Looking ahead: Glenmary at 80

FROM THE EDITOR / John Stegeman

As Glenmary’s 80th anniversary is this year, there is much to celebrate.

Each Mass we see a re-presentation of Christ’s sacrifice happen before our eyes. We are connected in a mystical way as this event is made new again and again. Similarly, Glenmary’s mission to bring the church to places in the United States where it is not fully present is made new each day in the work of our missioners.

Father William Howard Bishop had the vision for this mission eight decades ago and his dream has brought countless people to Christ. Through Glenmary’s work, supported by the prayers and gifts of our faithful donors, more than 140 parishes have been established in rural Appalachia and the South. This mission continues! In this issue, we see the dedication of one Glenmary church building in Tennessee. Another is under construction. Preparations are underway to celebrate the ordination of two young men to the priesthood in the spring. Our vocation team continues to search the globe to find men ready to answer God’s call.

An old Glenmary saying is, “Times change, needs don’t.” How true. At Glenmary’s founding in 1939, World War II was beginning. The World’s Fair in New York introduced the public to futuristic ideas like the automatic dishwasher, superhighways and early versions of robots.

Now, as then, there remain millions of Americans who do not know the fullness of Christ’s teachings. There remain hungry, cold, marginalized people on our streets. Fortunately, there also remain committed priests, brothers and lay coworkers dedicated to helping them. Happy 80 th birthday, Glenmary!

Glenmary was founded by Father William Howard Bishop in 1939.

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