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 WINTER 2019
a new church
Holy Family gets a home advent reflection
Wait in joyful hope
c h r i s t m as in b e rt i e c o u nty
Faith on Parade
A Better World
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.)
Jesus knew how to make a point. In Luke 11:11 he asks, “ What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish?” Right there in scripture we see proof of something older than scripture itself. Parents want good things for their children. We want to leave them a better world. This passage is of particular meaning to my family right now. My wife and I are expecting our fourth son in December. When I read the headlines, I often worry about the world I will leave behind to our boys. Will they grow to love the Lord? Will they treat others the way they want to be treated? Will they be healers or dividers? Despite my worry, I am blessed. When I go to work at Glenmary, I see a different world. When the headlines tell me there’s no room for God, I see Father John Brown teaching children about the love of Christ. When fear mongers tell me to hate the stranger, I see Father Neil Pezzulo at the Mexican border treating immigrants with dignity. When I worry about divisions among Christians, I see Brother Craig Digmann visiting our Protestant brothers and sisters and establishing friendships. When I go to work, I have the privilege of seeing a whole community dedicated to making this world a better place by modeling it on Jesus. I hope this magazine lets you see what I get to witness. Christmas is coming and then the new year. Let us look to the example of Glenmary’s priests and brothers and coworkers as we choose our resolutions for the future. For the sake of every child who will be born this year, let’s leave them a better world.
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: Father Aaron Wessman, former pastor of Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Windsor, N.C., led his community in 2018ʼs annual Christmas parade. (Photo by John Feister)
VOLUME 82
NUMBER 4
Faith on Parade
christmas in bertie county PA G E 1 0
cover story by john feister
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a priest to call their own
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wait in joyful hope
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holy family : a new church
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wise missioner
Father John Brown became the first resident priest of Holy Trinity Catholic Church. One year into his mission, the parish is doing well.
Waiting takes on a special meaning for Brother Joe Steen as Advent approaches. He looks for the “Kingdom moments.�
Finally! After years of waiting, planning and fundraising, a Glenmary mission gets a new, permanent church to call home.
Father Bob Dalton talks about his vocation discernment and bringing the love of God to the people he served.
Publisher: Father Dan Dorsey Editor: John Stegeman Asst. Editor: John Feister Art Director: Cassie Magnotta Staff Writer: Father John Rausch
Planning-Review Board: Brother Craig Digmann, Brother David Henley, Frank Lesko, Lucy Putnam, Father Don Tranel, Father Aaron Wessman
Donor Advisory Board: Theodore Capossela, Jill Collet, Ivan Doseff, William Goslee, Ken Mahle, Terry Schneeman, Albert Vondra
photo by cassie magnotta
Find Christ in the Quiet FROM THE PRESIDENT / Father Dan Dorsey
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quiet. Invite God's peace to fill your heart. In the distance you hear the voice of a young woman. Her voice is clear and gentle but somewhat troubled. She is in conversation with another, but it’s only her voice that you hear. The fear in her voice is subtly different from the fear you have known in your life. “How can this be?” she says (Luke 1:34). A question at once filled with doubt and awe. You have asked this question often in your life
photo by john feister
As a missioner I have often felt a bit overwhelmed with all of the responsibilities leading up to Christmas. With so many expectations and obligations, by the time December 25 rolls around I can feel uninspired and exhausted. Have you ever felt that way around the holidays? If you feel the busyness of the season is supplanting the joy of the season, then please pause and join me in an Advent meditation. First find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed. Sit in a comfortable chair and close your eyes. Take a number of deep breaths and allow the quiet to take hold of you. Imagine you are walking through the woods on a December afternoon and it begins to snow—the snow is like a blanket that gradually transforms the forest into a peaceful enclave. As you breathe the cold air, you are overcome with a sense of well-being. You pause for a moment and marvel at the beauty of the trees and the gently falling snowflakes. It is so very quiet here. Listen to your heart in the
glenmary news & notes Glenmary finalist for award
awar ene ss / Glenmary nominated for service in Tennessee Catholic Extension announced the finalists for its 2019-2020 Lumen Christi Award Sept. 10, and the list included the Glenmary priests and brothers based in the Diocese of Knoxville, Tenn.
