7804.

Chalan Kanoa

RANCHESTER

WYOMING

The number of parishioners

at St. Edmund continues to

grow, and most weekend

Masses exceed capacity at

the 77-year-old church. We

helped build this humble

mission in the Diocese of

Cheyenne, Wyoming, in 1948. Today your donation will

help this growing community build a new church and

fellowship hall for future generations.

DEER RIVER MINNESOTA

The Diocese of Duluth

spans 32,000 square miles

in northeastern Minnesota,

with many priests covering

multiple parishes. Your

donation will support Father

Trevor Peterson and his

ministry to St. Charles in Cass

Lake, St. Joseph in Ball Club

and St. Mary in Deer River (pictured here).

Guam

JEMEZ SPRINGS NEW MEXICO

Caroline Islands

Marshall Islands

Samoa-Pago Pago

EL PASO TEXAS

You can support the

education of 14 seminarians

in the Diocese of El Paso,

Texas. This includes Jimmy

Venegas, who is working

toward a master’s degree

in theology at Mundelein

Seminary. He said, “We’re

trying to be the best men

we can be for the Church, and your prayers and

economic support help us achieve that!” Read more

about Venegas’ journey on page 32.

Hawaii

Madonna Hall at Our Lady of the Assumption

Church is the largest community gathering space

in Sandoval County. The parish hall hosts wedding

receptions, public meetings, arts and crafts fairs

and even functions as an emergency command

center. Throughout the year, the valley experiences

extreme heat, with indoor temperatures at the hall

frequently exceeding 90 degrees. Your donation

will assist with air-conditioning installation that will

keep this community hub in use year-round.

CLIO ALABAMA

Father Victor Perez of the

Missionary Servants of

the Most Holy Trinity is

the pastor at Our Lady of

Guadalupe mission in the

Archdiocese of Mobile,

Alabama. He drives 70 miles to celebrate Mass and

the sacraments with this humble small-town church

that is filled with faithful people. Your donation today

will fuel his travel to serve the proud parishioners at

Our Lady of Guadalupe.

ISSION NEEDS

EXTENSION DIOCESES

Puerto Rico

St. Thomas-

Virgin Islands

10

BUILD Extension | Fall 2025 11

News Briefs

HIGHLIGHTS

100 YEARS OF

TRANSFORMATION

CALIFORNIA

CHANCELLOR’S 50TH

ANNIVERSARY

CHICAGO

8 NEW US

ARCHBISHOPS

NATIONWIDE

LEO XIV’S MESSAGE

TO YOUTH

WORLDWIDE

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@


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

15 new graduates

In May, 15 sisters graduated from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota

through our U.S.-Latin American Sisters Exchange Program.

Each earned a master’s degree in integrated studies

with focus areas in human services and pastoral care. They

represent a group of sisters from religious congregations based

in Latin America who had been serving in the United States for

decades. Since entering our program in 2022, they have devoted

long hours to intense studying and led life-changing ministries in

some of the poorest communities in the nation. They are ready

to deploy their skills and knowledge to serve countless people.

Sister Yolanda Barajas, VDMF, one of the graduates who serves

youth and families in the Diocese of Sacramento, shared that the

program helped her see her work as more than just providing

formation. She said it’s about transforming people internally,

believing that as hearts change, so too do communities.

Thousands of faith communities

whose churches

were built with support

from Catholic Extension

Society undergo great

transformation as time

passes. This is the case

for Holy Cross Church

in Moorpark, California,

built in 1925. What was

once a mission parish that

could hold only 100 people

grew into a beautiful 750-

seat church. We continue

to support similar places of

great potential all around

the country.

Catholic Extension Society’s

chancellor, Cardinal

Blase Cupich, is celebrating

50 years of

priesthood. His ties

to our mission go far

back. He was raised and

ordained a priest in the

Archdiocese of Omaha,

formerly an Extension diocese.

Later, he served

as bishop for the Extension-supported

Diocese

of Rapid City, South

Dakota, for 12 years.

Before coming to Chicago

in 2014 he was the bishop

of Spokane, Washington.

DCAMPUS MINISTRIES CHANGE LIVES

Four of the eight newly

appointed US archbishops

have roots in Extension

dioceses. They

include Archbishops Joe S.

Vásquez (from San Angelo

to Galveston-Houston, see

page 20); Shawn McKnight

(from Jefferson City

to Kansas City); Michael

McGovern (from Belleville

to Omaha); and Edward

Weisenburger (from Tucson

to Detroit), pictured

above speaking to a man

receiving help at a Catholic

shelter.

In June, Pope Leo

XIV shared a video

message for youth

that was displayed at

Rate Field in Chicago.

“The world looks to

you as you look around

yourselves and says: We

need you, we want you to

come together to share

with us in this common

mission, as Church and

in society, of announcing

a message of true hope

and of promoting peace,

promoting harmony,

among all peoples,” he

said.

uring this school year, Catholic Extension

Society will support 25 college

campus ministry programs in 15 dioceses

across the country. These student

centers are where young adults find joyful

community, grow in their faith, and sometimes begin pursuing religious vocations,

as you will read in this issue. That’s why we have supported 140 campus ministries

in over 50 dioceses in the last decade. See page 18 to learn about the journeys of two

newly ordained priests, which began on college campuses!

NEWS BRIEFS

12

BUILD

Feature


Father Frederick Edlefsen

offered solace in the

darkest moments of

January 2025 tragedy

DC priest rushed to grieving families

after deadly plane crash

The Church teaches that

a pastor must seek out

those who suffer.

Father Frederick

Edlefsen did just that

on Jan. 29, 2025. That

night, the first major commercial

jet crash in the U.S. in more than 16

years occurred over the Potomac

River near Ronald Reagan Washington

National Airport. An American

Airlines plane collided midair

with a military helicopter.

As pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes

Parish, located less than a 10-minute

drive from the airport, Father

Edlefsen received a text on his

phone about the crash at 11:30

p.m. and immediately headed to

the airport. “I felt it was really my

duty,” he said in an interview with

EWTN News Nightly. “The airport

is within the boundaries of my

parish; we have a lot of travelers

from Reagan Airport, airline personnel

come to our Masses and so

on. So, I felt I need to be there.”

Families of the passengers gathered

in the airport in agony, awaiting

news of the fate of their loved

ones.

SHOCK AND GRIEF

Father Edlefsen was with families

when authorities made the

horrible announcement at 1 a.m.

that there were no survivors—

all 67 lives aboard both aircraft

were lost. As people struggled to

process the news, Father Edlefsen

knew that words would be insufficient.

All he could do was be present

and share in their grief.

“Everybody was in total shock.

They don’t know what to say or

how to react,” he explained. “The

presumption is you don’t say

anything. You’re just present.

You listen.”

One man, there with his

6-year-old son, had lost

both his wife and daughter

in the crash. He shared

with Father Edlefsen that

PHOTO REUTERS/EDUARDO MUÑOZ

his daughter had been born with

cancer, and he questioned why

God would miraculously save

her as an infant, only to take her

and his wife in a plane crash.

The good pastor’s heart broke for

that family. Father Edlefsen

knew the family’s pastor

and notified him that

his parishioners had

suffered a great loss. It

was the least he could

do to ensure they

continued to receive

the best care from the

Church.

A good

pastor

allows

himself

Memorial crosses honoring the 67

victims of the deadly air collision

stand near the Potomac River.

to be changed as he journeys

with his people, especially in

their moments of sorrow. Father

Edlefsen readily admits that nothing

in his 24 years of priesthood

compared to the emotional weight

of that night: “You will never see

life the same after something like

this. It changes your outlook, and

it changes the way you pray, what

you think about and what you

ponder.”

Father Edlefsen held a vigil

Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes three

days after the tragedy and has

continued to pray for those families.

While it is easy to feel powerless,

as a pastor he knows he must

make the Church a caring community

that embraces the suffering.

The Church, he believes, must be a

presence of hope in the world.

A PASTORAL HEART FOR ALL

Father Edlefsen’s deeply pastoral

heart is what led him to the airport

that night, and perhaps ultimately

to Catholic Extension Society.

In 2024, he asked his parish

to partner with us to support a

namesake parish nearly 2,000

miles away in the rural town of

Poplar, Montana, on the Fort Peck

Indian Reservation. The parish

decided to pay for the local priest’s

salary to ensure this community

has the spiritual care of a good

shepherd.

The Assiniboine and Sioux

Father Edlefsen, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes

Parish, sprang into action to console the grieving

families only 10 minutes away.

tribes make up the parish community

in Montana. They are people

who face daily challenges

stemming from poverty, short life

expectancy and physical hunger.

The parish has a high number of

funerals, including many young

people, suggesting there is great

need for consolation and a pastor

who can provide it.

“I liked Catholic Extension Society’s

mission, which seemed to

be doing great work in places that

people in urban and suburban

areas rarely think about,” Father

Edlefsen said. “I thought it would

be healthy for our parishioners to

have an opportunity to share some

of their resources with another

parish that is doing great missionary

work but is nonetheless in

need of support.”

Thanks to Father Edlefsen and

his parishioners helping Our Lady

of Lourdes in Montana, people

are being fed in body and spirit by

the Church. They have a pastor to

weep with them in their struggles

and help lift them up.

