Glenmary Challenge Spring 22 by Glenmary Communications

T H E M A G A Z I N E O F C AT H O L I C M I S S I O N E R S T O R U R A L A M E R I C A

G L E N M A R Y. O R G SPRING 2022

A Day in the Life lay missioners

Baptized, called, chosen formation

Becoming Glenmary

mountain neighbors

The artists next door

All In Together

FROM THE EDITOR / John Stegeman We are a Catholic society of priests and brothers who, along with numerous coworkers, establish the Catholic Church in small-town and rural America. Founded in 1939 by Father William Howard Bishop, Glenmary is the only religious community devoted exclusively to serving the spiritually and materially poor in the rural U.S. home missions. Today, supported entirely through freewill offerings, we staff missions and ministries throughout Appalachia and the South. Glenmary missioners serve in areas where frequently less than one percent of the population is Catholic, a significant percentage have no church affiliation, and the poverty rate is often twice the national average. Glenmary is known for respecting the many cultures encountered in the home missions. Our missionary activity includes building Catholic communities, fostering ecumenical cooperation, evangelizing the unchurched, social outreach and working for justice.

GLENMARY CHALLENGE Our quarterly magazine has three goals: to educate Catholics about the U.S. home missions, to motivate young men to consider Glenmary priesthood or brotherhood, and to invite all Catholics to respond to their baptismal call to be missionary by partnering with Glenmary as financial contributors, prayer partners, professional coworkers and/or volunteers. Glenmary Challenge is sent to all donors, to U.S. diocesan clergy and to anyone who requests it. (To begin receiving issues, use the contact information below.)

In this issue, you’ll get a look at a lot of facets of Glenmary ministry. We’ve got a story on lay missioner efforts, a photo story about a priest, a feature on how Glenmary formation works and a glance at a symbiotic relationship formed by our volunteer program. If we’ve done our jobs, any one of these stories should be interesting. Taken together, I’m reminded once again of the scope of Glenmary’s ministry. Home missioners want to bring the gift of our Catholic faith and material assistance to as many people in need as possible, and to do that effectively, it takes everybody, from brothers to priests to laity. Glenmary is a society of priests and brothers called to a special and, frankly, incredible charism: To serve the poor where few others serve, in rural America. But the laity empower this mission. While Glenmary counts religious and priests among our supporters, most are laypeople. Without them, where would we be? Moreover, laypeople help us gather communities, staff our missions and make up most of our headquarters’ team. Glenmary gets it: The Church belongs to everyone. Pope Francis seems to see it that way too. In a foreword to a book the Holy Father wrote, “The time is now. The mission of the laity is not a privilege of a few and it involves total dedication.” What I’m getting at here, in conjunction with the pope, is that we’re all in this together. Glenmary has long realized that the Church is like a ship. Everyone has a role to play from captain to deckhand, but the whole crew must work together. We can do little without Christ, but united with him, we can build the kingdom of God on Earth.

ON THE COVER: The day starts early, ends late, and has a dizzying variety of activity. That’s typical for Glenmarians. Here, Father Vic Subb leads graveside prayers for families of deceased children. Photo by John Feister

VOLUME 86

NUMBER 1

A Day in the Life

Celebrating Eucharist is one part of any day. Come follow Father Vic Subb for an up-close look at the rest. Welcome to the missions. page 10

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by john feister

lay missioners

becoming glenmary

joppa mountain neighbors

Glenmary is seeking prayerful, motivated laypeople for assignments in MissionLand, USA. Are you called to this ministry? By John Stegeman

The House of Formation is an important place in the formation of Glenmary students. They prepare for ministry and learn community life. By Omar Cabrera

Glenmary’s volunteer program is near the Crosby home. These artists have been helped by Glenmary, and reciprocated in kind. By John Stegeman

Publisher: Father Dan Dorsey Editor: John Stegeman Asst. Editors: Omar Cabrera, John Feister Art Director: Cassie Magnotta

Planning-Review Board: Lindsay Braud, Br. Craig Digmann, Br. David Henley, Chris Phelps, Lucy Putnam, Fr. Kenn Wandera, Fr. Aaron Wessman

Photo by Stephan Cassara

A flower on the roadside often goes unnoticed. It takes a conscious choice to see it, and to see Christ in our neighbor.

