POPE FRANCIS. The Importance of Being Present to the Poor. Cardinal George on Pope Francis Pg. 12. What Pope Francis Means to Me Pg.

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1 THE MAGAZINE OF CATHOLIC EXTENSION summer 2013 C OMMEMORATIVE I SSUE POPE FRANCIS The Importance of Being Present to the Poor Cardinal George on Pope Francis Pg. 12 What Pope Francis Means to Me Pg. 16 Bishop s Commentary Pg. 32

2 a note from father wall Catholic Extension has published Extension magazine since 1906 to share with our donors and friends the stories illustrating our mission to build faith, inspire hope and ignite change in communities across America. CONTACT US Catholic Extension 150 S. Wacker Dr., Suite 2000 Chicago, IL catholicextension.org BOARD OF GOVERNORS CHANCELLOR His Eminence Francis Cardinal George, OMI Archbishop of Chicago VICE CHANCELLOR Most Reverend Joseph E. Kurtz, DD Archbishop of Louisville PRESIDENT Reverend John J. Wall VICE CHAIR OF COMMITTEES AND SECRETARY James M. Denny Most Reverend Paul S. Coakley Archbishop of Oklahoma City Elizabeth Hartigan Connelly John W. Croghan Most Reverend Blase J. Cupich Bishop of Spokane Most Reverend Daniel E. Flores, STD Bishop of Brownsville Mary Louise Gorno Most Reverend Curtis J. Guillory, SVD, DD Bishop of Beaumont Peter J. McCanna Andrew J. McKenna Pamela Scholl Most Reverend Anthony B. Taylor Bishop of Little Rock Most Reverend George L. Thomas, Ph.D. Bishop of Helena Edward J. Wehmer Your investment in Catholic Extension is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Catholic Extension is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. ISSN Number: The Catholic Church Extension Society. All rights reserved. Principal photography: John Bannon, Mark Battrell, Dan Coogan, Rich Kalonick, Chris Strong Art Direction: Pressley Johnson Design Extension is a publication provided to you and your family by Catholic Extension. If you do not wish to continue receiving Extension, magazine@catholicextension.org and we will remove you from this mailing list. Dear Friends, From the moment the white smoke billowed out of the Sistine Chapel and the bells of St. Peter s started ringing, it has felt as if the entire world has embraced Pope Francis and all he embodies. The staff of Catholic Extension is no exception. We have shared in the renewed energy, vigor and hope that His Holiness brings. And like you, we have listened closely to what he has said. It was reported far and wide that upon being elected he chose his name because he hopes to see a Church that is for the poor. We bring you this commemorative issue of Extension magazine with that thought in mind that as Catholics, we know how important it is to be present to the poor. Since 1905, when Catholic Extension was first named a papal society by Pope Pius X, the heart and soul of our mission has been to bring the Catholic Church to the poor right here at home. As a donor, you have enabled us to fulfill that goal. In this issue, we bring you a number of stories about Catholic Extension s transformative work among the poor. We asked clergy and lay people who are supported by Catholic Extension this question: How are you inspired by the words of Pope Francis in your ministry? We think you will be moved by their answers, which are filled with hope and faith. We sat down with Francis Cardinal George of Chicago, the Chancellor of Catholic Extension, and he reflected on what he thinks Pope Francis is calling us to do. And, we interviewed Cardinal Seán O Malley of Boston about the impact Catholic Extension made during his time as Bishop of St. Thomas, a very poor mission diocese. We hope you will read these stories and feel inspired about how, in walking with Catholic Extension, you are building faith, inspiring hope and igniting change. We also hope you will share this magazine with family and friends. If you d like, please call Catholic Extension at with any names and addresses you would like to share. We ll be happy to send them a copy. We very much want to share the Good News with you and yours. Yours in Christ, Rev. John J. Wall President

3 EXTENSION SUMMER 2013 COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE FEATURES ONE-TO-ONE Cardinal George on Pope Francis THE FAITHFUL SPEAK OUT What Pope Francis Means to Me BISHOP S COMMENTARY Providential Pope HIGHL IGHTS DONOR SPOTLIGHT It s All About Helping One Another STORIES OF FAITH Parker s Legacy, Bridge of Hope OUR LEGACY Cardinal O Malley: Reflections on Catholic Extension PLUS: Behind the Beauty DEPARTMENTS MAIL BAG An Outpouring of Gratitude NEWS BRIEFS Faith-Building Initiatives YOUR DONATIONS AT WORK Driven to Serve BY THE NUMBERS A Papal Society On the cover: Pope Francis greets the crowd following Palm Sunday Mass at St. Peter s Basilica in Vatican City. In this commemorative issue, we examine how Pope Francis has touched the hearts and souls of Catholics here in America, including those whose ministries are supported by Catholic Extension. Coming next! A look at campus ministries across the country funded by Catholic Extension. And, meet our nine inspiring Lumen Christi finalists who are bringing the Light of Christ to their mission diocesan communities.

4 MAIL BAG AN OUTPOURING OF GRATITUDE Bishops and priests across the mission dioceses share their deepest thanks for the generosity of Catholic Extension donors. D EAR CATHOLIC EXTENSION, Along with a $19,000 grant, I received your letter of congratulations on our success in meeting the matching challenge for remodeling an existing building into CCD classrooms at St. Ann Church in Mallet, Louisiana. I am grateful to Catholic Extension for enabling this low-income parish to improve its facilities and provide a dedicated space to instruct children who are unable to attend Catholic schools. Sincerely yours in Our Lord, Most Reverend Michael Jarrell Bishop of Lafayette, Louisiana D EAR CATHOLIC EXTENSION, You made my day again! Thank you for the good news that we are receiving a $15,000 grant for seminarian education. Please express my gratitude and that of those who benefit from this grant to our generous benefactors. Without them, we could not make it. Your brother in Christ and Mary, Most Reverend Michael Pfeifer, OMI Bishop of San Angelo, Texas The original seeds you planted 63 years ago have sprouted and spread widely for Christ! D EAR CATHOLIC EXTENSION, On behalf of the Catholic faithful of Saint Michael in Levelland, Texas, thank you for the $5,000 grant you have provided to that parish towards the renovation of its worship space and construction of a new administration building. Catholic Extension provided funding for the original church building in Today, Saint Michael has an average Mass attendance of 1,100 and a growing youth program. It also provides pastoral and financial support for a mission parish in Sundown, Texas. As you can tell, the original seeds you planted 63 years ago have sprouted and spread widely for Christ! Yours in Christ, Most Reverend Plácido Rodríguez, CMF Bishop of Lubbock, Texas D EAR CATHOLIC EXTENSION, Thank you for the recent grant to help fund the salary of our director of Hispanic Ministry through your Hispanic Lay Leadership Initiative. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, there are more than 152,000 people of Hispanic origin within the 90 counties served by the Diocese of Savannah, Georgia. Your assistance in funding this position enables the diocese to minister to these persons more effectively. Be assured that the donors and staff of Catholic Extension are in my prayers. Sincerely yours in Christ, Most Reverend Gregory J. Hartmayer, OFM Conv. Bishop of Savannah, Georgia 4 EXTENSION