During his vigil Mass for the

crash victims, Father Edlefsen

said it best: “As we all process this,

which takes time, the gentle whisper

of God’s healing peace is working

beneath the surface of things,

like an underground stream, bringing

all things—even life’s tragic

events—to a resolution.”

A good pastor gravitates to the

suffering and helps them face their

darkest hours and deepest questions.

He does not seek to rush

God’s grace. Rather, rooted in his

love for his people, he “bears all

things, believes all things, hopes all

things, endures all things” ( 1 Corinthians

13:7 ).

14

BUILD

Church Building


On September 20, 2017,

155 mile-per-hour

winds blew out the windows

and doors of a

small chapel, Sacred Heart of Jesus,

situated on a hillside in the mountainous

region near Humacao,

Puerto Rico. The modest church and

its surrounding community went

without power for nine months.

An estimated 3,000 people died

in that storm and in the dark, nightmarish

months that followed.

Eight years after Hurricane Maria,

the island is still recovering. The

parishioners of Sacred Heart of

Jesus put in a temporary door, but

the hurricane’s damage to the roof

has caused leaks that, left unattended,

threaten the building’s future.

Immediately following Hurricane

Maria, Catholic Extension

Society was the first organization

to send financial aid to Puerto Rico,

enabling the Church to carry out

urgent pastoral and humanitarian

relief. We promised Catholic leadership

on the island that we would

stay with them; we would help

Puerto Rico rise again.

In partnership with Puerto Rican

bishops, we established an islandwide

recovery project that will

restore more than 600 damaged

Catholic churches, schools and

other essential church facilities.

We helped the dioceses secure federal

grants and established a Puerto

Rico–based Chief Recovery Office

to oversee the complicated construction

phase, with support of the

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The program allows churches

and Catholic schools in Puerto Rico

to not only rebuild, but also to fortify

their structures so that they are

more resilient to future hurricanes.

Rebuilding the Catholic structures

alone will create more than

7,000 jobs across the island. Catholic

churches are seen as vital

community hubs that offer spiritual,

educational and charitable

services to all people of the island.

Creating more resilient facilities

is critical not only to the future of

the Church but to the future of the

entire island.

Sacred Heart of Jesus is among

these sacred structures that will

be repaired through this extensive,

ambitious effort—the largest recovery

project in American Christianity.

A SIGN OF HOPE

In March our president, Father

Jack Wall, and our chancellor, Cardinal

Blase Cupich, the archbishop

of Chicago, visited the mountainside

chapel to meet its parishioners

and hear firsthand how their

parish has provided infinite love,

hope and strength in the hard years

THE

CHURCH

IS RISING

AGAIN IN

PUERTO

RICO

Restoration of hundreds of damaged

Catholic churches and schools

has officially begun

Workers repair the hurricanedamaged

bell tower of San

Juan Bautista Cathedral in

Puerto Rico.

TOP LEFT Cardinal Blase

Cupich, third from left,

front, chancellor of Catholic

Extension Society, expressed

his gratitude for the resilience

of the parishioners of Sacred

Heart Church, a small chapel

that is among hundreds to

be repaired through the

recovery program.

16

BUILD Extension | Fall 2025 17

Church Building

Eight years after Hurricane Maria,

hundreds of Catholic churches are

still damaged. Catholic Extension

Society has worked in solidarity with

the Puerto Rican dioceses through

these years and helped establish an

island-wide recovery program, which

is now in the construction phase.

The largest rebuilding project in American Christianity

Catholic Extension Society has had a strong relationship with Puerto

Rico since our founding in 1905. After Hurricane Maria—one of the

deadliest and most damaging storms in American history—the dioceses

of Puerto Rico asked Catholic Extension Society to lead the

establishment of an island-wide recovery program.

The construction process to repair over 600 damaged Catholic

churches, schools and other critical facilities is now underway. This

summer alone, more than 20 churches and chapels began the construction

process, with another 50 to 100 churches set to complete

architectural plans by the end of the year.

since Hurricane Maria struck. This

area, part of the Diocese of Fajardo-Humacao,

is dotted with many

other small mission chapels just

like Sacred Heart. The church is

among seven total served by Father

José Maldonado and Father Robert

Medina.

Father Maldonado said, “These

people have a good sense of community.

They help each other. They

work hard.”

The busy pastors work closely

with Juan Carlos Cintrón, a longtime

parishioner who serves as a

coordinator of the parish. He helps

the pastors understand the needs

in the community, and he is also

managing the upcoming repairs.

Cintrón said that the only way to do

the work is “to do it with love.”

While speaking to parishioners,

Cardinal Cupich expressed his

admiration for the community and

the beautiful example they set.

“In 2017 shortly after Hurricane

Maria, I learned that you are faithful

and dedicated people who

work hard to serve the spiritual

and humanitarian needs of their

suffering community. You visited

homes and opened outreach centers

to distribute food, water and

household goods to the victims.

You continued to serve your communities

during those very difficult

days,” Cardinal Cupich said.

“I am so aware that your churches

and parishioners offer a vital lifeline

to your community.”

“Seeing your church repaired

and restored will be a sign of

hope to other parishes across the

island,” he continued. “It will motivate

other pastors and the faithful

to take the necessary steps so that

they too can restore their facilities

as quickly as possible.”

Before departing, Cardinal Cupich

offered a blessing to the gathered

parishioners and extended his

gratitude for their beautiful example

of faith in the face of so much

challenge.

Eight years of hoping, waiting and

praying have led to this moment—a

moment felt across the entire

island.

CELEBRATORY GROUNDBREAKING

AT SAN JUAN CATHEDRAL

Earlier that same day, Cardinal

Cupich and Father Wall visited

Cardinal Blase Cupich and Father Jack

Wall met with the construction workers

who are fortifying Church structures that

will withstand future hurricanes and benefit

Puerto Rican society at large.

another Catholic church in Puerto

Rico that is undergoing repairs: San

Juan Cathedral, the oldest cathedral

and active parish in the United

States.

The sacred space, dating back to

1521, is threatened by an infestation

of mold after Hurricane Maria

flooded and thrashed the historic

structure. Extensive and ongoing

water damage has also weakened

the beautiful cathedral, making

it even more vulnerable to future

disasters.

In a widely publicized press

event, Father Wall and Cardinal

Cupich joined the groundbreaking

ceremony alongside Archbishop of

San Juan Roberto González Nieves

and bishops from five dioceses of

Puerto Rico. Together, they blessed

the construction workers as they

began their work. The joyous

moment symbolized the kickoff to

reconstruction across the island.

Astrid Díaz, principal architect of

the reconstruction of the cathedral,

is overjoyed to see the construction

begin.

“This is a project of heritage and

faith,” she said. “It is deeply connected

to the Catholic Church,

and in fact, this is my church. We

are truly honored to carry out this

project. However, this is also a

project for all Puerto Ricans. This

church is an architectural gem. …

It has witnessed the growth on the

island and has been a testament to

the history of Puerto Rico. Therefore,

the Puerto Rican people are

rejoicing about finally beginning

the repair process and renovations

after Hurricane Maria.”

HOW YOU CAN HELP

While federal grants will cover

a significant portion of reconstruction

costs, many program

expenses and facility needs

remain unfunded. For churches

serving the poorest communities

of the island, these out-of-pocket

expenses can pose significant

hurdles. We are asking for

additional support of donors to

ensure that this

recovery effort can

be fully executed

across Puerto Rico.

If you are

interested in supporting this

recovery project, scan the QR

code or visit catholicextension.

org/puertorico.

A LAUNCHING PAD

Cardinal Cupich said that the

repairs to the cathedral are “not a

landing strip, but a launching pad.”

After Hurricanes Irma and Maria

struck Puerto Rico in 2017, Pope

Francis sent Cardinal Cupich to

the island to extend his support

and encouragement to the Puerto

Rican people and Church leaders.

“This island and its people, full

of joy and resilience, hold a very

special place in my heart,” Cardinal

Cupich said. “I have returned

numerous times to monitor the

progress of our efforts to restore

Catholic churches and schools

through Catholic Extension Society’s

recovery program. … I will be

back again in Puerto Rico to see

updates.”

By rebuilding churches and

schools, Catholic Extension Society

is not only serving the Catholic

community, but also Puerto Rican

society at large. This recovery project

will generate a far-reaching

economic, educational and cultural

impact, benefiting many communities

and future generations.

THE LONG ROAD TO RECOVERY

Catholic Extension Society has

been supporting the Church in

Puerto Rico for the past 120 years.

Our founder, Father Francis Clement

Kelley, through Extension magazine,

began raising support for

Puerto Rico when it became a U.S.

territory and aggressive campaigns

at the highest level of the U.S. government

aimed to “de-Catholicize”

Puerto Ricans so as to Americanize

them. There are few places and

parishes on the island that Catholic

Extension Society has not helped at

some point in our history.

Now we are helping little Sacred

Heart Church on its hillside in

Humacao. A small shed sits in its

driveway. On it, a Puerto Rican flag

is painted with the words, “Con

Dios, todo es posible.” With God,

everything is possible.


INSPIRE Features of faith

SMALL-TOWN PASTOR TO ARCHBISHOP 20 | TRAINING FOR MILITARY CHAPLAINCY 28 HELPING NAVAJO ELDERS PRESERVE CULTURE 34


has supported priests and

seminarians for decades.

This year alone, we are

supporting the education of

400 seminarians from 68

dioceses across the country.

