80 Years of Yes
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 a human lifespan, 80 years is a long time. In the life of the Church which has been around for 2,000 years, it’s not so long. A lot can be accomplished in eight decades and Glenmary is living proof of that. In the Spring issue I wrote about building churches and ordaining men to the priesthood as evidence for Glenmary’s robust activity today. That’s just a fraction of what Glenmarians and coworkers are up to. We’re serving food pantries, helping kids with homework, assisting with utility bills and sharing the gift of our Catholic faith with everyone we encounter. Over the past 80 years, Glenmarians have worked to establish 142 Catholic communities so far. One can only guess how many people have, and will continue to have, access to the sacraments because of these efforts. It’s a spiritually moving thought. I am further moved when I consider all the people who had to say yes to God and to Glenmary to make this happen. Donors have given their hard-earned money to support this cause. Volunteers have spent time working with the people we help. Bishops have welcomed us into their dioceses. In 80 years, I’d like to think more than a million people have said yes to Glenmary in some way or another. God can do great things with even one yes, as evidenced by the Virgin Mary. Through her yes Christ came into the world. Through the yes of so many to Glenmary, we’ve brought Christ’s message to the margins of our own nation. Thank you for supporting us these last 80 years.
GLENMARY HOME MISSIONERS P.O. Box 465618 · Cincinnati, OH 45246-5618 513-874-8900 · 800-935-0975 · challenge@glenmary.org © 2019, Glenmary Home Missioners. Reprint permission granted upon request.
ON THE COVER: Glenmarian Richard Toboso is ordained a priest by the laying of hands from Bishop Richard F. Stika of the Diocese of Knoxville, Tenn. (Photo by John Feister)