5 Access extended information, photos and videos about the articles in this issue of Extension at Saint Michael Catholic Church in Levelland, Texas, draws more than 1,100 parishioners to Mass each week. Catholic Extension donors helped build the first church in 1950 and continue to provide funds for necessary renovations today. DEAR CATHOLIC EXTENSION, On behalf of the people of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, thank you for the $10,000 grant in support of our small parish. My parishioners, who are mainly retirees with meager resources, are amazed and blessed by the generosity of your donors. Without your gifts, we would have frozen up long ago. Long live Catholic Extension! Yours very sincerely, Father Innocent Diala Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church Chiloquin, Oregon Diocese of Baker, Oregon Without your gifts, we would have frozen up long ago. D EAR CATHOLIC EXTENSION, Thank you for the $30,000 grant to finance our evangelization project in the Diocese of Beaumont. Your funds will help defray the cost of providing a media campaign on TV and radio that encourages viewers to learn more about the faith. It will also provide training for our pastors and parish leaders in communications and public relations, helping them to step outside their comfort zone in evangelization. May the Lord continue to bless you and the work of Catholic Extension! Yours in Christ, Most Reverend Curtis J. Guillory, SVD, DD Bishop of Beaumont, Texas Connect with us! We love to hear from you, our readers, and we want to connect you more closely to the work of Catholic Extension. We hope you will visit our website or one of the social media channels listed below so that you can read and share inspiring stories, watch compelling videos, and join us on our journey to build faith across America. VISIT OUR WEBSITE READ OUR BLOG FIND US ON FACEBOOK FOLLOW US ON TWITTER SEE VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE PIN US ON PINTEREST Send to: magazine@catholicextension.org Address letters to: Extension magazine 150 S. Wacker Drive, Suite 2000 Chicago, IL Catholic Extension may edit letters for clarity and length. Letters also may be shared online. Thank you! SUMMER

6 news briefs FAITH-BUILDING INITIATIVES These grant recipients are among 91 Catholic mission dioceses that need support to sustain themselves. MISSION DIOCESES NON-MISSION DIOCESES America s mission dioceses know how to make the most of limited resources. They stretch and they save, but at times they need our help to build and strengthen their faith communities. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, Catholic Extension has been able to support these faithful Catholics. Following are a few recent funding requests that we ve been able to answer with your help. GOOD LEADERS, GOOD SHEPHERDS PROVIDES TRAINING FOR PRIESTS Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, Missouri Priests in southern Missouri are spread thin. Their pastoral work must be balanced with financial and operational duties for which they often have little training. In response to this challenge, Catholic Extension partnered with the Catholic Leadership Institute and the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau to offer a two-year Good Leaders, Good Shepherds training and education program. In addition to building stronger leadership skills and creating a network of priests within the diocese, the program teaches clergy to become better stewards of the resources they have. In March, thanks to a multi-year grant from Catholic Extension totaling $82,892, more than 20 priests from the diocese graduated from the program. Equipped with new skills and greater confidence, they are strengthening both the infrastructure and the faith of their parishes. 6 EXTENSION Bishop James V. Johnston, Jr. of Springfield- Cape Girardeau (left) and Father Gary Kastl (center) congratulate Father Kizito Wenani during a graduation ceremony marking his completion of the Good Leaders, Good Shepherds program.

7 Catholics serving in the U.S. military now have greater access to their faith through a mobile app and website. Photo: Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA A gift to Catholic Extension builds faith across America. FAITH AT THEIR FINGERTIPS Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, Washington, D.C. For the 1.8 million Catholics serving in the U.S. Armed Forces around the world, the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS) is there to provide the sacraments, spiritual direction and Catholic teachings. The AMS receives no government funding and does not have parishes to provide weekly collections. A $20,000 grant from Catholic Extension will allow the AMS to offer a mobile app and Web-based digital media center to military personnel. The app will include daily prayers, reflections, the Catechism of the Catholic Church and other content to support military personnel. THE LANGUAGE OF HEALING Diocese of Kalamazoo, Michigan Since 2002, more than 300 people in the Diocese of Kalamazoo have participated in a faith-based recovery program. Thanks to a $10,538 grant from Catholic Extension, this program now will be offered in Spanish. A high percentage of this community has experienced trauma from poverty and violence, which often results in problems that include addiction and depression. Now, they have hope made possible by Catholic Extension donors. A CELEBRATION OF FAITH Diocese of Tucson, Arizona On April 12, the Catholic Foundation for the Diocese of Tucson honored Catholic Extension at its annual Cornerstone Gala. Father Jack Wall, president of Catholic Extension, accepted the award on behalf of donors. Catholic Extension s support of the Diocese of Tucson began in 1906 with a $200 grant given. Today, the Diocese of Tucson is composed of nine counties with an area of 42,707 square miles. An estimated 300,000 Catholics are served. Over the years, Catholic Extension has provided the diocese with approximately $7.1 million in funding. This funding has supported church construction and renovations, seminarian education, family and youth ministries, Hispanic ministry, and most recently, technology upgrades. Catholic Extension has a long history of stewardship in our diocese. They have walked with us through difficult times and continue to walk with us as we struggle to strengthen both ministries and outreach. Through their support and leadership, they are truly helping build up the mission of Christ in the Diocese of Tucson, said Margie Puerta Edson, executive director of Join us and together we can: Fund building projects Educate seminarians Support priests, women religious and lay ministers And so much more! Please give today. give.catholicextension.org or the Catholic Foundation.

8 donor spotlight It s All About Helping One Another Donors Strive to Lead by Example We were created to love and serve our Lord, and we try to use that as a basis for our faith. When it comes to giving back, Ron Tisch believes that we are called to do as much as we can with what we are given. I am fairly certain that we will be judged on how we give of our time, talents and treasure, and not on our accumulated wealth or our golf game! said Ron, a retired engineer and devout lifelong Catholic. In thinking about what we are called to do, Ron cited the underlying premise of the book The Hole in Our Gospel. It suggests that there would be a hole in the Gospel if you took out all references to helping other people. Personally, that is what I think our Catholic faith is all about, Ron said. It s all about helping one another. It s the basis of what we learn in church and the foundation of the Scriptures. Ron and his wife, Cathy, share similar backgrounds and beliefs, which they gleaned from years of Catholic education and their families. Cathy and Ron Tisch credit Bishop William R. Houck, Catholic Extension s former president and bishop emeritus of Jackson, Mississippi, for enlightening them about the mission dioceses. The couple, shown here in their Arizona home, met Bishop Houck on one of his missionary visits to the Pittsburgh area. 8 EXTENSION

9 It s surprising how many parishes truly don t have the capital required to make the necessary repairs. As a retired nurse, Cathy thrives on finding ways to be of service to others. When you do help others, you always get back more than you give, she said. Of course, that s not why you do it, but it s a wonderful fringe benefit. And, she said, It s almost addictive! Ron currently volunteers at a homeless shelter in Phoenix. He marvels at a woman who volunteers there, noting she is humble about her service, and although not in very good health, she still manages to be there four to five times a week. The way she gives of her time, Ron said, pausing, it s a miracle. Cathy uses her nursing skills each week at Mission of Mercy in Phoenix, which provides medical benefits for the uninsured and under-insured. Ron and Cathy have given of their time and talents, both in Phoenix and Sewickley, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh. Sewickley is where they raised their three children and is the place they call home. Building a relationship with Catholic Extension The Tischs relationship with Catholic Extension began when Bishop William R. Houck, bishop emeritus of Jackson, Mississippi, visited the couple s parish in an effort to raise funds for his struggling diocese. The Tischs were immediately struck by his humility and sincerity. We first met Bishop Houck before he served as president of Catholic Extension, Ron recalled. He was nearly 70 at the time, and he was on a mission appeal at our parish in Sewickley. He did an excellent job expressing the needs of his mission diocese, and he was a wonderful speaker. We were so struck by seeing a bishop on the road asking for money that we sent him a gift. He was very appreciative and we became friends. Bishop William R. Houck served as president of Catholic Extension from He currently writes a weekly meditation, which can be subscribed to through the Catholic Extension website at Bishop Houck returned to Sewickley every summer and visited different parishes. We often had lunch or dinner during his mission appeals to the Pittsburgh area, Ron said. A few years later, Bishop Houck was named president of Catholic Extension, serving from By this time, the Tischs were familiar with the financial challenges faced by many mission dioceses. Through Bishop Houck, and now Father Jack Wall, the Tischs have developed a strong compassion for the work of Catholic Extension. We see the obvious need, Ron said. These people are very strong in their faith, but in many cases, they don t have the buildings or facilities to even provide religious education. Through their travels, the Tischs have gained a greater understanding of the needs of small mission parishes. It s surprising how many parishes truly don t have the capital required to make the necessary repairs, Ron noted. Many of the parishes they visit are inspiring in faith, he added, but they certainly don t have the funds to do what they need to do. The Tischs spent a week volunteering on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Browning, Montana, which is supported by Catholic Extension. While the poverty and needs are great, There is so much community and warmth, Cathy recalled. Everybody at a church we attended hugged one another at the sign of peace. Whether it s serving on the advisory council for Ron s beloved University of Notre Dame s Institute for Church Life or co-chairing a capital campaign for the Franciscan Renewal Center in Paradise Valley, Ron and Cathy believe that we were created to love and serve our Lord, and we try to use that as a basis for our faith. Quite simply, said Ron, We try to do as much as we can by example. SUMMER