Here is why:

A

vocation to the priesthood,

as you will discover

in these articles,

can begin anywhere.

On a college retreat,

in one’s childhood

home, or in a quiet

church. The Holy

Spirit has many pathways to reach

young people’s hearts.

In the case of the prophet Samuel,

God called in the night. And Samuel

responded in the same manner that

these young people have responded:

“Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.”

But this assent to God’s call is not

always an easy thing. A vocation to

the priesthood is as fragile as it is

special. Pursuing a vocation to priesthood

today is profoundly counter-cultural.

THE IMPACT OF

GREAT PRIESTS

A new vocation, therefore,

requires the best of our care and

steady support.

That is where Catholic Extension

Society comes in. For 120 years,

donors like you have supported ministries

to young people where new

priestly vocations are fostered; you

have subsidized the costly education

of seminarians; and you have funded

the ministries of new priests

as they are sent out to serve

Father Jack

Wall, president

the poorest regions of the

of Catholic Extension

country.

Society, met with

Supporting our seminarians

and young priests

seminarians at Mundelein

Seminary earlier this year.

They are among the

is an investment that will hundreds of seminarians

pay off over the course of

we support across

a lifetime, as you will see

the U.S.

in these articles. The gift of a

vocation leads back to God’s people.

So, when you support their vocations,

you are really supporting all

of us, the Church. A young person

blessed with a priestly vocation uses

it to bless us.

Think of the scale of this impact,

as we work to nurture and commission

the capable hands and compassionate

hearts entrusted to bring

the healing power of the sacraments

across our country.

20 INSPIRE

Seminarians


SMALL-TOWN PRIEST

NOW SHEPHERD

OF MILLIONS

Catholic Extension

Society funded

the education

and early ministry

of Archbishop

Joe S. Vásquez

On March 25, Archbishop

Joe S.

Vásquez became

the ninth shepherd

of the Archdiocese

of Galveston-Houston.

He

is one of many bishops across the

country who has an amazingly rich

backstory with Catholic Extension

Society.

The new archbishop’s story is

unique because we journeyed with

him as a child, seminarian and

young pastor. He hails from West

Texas communities that we have

long supported.

His installation as archbishop

is a point of pride not only for his

new flock but also for those who

nurtured his vocation and for the

faithful who once knew him as a

pastor in rural Texas.

PRIESTHOOD DREAMS

Vásquez grew up with his five

younger siblings in a working-class

household in Stamford, Texas. His

Archbishop

Vásquez was

known for bringing

his parishioners

together at St. Joseph

Parish in San Angelo,

where he served from

1997 to 2002. We

helped build the

church in 1957.

father—a Korean War veteran—and

mother supported the family working

as a mechanic and seamstress,

respectively. His grandparents were

seasonal farmworkers from Mexico.

Their backbreaking work instilled

in Vásquez the meaning of hard

work early on—a key ingredient to

his priesthood later in life.

The family attended St. Francis

of Assisi Parish in Abilene, Texas.

In 1920, Catholic Extension Society

helped build this small West

Texas church in the Diocese of San

Angelo. It is among 13,500 church

facilities that we have helped build

or repair across America since

1905.

As a child, Vásquez saw how the

joyful, young parish priest energized

his entire community by

encouraging everyone, including

his family, to get more involved.

“The church came alive,”

Vásquez recalled about his childhood

pastor, Msgr. Bernard Gully,

during an interview with the

United States Conference of Catholic

Bishops.

Young Vásquez began wonder-

Archbishop Joe

S. Vásquez greets

the Catholic faithful

of Archdiocese of

Galveston-Houston

during his installation

Mass at the Co-

Cathedral of the

Sacred Heart on

March 25, 2025.

ing: “If he has that joy, where does

he get this joy? I want that joy.”

That spark grew into a calling as

a teenager. Praying quietly inside

a church before the Blessed Sacrament

while on a retreat, he heard

God’s voice telling him to become a

priest. He said yes.

He entered St. Mary’s Seminary

in Houston, where Catholic Extension

Society supported his education.

He returned to Abilene during

his summers where he picked cotton

with his father and brothers.

Toiling away in the fields kept him

close to the land, his family and his

people’s dignity and unwavering

determination.

He was ordained a priest for the

Diocese of San Angelo in 1984.

A BELOVED PASTOR OF THE PEOPLE

For the next 17 years, Vásquez

pastored three different parishes—

coincidentally, all named St. Joseph.

They share another similarity

as well. They were each supported

by Catholic Extension Society. He

pastored the Odessa community

from 1985 to 1987, Fort Stockton

from 1987 to 1997 and San Angelo

from 1997 to 2002.

Texas has increased considerably

in population and ethnic diversity

over the years, and the vibrant

parishes he led mirrored that.

He worked consistently to build

unity among the growing congregations.

Parishioners from those early

days remember him fondly.

Deacon John Rangel from St.

Joseph Parish in San Angelo admired

Vásquez’s “contagious charismatic

presence” and, more importantly,

how he motivated

others.

“Father Joe encouraged others to

Father Jack Wall, president of Catholic Extension Society, speaks with a young

Catholic leader in Caguas, Puerto Rico.


“Bishop Michael Pfeifer told

us that he thought Father

Joe would be everything

we could hope for in a

pastor. That was quite an

understatement. Father Joe

was all that and more.”

—MIKE WYSE, Diocese of San

Angelo’s chancellor

“And he began to send

them out two by two…”

— MARK 6:7

People in our Two by Two program—donors who give at

least one $1,000 gift each year—walk in companionship and

solidarity with poor Catholic faith communities.

By committing to Catholic Extension Society through Two by Two, you are

helping us to develop leaders, build churches, strengthen ministries, reach out

to the poor and vulnerable, educate seminarians and engage youth.

Contact Tony Smercina, Assistant Vice President of Development,

at 214-665-9472.

catholicextension.org/twobytwo

become involved and take part in

the ministry that fit their individual

talents and capabilities. He did this

by personally inviting each person,

by name,” Deacon Rangel said.

“Each person was a valued member

of the parish.”

Mike Wyse was the director

of religious education during

Vásquez’s tenure at St. Joseph in

San Angelo. He now serves as the

Diocese of San Angelo’s chancellor.

“Prior to his arrival, our bishop,

Bishop Michael Pfeifer, told us that

he thought Father Joe would be

everything we could hope for in a

pastor. That was quite an understatement.

Father Joe was all that

and more,” Wyse said.

The day that Vásquez was

appointed as Galveston-Houston’s

auxiliary bishop, a position he held

from 2002 to 2010, Wyse remembered

thinking how “the Holy

Father could not have picked a better

man.”

In 2010 he became the fifth

bishop of Austin, where he served

for 15 years. He also sat on the USC-

CB’s Committee on Domestic Justice

and Human Development and

the Subcommittee on Hispanic

Affairs—areas that likely resonated

with his humble roots.

St. Joseph Church in Fort Stockton, which

has been supported by Catholic Extension

Society, was one of the parishes where

Archbishop Vásquez energized his community

in his early years as pastor.

SHEPHERD OF TODAY

Archbishop Vásquez carries

vital skills in his pastoral tool kit

that make him a good fit for Galveston-Houston.

It is the fifth largest

diocese in the country, with a

growing population of Catholics

who currently number 1.7 million.

His experience will also benefit

all Catholics in Texas. The state

is an epicenter of growth for the

American Church.


ongoing support in Texas is vital.

We have supported all 15 dioceses

in the state in our 120-year history.

Our work in the Lone Star State

today supports 2.8 million Catholics

across eight dioceses. This

includes millions of young people,

who could one day become faithfilled

parents, lay leaders, sisters,

priests—or even bishops.

As he begins to lead a major

metropolitan archdiocese, Archbishop

Vásquez remains grounded

in the same humble roots that

shaped his upbringing as a young

boy, formation as a seminarian and

early priesthood years at Extension-built

churches.

In his homily during the installation

Mass, he referenced the 2025

Jubilee Year theme, “Pilgrims of

Hope,” imploring his flock to look

out to the vulnerable and marginalized

of our suffering world today

and open their hearts to them as

equal persons.

Archbishop Vásquez said, “We

can never turn our backs on our

brothers and sisters who find themselves

in need. Christ calls us to

be attentive and never look upon

them as problems, but as persons

with dignity. As pilgrims of hope,

we are called to encounter Christ

and these least brothers and sisters.”

24 INSPIRE

Seminarians


How a university

campus ministry

inspired Father

Lee Noel’s

vocation

Father Lee Noel is always

smiling from ear to ear!

WYOMING’S

NEWEST

PRIEST

There is something

unique about Father

Lee Noel. He is a

genuinely happy

person! He is also

a “people person.”

And no matter

where he is or who he is speaking

with, he seems to be smiling from

ear to ear. His joy increased as he

was ordained to the priesthood

at a Mass held in St. Mary’s

Cathedral in Cheyenne, Wyoming,

this past May. Throughout the

ceremony his smile lit up the

church from the sanctuary where

he stood to the packed choir

loft. Bishop Steven Biegler later

commented that he had never

seen the cathedral so utterly full

(standing room only) as it was on

Father Noel’s ordination day.

The newly ordained priest’s

joyful journey began 11 years

ago on a college campus, thanks

to the support of the donors of

Catholic Extension Society.