The annual award, now in its 42nd year, celebrates remarkable individuals or groups who unleash the power of faith for communities who cannot do it alone. Glenmary was one of 11 finalists for the award from a pool that included nearly 50 nominees. The Lumen Christi Award is the highest honor Catholic Extension bestows on a missionary working in the United States. “Glenmary has helped the Catholic communities to come together as living stones to help to build their churches of brick and mortar with their time, sweat and zeal for the Church,” read a description on the award nomination website. “They have been called the hidden heroes of the mission diocese.” Glenmary members in the Diocese of Knoxville include Father Steve Pawelk, Father Tom Charters, Brother Craig Digmann, Brother Tom Sheehy and Brother Joe Steen. The 2019-2020 award ultimately went to Mack McCarter of the Diocese of Shreveport, La. McCarter is a Catholic convert and founder of Community Renewal International, which aims to improve relationships in troubled neighborhoods.
photo by catholic extension
when you have found yourself confused and bewildered. The conversation continues and then once again there is quiet. Listen to the quiet... It is filled with the dark of nights and the light of days. It contains hopes and fears, the doubts and joys of humanity from the beginning of time. Quiet. After a long time, you hear a single word clearly spoken: “Yes” (Luke 1:38). One word uttered by a young woman transforms the quiet in an instant. The Son of God is made flesh. The Light of the World pierces the darkness of human hearts. The eyes of the blind are opened. Swords become plowshares. Suddenly thousands of joyful voices fill the quiet: “Glory to God on the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:14). As your advent journey draws to a close, take a few moments to listen again to the sounds of your heart. What is God calling you to do during these December days? Let the serenity and quiet of your walk give way to the joy and hope that is born of Mary. Our dear Savior is waiting to be born in each of us as well. Rejoice! A new and glorious day has dawned. Christ is the Lord! ABOVE LEFT: An image of the Annunciation adorns the ceiling of Annunciation Church in Cincinnati, Ohio. BELOW LEFT: Father Dan Dorsey smiles outside the novitiate house at Glenmaryʼs headquarters. RIGHT: Father Tom Charters celebrates Mass with migrant farm workers in Eastern Tennessee.
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ar o un d t h e m is s ion s • Glenmary Father Tom Charters recently celebrated closing Masses and fiestas for the seasonal migrant workers from a pair of local farms. St. Michael the Archangel operates an outreach ministry to these men, most of whom are Catholic. • Brother Jason Muhlenkamp was appointed to the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Region 4 Advisory Council. The main objective of the council is to identify community needs, find gaps in the current system and make recommendations.
Christmas cards available
d onor serv ic e s / Contact us for complimentary greeting cards Celebrate Christʼs birth by sending friends and family a Glenmary Christmas card. These cards contain original artwork
highlighting our work in the little towns in Appalachia and the Deep South.
Cards in packs of five are free, although
a donation of $5 helps cover costs. Con-
tact Betsy Bown in Donor Services: 1-800-
935-0975 or donorservices@glenmary.org
photo by john stegeman
• (BELOW) St. Teresa of Kolkata in Union County, Tenn., hosted a vigil for peace in response to the mass shootings that occurred this summer. “Whatever we do starts with prayer and community, and so that’s what we’re doing,” said Father Steve Pawelk. “We’re starting with prayer.”
Record number attend gathering
s upp ort / President’s Friends provide boost to mission work Father Aaron Wessman shared moving stories from his mission experi-
• The winners of the 2019 Glenmary Country Raffle were drawn on Sept. 6 in Cincinnati. The first-place winner of $5,000 was James Mikes of Clute, Texas. Mary Pinter of Myrtle Beach, S.C., won $3,000 and Michael O’Connor of Staten Island, N.Y., won $1,500. An additional 11 raffle winners received $100 prizes and one received a handmade quilt. The raffle raised more than $100,000 for Glenmary. Thank you to our sponsors!
ence as the keynote speaker at Glenmary’s President’s Gathering Oct. 4 at Glenmary headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Attendees at the gathering are President’s Friends, a category of Glen-
mary supporters. A record 57 President’s Friends attended the event, which included the talk by Father Aaron, Mass and a luncheon.
“We are all part of the Glenmary family,” Father Aaron said at the event.
“Whether we are working in the offices here in Cincinnati, whether we are
working in missions, whether we’re a donor, or whether we pray for Glenmary, we are part of the same family. Thank you for supporting Glenmary.”
Father Aaronʼs full talk can be viewed online at youtu.be/s9aTeO20aCA.
ABOVE: Glenmary donors and Planned Giving Officer Luke Carey (right, second from window) prepare to enjoy a meal and fellowship at the annual Presidentʼs Gathering at Glenmary headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio.