10 your donations at work Driven to Serve HISPANIC LAY LEADER BUILDS FAITH IN RURAL TEXAS Lupe Rodríguez de González radically lives her faith, driving 700 miles a week to minister to Hispanic Catholics who otherwise would be neglected. W ith missionary zeal and a homegrown love for the area of Texas she serves, Lupe Rodríguez de González is single-handedly reaching people where they are in isolated small towns and bringing them into the Church. As coordinator of religious formation for Rural West Texas in the Diocese of El Paso, she radically lives her faith, driving 700 miles a week to minister to Hispanic Catholics who otherwise would be neglected. These are people who live in poor, scattered communities where there are no resident priests. But because of Catholic Extension s support for Lupe s ministry, they are not forgotten. They are embraced by Lupe, who for them, is the face of the Church. Lupe is part of Catholic Extension s Hispanic Lay Leadership Initiative, started last year to meet the growing needs of the Hispanic Catholic Church in America. Lupe s selfless, tireless work is but one shining example of the value of this initiative. FROM THE BEGINNING I remember vividly my earliest religious formation classes. Even then, I felt a call, said Lupe, reflecting on her childhood. At age 16, Lupe became a catechist with her own class. As she became an adult, she continued to work in formation at the parish level, along with finishing school, getting married and having two sons. In 2012, thanks to Catholic Extension s new initiative, Lupe took Lupe often brings her family on her travels, including her son, Zacarías, and her parents all shown to the right of her. 10 EXTENSION

11 DIOCESE OF EL PASO, TEXAS I share Jesus with people in these remote areas. Lupe, who is part of Catholic Extension s Hispanic Lay Leadership Initiative, is the face of the Church in 16 widely scattered communities that have no resident priests. on her current position, serving 16 communities in Rural West Texas. In addition, support from Catholic Extension is enabling her to work toward a master s in pastoral studies. SACRIFICES AND DANGER Lupe is passionate about her work, and although she doesn t always have a budget to support her constant travels, she does everything in her power to make ends meet. She is determined to be there for the people she serves, and thus finds ways to stretch whatever resources she has. Her salary is subsidized by Catholic Extension, and Lupe makes sacrifices to stretch those dollars as much as possible. She drives a 2008 truck that has more than 109,000 miles on it, and she is careful about when she travels. There are certain areas where I make sure not to travel at night, she said. These are mountainous, When it comes to bringing the Good News to people, she sees no limits. desert areas with a lot of curves and dips and no lighting, only the lights of the car. In addition, cattle and other wildlife roam freely, posing risks for drivers. Along the border there is a lot of drug smuggling, she said. If I have to drive at night, I try to go with a group. Only three of the communities Lupe serves are close enough for day trips, so she frequently spends the night wherever space is available, in churches or parishioners homes. Lupe always brings a sleeping bag in case there are no bed linens. I travel with anything I might possibly need, she said, like towels, toilet paper, trash bags, utensils, soap and wipes. Occasionally, she brings family members, especially for the shorter trips. She wants them to come and see the work she s doing. My mother used to play devil s advocate with me, Lupe said. She was worried about my safety in rural areas. She finally came with me on one of my trips and met the people, and saw how lovely and inviting they were. She doesn t play devil s advocate anymore. CATHOLIC EXTENSION LIKE ANOTHER FAMILY MEMBER Lupe is grateful for funding from Catholic Extension. This ministry is very rewarding, she said, and without Catholic Extension, I wouldn t be able to do it. Catholic Extension is like another family member supporting me. Said Joe Boland, vice president of mission for Catholic Extension, Catholic Extension is making a long-term investment in Lupe s ministry, from her salary to her education. Through our Hispanic Lay Lupe s ministry keeps people in these Rural West Texas villages more connected to the Church and each other. Leadership Initiative, Lupe is taking the resources she s been given and turning them into something amazing for the people in her diocese. For Lupe, the possibilities are endless. When it comes to bringing the Good News to people, she sees no limits. I was at a retreat last year where we were shown the Nativity and asked who we identified with in the scene, she said. I saw the donkey and it called to me. The donkey brought Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem and he took Jesus into Jerusalem. He brought Jesus to the people. That s what I do. I share Jesus with people in these remote areas. She added, with tearful voice, I have my truck, but if need be, I d get a donkey. To watch a video about Lupe and other Hispanic Lay Leaders, go to summer13 SUMMER

12 ONE-TO-ONE Cardinal George on Pope Francis Extension magazine recently sat down with Francis Cardinal George, OMI, who is Archbishop of Chicago and, for the past 16 years has been Chancellor of Catholic Extension. Cardinal George has a keen understanding of how Catholic Extension can best support the mission dioceses. In fact, for nearly six years, he was Bishop of Yakima, Washington, a diocese served by Catholic Extension. He also served as Archbishop of Portland in Oregon before assuming his role as the eighth Archbishop of Chicago. In this interview, Cardinal George reflects on how he and his fellow cardinals felt the power of prayer while in Rome. He also discusses why Catholics must serve the poor, and why the gift of faith must be shared. Q: What did you bring back from Rome in terms of hopes or dreams for our Church here at home? Cardinal George: We were there to elect a pastor of the Universal Church, and so he speaks to all Catholics. He does for us (here in the U.S.) what he does for everyone he presides over all the churches, in love, as the successor of St. Peter and the Vicar of Christ. He has the papal magisterium, which we look to for some security, for a rock and anchor. Then, he also is to be a witness to Christ s love for the world that Christ died for. Those are universal things. Specifically for this country, he ll do the same thing. Because he has the poor foremost in his heart, I think he always will remind us of our obligations toward poor people, both spiritually and materially. Everybody s poor in some fashion, and he recognizes that. Pope Francis is a very straightforward man, not dramatic, and he listens carefully, but what you hear is what he means, and what you see is what you get. We have a man we can trust and who will help us to know God s will for the future. Q: Please comment on the relationship between faith and charity. Cardinal George: Faith without love is dead. It s just a set of ideas. But, love without faith is undirected. It s just a feeling or maybe it s generosity, but it has no focus. You need faith and charity together that s what the Church has always been about. It s about a living faith as opposed to a dead faith, because even Satan has faith, and he knows the truth, but he has no love. And there are people who have a generosity and a love, which is admirable, but it might be directed toward the wrong thing. 12 EXTENSION