No, not every college student

that goes on a university campus

ministry retreat will become a

Catholic priest, like Lee Noel. But

campus ministries are essential

in helping young people discover

their faith and what they are

It was a packed house at St. Mary’s Cathedral

in Cheyenne, Wyoming, for Father Lee Noel’s

ordination to the priesthood.

called to do with it. That’s why


supported more than 140 such

campus ministries and Newman

Centers in 50 dioceses across the

country over the last decade.

St. Paul Newman Center at the

University of Wyoming has been

supported by Catholic Extension

Society for nearly 40 years. Father

Lee Noel returned there shortly

after his ordination. He wanted

to celebrate his first Mass at

26 INSPIRE

Seminarians


the place where his vocational

journey toward the priesthood

first took root.

FROM RELUCTANCE

TO JOYFUL ABANDON

When Lee Noel arrived at

graduate school at the University

of Wyoming, his aunt and uncle—

active parishioners at St. Paul

Catholic Newman Center—urged

him to go on the Catholic campus

ministry retreat at the beginning

of the school year.

But Noel was very much a

23-year-old.

“I’m not going on a retreat with

a bunch of 18-, 19-year-olds for a

weekend. Skip the club hockey

practices and the parties they have

lined up? I’m not doing this,” he

recalled thinking.

But he knew he was interested.

By that point he had gone to Mass

a few times at St. Paul Newman

Center—he could see it was a

good community. The Sioux City,

Iowa, native was raised Catholic.

With this retreat, Noel felt a gentle

invitation to pursue something

potentially fulfilling.

He chose to accept that invitation,

albeit reluctantly. After all, he

was still 23 and missing hockey

practice and the parties to follow.

“Fine, I’ll go to this dumb

retreat.”

His attitude quickly changed

once he met other young Catholics

like him. “The students there

were so relatable, they were so fun

to be around. I wanted to be a part

of that.”

He now cherishes the memories

made in those formative years. “It

was the place for me where I first

found that it’s possible to have a

personal relationship with Jesus

Christ. I saw people living that out

and the authentic joy they had in

their life and how fulfilled they

were,” recalled Father Noel.

In 2016, Noel earned his

master’s degree in entomology.

He moved to Fort Collins,

Colorado, which he describes as

an “outdoors heaven.” He felt he

had it all—wildlife, horseback

riding, hiking, biking—plus a good

Father Lee

Noel was

ordained to the

priesthood on

May 28, 2025.

Catholic Extension

Society supported

his education

at Mundelein

Seminary.

job and friends. He was attending

Bible study regularly and becoming

more involved at his local parish.

It was then Noel felt another

gentle invitation—this time to

enter seminary. And what better

place to discern a call to the

priesthood than back in Wyoming,

where his faith journey had begun

in earnest?

“In Laramie at the University of

Wyoming in the Diocese of Cheyenne,

I had felt a lot of good support

from people there,” Father

Noel said.

Catholic Extension Society supported

Father Noel’s education at

Mundelein Seminary. And coming

full circle celebrating his first Mass

back on campus at the University

of Wyoming was a special beginning

to a lifetime as a priest.

“Being able to go to St. Paul

Newman Center to celebrate

that Mass and be a mediator for

people of His love at a place where

I first encountered His love in a

personal, really deep way was

significant,” Father Noel said with

his big smile.

READY TO CHANGE HEARTS

Father Noel is now in his first

months as a priest for the Diocese

of Cheyenne. The Extension-supported

diocese spans over 100,000

square miles, the third largest

diocese in the United States. For

Father Noel, that means long

drives to serve multiple parishes.

Rural communities aplenty. Father

Noel is eager to meet people

where they are at.

“There’s an excitement there

of what that means to go out

and minister to the frontier and

those mission areas where there

are places that only have Mass

every other week,” Father Noel

explained. “I hope I continue to

learn how to be a good listener.

I hope I continue to learn how

to be present to people at their

highs and their lows.”

For our part, it is crucial that

we continue to fuel this vital

ministry on university campuses

across the country so that students

have a space where they

can grow together in their

faith and carry that faith

into the next chapters of

adulthood, no matter

how they are called to

Fond of the outdoors and

serving rural communities,

Father Lee Noel is eager

to minister on the frontier

as a priest.

serve God with their lives.

“In college we are all so ready

to be formed,” Father Noel said.

“That’s going to not just impact

our life on campus. That’s going

to impact us for years to come.

Whether we’re married, single, a

priest or religious—that time you

spend through campus ministry

and being formed and those

lessons you learned from each

other is going to set the world on

fire and change hearts.”

28 INSPIRE

Seminarians


Father Conrad

Jaconette is

ordained to serve

Western Kentucky

and the Air Force

One can describe

Father Conrad

Jaconette in many

ways. He grew up

in a farming family

in Kentucky. He

is a former Baptist

who converted to Catholicism.

He is a second lieutenant in the

U.S. Air Force Reserve. But the

title he enjoys most these days

is “Father.” The young priest was

ordained on May 31 for the Diocese

of Owensboro, Kentucky. This was

made possible by your support for

his seminarian education.

As he begins his priestly

ministry, he has one dream: that all

people encounter the beauty and

power of faith, and that they, in

his words, “look at the Church as a

[place] of hope, true value and true

support.”

A FAMILY STEEPED IN FAITH

Growing up on a farm, Jaconette

lived with his parents and two

younger siblings, just a stone’s

throw from his maternal grandparents

and great-grandparents, and

together they regularly attended

their local Southern Baptist

church. From a young age he

learned to love the Christian faith

and embrace a strong work ethic.

After high school, he attended

Western Kentucky University in

Bowling Green, where his faith

began to blossom, thanks in part

to Catholic Extension Society’s

support of the campus ministry

that would shape the course of

his life.

From churches

to military bases,

Father Conrad Jaconette

has embraced every

place he is sent to

serve as a co-sponsored

priest for the Diocese

of Owensboro and

Archdiocese for the

Military Services,

USA.

REPORTING

FOR DOUBLE

DUTY

During college Jaconette

bounced around various Christian

denominations, only to be left

unsettled until he stepped foot

inside the university’s St. Thomas

Aquinas Catholic Newman

Center. There, he found community

and clarity.

PHOTO RILEY GRIEF/DIOCESE OF OWENSBORO

“Their faith was real, and it

was the driving force of who they

were,” he reflected about his

fellow students. “They prioritized

Mass and the sacraments, having

dinner together and spending

time together.” Also, the infectious

joy of his spiritual director,

the Newman Center’s priest,

captivated him. Jaconette wanted

to be a part of this healthy and

life-giving community.

He soon entered the Catholic

Church’s initiation program.

Later that year, he made his

profession of faith and received

the sacrament of confirmation

at the Newman Center in an

unforgettable Easter sunrise

ceremony—marking the beginning

of his life as a Catholic.

Jaconette graduated with his

biochemistry degree in 2018

and began applying to medical

schools—but something else was

tugging at his heart. Through

spiritual direction, he started to

consider seminary.

In 2019 he entered St. Meinrad

Seminary and School of Theology

with the Diocese of Owensboro.

Those early years were far from

easy. He was still adjusting to the

rhythm of structured prayer and

study when the pandemic hit,

forcing him to continue his classes

back home. In addition, his

Baptist family was understandably

skeptical of their beloved son

not only becoming Catholic, but

taking the extraordinary step of

pursuing the priesthood. Like any

good parents, they just wanted to

make sure that their son was in a

good place and well supported.

“I had to prove to my parents

that I am loved and safe in this

space with the Church.”

Meanwhile, his priestly vocation

quietly deepened.

“I was realizing that if I did

anything else, I’d be running away

from Him,” he said.

A DUAL CALLING

As the pull toward priesthood

grew in his heart, so too did a

concurrent calling as a chaplain in

the military.

While in seminary, he attended

a discernment retreat through

the Archdiocese for the Military

Services, which serves the men

and women of the U.S. armed

forces. As a new seminarian and

Catholic at that point, he did

not know what to expect. That

weekend experience changed his

life. He was shocked to encounter

members of the armed forces who

thanked him simply for going to

seminary.

“I did not realize the impact

that the priest chaplain had on our

military members,” he said. “The

retreat was filled with camaraderie,

and there was an overwhelming

sense of excitement for

the priesthood. I left the retreat

not just eager and excited about

pursuing military chaplaincy, but I

was on fire for the priesthood.”

Jaconette discovered the crucial

need for chaplains in the military,

of which there is a national

shortage.

“The people of God are there,

30 INSPIRE

Seminarians

Come join us!

Donate today.

We need your support and prayers as a partner in our mission:

To build up vibrant and transformative Catholic faith communities

among the poor in the poorest regions of America.

Father Jaconette (right), pictured here with a sergeant, spent a month during his last summer as a

seminarian completing military training at the U.S. Air Force Academy.

and they need sacraments,” he

said.

Chaplains also provide servicemembers

with spiritual support

and counseling from a priest who

understands the challenges of life

in the military because he is living

it himself.

Seminarians are allowed to

continue to study for their home

diocese while being “co-sponsored”

as future military chaplains.

With his bishop’s permission,

Jaconette chose to serve both the

people of Western Kentucky and

Air Force members.

“I will be doing this for all

airmen, even those who are not

Catholics,” he said. Jaconette chose

the Air Force because, with its high

suicide rates and mental health

concerns, it was where he felt he

was needed the most.