Finding the Truly Hidden Christ FROM THE PRESIDENT / Father Dan Dorsey The shortest month of the year, February, can often seem like the longest, with its tapestry of cold, gloomy days. Thank goodness the month is so short. One particularly dreary February morning I sat gazing out of my window. It was the kind of colorless day that made me want to grab my Jung seed catalog and dream about the coming spring and summer. Unexpectedly, the sun broke through the clouds and interrupted my daydream. The rays illuminated thousands and thousands of tiny ice crystals floating through the air. In a nanosecond, dreary was transformed into magical. The dismal landscape became delightful! The sun highlighted what had been there all along, but which I had been unable to see. The sunlight— think of a rainbow—completely changed my perspective. As I contemplated the beauty of the iridescent crystals, I was overcome with awe and a sense of well-being. 4

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As winter slowly comes to an end, we hope the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic is behind us. In many ways it feels as though we’ve experienced twenty-four months of continuous February. The past two years have been marked by uncertainty, fear, division and darkness. You may recall my Summer 2020 Challenge column (What Comes After Pandemic?). I quoted the reflection of an Antarctic explorer in 1914: “In all of the world there is no desolation more complete than the polar night.” These past months have provided a glimpse into the desolation of that polar night. Perhaps C.S. Lewis can offer a perspective on what we perceive as an otherwise bleak landscape: “Next to the Blessed Sacrament itself, your neighbor is the holiest object to your senses, for in both, Christ is truly hidden” (The Weight of Glory). Our passion in Glenmary is to see the “truly hidden Christ in our neighbor.” Glenmary’s founder, Father William Howard Bishop, reminds us to recognize the beauty of a flower, often unnoticed, by the roadside. Even in the midst of this “polar night,” consider what is emerging; In September 2020, Brother Craig Digmann

glenmary news & notes New mission for Overton County

grow th / Lay missioner to lead latest expansion

On April 1, Glenmary will open a new mission territory in Overton County, Tenn. The mission will be led by Lay Missionary Pastoral Minister Lorenzo Ajú, with nearby Glenmary priests assisting in sacramental ministry. This expansion marks a renewal of Glenmary’s efforts to include laypeople in ministry leadership (for more, see page 8). “The Bishop of Nashville, Bishop J. Mark Spalding, has been very supportive of Glenmary’s ministry,” said Glenmary First Vice-President Father Aaron Wessman. “There are a number of counties in the Diocese of Nashville that have no official Catholic presence and so in Glenmary’s mission planning, which we regularly are conducting, we’ve been looking at some of these areas for quite a number of years.” Overton County is home to roughly 22,000 people. The last U.S. Religious Census officially listed it as having zero Catholics. “There’s no official Catholic presence in this place, which seemingly could have a lot of growth,” Father Aaron said. “When we did our investigation, we realized that there are actually quite a number of Catholic families living in Overton County, but they’re going to Mass about 30 miles, 40 miles away in other places.”

Photo courtesy of Overton County News

moved to Hartsville, Tennessee, to establish a house of hospitality for our men in formation and also to be a Catholic evangelist in an area where Catholics are few and the Church is almost unknown. He has now visited every church in Trousdale County: 32 in total. In January 2021, Father Don Tranel went to Carthage, Tennessee, in Smith County. He has gathered a congregation of about 40 and is celebrating Sunday Vigil Mass on Saturdays in the fellowship hall of a Methodist Church. The small community has already purchased property and look forward to renovating the two buildings on the premises into a church and meeting hall. And finally, as of April 1, Lorenzo Ajú and his wife Nici will be settling in Livingston, Tennessee, in Overton County. They have been asked by Glenmary to establish a Catholic presence there in order to bring the fullness of the gifts of the Catholic Church to the area. All four are missioners who have boldly responded to the call of Jesus Christ. All four accepted their assignments in the midst of the uncertainty of the pandemic. I thought of those four missioners as I surveyed the sunburst transformation that had occurred outside my window. In the darkness and uncertainty of the pandemic, these missioners saw what others could not see: the myriad of tiny ice crystals (our neighbors) all around us! Their mission, like all of ours, is to appreciate the hidden beauty that is too often overlooked.