13 Jesus told Francis to rebuild the Church. Francis thought he meant physically, but Jesus meant all the living stones, and we are to do that by embracing the poor. Cardinal George and Pope Francis share a jubilant embrace before His Eminence returns to Chicago. Cardinal George called the conclave an intense experience, and one that brought freedom and a great sense of joy and peace. You need faith and love to go together, and that s what we do in preaching to the world about who Christ is. He tells us who He is, which is a matter of faith, and then He shows us who He is by going to His death on the cross out of love for us. Q: Pope Francis has emphasized the importance of serving the poor and building faith. This focus is the very foundation of the mission of Catholic Extension. As Chancellor of Catholic Extension, what is your perspective on the link between Pope Francis call to serve the poor and the work of Catholic Extension? Cardinal George: Historically, the Extension Society helped Catholics who weren t able to build their own churches; they were poor materially as parishes, and the connection to Extension is immediate there. In the dioceses where Extension serves, the Catholic Church isn t able to build itself up with all the ministries necessary, take care of its seminarians, take care of its youth ministry and its catechetical programs. There s a certain poverty of means that is the inspiration for Catholics in other places in this country to help out the Catholics in these poorer areas, or at least areas where there aren t so many Catholics. SUMMER

14 ONE-TO-ONE Cardinal George and Father Jack Wall, president of Catholic Extension, celebrate Mass at the main chapel of Mundelein Seminary, located in a far north suburb of Chicago. Numerous seminarians and nearly all the mission bishops were in attendance. Q: Why is it important for Catholic Extension to build faith in these poor areas? Cardinal George: Faith is a gift, first of all. We can build up communities of faith. If people don t have faith, what do they have? Where do they turn for an understanding of who God is and who they are? And it s a Q: What is the significance of Catholic Extension being a papal society? Cardinal George: Societies in the Church are either diocesan or papal, and this is a society that s bigger than any one diocese and so it s under the Holy See, at least indirectly. Its charter comes from the Holy See, and that s appropriate Q: Is there a specific message you d like to share with our readers about this historical time in the Church? Cardinal George: The election of the new pope is a joyful occasion. This time, as last time, what was clear is that we are the only truly global organization; we re a universal Church. Everybody was interested, young people especially. The idea that somehow the Church isn t what people are interested in was belied by the way everybody followed the conclave. You know, we were a global organization 2,000 years ago, so we re at home in a more unified world, provided it s not secularized, provided it s not organized in such a way that we can t speak about God in public. That s something we re very concerned about, and so is the pope. The importance of the Its charter comes from the Holy See, and that s appropriate because Catholic Extension s mission is the same as the mission of the whole Church, although localized in certain dioceses in our country. very different vision of life without faith. The fundamental reason why we call people to faith is because that s what Christ told us to do. Christ wants everybody in the world, whom he died to save, to know Him within His Body, the Church. We re a long way from that, but that s the goal. Catholic Extension has been a very generous means to help the Church achieve that goal for the last hundred years. because Catholic Extension s mission is the same as the mission of the whole Church, although localized in certain dioceses in our country. It tells us that the pope is concerned about the mission everywhere and, therefore, sponsors this in a way that is appropriate for somebody who is the universal pastor. conclave, I think, made evident the importance of the Church in her mission. It s a new moment because we have a new pope, and he s someone who has indicated a program in choosing the name Francis after Francis of Assisi. Jesus told Francis to rebuild the Church. Francis thought he meant physically, but Jesus meant all the living stones, and we are to do that by embracing the poor. Francis did it by taking 14 EXTENSION

15 Because Pope Francis has the poor foremost in his mind, I think he always will remind us of our obligations toward poor people, both spiritually and materially. Q: Why is it important to support our fellow Catholics in the mission dioceses? Cardinal George: Faith is a gift that isn t material. If you get money or material and you give it away, you don t have it. But faith is a spiritual gift. If you don t give it away, you won t have it. The idea of sharing our faith with those who don t have it is at the heart of Catholicism. But in order to do that, the Church has to be established everywhere, and that s what Extension is about, establishing the Church in all her dimensions. That includes training seminarians, helping sisters who are doing catechetical and other works, helping sometimes to build a church, doing research for Hispanic ministry and for those people who might be overlooked in many places. It s all part of the mission of the Church. Extension starts from the concern that the Church should be visibly present even by building a building over a hundred years ago. Now Extension is expanding its mission. For a Catholic, the mission speaks for itself. I m very grateful, and I don t think the readers of Extension magazine or the donors to the Society would be interested at all if they didn t themselves have the gift of faith. lepers in hand whom he d had a very difficult time getting close to, so repugnant was their condition. But, he embraced them and, therefore, entered into a new life free of the constraints that his own class and his own character had imposed upon him. If you re going to be free, you have to do it by marching with the poor, staying with them, and this pope says that very clearly. And then, of course, there s always what St. Francis did: namely, to tell the world who Christ is, to confess Christ as the one crucified for our salvation. The pope was very clear on that. If you go back to his homilies, he talks about Christ, but always crucified and, therefore, a Christ who offers us mercy at every possible occasion. That mercy, that generosity, has its echo in our hearts when we help others, and especially when we help them to live in the Church, which is what Extension does. Q: Are there any lasting impressions you brought from Rome that you d like to share? Cardinal George: One thing that was clearly felt was the presence of Catholics around the world through their prayers. I know many readers of the magazine and many others associated with Extension prayed for us, and we felt that very, very deeply. Some people wrote us and said, We re writing to you, and I don t know you, but you re going to be electing our pope, and know that you re in our prayers. You get the conviction again that the Church is a network of prayer, which is what she is, official prayer in the liturgy that worships God in spirit and in truth, and then personal prayer, as well. The impression of being united with the whole world in prayer was very strong and, therefore, we had confidence that the Holy Spirit would guide us. The second impression as you go through that intense period the week before the conclave concerns the way in which one must vote. You have to really try to be free, free of your own background, free of your own language group, free of where you come from, so that you can think of a universal pastor who will be free himself to exercise this ministry without a lot of baggage, without a lot of encumbrances, who will be able to strengthen the papacy and not weaken it. All that time, you re trying to work toward a greater freedom, to vote well, and at the end, there s a sense of liberation because you feel, by golly, we did it, with the help of God s grace and the prayers of many people. It s an intense experience, but it s an experience of freedom, and then an experience of great joy and peace. SUMMER

16 THE FAITHFUL SPEAK OUT What Pope Francis Means to Me Pope Francis message of lifting up the poor and forgotten resonates deeply at Catholic Extension because that is our mission, too. We are supporting faith communities across America that simply can t do it alone. Named a papal society more than 100 years ago, Catholic Extension has been asked by each pope since that time to continue to build the Catholic Church in America in the poorest and most remote places. To get a sense of how Catholics across America are feeling, we asked those on the front lines people at work in the mission dioceses who receive funding from Catholic Extension to share their thoughts. Here are their responses to this question: In your ministry, how are you inspired by the words of Pope Francis? When Pope Francis speaks, he spurs me to listen; when he prays, it motivates me to pray; and when he acts, it makes me love more the holy Church and desire to be a good servant. Pope Francis, because of who he represents and because of what he is, makes me feel proud to be a Catholic. His amiability and modesty leave me speechless. Some people may say that there is not a worse moment to be Catholic, but I believe that there has not been a better time to be a seminarian, a priest, a lay person, and of course, to be a Catholic. Lalo Barragan Seminarian Diocese of Yakima, Washington There was a phrase about Pope Francis the next day after he was elected: If we stop, things will not go right, let us have the courage to walk. This made an impact on me. The whole process of Pope Benedict resigning and of Pope Francis being elected has meant that to me. It has left me with a thought that keeps coming back: The life of the Church does not stop because the life of the Church is Jesus himself! What a beautiful truth! Olga Villar Director of Hispanic Ministry Archdiocese of Mobile, Alabama 16 EXTENSION