After completing boot camp,

he spent his summers gaining

hands-on experience performing

chaplaincy duties. On a military

base, he immersed himself in the

training environments of airmen.

He met with the spouses and

children of deployed servicemembers

who sought spiritual and

emotional accompaniment. He

served at a field Mass for cadets at

the Air Force Academy.

Meanwhile, he also prepared

to serve the people back

home in Kentucky through his

parish assignments. They helped

strengthen his vocation.

“They’ve experienced life and

its difficulties … but they love God

more than anything,” Jaconette

said of the parishioners. “That

simple love and wholehearted

devotion to God is contagious.”

He also studied Spanish, a

valuable skill in his current

ministry at Saints Peter and Paul

Parish in Hopkinsville, Kentucky,

home to many Latino Catholics.

READY TO SERVE

As a co-sponsored priest, Father

Jaconette will spend the first three

years of his priesthood serving

parishes in Western Kentucky

before going on full-time active

duty as a military chaplain for five

years. During his first three years,

he will have the opportunity to

serve on a U.S. base for one month

a year.

Father Jaconette strives to

share the faith and warmth of

the Church with everyone he

meets, just like he experienced

as a college student. As a priest

and military chaplain, he hopes

to make the Church visible in any

setting he will encounter.

Faithful celebrate Mass on

Tortugas Mountain in New Mexico.

catholicextension.org/give

32 INSPIRE

Seminarians


From public high school to seminary

W

hen

he was

9 years

old, Jimmy

Venegas’

older brother

entered the

seminary. He told his curious

younger sibling that being a priest

meant giving yourself to the

Church, helping others and being

like a soldier. For the young boy, it

sounded like being a superhero.

Both of Venegas’ older brothers

considered the priesthood before

they ultimately discerned it not

their calling. Still, the family was

surprised when their youngest

entered the seminary right out

of high school. Out of the three

boys, he seemed the least likely

to choose this path; they thought

the charismatic, math-minded

young man would get married and

pursue a career in engineering.

But Venegas said that he knew

in his heart this was the path God

was calling him toward. Now,

halfway through his seminary

education, Venegas has discovered

so much more about what it really

means to be a priest.

FROM ROBOTICS TO THEOLOGY

Venegas was born and raised in

El Paso, Texas. His parents, originally

from Mexico, immigrated to

the United States for better work

JIMMY IS

HALFWAY TO

ORDINATION

DAY

Jimmy Venegas is currently studying at

Mundelein Seminary in Illinois.

opportunities. His father, a truck

driver who runs his own business,

passed down his work ethic.

Venegas began his first job at age

14 and has worked in everything

from fast food to instructing

karate.

Growing up, Venegas always felt

at his best when he was helping

someone. “If I saw a classmate crying

or if I saw somebody bullying

another person, I would always try

to step in,” he said. “I would want

to cry with them, or help them like

a counselor.”

Although he’d had the idea

of becoming a priest at a young

age, he sometimes questioned

that path. He excelled in

mechanical engineering at his

public high school and traveled

to cities outside El Paso winning

tournaments in his robotics club.

However, Venegas did not find

fulfillment in it.

“The more I kept giving myself

to these things, the more I felt

empty,” he said.

He entered college seminary

through the Diocese of El Paso,

becoming one of three young

men from his public high school

to discern a priestly vocation in

recent years. His friends, who

were pursing engineering

degrees, were

happy he was

doing something

he loved. But

they were

Jimmy

Venegas,

center, with his

robotics club

in high school.

Today he blends

“intellect and

the heart” as a

seminarian.

unsure of his decision.

However, as Venegas came back

during breaks from his schooling

at St. Joseph Seminary College

in southern Louisiana, it didn’t

take long for lighthearted jokes

about his vocation to turn into

real, serious conversations about

important topics in the world, in

the Church and in their own lives.

“I think they really do see that

I am called to this, and they have

seen a lot of fruits to it. It’s even

encouraged them to live out their

faith more,” he said.

Now, as some of his friends

begin to get married and have

children, they are eager for him

to become ordained so he can

perform weddings and baptisms.

They tell him he’s going to be their

“priest on call,” Venegas joked.

INFINITE LOVE

After earning his bachelor’s

degree in philosophy and liberal

arts, Venegas is now attending

Mundelein Seminary in Illinois

and has completed his first year of

theology. He observes that, unlike

his previous studies in mechanical

engineering, there isn’t always

an exact answer. Rather, he has

learned to embrace the beauty of

what he can’t define.

“I’m still a little influenced in

math, but I’ve realized through

the years that you can’t exhaust

that mystery that you’re getting

out of our faith,” he said. “I can’t

really box everything in or put it in

an equation. Or even the human

person, too. We’re a big mystery.

Even God Himself.”

He never knew “how vulnerable

you have to be” to love in the way

that Jesus does, he said. “I look

at the heart of Christ and it’s like,

man, his heart takes all of that.

And it amazes me. It just moves

me to be like, yes, I want to be

more like you.”

Venegas looks forward to three

more years in seminary and an

additional pastoral year, especially

working with and learning from

the priests and lay leaders in El

Paso. He’s eager to serve anywhere,

whether that’s in his home city or

the many small missions scattered

throughout the vast desert territory

of the diocese.

“I want people to know more

about their faith. To mix in the

intellect and the heart. The more

we know God, the deeper we fall

in love with Him,” he said.

He shared a message of gratitude

to the supporters of Catholic

Extension Society:

“May God give you more.

Sincerely, I mean that from the

bottom of my heart. Your prayers,

your economic support. Thank

you so much. We’re trying to be

the best men we can be for the

Church, and you are helping us be

able to arrive at that. … I don’t have

much to give except my life. I’m

excited for that.”

34 INSPIRE

Feature Story


NEW INITIATIVE HELPS NATIVE COMMUNITIES PASS ON THE CATHOLIC FAITH,

PRESERVE INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE AND SHARE CULTURAL TRADITIONS

Navajo

grandmothers

cry out for

our help

Think about your

favorite song as

a child. Where

did it come

from? Who sang

it? Did it bring

you comfort or

joy, or a sense

of the sacred?

If you have children or grandchildren

of your own, chances are you

have sung that same cherished and

sacred song for them.

Now, imagine your children

have grown up and forgotten

the song. And their cousins,

friends and their own sons

and daughters don’t remember

it either. The song has

been passed down for generations,

but it’s at risk of

being lost forever.

It’s a heartbreaking

thought. For Navajo

grandparents, it’s a very

real fear. And it’s not

just a song that they

fear will be lost. It’s

their language, stories,

culture and Catholic faith, which

are all in danger of disappearing.


recently created a program to help

parents and grandparents pass on

their faith and sacred traditions to

their children. A large portion of

the participating parishes come

from various Native communities


Society throughout the country.

St. Pope John Paul II often spoke

on the reciprocal relationship

between faith and culture: “The

incarnation of the Word was also

a cultural incarnation,” he said

in a speech to the University of

Coimbra in Portugal in 1982.

A couple years later he spoke at a

gathering of Indigenous peoples

and Inuit at the National Shrine

of Saint Anne de Beaupré in

Quebec, a centuries-old

place of worship and

pilgrimage in

North America.

He

said,

“During her long history, the

Church herself has been constantly

enriched by the new traditions

which are added to her life

and legacy. And today we are grateful

for the part that the Native peoples

play.”


program brings families and

Church leaders together to discuss

what they treasure most in their

faith and cultural traditions, and

how they might find new ways to

share these gifts with their children

and grandchildren. After this

community-wide discussion, participants

make a concrete plan and

act on it with our financial support.

LISTEN AND LEARN

One such listening session

occurred in May at Our Lady of

the Blessed Sacrament in Fort

Defiance, Arizona, located on the

Navajo Nation. It gathered parents,

catechetical leaders and Native

elders in the community, along

with Brother Maynard Shurley, a

homegrown Navajo Franciscan

friar and Catholic leader.

Following Sunday Mass, over 50

people filed into the parish hall.

Navajo elders embrace ahead of the listening session. They want

to ensure their faith and Native traditions are passed on.

PHOTO ADAPTATION EXTENSION MAGAZINE

Many parishioners expressed the

challenges they face and their hopes for

the future at a community-wide listening

session at Our Lady of the Blessed

Sacrament in Fort Defiance, Arizona.

They arrived prepared to answer

questions including “What are

your challenges when it comes to

passing on the Catholic faith to

your children?” and “What wisdom

of the cultures do you feel

needs to be passed on?”

URGENT CALL FROM ELDERS

The meeting was emotional, but

fruitful. Elders, who are revered in

Navajo culture, were particularly

concerned with youth not learning

their songs, stories, language and

culture—all of which are vehicles

for passing on the Catholic faith.

One grandmother, Arlene Hickman,

tearfully shared, “I used to

always think, what’s going to happen?

What’s going to become of

this? … We have to keep this going!

We can’t let it die out! It’s very

important. Our tradition, we have

to hang on to it. The songs that we

sing, we are blessed to be singing

those songs.”

Other members shared broader

community struggles that make

it difficult to connect their children

with the Church, such as

lack of transportation and few

healthy activities for youth, leading

to detention, drug use and other

distractions.

“We need help,” said another

grandmother, Helena “Linda”

Yazzie. Her husband, Leonard

Yazzie, a 20-year military veteran,

36 INSPIRE

Feature Story


passionately shared his own experience

in raising his children. He

emphasized the importance of

sharing stories with them.