ABOVE: The Overton County courthouse sits in the heart of Livingston, Tenn., a small town of less than 5,000 people and soon to be home to Glenmary’s newest mission. Lay Missionary Pastoral Minister Lorenzo Ajú will lead the community. Spring 2022 GLENMARY CHALLENGE

JP2 Moves In

Father Frank Ruff to be honored

awa ren es s / Longtime ecumenist awarded for successful career Glenmary Father Frank Ruff will receive the annual James E. Fitzgerald Award from the Catholic Association of Diocesan Ecumenical and Interreligious Officers (CADEIO), recognizing his years of commitment to ecumenical ministry. The award will be given during the National Workshop on Christian Unity, May 3-6 in Anaheim, California. Father Frank’s ministry included a focus on ecumenism for more than 50 years before he retired from Glenmary’s Ecumenical Commission in 2021. His work focused on improving ties with Southern Baptists, and for many years he was the only Roman Catholic presence at the annual convention of Southern Baptists. CADEIO’s Fitzgerald Award is named for the late Monsignor James Edward Fitzgerald from the Amarillo (Texas) Diocese. Father James was an early leader in the ecumenical movement in Texas. Nominations for the award are received from the rolls of diocesan ecumenical and interreligious officers, past and present. Since the award was established in 1979, 46 individuals or organizations have received the honor, including four cardinals. Glenmary Director of Ecumenism Nathan Smith will host a workshop on Catholic/Evangelical Dialogue at the same conference. Nathan has taken a torch that Glenmary has carried since its beginning, recognizing that Catholics can be a leaven for Christian unity in the communities we serve. ABOVE: Glenmary Father Frank Ruff has spent more than 50 years working for Christian unity. RIGHT: Father Neil Pezzulo, left, Lay Pastoral Associate Clarisa Chavarría and Glenmary student Jude Smith before Ash Wednesday Mass.

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Ash Wednesday always marks the beginning of Lent, but this year it also marked a milestone for Glenmary’s St. John Paul II Catholic mission in Grainger County, Tenn. March 2 was the date of the first official Mass celebrated in the mission’s newly constructed church. Since its founding in 2011, the mission has been in a rented storefront. “We’re glad to be celebrating in our new building for many reasons, not the least of which is that this is the culmination of a 10-year dream coming true right before our eyes,” said Father Neil Pezzulo, pastor. “The community has labored and sacrificed for this church and we now have a beautiful place to celebrate important moments like baptisms, first Communions, quinceañeras and weddings.” A date for the church’s official dedication has not been set, but Father Neil is hopeful it will take place later this year.

Photo by Tony Bonomini

Photo by John Feister

g row th / A special day

Photo by Jerry Moeller

a rou n d the m issions

• St. Teresa of Kolkata in Union County, Tenn., is planting a community garden. One of the mission’s neighbors has offered to donate and prepare the land. A portion of the harvest will be distributed to those in need through the local Fresh Wagon mobile food pantry.

Glenmarian works in spirit of MLK awa ren es s / Brother Jason honored for ministry in Georgia

ABOVE: Glenmary Brother Jason Muhlenkamp was one of three people honored with the MLK Day of Service Award from the Early County Community Involvement Association. Brother Jason is a co-founder of C-Hope ministries.

• Glenmary Father Tom Charters, pastor of St. Michael the Archangel Mission in Unicoi County, Tenn., spoke at the first annual Catholic Men's Conference in Kingsport, Tenn. Joining Father Tom were Daniel Schachle of the Knights of Columbus and Bishop of Knoxville Richard F. Stika. The conference was hosted at St. Dominic Church in Kingsport on March 12.