17 Serving the Poor The words and actions of Pope Francis have inspired me to live a simple life, focused upon the needs of the poor, the gospel of Jesus Christ, and with less interest in the things that I want, and more upon the things that I need, to do for the Lord s ministry. Reverend Robert Damron Pastor, St. Martha Catholic Church Prestonburg, Kentucky Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky Pope Francis challenges and inspires us to really live as Easter people, in word and action. His words about how complaining can too often distance us from Jesus inspire me to carry the crosses that come in ministry and embrace the daily resurrections so that we can all draw closer to Christ. He inspires me to work to make these decisions daily. Angelle Hall Director of Campus Ministry St. Thomas More Newman Center University of Missouri Columbia, Missouri Diocese of Jefferson City, Missouri I am inspired by Pope Francis because of the simple message of being with the poor. It seems that the words of St. Francis are so true...use words only when necessary. He gives a living example of being with. His words are his actions. Sister Karen Thein, SSND St. Cecilia Parish Kennett, Missouri Diocese of Springfield Cape Girardeau, Missouri To have a pope from Las Americas, Latino and who speaks Spanish as his first language is truly a blessing! In my ministry to Hispanic young adults, I am witnessing a strong connection between young Latinos in the U.S. and Pope Francis. His fatherly and loving figure will renovate our church! Maria Jose Garcia Coordinator of Pastoral Outreach to Hispanic Young Adults Diocese of San Bernardino, California SUMMER

18 THE FAITHFUL SPEAK OUT Pope Francis homily on Palm Sunday focused on joy, the meaning of the cross, and the young and young at heart. Embodying these elements through his decisions and service, our parish of 22 families has commented many times that he d fit right in with our rural outreach and ministries! Even our non-catholic brothers and sisters have made encouraging mention of his simplicity and compassion. Rebecca Koury Pastoral Associate St. Paul s Catholic Mission McKee, Kentucky Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky In my ministry, I am inspired by what our new Holy Father says and does because he seems to get it. He seems to realize that the poor hold the key to the Gospel being heard; if it is not heard, then how can it be lived? And what an example of not only proclaiming the word but doing it. It was all summed up when one of our elders stated: Father, he sounds like Jesus! It s great to be a Catholic these days... the press is so positive and the news so hopeful. I agree! Reverend Jerry Rogers Pastor, St. Mary s Mission on the Red Lake Reservation Red Lake, Minnesota Diocese of Crookston, Minnesota I am powerfully moved by his celebrating Mass at the juvenile detention center and washing the feet of the young people. His desire to be among the people is a breath of fresh air. His simplicity of dress and living arrangements speak volumes of his desire to be of service to Christ and the Church. Deacon Dan Leetch Bishop s Pastoral Associate Institutional Ministry Permanent Deacon Formation Diocese of Pueblo, Colorado I am most inspired by his call to recover the Gospel simplicity in our way of living and our way of teaching. Most Reverend Liam Cary Bishop of Baker, Oregon There is great joy and hope with the election of Pope Francis, who knows the needs of the Church in America. His example of humility and service is a blessing of the Holy Spirit for all of us. Let us pray for our Pope Francis! Luis Salinas Coordinator of Hispanic Youth Ministry, Diocese of Des Moines, Iowa 18 EXTENSION

19 Serving the Poor While serving with the Missionaries of the Poor (MOP) in Kingston, Jamaica, eight students from Old Dominion University and I eagerly listened to the announcement of Pope Francis election alongside the disabled residents and MOP brothers. More than by his words, we all were edified and inspired by his witness of simplicity and priority for the poor. Julie LaBelle Campus Minister Old Dominion University Norfolk, Virginia Diocese of Richmond, Virginia Through the simplicity of this man, the Church renews her vocation to the Gospel in a tangible way, becoming more sacramental to all. Pope Francis trust inspires me to live out my baptismal call and confirms the joyfulness of my Catholic faith. Jaime Gil Pastoral Associate, St. Jerome s Jerome, Idaho Diocese of Boise, Idaho I am very hopeful that Pope Francis will challenge Catholics and people of all faiths to care for the most vulnerable among us. For a long time, the poor and needy have been ignored. We will see God work new wonders! Sister Bernadette Barrett, SHSP St. Patrick Parish, Lake Providence, Louisiana Diocese of Shreveport, Louisiana First, Pope Francis has inspired me to go out of myself, to get out from my shell and let God guide me according to His will. Second, to not be afraid of who I am and where I come from. I m not different; I m a human being. Third, to never give up because God does not give up on me. Teresa Ramirez Hispanic Catechesis Diocese of Tyler, Texas SUMMER

20 THE LAITY ON FACEBOOK When Pope Francis was elected, people started sharing their thoughts on social networks. Hundreds of donors and friends of Catholic Extension joined in the conversation, too. We posted this on our Facebook page, and the excited responses poured in see a sampling below. Catholic Extension April 9 How are you inspired by Pope Francis? Rose Walsh Pope Francis makes me aware of the presence of God in my life. His words are so filled with hope and encouragement as he reminds us of God s loving care. As a college student at a secular university, I feel so blest to be able to read his words of truth and to share his writings with other people. He is awesome! Join the conversation! catholicextension Andrea Donmyer He is inspired to be like Jesus, for the Son of Man didn t come to be served, but to serve, and that inspires me! Imagine if we all had this philosophy... John Rienzi I love that he lives simply so others can simply live. Connie Melton As a Catholic, I believe this man will benefit the Church as no pope has done in a long time. I was so moved when he washed the feet of the prisoners. He is humble, forgiving and a Godly Man. Timothy Mikiels I am so thankful for Pope Francis. In this world of selfishness and greed, he gives me such hope that things will change. He is a wonderful example of humility and tenderness. This world is so focused on taking, and it isn t manly to be kind and tender. But there he is, a true MAN giving us all an example of how we can change and be like Jesus. He is truly an example to us all. And I thank God that He has chosen Pope Francis to lead His Church. 20 EXTENSION Jose Pinones* Pope Francis has inspired in many ways. The first is by simply being the first Latin American Pope. The second is his call to help the poor and sick. The third is his simplicity and humbleness. Last, since I work in Campus Ministry, is his love for our youth. From this little ministry in deep East Texas, I send much love and prayer to Mi Papa. *Jose s campus ministry position at Stephen F. Austin State University is supported by Catholic Extension.

21 Question: What pays you great rates, secures your income and grows the faith? Answer: A Catholic Extension Charitable Gift Annuity. We ll show you how! When you invest in a Catholic Extension Charitable Gift Annuity, you are investing in your future and the future of the Catholic Church. Lock in our great rates, secure your income for life, and receive tax benefits. Best of all, your investment will directly help 13 million Catholics in poor mission dioceses experience faith through building projects, vibrant ministries, and the support of ordained and lay leaders. The Catholic Extension Charitable Gift Annuity program is one of the largest, oldest and strongest of its kind. Lock in a payout rate today and know that you are securing more than just your income you are securing the future of our faith. Rates Effective January 1, 2012 Age Annual Payout Rate % % % % % % % % (Minimum amount is $5,000 Minimum age is 55 Two-life rates available upon request) Learn more by contacting us at , ing annuities@catholicextension.org or sending in the form below. Act now to take advantage of tax benefits! Please show me how I can support poor mission dioceses and secure my own income with a Catholic Extension Charitable Gift Annuity. Please contact me. Best time to call: a.m. p.m. Please send an annuity proposal for $ Name (s) Age (s) Address City State Zip Phone Number Please cut along dotted line and mail to: Catholic Extension, 150 South Wacker Drive, Suite 2000, Chicago, IL 60606