He said that when he was young,

he decided to become Catholic

when he first experienced a priest

saying Mass in Navajo. “That really

just did something to my being. The

way he said the Mass, everything

was Navajo. I was sold. And that’s

when I decided that I was going

to the Catholic church. And to this

day I’m Catholic.”

He taught his children about the

Catholic faith and Navajo culture at

the same time, by telling nighttime

stories, especially during camping

trips. His children, who continue to

attend church, tell him they still remember

those stories and thank

him for the way he raised them.

“It’s what we need to do as parents.

Get involved. Tell them stories. Do

things with them and tell your stories

while you do that. Tell them

about the lay of the land, the flowers,

the trees, how we interact.

That’s our culture—how to pray,

what to say. When you’re looking

at the night sky, tell them

about the stars … my grandpa

taught me that.”

CREATING AN ACTION PLAN

Following the listening session,

parish leaders worked

with families to come up with

a three-year plan to pass on

their faith and culture to the

next generation. The new program

aims to uplift entire

Mary and Jesus appear as Navajo

mother and child in Our Lady of

the Blessed Sacrament Church.

families, enabling elders and parents

to celebrate and embrace

their faith and culture alongside

the youth.

Catholic Extension Society will

support exciting new events and

programming to be part of a community-endorsed

action plan for

the parish, which includes elder

storytelling and prayer nights;

Navajo rosary nights that coincide

with the liturgical seasons; Navajo

choir concerts; family game nights;

monthly grief support meetings;

Bible study and retreats for parents;

healthy living seminars; and

Our Lady of the

Blessed Sacrament

Church, located on

the Navajo Nation.

incorporating more Native traditions

in Mass, including wearing

moccasins. This footwear, made

of deer hide, is a particularly special

tradition. “If we do wear our

moccasins, we are closer to Mother

Earth,” explained Victoria Begay,

a Navajo Catholic parish leader.

“[There is] no other barrier, no plastic,

no metal.”

Catholic Extension Society is

honored and deeply moved by

this Navajo Catholic faith community’s

response to the program.

During the listening session, one

elder shared a phrase in Navajo

that captured the spirit of how they

are moving forward, together: “We

need to have each other.”

The program is allowing this

community to embrace their deepest

truth: that as Navajo people,

they are beloved sons and

daughters of God. What’s more,

God has spoken to their hearts

through their unique language

and culture.

As this program helps families

embrace both the gift of faith as

well as the gift of their Navajo

identity, we hope that Navajo

grandmothers will no longer

shed tears of despair about the

future. Rather, there will be

tears of joy as they watch their

families embrace God’s divine

love made available to them in

their Native tongue and sacred

traditions.

IGNITE Making a difference

75 YEARS OF PRIESTHOOD 40 | THE MANY HATS OF FATHER COLLAZO 44

The Crowning

of Our Lady,

Queen of

Heaven, is one

of five Glorious

Mysteries. Pray

the Rosary

and reflect on

the Glorious

Mysteries as told

through stories

in this magazine

issue on page 42.

PHOTO LA VIRGEN DE LAS CUEVAS, FRANCISCO DE ZURBARÁN/SEVILLE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, SEVILLE, SPAIN

38

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Bishop Q&A


Retired bishop of San Bernardino shares vision

for transforming this Catholic community into one

of the nation’s largest and most vibrant

A growing diocese

in the desert

As he accepted the Amar Es Entregarse Award on behalf

of Catholic Extension Society in May, Father Jack Wall

greeted Bishop Emeritus of San Bernardino Gerald

Barnes, our longtime friend and board member.

cation of seminarians and lay leaders;

the ministries of religious sisters;

young adult formation programs;

and the construction of

new churches to accommodate the

growing population.

To give us greater perspective

and background on this beautiful

diocese’s successes, we recently

spoke with Bishop Emeritus

Gerald Barnes, who serves on

our Board of Governors and led the

diocese from 1996 to 2020. Responses

are edited for length

and clarity.

What is unique about the

Diocese of San Bernardino?

People really

drive through

this part of the

state. They

don’t usually

stop here. So

we’re kind of

like Galilee.

San Bernardino

is considered

poor,

in comparison

to our neighbors. We don’t have

Catholic universities or colleges. We

don’t have motherhouses or formation

houses. So we have had to

grow out of our own talents and

resources.

The Diocese of San Bernardino

took Vatican II seriously. The founding

bishop really took to heart and

began to develop this new diocese

with those principles.

The diocese knows

what it is to welcome

people. Our

hospitality

is

superb,

and that is the uniqueness here,

because of the great diversity.

We’ve worked at welcoming people

from wherever they are into

this diocese as their home.

How are Native American communities

supported in their faith?

We have several different kinds

of Indigenous communities. We

have 10 Native American reservations

and approximately 25,000

Catholic Native Americans. We

also have five communities of

Maya Indigenous people here. And

we have a very large community of

Indigenous people from the state

of Michoacán in Mexico that work

in the agricultural industry here.

Native Americans are a group

that has been hurt for generations.

Every treaty our country has

made with the tribes has been

broken by our own country,

our own government. So

it’s extremely important to

build that trust. We have

a missionary priest serving

Native Americans here.

When he began, I told him

he needed to stay with

them at least five years.

He’s been here for 25 now.

One tribe with a casino

gave us $9 million to build

our homeless shelter for

TOP LEFT Mass overflowed with families at St. James the Less in Perris, California, before

Catholic Extension Society helped this faith community build a much larger church. ABOVE

Each year thousands of faithful walk 33 miles in a procession to honor Our Lady of Guadalupe

in the Diocese of San Bernardino, California.

men. They said, “We are giving

it to the Catholics because when

we were in the mountains and we

were freezing cold, it was the Catholics

who brought us food and

blankets.”

How is the diocese reaching out

to young people and encouraging

new leaders?

We changed the name of our

office to be Ministry with Young

Catholics.

We brought youth on our boards.

We need teens and young adults.

We can’t wait until they’re in their

50s and 60s. They’re married,

many of them, they’re raising children,

they’re pursuing degrees

in universities. They’ve got experiences

that we need to hear, so

that our programs are much more

inclusive.

One of our core values is collaboration.

Collaboration is recognizing

the gifts that others have

within your home. Kids have

something to contribute. Your wife

has something to say in your parish.

The priests don’t have the

answers to everything. Listen to

what the people are saying. The

On Memorial Day

weekend, the Diocese

of San Bernardino

honored

Catholic Extension

Society with

its Amar Es Entregarse (To Love

is to Give Oneself) Award for our

decades of support to their poorest

communities.

The diocese, under the leadership

of Bishop Alberto Rojas, is

home to a whopping 1.7 million

Catholics and covers 27,000 square

miles of mostly desert territory in

Southern California.

While this is the single largest

diocese, population wise, among

the 87 Catholic dioceses currently


Society, San Bernardino still shares

four key traits that we often see in

the dioceses we help. Their Catholics

are younger and economically

poorer on average, but growing in

number and culturally diverse.

The Diocese of San Bernardino

shares these common features, but

on an exponential level.

We accompany the Catholic

faithful here by supporting the edubishop

should listen to his priests

and his religious and his people

and then affirm what is out there

and call forth from that.

How has Catholic Extension

Society been a partner to the

diocese?

We had all these little churches

that sat 250, 300 people. The biggest

churches would sit 600. But

now our churches have to sit 1,200.

So it’s more expensive, of course.


been instrumental in helping us

build some of them.

I just would like to thank Catholic

Extension Society for being a

true partner, one that listens to our

needs and helps guide and support

us. It made a big difference in my

ministry of the diocese. I respect

everything they have done in helping

us and helping other dioceses.

And so I’ve seen the work and

I appreciate it and the good partnership

they have shown. And, in

a sense, the affection that I’ve seen

from Father Jack and other members

of the team toward our people.

Thank you so much. I really

appreciate it.

40 IGNITE

Donor Profile


100 years of

life. 75 years of

priesthood.

What will our

legacy be?

What will be

the blessing we

give to those who

come after us, a

way in which we can still be with

those we love after we have gone?

Father Thomas Relihan, a beloved

pastor who devoted most of

his life to a remote northern California

community, recently passed

away. A member of our Legacy

Club, he left a significant gift to

Catholic Extension Society in his

estate.

By naming us as a beneficiary

in his will during his life here on

earth, he has ensured that his legacy

of love and service to God’s

children will continue far into his

eternal life in heaven.

An Irish missionary in California

For Father Relihan, it all began

with the Eucharist.

Twenty-seven thousand.

That is the number of Masses

he celebrated over the 75 years of

his priesthood. It is safe to say that

when he was ordained in All Hallows

Seminary Chapel in Dublin,

Ireland, on June 22, 1947, he had no

idea of the eucharistic bounty that

was to come.

Father Relihan’s journey from

his birthplace in Kilcarra, County

Father

Relihan’s

last gift

caps a life

lived for

others

Father Thomas Relihan left a gift to Catholic Extension Society in his estate to support our

mission for generations to come.

Kerry, to the Diocese of Sacramento,

California, was bumpier

than your average shillelagh. Foreign-born

Irish priests were being

recruited to serve in the mission

territory of northern California—

yes, at that time, Sacramento was

considered mission territory, and

Father Relihan answered the call.