Photo by St. Meinrad Seminary

On Jan. 17, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Glenmary Brother Jason Muhlenkamp was honored with a MLK Day of Service Award from the Early County Community Involvement Association (ECCIA) of Early County, Georgia. “I am very humbled to be awarded this honor and thank the many, many people who support my ministry,” Brother Jason said. “There are three principles of Martin Luther King Jr. that I try to incorporate in my life: service, justice and beloved community.” Brother Jason’s ministry to his community is as diverse as the county he serves. He does much with C-Hope, a local Christian non-profit he cofounded, that assists the poor with housing, financial support and financial literacy. He is also involved with promoting racial justice, the Early County Ministerial Association and local food pantry efforts. Early County’s population is 49.6 percent Black, and 48.4 percent white. Early County is also home to Glenmary’s Holy Family Catholic Mission, pastored by Father Mike Kerin. “As Glenmary missioners, our question is, what will happen to my neighbor if we do not stop?,” Brother Jason said, referring to the parable of the Good Samaritan. “We do stop and listen and love. There is too much poverty, hunger and homelessness in our missions. Instead of asking, ‘what can not be done?’, we ask what can be done. No one is alone. We work for unity. We love to drive out hate.”

• At St. Meinrad Seminary in St. Meinrad, Ind., Glenmary men in formation Fedinard Aliet, Joseph Maundu, Fredrick Ochieng, Cavine Okello and Cyrus Samba received the ministry of acolyte on Feb. 17.

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Mía Tavares, part of the traveling Tavares missionary family, serves food at Holy Family mission. Lay workers like her dad are a crucial part of Glenmary’s mission.

Lay Missioners

Baptized, called, chosen. Glenmary invites women and men from all corners of the Church to serve the missions. by john stegeman

Throughout Glenmary’s history, priests and brothers have teamed up with lay coworkers in sharing the Gospel. Over time there have been co-missioners, lay missionary associates, pastoral coordinators, volunteers, office and parish staff, and a host of others who have assisted the mission work. In light of current mission needs, and in line with Pope Francis’ increased efforts to promote lay ministry, Glenmary is redoubling those efforts. Early in 2022, Glenmary posted positions on its website for four newly reimagined categories of lay missioners: Lay Evangelizers, Lay Missionary Pastoral Ministers, Lay Pastoral Associates and Lay Regional Missioners. Each will have a unique role to play in the future of Glenmary’s ministry, alongside priests and brothers. “Glenmary has always placed a value on partnering with laypeople in our mission work,” said Glenmary First Vice-President Father Aaron Wessman. “This flows from what is a very important part of our missionary endeavor. We’re trying to respect the role of a 8

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layperson and his or her baptismal call to be missionary, but also respect the role of those who have been ordained.” Pope Francis recently created the lay ministry of catechist. He also has spoken about the responsibility of laypeople in the Church. In a 2016 speech the Holy Father said, "Baptism makes each one of the lay faithful a missionary disciple of the Lord, salt of the earth, light of the world, and leaven that transforms reality from within.”

Lay Missionary Pastoral Ministers Effectively, the Lay Missionary Pastoral Minister (LMPM) will be the leader of a respective Catholic mission. He or she will gather the community, catechize the people and share the word of God. A LMPM will collaborate with Glenmary priests to serve the sacramental needs of the local community. This model of parish ministry is not foreign to the Church. In some places where priests are scarce, such as

the Amazon and other parts of Latin America, it has become more common. “This is a genuine role that a layperson in the church can play,” said Father Aaron. “It’s a missionary opportunity and it can happen regardless of whether there's a priest shortage or not. Glenmary recognizes this has value and it could be used more often in other locations, like it is in Latin America. “We’re finding that bishops again are excited about these possibilities,” he added. “There is an openness to this and also energy behind it because they recognize that there are areas that do not have official Catholic populations or official Catholic communities, and that they really need to be evangelized, too.”

team of Glenmary missioners in the area to conduct outreach and engage in other ministries.

Lay Evangelizers While the LMPM leads a community of Catholics, the Lay Evangelizer goes out from that group to meet the unchurched, unaffiliated and non-Christians. Through a variety of creative means they will reach out to those who are not a member of any church, get to know them, share the Gospel and invite them to consider joining the Catholic Church. “Today, there are just swaths of people that no longer have any experience of Christianity,” said Father Aaron. “We would consider those people to be nonChristian. You might call them the ‘Nones,’ those folks that would say they don’t subscribe to any religious tradition. This is a group of people that has no working history or memory of Christianity. This is a way to reach these people.” Lay Evangelizers will have the option to live in community with other Lay Evangelizers, gaining strength from communal meals, prayer and group collaboration.