22 STORIES OF FAITH PARKER S LEGACY a story shared on CATHOLIC RADIO establishes bonds of community 22 EXTENSION

23 The parents of Parker Diaz display his photo. After attending a religious conference presented by Catholic radio host Gloria Coronado, Parker s mother called in to the station. Sensing the pain in her voice, Gloria Coronado urged her to share her thoughts with Catholics throughout San Antonio. Her story mobilized an entire faith community. This is a story about a community of faith, built in a modern way. It involves Catholics in Texas who were suffering deeply and centers on a remarkable boy. Catholic Extension plays an important role in this story because the work of the woman who built this community, Gloria Coronado, is supported by Catholic Extension. The story begins in June 2011, when a woman named Gloria Diaz called in to Virgen de Guadalupe Radio, the Spanish-language Catholic radio station founded by Gloria Coronado. Gloria Diaz shared the story of her 10-year-old son, Parker, who had been diagnosed with adrenal cancer and given a few months to live. According to host Gloria Coronado, this woman s story carried the great pain that any mother feels when the life of her child is being taken away from her. Parker actually was Gloria and Jose Diaz grandson. But he had lived with his grandparents since he was a baby, and they considered him their son. Now, as Gloria Diaz explained to the radio audience, her beautiful boy was suffering and her heart was broken. It touched us deeply, said Gloria Coronado. At that moment, we made her our own and started The spirit of Parker Diaz lives on in the hearts of Catholics in the Archdiocese of San Antonio. This child brought us so much hope, said Gloria Coronado. Parker was now not only the son of the Diaz family; he was the son of this great community made up of God s people. ARCHDIOCESE OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS Gloria Coronado, right, shares a moment with Rosa Mendoza, a longtime listener and participant in Gloria s many ministries. Rosa believes the story of Parker reinvigorated faith in her and countless others. to ask the community not to leave this family alone, but for us to walk together with them in this moment of pain. The radio station began a campaign for prayer and companionship for the Diaz family, who were new to the area. As the weeks and months went on, the radio network updated listeners about Parker. If he went into the hospital, I would request prayers for him, said Gloria Coronado. If he was in pain, we strengthened our prayers. Parker was now not only the son of the Diaz family; he was the son of this great community made up of God s people. She also would share stories of Parker s wrenching pain. Despite pain medications, often the only thing that would get Parker to sleep was praying the rosary. He would tell his mother repeatedly, Mama, pray, pray, pray do not stop, said Gloria Coronado. A wide audience followed Parker s story, including Alma Luz Ramirez, who was so moved that she visited Parker, bringing with her a Blessed Mother of Fatima statue to give him comfort. Another listener, Rosa Mendoza, a cancer survivor herself, also was deeply touched. I felt the Diaz SUMMER

24 STORIES OF FAITH family s pain as if it was my very own, she said. Mendoza formed a prayer group for Parker and other children suffering from cancer. This group began to energize her community, New Braunfels, which previously had little faith activity. In March 2012, when it became clear that Parker was dying, Gloria Coronado and her husband, Adrian, went to the hospital to be with the Diaz family. There he was in bed, his skin pale, his breathing slow and difficult, said Gloria Coronado. We came in and stayed with Jose and Gloria. When Parker gave his last breath, I have to admit, he took ours, too. Upon his death, Parker donated one of his corneas. But that is only one tiny legacy of his radiant life. This child brought us so much good, so much hope, said Gloria Coronado. The radio station began a campaign for prayer and companionship for the Diaz family. The Diaz family now shares Parker s Blessed Mother of Fatima statue with others who are sick or enduring hardship in their lives. Rosa Mendoza continues to hold prayer groups every Saturday and has created other groups to visit the sick. She also hosts walks in support of sick children. Rosa believes the story of Parker changed her life, reinvigorating not only her faith, but the faith of her community as well. As for the ministry of Gloria Coronado, with help from Catholic Extension, it continues to grow, moving people into a deeper experience of community and faith no matter where they are, no matter how they tune in and find the Church. Parker Diaz, shown in a photo held by his father, was diagnosed with adrenal cancer, and outlived his doctor s prognosis by more than a year. Thousands listen as Gloria Coronado shares stories of faith at a religious conference in San Antonio. 24 EXTENSION

25 Multi-Media Ministry Gloria Coronado serves as associate director of Hispanic catechesis in the Archdiocese of San Antonio, Texas. Her position is funded by Catholic Extension through the Hispanic Lay Leadership Initiative, which was created by Catholic Extension to meet the needs of the growing Hispanic population within the Church. The Hispanic community represents 40 percent of the Catholic Church in America, but less than 10 percent of paid lay leaders are Hispanic. Gloria Coronado and her husband, Adrian, run Virgen de Guadalupe Radio, a Spanish-language station in San Antonio that, for many Hispanic Catholics, is the voice of the Church. The station reaches a huge audience, leading many into a deeper experience of faith. Gloria was recruited for her position in the archdiocese because of the success of the Spanish-language Catholic radio station that she and her husband started. The station, which reaches nearly one million listeners, is now just one part of Gloria s multi-faceted ministry to Hispanic Catholics in the area. With her new position in the archdiocese, Gloria can now tap into the radio station to create synergy with her other forms of teaching and outreach. She uses the station to promote parish activities, movements and ministries. She steps out from behind the radio booth to lead religious conferences and directly connect with people through home visits. Hers is a multi-media ministry on-air and in-person that is transforming lives. CATHOLIC EXTENSION CALENDARS Please ask for ours today! When your parish orders Catholic Extension calendars, it is supporting the growth and vibrancy of the Catholic Church by raising funds for poor Catholic communities in the United States. Catholic Extension calendars are the only calendars that give 100% of proceeds back to poor Catholic dioceses. Your parish can get more information at To see a photo gallery and learn more about the multiple ways Gloria Coronado, a Lumen Christi Award finalist in 2012, is building faith, go to SUMMER

26 STORIES OF FAITH BRIDGE of HOPE Sister Bernie DOES IT ALL in the poorest place 26 In 1994, a story in Time magazine called Lake Providence, Louisiana, the poorest place in America. The town has no public parks or swimming pools, no movie theaters, no shopping malls, not even a McDonald s or a Wal-Mart, it read. Almost 20 years later, this neglected community of approximately 4,000 still grapples with poverty. But there are glimmers of hope. And these glimmers are made possible by Catholic Extension, which supports the work of Sister Bernadette Barrett, SHSP. Sister Bernie, as she is known, has been in Lake Providence for 10 years through a project that sends women religious to the area to serve EXTENSION the poor, evangelize and share the message of the Gospel. Catholic Extension supports Sister Bernie and the other sisters who have ministered here by paying their annual living expenses. Without Catholic Extension support, Sister Bernie would not be here. So how does this sister, who grew up in Dublin, Ireland, explain her presence in this heavily Baptist hamlet? I feel this is where God wanted me, she said in her Irish brogue. What drew me was working with the poor and the black community. Sister Bernie s order, the Sisters of the Holy Spirit and Mary Immaculate, has a history of serving the African-American community. They were founded in 1893 to educate newly freed slaves in America. We were educating black people because the public schools wouldn t take them. Many weren t Catholic, but they needed us, she said. It s that phrase, We don t do it because they are Catholic; we do it because we are Catholic. In an area with few Catholics, Sister Bernie represents the Church and is an instrument of hope. She does small, practical things that include helping people with utility bills. She also works on a bigger scale, advocating with local legislators, school boards and housing authorities. People here in northeast Louisiana have a tendency to cut themselves off, she said. We re