Over the next 30 years, Father

Relihan served as a chaplain: at

DeWitt State Hospital from 1953

to 1972 and at the state prison

in Susanville from 1972 to 1983 .

During this time, he helped thousands

with their physical, mental

and spiritual struggles.

His ministry to the suffering

taught him that healing was slow

and steady work. Like seeds

planted in good soil, he had confidence

that a bountiful harvest yet

unseen was sure to come.

His next assignment was to

Sacred Heart Parish in Ione, California.

He would serve as pastor in

this quiet rural community for the

next 30 years. His life came to be

formed by the liturgical rhythm of

baptisms, first Communions, con-

firmation, weddings and Christian

burials (not to mention the 27,000

Masses). He would come to know

and love everyone. And his congregation

would come to love him

in return.

During his ministry, Father

Relihan learned about Catholic

Extension Society and its mission

to build up vibrant and

transformative Catholic faith communities

among the poor in the

poorest regions of the country. This

resonated with his own missionary

spirit.

A seed planted in good soil

Father Relihan eventually

enrolled in Catholic Extension

Society’s Planned Giving program:

the Legacy Club. He intended to

leave behind a transformative

gift upon his departure from this

world. The miracle of a planned

gift is not unlike the miracle of a

seed planted in good soil. Planned

giving is a strategic bet on a bounty

yet unseen. It is an investment

designed to pay dividends for the

future.

By placing Catholic Extension

Society in his will, Father Relihan

guaranteed that his missionary

spirit—a spirit that brought him to

Sacramento, informed his hospital

and prison ministries, and made

his parish, Sacred Heart, such a

place of empowering love—would

continue beyond his time on earth.

Father Relihan passed away

between his noontime tea and

his afternoon lunch on January 6,

2024. He was four months shy of

his 101st birthday.

But thanks to his gift, young

seminarians across the country

who are being called to serve

the poor in the poorest regions of

America are now educated through

his generosity. They will continue

the priestly ministry that he lived

so beautifully for so many years.

Father Relihan’s enduring legacy

is an example of generosity

that will help bring forth vibrant

faith communities for years to

come. It is a shining testimony of a

eucharistic bounty, 27,000 strong

and still growing thanks to his gift.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O

Lord. And let perpetual light shine

upon him, as his light continues to

shine down on us.

Your will.

Their future.

Become a treasured member

of our LEGACY CLUB by

naming Catholic Extension

Society as a beneficiary to

your estate. You will positively

change the lives of millions of Catholics

in the poorest regions of America—for

generations to come.

Contact Frances Caan, Senior Manager

of Planned Giving, at 800-842-7804 or

plannedgiving@catholicextension.org.

legacy.catholicextension.org

42

IGNITE

Feature Story


Reflect on the

Glorious Mysteries

with Catholic

Extension Society

Praying

the rosary

Catholics have been praying the rosary for

centuries. Since its inception with St. Dominic

in the 13th century, we have been meditating

on the life of Christ and the Holy

Family and how their story is our story too.

Our lives are filled with joyful, glorious,

sorrowful and luminous mysteries. The rosary helps

us to understand how God is present in all of those

moments.

Here we reflect on the Glorious Mysteries told through

stories of Catholic Extension Society–supported ministries

featured in this magazine. As you pray, please hold

these communities and leaders in your heart.

THE FIRST MYSTERY

The Resurrection from

the Dead

The beauty and profound

challenge of the Resurrection

from the Dead is that

it is both the truest thing

about Jesus and the truest

thing about us. Jesus’ rising

from the dead is the comple-

tion of the Paschal Mystery. It is

our Paschal Mystery to complete

as well.

We begin with the tomb

from which we must rise.

The fear we must eclipse, the

anger we must overcome,

the sadness we must transfigure.

Name the tomb that is

most proximate to you—this is

the staging area for God’s Glorious

Mysteries in your own life.

Not only will we rise, but we will

rise profoundly transformed, just like

Jesus.

The Puerto Rican people have

faced an onslaught of natural disasters

and destruction. Hurricanes

Irma and Maria in 2017 and devastating

earthquakes in 2020 have left

much of the island battered and reeling.

But not the Puerto Rican people.

They know that from this suffering

and from this tomb, they will also rise.

God’s power is stronger than any of

these disasters. And with the help of

Catholic Extension Society, they have

begun rebuilding and restoring over

600 Catholic schools and churches.

Please pray the Our Father,

10 Hail Marys, and

one Glory Be to the

Father for the recovery of

Puerto Rico.

THE SECOND MYSTERY

The Ascension of our Lord

into Heaven

Imagine the Ascension of our Lord

as a tableau in two sections. The

first depicts the disciples looking at

Jesus, their eyes following Him as He

rises up to heaven. The second

panel shows the disciples,

lowering their gazes

and looking straight into

each other’s eyes. The

Good News is now theirs

to preach.

As Jesus rises to the

Father, His mission and His

presence transfer to us. Our continued

communion with the Risen

Christ centers on feeding the hungry,

giving drink to the thirsty, and

comforting the sick and imprisoned.

When we act as Jesus did, He is with

us, always, to the end of time.

There is more to this Glorious

Mystery. When we go to the Father,

we journey with those we have left

behind. We continue to be a blessing

to them. They continue to receive

our love.

Those who have gone before us

are a guiding presence. They intercede

for us. Our bonds of love with

them are changed, not ended.

Father Thomas Relihan passed

away last year after 75 years of service

as a priest in prisons, hospitals

and parishes. His generosity took

many forms, not the least of which

was a legacy gift to Catholic Extension

Society, guaranteeing that his

love would be paid forward for many

years to come.

Please pray one Our Father, 10 Hail

Marys, and one Glory Be to the Father

in thanksgiving for the life of Father

Relihan and all of our dearly beloved

departed who have blessed our lives.

THE THIRD MYSTERY

The Descent of the Holy

Spirit at Pentecost

There is nothing small about

the Diocese of San Bernardino,

California. It is the largest

(1.7 million strong) and most diverse

diocese served by Catholic

Extension Society. And it

is still growing.

Its members come

from Latin America,

Europe, the Middle

East, Asia, Africa and the

South Pacific. The diocese

describes itself as “a

communion of communities,

a mosaic of color, a symphony of languages,

and a kaleidoscope of faith

expressions.”

This description may as well have

been written by the Holy Spirit, whose

power sent the disciples to peoples

of all nations and to speak many languages

during the first Pentecost.

The Holy Spirit frees us from our

self-imposed silos.

What happened at the original

Pentecost—the first descent of the

Holy Spirit calling the Church to all

people—is still happening today. The

growing Diocese of San Bernardino

is evidence of how the Holy Spirit

continues to move in our American

Church.


Marys and one Glory Be to the Father

for growth of the Church’s mission in

dioceses across our country.

THE FOURTH MYSTERY

The Assumption of Mary

into Heaven

Is there a “Yes!” that has resounded

throughout history quite like

Mary’s? Her “yes” to the angel Gabriel

initiates the Incarnation. Mary’s

“yes” at the wedding at Cana

initiates Jesus’ public ministry.

Mary’s “yes” at the

foot of the cross pierces

her heart but allows her

son’s mercy to flow to the

rest of us.

Mary’s “yes” is eternal.

Her assent to what God

asks of her is the pattern and

promise of all believers past, present

and still to come. Mary is borne to

heaven on the wings of her “yes.”

As it was done unto her, may it be

done unto us as well.

Sometimes it can be difficult to

believe that God believes in us. We

think we are not worthy. But seminarians

Jimmy Venegas, Lee Noel

and Conrad Jaconette have come

to believe that God believes in them

and is, in fact, calling them to serve

His people as priests. All God needs

is a “Yes!”


Marys, and one Glory Be to the Father

for these young men, and all young

people, that they may have the courage

to say “yes” to what God asks.

THE FIFTH MYSTERY

The Crowning of Our Lady,

Queen of Heaven

crown that was never sought is

A all the more precious. The humble

servant, through the strength

of God’s arm, will be exalted. The

Kingdom of Heaven, Jesus tells us,

belongs to the poor. Mary’s

queenship is born from

her humility, as she

reveals in her Magnificat

prayer: “He has cast

down the mighty from

their thrones, and has

lifted up the lowly.”

St. Augustine reminds us

that power in the “City of God”

is not like power in this world. God’s

power is based in love rather than

on a longing to dominate. That is the

lesson Joe Vásquez learned. He grew

up in the small West Texas town of

Stamford. He never dreamed that

one day God would call him to be the

archbishop of the Archdiocese of

Galveston-Houston. But that is what

God does. He lifts up the humble and

the lowly and asks them to serve His

people.

Please pray one Our Father, 10

Hail Marys, and one Glory Be to the

Father for the new archbishop of

the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston

and for all of our shepherds, that

their leadership will bring us closer

to God’s Kingdom.

CREDITS: ROSARY KARA BEBHARDT/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

| FIRST: ANDREA MANTEGNA/MUSÉE DES BEAUX-ARTS,

TOURS, FRANCE | SECOND: JOZEF SEDMAK/DREAMSTIME.

COM | THIRD: JUAN BAUTISTA MAÍNO/PRADO MUSEUM,

MADRID, SPAIN | FOURTH: ALONSO LÓPEZ DE HERRERA/

MUSEO NACIONAL DE ARTE (MUNAL) | FIFTH: FRANCISCO DE

ZURBARÁN/SEVILLE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, SEVILLE, SPAIN

44

IGNITE

Parish Partnerships


Some people say that

youth is wasted on the

young. Father Carlos

Collazo would beg to

differ.