A prayerful commitment The right people for the above positions will have support of the local Glenmary community, be committed to prayer and be deeply dedicated to serving the people of rural Appalachia and the deep South. “It’s really incredible and it requires a person to live the Glenmary charism as much as they’re able as a person who’s not under oath,” Father Aaron said. “In one sense, I don’t think Glenmary would be what Glenmary is without the presence of laypeople doing what they do in our mission areas.”

Lay Regional Missioners Because the nature of Glenmary’s mission often goes beyond the local parish, many issues that affect individual mission counties need to be addressed at a regional or national level. These are addressed in specific ways by qualified lay people. In Glenmary, existing examples include Regional Hispanic Missioner Marco Tavares; Director of Ecumenism Nathan Smith; Volunteer Program Director Joe Grosek, and Director of Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Polly Duncan Collum.

Anyone interested in considering lay missioner opportunities with Glenmary is encouraged to contact Father Aaron at info@glenmary.org.

Photos by John Feister

Lay Pastoral Associates Lay Pastoral Associates will serve in Glenmary parishes and hold specific positions, such as Youth Minister, Director of Religious Education, Director of Hispanic Ministry, etc. The local parish is the primary focus of Lay Pastoral Associates, but they also partner with the RIGHT: Tania Delgado is the Lay Pastoral Associate at Holy Family Catholic Church in Lafayette, Tenn. Lay pastoral associates like her handle a variety of duties within parish life. Spring 2022 GLENMARY CHALLENGE

A Day in the Life

A Glenmarian’s day starts early and ends late, with lots of people in-between. We followed Father Vic Subb to get a glimpse of how that works. story

photos by john feister

Spend a day with Father Vic and you just might get tired out. Nine-plus

years ago he came to Holy Family parish in Macon County, Tenn., taking over groundwork laid by Father Dennis Holly. A growing community that met for years in a half-finished church that looked more like a bunker, today the 425-member parish boasts a fine, new church with room for addition. Above we see the source for all that growth: the sacramental presence of Jesus. Here Father Vic finds a daytime moment of contemplation. His cellphone at the ready, he awaits a call from a parishioner who will be meeting him. Later he will go to his other mission, in nearby Clay County.

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“This is my body….” The spiritual needs of his

people come before all else. The Eucharist, of course, is the “source and summit” of worship—mission flows from it. Establishing a permanent, full Catholic presence demands it. To the left, Father Vic leads the celebration of Mass with Associate Pastor Father Samuel Mungai. By early 2022, Father Vic will move on and Father Charles Aketch will become pastor, the mission’s next step. Below, Father Vic presides at an annual graveside service for deceased children of Hispanic families. Outreach to this growing Catholic population is a key part of Glenmary’s mission today.

"The Eucharist is so needed in areas where we work," says Father Vic. "It guides us, nourishes us, helps us."

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Father Vic regularly visits immigrant

farmworkers, who live in a safe, dry, but barely furnished bunkhouse, with concrete floor, far into the fields. These men spend months away from Mexico, harvesting tobacco and sending money home.

Today is a blessing of the cats with Gina Donofrio

(right) and David (the cat’s having none of this sprinkling!). Well-fed cats roam everywhere, overseen by a front-porch St. Francis statue. Father Vic will use implements from Gina’s kitchen for this sacramental.

This pastor’s a regular

at La Princesa market, stopping by to chat with whoever’s there, a ministry of presence. Today he had a long, personal talk with a man about a family situation, after posing for this shot with cashier Armando. Father Vic is always welcome. 12

A comforting hand, wise counsel,

connection to the beauty and safety of Catholic traditions and identity, all make Father Vic’s a deep presence at Holy Family parish. He will be missed here, but people at his next assignment await.