27 DIOCESE OF SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA The people of Lake Providence would be lost without Sister Bernie s ability to build bridges and inspire hope, which is why her ministry is so critical in this impoverished corner of Louisiana. Catholic Extension provides a yearly grant to support Sister Bernie s living expenses so she can continue to serve. Life in this quiet corner of Louisiana can be daunting, but Sister Bernie s commitment never wavers. Sometimes I get discouraged, but in a rural area, if you can make a difference for just one person, you can make a difference for a whole family, she said, and that s worth it. She attends Mass daily and lives her life by example, serving as a witness of Christ s love for the poor. closed in and isolated literally. There is no public transportation. And to get to the nearest bridge to cross into Mississippi, you have to drive 45 minutes to Greenville or an hour to Vicksburg. Sister Bernie is like a bridge, forging relationships to make sure the state doesn t forget about us, and helping Lake Providence access federal grants. Said one longtime resident of the area, her voice thick with emotion, Sister Bernie gets things done. Sister Bernie also builds bridges within the racially divided community itself. She and Reverend Mark Watson, pastor of St. Patrick Catholic Church in Lake Providence, spearhead an interfaith group that brings community members together to work for change. The group collaborated with the mayor to address the problem of stray dogs and horses running wild; they ve helped members of the community get job training; and some people in the group tutor at the public schools. According to Father Watson, Sister Bernie is fueled to do this work because of her own deep faith. She attends Mass daily and lives her life by example, serving as a witness of Christ s love for the poor. She also is not afraid to ask people to join her in her mission. I ve been pastor here for 17 months, and one of my goals is to lead our parish into more ministry to the poor, said Father Watson. Sister Bernie is helping strengthen this link, reminding our parishioners that it is part of their faith that ministry to the poor is something for all of us to be involved in because we re baptized. Said Sister Bernie, Our goal is to help people see that God lives in everybody... to bring about the kingdom that Jesus talked about. Editor s Note: At press time, we were notified that Sister Bernie was named a finalist for Catholic Extension s 2013 Lumen Christi Award. To read more about the Lumen Christi Award, Sister Bernie and the other finalists, go to SUMMER

28 Our Legacy Cardinal O Malley Reflections on Catholic Extension Bethlehem House, shown above, is a 40-bed shelter that provides people who are homeless a place to stay while they are getting back on their feet. Started by Cardinal O Malley during his time as Bishop of St. Thomas, this facility was established with funding from Catholic Extension donors. During the recent conclave, many Catholics saw Cardinal Seán Patrick O Malley, O.F.M. Cap., of Boston, interviewed frequently on the news. While many know the cardinal for his work running the Archdiocese of Boston, what they might not know is that prior to that he was the second bishop of the mission diocese of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands, a position he held from 1984 to During this time, which he remembers fondly, Bishop Seán, as he was known, lived and worked among the people of the islands of St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John. With the help of Catholic Extension, and in response to the devastating poverty he observed, Cardinal O Malley led the development of the island s first homeless shelter. It is called Bethlehem House, he explained, so that we now can say there is, in fact, room at the inn for everyone. I have a very warm spot at the bottom of my heart for Extension, Cardinal O Malley said. Catholic Extension donors also 28 EXTENSION

29 During his nearly eight years on St. Thomas, Cardinal O Malley focused on the plight of the poor, noting too many on the island lived just a paycheck away from homelessness. ON THE WEB Cardinal O Malley recently sat down with Extension magazine and reflected on the challenges and joys of serving as a mission diocesan bishop. To see a short excerpt from the interview, go to catholicextension.org/summer13 helped Cardinal O Malley rebuild the fledgling diocese after Hurricane Hugo hit in the fall of Following the hurricane, Catholic Extension provided funding so that roofs could be put back on churches and critical repairs could be made to other church buildings. The hurricane destroyed virtually all of our institutions, Cardinal O Malley said. It was quite a process of rebuilding. What s more, When I became bishop, the entire budget for the diocese was $30,000, Cardinal O Malley said. If you are acquainted with a bigger city parish budget, $30,000 often is what is spent on the choir! Richard Bourne-Vanneck, a St. Thomas native who is president of the Bethlehem House board, spoke of Cardinal O Malley s legacy. Right after Bethlehem House opened, Bourne-Vanneck said, Our local media ran major editorials, which said that the Catholic diocese has done more for the poor and the needy than any other source, including the government. Underscoring Cardinal O Malley s belief that many on the island lived just a paycheck away from homelessness, Bourne- Vanneck noted that our diocese is a very small and a very poor diocese. We have a very limited population pool, and the Virgin Islands have the highest per capita incidence of poverty under the American flag, with the exception of some portion of Puerto Rico. Much of the poverty you see here are people living under trees or in abandoned cars, he added. Coupled with the high cost of living because everything needs to be imported, the situation can become almost beyond hope for many. The efforts of the Church are desperately needed there is nowhere else for the poor to turn except to the Catholic Church for the provision of these needs, Bourne-Vanneck said. Caring deeply for the poor will long be part of Cardinal O Malley s legacy on the Virgin Islands. And, Catholic Extension is fortunate to have played a part in those efforts. I have a very warm spot at the bottom of my heart for Extension. An open Bible rests on a bedside table at Bethlehem House. The staff infuses faith building into all aspects of ministry. ARCHDIOCESE OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS ARCHDIOCESE OF ST. THOMAS, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS SUMMER

30 Our Legacy Behind the Beauty Why Catholic Extension is so Needed for the People of St. Thomas Visitors to St. Thomas often see its beautiful beaches and resorts and not the rampant poverty that exists. The Church has been credited with doing more for the poor than any governmental agency, and Catholic Extension s support has been critical to that effort. What impact does Catholic Extension have on a poor mission diocese? Just ask Bishop Herbert Bevard of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. He will tell you that Catholic Extension is a lifeline for poor mission dioceses, and that Catholic Extension donors have helped him with some of the diocese s most important assets its seminarians, the roof on its cathedral, its communications system for reaching out to parishioners spread out on the islands, and the faith that sustains them. Serving as the fifth bishop of the Diocese of St. Thomas, which encompasses the islands of St. Croix and St. John, Bishop Bevard explained that the islands are widely known for their beautiful, white sandy beaches and crystal clear, turquoise Caribbean waters. But, behind this idyllic backdrop, many residents struggle, he said, which reaffirms the importance of the Church s presence here. For a bishop trying to run a mission 30 EXTENSION

31 Bishop Herbert Bevard is the fifth Bishop of St. Thomas and has served the diocese since Prior to being named bishop, he was pastor of a poor inner-city Philadelphia parish. It s very important to support the home missions. diocese, Bishop Bevard explained that there are very few places to turn to for help. He runs his diocese on a shoestring budget, employing only one part-time and two full-time employees. However, upon reaching out to worldwide missionary societies for aid, he quickly learned that as a U.S. mission diocese, St. Thomas often did not qualify for aid. I think it s very important that we support all the missions, he said. We need support for missions in Third World countries, in parts of Asia and Africa and South America But it s also very important to support the home missions. It would be a shame if we were supporting missions thousands of miles away, while the Church right here in the United States found itself unable to continue. And without Catholic Extension, our programs and ultimately the diocese would not be able to continue to exist. Today, Catholic Extension donors are helping this diocese grow stronger in several ways, including support for seminarian education, a cost that is prohibitive to most mission dioceses. Catholic Extension also funds St. Thomas Catholic TV, as well as its radio and newspaper. Catholic media are essential for keeping the islanders connected to the greater Church and to each other. The station also provides Mass to people who are hospitalized or homebound. In addition, through an aggressive challenge grant that the diocese has been able to meet, Catholic Extension helped support Phase 1 of the restoration of the 169-year-old Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul on St. Thomas. We have a beautiful, but very old cathedral, and Catholic Extension helped us put a new roof on it. Without that new roof and new beams, the engineers said that the next serious hurricane would destroy the building, he said. Bishop Bevard continues to be touched by the deep faith and reverence of the people in his diocese. Our people truly are very faithful to the Church, to the teachings of the Church and to the sacramental practice, he noted. They have great love and affection for their priests, and there s a long Catholic history here. He also is especially grateful that in Catholic Extension, he has a place where he can turn: Thanks be to God, largely because of Extension, we are able to do it. Please Include Us in Your Will Remembering Catholic Extension in your estate plan is a beautiful way to express your lasting faith, help strengthen the Church in poor Catholic communities across America and even receive tax benefits! Visit plannedgiving today, and learn how you can make Catholic Extension a beneficiary of your: will or living trust life insurance retirement plan For more information, please contact: Krystina Mendoza plannedgiving@catholicextension.org