As he celebrates the

10th anniversary of his priestly

ordination, he has clearly used

every bit of his military, priestly

and academic training. His youthful

energy has brought about much

good for his local church in Ponce,

Puerto Rico.

Father Collazo does not complain

about the workload. He

embraces it.

“For many years I’ve been doing

multiple jobs at the same time, and

I like it. I have the energy. I like to

work hard for our Church.”

Just a decade ago, he was one

of the roughly 400 seminarians

whose education is supported by

Catholic Extension Society each

year. Although we did not know

him by name at the time, we soon

would.

Cool in a crisis

In 2017, when Hurricane Maria

struck Puerto Rico, Bishop Rubén

Antonio González Medina of Ponce

recognized Father Collazo as a

capable young priest. He tapped

him to lead the diocese’s disaster

response and humanitarian

outreach.

There was so much suffering.

People were still dying months

after the hurricane, which caused

the largest and longest blackout in

U.S. history. They were unable to

access critical services and basic

supplies, including medicine,

food and water. These life-threatening

conditions especially hurt

the vulnerable populations liv-

ing in remote communities. Father

Collazo led teams of volunteers

to households whose inhabitants

lived in the most dire circumstances

to ensure these families

survived the apocalyptic aftermath

of the hurricane.

This level of responsibility did

not spook the young priest. Before

entering the priesthood, he served

in the National Guard for eight

years, where he developed a strong

sense of leadership and service.

Bishop González kept Father

Collazo permanently in the role of

director of social outreach for his

diocese, which includes 43 parishes

and serves 350,000 Catholics

throughout southern Puerto Rico.

Undaunted

by disaster

Puerto Rican priest uses

his military training

to be a force for good

in a diocese beset by

multiple catastrophes

Earthquakes raise new

challenges

In 2020, the Diocese of Ponce

was at the epicenter of catastrophic

earthquakes that

destroyed parishes and schools,

left many people homeless and

upended the local economy. Once

again, Father Collazo deployed

forces—with the help of Catholic

Extension Society. He created distribution

centers to make sure devastated

families could have their

basic human needs met.

Father Collazo and his bishop

did not forget to support people’s

spirits. They hit the radio airwaves,

offering a live platform for people

to call in and speak to their spiritual

leaders, learn about humanitarian

resources, pray together and

share stories of hope and encouragement.

Catholic Extension

Society proudly supported these

efforts.

Instead of being daunted by the

wreckage, Father Collazo remained

ever determined to do everything

in his power to help. He proved

that the Church cared.

Wearing multiple hats

As if he didn’t have his hands

full already, Father Collazo had

Join our Parish Partnership program

Over 500 parishes have joined our mission to support poor Catholic

faith communities across our country. With a compelling list of urgent

projects, Catholic Extension Society is asking your parish to help

the Catholic Church in America! Please contact Natalie Donatello at

ndonatello@catholicextension.org for more information.

also been serving (until very

recently) as pastor of one of the

largest parishes and Catholic

schools in Ponce. With the help

of Catholic Extension Society, he

installed air conditioning in the

1,300-seat church, which was often

sweltering in the tropical heat.

Additionally, he is an adjunct

faculty member at the nearby Pontifical

Catholic University, instructing

seminarians in Catholic social

teaching.

LEFT Father Collazo

stepped up to lead

his community when

Hurricane Maria

struck just two years

after his ordination

in 2015.

BELOW LEFT After

the storm knocked

out power and

destroyed roads,

Father Collazo led

volunteers to aid

the most vulnerable

in remote homes,

such as this family

with a bedbound

child.

Read about our

recovery project

in Puerto Rico on

page 14.

On top of these responsibilities,

Father Collazo’s bishop appointed

him as the primary point person

for the long-term recovery

of the diocese’s destroyed infrastructure

(currently estimated at

$14 million). He is responsible for

interfacing daily with our team

in Puerto Rico to ensure that the

damaged parishes painstakingly

follow through with all the regulatory

requirements that come with

federal grants.

“I think we have to use time

wisely, and to make a change for

the better. For that reason, I am

still doing this job,” he reflected.

“I am grateful to all the people

supporting Catholic Extension,

because without you this recovery

would be impossible.”

Perhaps his greatest accomplishment

is that, despite the

heavy load he carries, he remains a

happy, hope-filled priest, willing to

say yes to anything asked of him—

believing that his yes can lead to a

blessing for someone else.

Suburban church joins his

mission

True to his character, Father

Collazo recently said yes to come

to Chicago at the invitation of Our

Lady of Perpetual Help Church

in Glenview, Illinois. Father

Jerry Boland of the Illinois parish

had been impressed by Father

Collazo’s energy when he visited

the island on an immersion trip

led by Catholic Extension Society.

The parish partnered with us

this Lent to support the Church in

Puerto Rico.

When he visited, Father Collazo

spoke in the Sunday Mass homily

about the resilient spirit of the

Puerto Rican people. He told the

children of Our Lady of Perpetual

Help:

“You are the hope of your families,

your country and our Church.

You are the ones who will continue

to bring kindness, faith and

love to the world. Never forget that

God has a special plan for each of

you. Keep studying, keep praying

and keep helping one another!”

Clearly, he practices what he

preaches.

46

IGNITE

Connect


From the mail

Faith community thrives in rural Utah where

Catholics are minority

Catholic Extension Society supports the travel costs

for Father Francisco Pires to provide consistent pastoral

care for his 300-person rural mission in northern

Utah, where Catholics are a small minority of the

population.

Dear Catholic Extension Society,

PEOPLE, INCLUDING VISITORS, WHO DISCOVER

that there is a Catholic church in Tremonton are often

very happy for several reasons. Tremonton, a small city,

may not be expected to have a diverse range of reli-

gious establishments, especially a Catholic church, which

can be a rare find in some rural or less densely populated

areas in Utah. For local Catholics, a church in their

vicinity provides a convenient place for worship, fostering

a sense of community and belonging. It eliminates the

need for traveling long distances to attend Mass, participate

in sacraments, and engage in parish activities, thus

strengthening their spiritual lives and social connections.

Maria, a single mother of two, faced challenges in taking

her children to St. Henry in Brigham City for faith formation

due to distance and cost. The grant funds changed everything

by enabling local faith formation classes to be held

at Santa Ana Mission in Tremonton. The mission church is

now open during the afternoon and evening to serve the

people of that area. Now, Maria can easily bring her children

to these nearby classes, ensuring they are well-prepared

for their sacraments and enriching their spiritual

lives without the burden of a long commute.

› Father Francisco Pires | Pastor, Santa Ana Mission

Diocese of Salt Lake City, UT

Tucson seminarian grateful for

support that allows him to grow

Catholic Extension Society is supporting

the seminarian education of seven

men this year in the Diocese of Tucson.

See page 18 to read more about

priestly vocations across America.


THIS PAST YEAR WAS FILLED with

many rich experiences and growth in

both my priestly and personal formation.

My biggest area of growth this year would have to be in my trust in God

and in getting out of my comfort zone —which I understand is a lifelong

continuous journey for all of us! Being blessed to work with so many different

groups and communities exposed me to so much diversity and

gave me a fair share of responsibilities that at times seemed overwhelming.

However, when reflecting on my priorities or questioning my ministerial

ability I turned to Christ; recognizing that this is His mission that

He has called me to participate in and that like St. Paul, I had to have

faith in Christ and allow him to work through me. Doing so showed me

what I am capable of with Christ and drew me closer in love with Him.

Catholic Extension Society has truly made it possible for me to reach

this point in my journey towards the priesthood. I cannot express my

thanks enough for all that you have done for me and for the Church.

Thank you all so much!

It is because of Catholic Extension that I am able to follow where God

is leading me to one day give my life totally to serve the greater good of

the community and the Church.

› Carlos Nagore | Seminarian, St. John’s Seminary

Diocese of Tucson, AZ

Retreats build faith and strengthen families

in Louisiana

Catholic Extension Society supports the Diocese of

Shreveport’s Hispanic ministry program. Its weekend

retreats reach 600 Hispanic adults, young adults and

teenagers each year.


THANKS TO RETREATS FOR THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY,

an increasing number of families are eagerly attending church

services. The number of volunteers for various parish minis-

tries has also increased. By getting more people involved

as volunteers, we hope that they will share their enthusiasm

and tell their friends and family members about the retreats.

The Hispanic population is growing throughout the diocese,

and they are always willing to travel to attend retreats

and meetings.

The Women’s Emmaus retreat is strongly attended, and its

participants are highly engaged. All volunteers prepared

for over six months to host gatherings every two weeks,

which helped them with their team building skills but also

in their spirituality. This, in turn, inspires the retreatants,

who will go back and evangelize their families. With limited

resources within our diocese and certain parishes, the

assistance from Catholic Extension Society and its donors

provides necessary funds to help us with the retreats.

A mother of two who participated in a retreat said, “By

spending time with women in my community, I was able to

grow my faith.”

› Lucy Medvec | Director of Development

Diocese of Shreveport, LA

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Make an impact with your

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way to help us build up vibrant

and transformative Catholic faith

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Extension magazine - Fall 2025

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