“We need to celebrate people’s lives. We go to where people are, and try to set a bond with them.” —Father Vic

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Becoming Glenmary

Students learn, pray and grow at the House of Formation. by omar cabrera

Cavine Okello is one of the six young men currently living at the Glenmary House of Formation in St. Meinrad, Indiana. Five of them are taking classes at nearby St. Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology to prepare for priesthood, while the sixth is studying at Vincennes University as part of his process to become a Glenmary brother. “What I like the most is the fact that we are living as a community (at the House of Formation),” Cavine says. “We interact here as brothers. We feel like we are in a family the way I can be at home. I can go to the kitchen, I can visit someone in his room, we can talk away from the official issues of many classes at the seminary and the formal routine of the seminary.”

The novice class of 2020-21 celebrate their First Oaths with their directors.

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Glenmary candidates for priesthood take classes at the Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology, run by Benedictine monks. The seminary is part of a complex that includes an archabbey. The Benedictine tradition in the region started in March, 1854, when the Swiss Abbey of Einsiedeln sent two monks to start a new monastery in Indiana. Around 80 monks currently live at the St. Meinrad archabbey.

This sense of community is important for the future lives of these men as Glenmarians. It is particularly important considering that all six left their families back in their native Kenya to serve in the rural United States. Currently living at the House of Formation are: Cyrus Samba (31); Erick Orandi (32); Fedinard Aliet (30); Fredrick Ochieng’ (35); Joseph Maundu (35); Cavine (30), and the director, Glenmary Father Bruce Brylinski. Men in formation live there during their prenovitiate year, Father Bruce explained. Then, they leave for a year of novitiate, a year divided between Cincinnati and one of the Glenmary missions. After that, they return to St. Meinrad to pursue their Master’s of Divinity—a requirement to become a priest in the U.S.—or another career if they are candidates for brotherhood.

From left, Brother Josiah Kimani, Father Bruce Brylinski and Father Charles Aketch work in front of the Glenmary House of Formation in St. Meinrad, Indiana.

"What I like the most is the fact that we are living as a community (at the House of Formation). We interact like brothers."

Cavine Okello (right) enjoys sharing with his fellow men in formation at the House of Formation. “I’m always very thankful to God for making me to know Glenmary,” Cavine says.

Photos courtesy of Glenmary Archives

In addition to their classes at the seminary or at university, students also follow a Glenmary-specific formation program within the House of Formation. “We’re centered on morning and evening prayer (every day),” said Father Bruce. “And then, on Monday nights, which is Glenmary night, we study something about missiology or about the papacy, so right now we’re doing the papal encyclical Laudato Si’.” Moreover, each student has one-on-one weekly meetings with Father Bruce to process how their abilities and spiritual qualities can best serve in Glenmary. The young men also prepare a meal each week for the seven in the house, and dedicate part of their Saturday to cleaning the chapel, the dining hall and the rest of the facilities. Formation also includes fun, of course. “When we can, we like to go bowling or to play games,” Father Bruce says. “Even though it’s something new, they catch on very quickly. Another game they like to play in the warm weather is cornhole. They have a lot of energy for cornhole!”

Men in formation attend daily Mass and prayer during their period at St. Meinrad. They also hold a weekly meeting to deepen their Glenmary community connection. Spring 2022 GLENMARY CHALLENGE

Photo by Cassie Magnotta

A lifetime of work is displayed outside of Joppa Mountain Pottery. McDonald and Ann Crosby make each piece of clay into unique works of art.

Joppa Mountain Neighbors The artists next door became fast friends when Glenmary moved to Tennessee. by john stegeman

Photo: Joppa Mountain Pottery

The Glenmary Group Volunteer Program in Tennessee is in large part about service to the local community, but there’s more to it. The young men and women who volunteer also spend time getting to know the

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people of the surrounding area, many of whom have been helped by Glenmary's efforts in the community. Near the current volunteer program location on Joppa Mountain in Grainger County, one couple’s home and business is a must-stop location. Joppa Mountain Pottery, run by husband and wife McDonald and Ann Crosby, has been in a mutually beneficial relationship with the volunteer program since Glenmary moved to the mountain in 2013. “Since the first group, Ann and McDonald have welcomed us to their shop, sharing time and showing us the beauty of pottery,” says Joe Grosek, Director of the Glenmary Group Volunteer Program. “Groups have benefited greatly from their time at Joppa Mountain Pottery. It is an opportunity for them to participate in the Ministry of Presence and get a lesson in pottery LEFT: McDonald Crosby, right, is always welcoming to the Glenmary volunteer groups that stop by to help out, view his work and maybe make a purchase.