32 BISHOP s Commentary Providential Pope BY FATHER FRANCIS CLEMENT KELLY, 1914 An editorial from 1914 mourns the loss of Catholic Extension s first champion transition in the papacy is a A momentous, historic event in the life of the Church and in the life of Catholic Extension. Nearly a century ago, upon the death of Pope Pius X, Catholic Extension was especially saddened to say goodbye, since it was Pius himself who established Catholic Extension in 1905 as a papal society. In doing so, he placed the Society among the approved institutions of the Church. In the wake of Pius death, Father Francis Clement Kelly, Catholic Extension s founder and then president, penned this dramatic and heartfelt editorial, which appeared in Extension magazine in October Kelly, who later would be named Bishop of Oklahoma City, paid loving tribute to Pius and perhaps understood, even then, that one of this pope s legacies his commitment to building the Church and serving the poor in America by establishing Catholic Extension would live on. HE REIGN OF POPE PIUS X, for very special reasons, will be set down as the most important period in the history of the Church Extension Movement. It was during his reign that the Society was founded. The first word of encouragement from the Apostolic See was given by Pius X. The first spiritual favors conferred upon our Father Kelly members were by the same Holy Pontiff. Through the Pope s own direct and personal action, this Society was canonically established. When the formal approval of our work seemed about to be postponed for a long time, it was Pius X himself who took the case out of the slow grind of the ordinary machinery, personally examined the documents relative to it, and, by his own proper authority, gave the Society canonical existence, placing it among the approved institutions of Holy Church. Never was a report issued by the Society that was not seen and examined by the Pope himself. He was especially interested in the Chapel Cars. He had photographs of all the cars in his possession. When the first Motor Chapel was built, he expressed his pleasure by giving the picture of it a long examination, asking questions about its equipment and methods; then tapping the picture with his finger, saying: Here is a practical idea for the care of scattered people without a church. When the Holy Father examined the annual reports of the Society he never failed to cause a letter to be sent expressing his august gratification, and his interest in the continued progress of a work, which was, to a large measure, his own. The last of these letters was received at our office only a few weeks before the Pontiff s death. It was the Pope s last message of love to the Society which owed its existence so largely to his kindness and zeal. The Pope s love for America shone out of his eye every time he came face to face with one of our prelates, priests or people. 32 EXTENSION

33 Read the original article as it appeared in the 1914 issue of Extension magazine at THESE ARE SELFISH REASONS, perhaps, why this Society should mourn the death of Pius X, and why it should hasten to lay a tribute of love upon his tomb. But they are good reasons, too. Gratitude offers what it has. And I am glad that the sad task of writing this tribute of our keen gratitude has, by common consent of the officers of the Society, been given to me. It is a labor to be the President of The Catholic Church Extension Society a labor not without its compensations, but never without its thorns. Yet there is a real honor, too: it is the fact that, as President of this Society, I am the only simple priest under the American flag who was personally appointed to his position by Pope Pius X, and who holds that position only by the grace of the Holy See. For that unique and unmerited distinction, if for no other cause, I would have taken it amiss, had I not been selected to pay this tribute to the memory of a spiritual ruler whose name will go down in our annals, not as Pius X, Pontifex Maximus, but as Pius, Our Father. WHEN LEO XIII DIED, the Catholic world said: We shall never again have such an intellectual Pope. Now that Pius X is dead, that world is saying: We shall never again have a Pope who united in his own character such a wealth of kindness, magnanimity, charity and zeal. No wonder that the Romans now refer to him as Our Saint ; but great as is the title of Saint, everywhere the title of Father will be recognized as the one which peculiarly belonged to Pius the Tenth. IF THE CHURCH IN AMERICA ever forgets the dead Pope, it may be charged with the basest ingratitude. When he came to the Chair of Peter, we were a missionary country, placed, so far as government was concerned, on a par with the heathen nations. It was the just eye of Pius X that sought us out; that placed us on a pedestal in the Pantheon of the world s great Churches; that recognized our works; that honored and elevated our prelates; that loved us, not for what we could do for him, but for what we had done, are doing and will do for the cause of the Master he represented. The Pope s love for America shone out of his eye every time he came face to face with one of our prelates, priests or people. He showered his blessings upon us. He encouraged our every effort and, without detracting in the slightest from the love that he bore to others, we can truthfully say that, because of his acts in our favor, we, the Catholics in America, appeared to stand to him as children of predilection. Not only was this manifested in his own attitude, but it was strikingly apparent in the attitude of all those who represented him. We have a right to claim that he loved us, so we have a duty to pray for him, and thus send our love and affection beyond the grave and into the great hereafter to which he has gone. Father Francis Clement Kelly, 1914 Pope Pius X on the cover of Extension magazine, October 1914 It was the just eye of Pius X that sought us out that loved us, not for what we could do for him, but for what we had done, are doing and will do for the cause of the Master he represented. Editor s note: Although edited for space considerations, Father Francis Clement Kelly s editorial reflects the style in which it was originally written. SUMMER

34 by the numbers Catholic Extension: A Papal Society 100 Years of Building the Faith in the United States St. Pius X Benedict XV Pius XI Pius XII BLESSED John XXIII $754,898 $734,448 $1,590,572 $7,865,799 $3,144,761 1,246 1,189 1,525 2, REVER EN D Francis Clement Kelly MOST REVER EN D William D. O Brien Grants given by Catholic Extension during papacy Churches built by Catholic Extension during papacy

35 Read more about Catholic Extension s history as a papal society at our blog: When Catholic Extension was founded in 1905, it was established as a papal society, charged with strengthening faith and providing resources to poor communities in America. Ever since we were established by Pius X, we have been doing just that. This timeline shows the last century of the papacy, and highlights the leadership and work of Catholic Extension during that time. You ll see that with the support of our loyal and faithful donors, Catholic Extension has built more than 12,000 churches and given nearly $500 million in grants. The seal of Catholic Extension is made up of several elements that reflect our mission and our roots as a papal society: the cross as a sign of our faith, the papal tiara and keys of Peter as marks of approval from the pope, and the words Adveniat Regnum Christi, which translate to may the Kingdom of Christ come. Paul VI John Paul I BLESSED John Paul II Benedict XVI Francis $29,147,259 $703,589 $288,770,247 $140,328,887 1, , REVEREND Joseph B. Lux REVEREND Kenneth G. Stack REVEREND John L. May REVEREND Joseph A. Cusack REVER EN D Edward J. Slattery REVER EN D Kenneth J. Velo MOST REVER EN D William R. Houck REVER EN D John J. Wall Benedict XVI photo: Agencia Brasil SUMMER

36 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID 150 South Wacker Drive, Suite 2000 Chicago, IL CATHOLIC CHURCH EXTENSION SOCIETY Inside the Summer 2013 Issue: Catholic Extension celebrates Pope Francis and all that he embodies for the American Catholic Church! CARDINAL GEORGE ON POPE FRANCIS pg. 12 WHAT POPE FRANCIS MEANS TO ME pg. 16 BISHOP S COMMENTARY pg. 32