"It's a big blessing to Grainger County to have Glenmary here in Appalachia."

Learn more about Ann and McDonald on their website: JoppaMountainPottery.com

BELOW LEFT: McDonald and Ann pose on their mobile home’s stairs, which were constructed by Glenmary volunteers. BELOW RIGHT: Volunteers enjoy visiting Joppa Mountain Pottery.

Photo: Joppa Mountain Pottery

Photo: Glenmary Volunteer Program

and the joys and challenges of being a full-time artist.” In addition to experiencing the local culture with the Crosbys, the volunteer program also benefits from fallen trees on the property. The volunteer program provides firewood for many in the community and the Crosbys are happy to help the cause. The volunteer program offers opportunities for groups of high school and college students to spend time in service to others. Joe and his team of long-term volunteers, called Mountain Managers, lead visiting groups in fixing leaky roofs, building accessible entrances, insulating trailers and doing anything that needs to be done in an area where many don’t have money for basic repairs. The Crosbys have benefitted from that service as well. Just this winter, volunteers built a ramp for the Crosbys’ trailer as well as putting in insulation and skirting to help keep the house warm. Though she and her husband are experienced artists, Ann says sometimes money can be tight until Glenmary brings a group of students to see their work. Many buy souvenirs. “It has been a blessed thing to have Glenmary in our lives,” Ann says. “We would not have made it if it wasn’t for Glenmary bringing kids through many times. We’d be down to our last dollar and I’d need

medication from the pharmacy and they would come through and purchase something to let us have dinner that night and get my medications. “The kids keep us young,” Ann adds. “They have such youthfulness and a beautiful attitude toward life. As we get older, it’s good for us to see that attitude is still out there. I can never tell the neighbors enough about Glenmary because of everything they do. It’s a big blessing to Grainger County to have Glenmary here in Appalachia, period. People don’t realize everything they do for our community.” The Crosbys aren’t the only neighbors that volunteers regularly visit. There’s also the Kingswood Home for Children, a local nursing home, and of course Glenmary’s St. John Paul II mission in Rutledge, Tennessee. “Since the beginning of the Glenmary Group Volunteer Program in Kentucky, Glenmary has sought out relationships that highlight the beauty of the rich Appalachian culture that we serve in,” Joe says. “From the Tollers, to the Kinneys, to Wild Woman Edith Smith and Charley Campbell, the Crosbys are the latest in that line of wonderful friends.”

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letters to the editor DOMINICANS AT HEART I read every word of the Challenge each time it comes. You men are PREACHERS—really strong OP's! Thanks for all you are doing for so many people. Sister Maria Browne, OP • Adrian, MI

Our Lady of the Fields is patroness of Glenmary, so who better to honor in the newly renovated chapel at St. Meinrad’s Glenmary house? Father Aaron Wessman had Ukrainian classmates in Belgium. They knew an iconographer who painted this icon for the chapel. Our Lady of the Fields intercedes for rural people everywhere. Our men in formation join that prayer, especially for our Ukrainian sisters and brothers.

A GROWING CHURCH I enjoyed your story [Autumn 2021] on the Glenmary mission in Smith County, Tennessee. I hope you will do a follow-up. The story about St. Michael Archangel mission was also great. In a day when so many churches are losing members, it is encouraging to read about a growing church. Our society would be a better place if more people realized the benefit of church membership. God bless you and your missions. Gordon Parsons • Kalispell, MT

WHAT MAKES A GOOD LETTER? We love getting your letters! We appreciate the compliments and even the critiques about the magazine. But don’t think it’s limited to that! We’d love to hear about how Glenmary has touched your life. Did a brother help you in a difficult time? Was one of our priests there for you when you needed guidance? We would love to read these stories and share them with the greater Glenmary family. Thanks and God bless! John Stegeman • Editor

Send to: Editor, Glenmary Challenge, P.O. Box 465618, Cincinnati, OH 45246. Email: challenge@glenmary.org. Comments are printed at the discretion of the editor and may be edited for clarity and space. Please include a postal address with your letter.

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