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New ministry
Father Mike Kerin, pastor of Glenmary’s Holy Family Catholic Church in Blakely, Ga., has worked with LifeBrite Community Hospital of Early County to form a new chaplaincy program. The program will include ministers from across various Christian traditions and will provide patients at the hospital with spiritual care. “When I came to Blakely, I realized that we didn’t have a chaplaincy program here,” said Father Mike. “I know that it can mean a lot to someone who is in the hospital to have someone to listen to their concerns, to pray with them and to let them know that they are not alone. My desire was to have chaplains from as many of the churches as possible, as a visible sign that we were working together serving those in need.” So far, seven local ministers have volunteered their time and talents for the program.
photo by glenmary vocations
o u t r e ac h / Chaplain service
Mission youth Come and See vo c at ion s / Seminarians lead discernment retreat
A group of young men from Glenmary’s Holy Family and St. Michael the Archangel missions in Tennessee visited Glenmary’s headquarters for a special Come and See discernment retreat Nov. 1-3.
The retreat included a unique approach, with Glenmary seminarian
Ken Wandera and novice Kevin Riedel leading the event. The youth were
treated to talks on growing in prayer, everyone’s call to vocation and the Universal Church. Vocation Director Brother David Henley spoke about discernment and “what’s special about Glenmary.”
The retreat took place at the novitiate house at Glenmary’s Cincinnati
headquarters. Spiritual elements included a rosary walk along a wooded
trail, Eucharistic Adoration and Mass. There was also a field trip to Cincinnati’s Cathedral of St. Peter in Chains to highlight the connection to the Universal Church.
“The goal is to help the young men grow spiritually,” said Wilmar Zaba-
la, Glenmary’s vocation counselor, “because without that growth, discern-
photo by john feister
ment doesnʼt really take root.”
The retreat marked the second time youth from Glenmary missions
have participated on a Come and See retreat with Glenmary.
Learn more about discerning with Glenmary at Glenmary.org/vocations.
ABOVE: Young men from Glenmary missions visited Glenmary headquarters for a Come and See retreat. LEFT: Father Mike Kerin, pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church, is leading the charge to install a chaplaincy program at a local hospital.
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photos by cassie magnotta + john feister
LEFT: Father John Brown has been a Glenmary missioner for more than 40 years. His latest assignment brings him to Martin County, N.C. BELOW: Father John talks with parishioners from Holy Trinity Catholic parish in Williamston.
A Priest to Call Their Own holy trinity: year one story by john stegeman For more than two centuries, scattered Catholics have lived in Martin County, N.C., served by religious sisters and a stream of visiting priests. For the past year, the people have had something they never had before—a resident priest. Glenmary took over Holy Trinity in October of 2018, with Bishop Luis Zarama of Raleigh installing Father John Brown as the parish’s first full-time resident pastor. Martin County, N.C., was incorporated in 1797. History tells of early Masses in train cars, travelling chapels, homes and even a prisoner-of-war camp before Holy Trinity Catholic Church was established in 1951 in Williamston, the county seat. The parish has had ups and downs, but in recent years many of the ministries associated with the mission had dried up. Even confirmation instruction had ended. 8
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Things started to pick up in 2017 when Father Michael Burbank, from nearby, became pastor of Holy Trinity and two other parishes. Despite Father Michael’s best effort, there was only so much time in a day. “We have always wanted someone here full-time,” said Betty Dugger, chairwoman of Holy Trinity’s parish council. “The last priest that we had here had three churches, so we didn’t have the chance to stay and talk with him. He had to rush from one church to another church. “We can reach out to [Father John] at any time,” she added. “If there is someone sick and he needs to know about it we can pick up the phone and call him. We really love having a full-time priest. He can visit the sick, and he does, whether they are home or in the hospital. He always makes time for that.”
We can reach out to [Father John] at any time...We really love having a fulltime priest. He’s hopeful that will increase when the parish increases from one bilingual Sunday Mass to having one Mass in English and one in Spanish. He’s also encouraged parishioners to volunteer at food banks run by local Protestant churches, and he’s added a Bible study. “We never had a Bible study before,” Dugger said. “A lot of parishioners really wanted that, and he instituted that this past April.” Father John takes his motivation as a Glenmarian from a passage in Romans, specifically Romans 10:14. “But how can they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach?” One year into his life at a new mission, the people of Holy Trinity are glad to have someone to preach fulltime by word and example. BELOW: Holy Trinity Catholic Church is a small but vibrant faith community. Before Glenmary assigned Father John Brown to the parish, it had never had a full-time priest in residence. Here the parish gathers for a group photo.
photo by holy trinity facebook page
For Glenmary, taking on Holy Trinity as a new mission made sense. Glenmary Home Missioners operate two missions near Martin County. St. Joan of Arc in Plymouth, N.C., and Holy Spirit in Windsor, N.C., are both within 25 miles. “It’s a small rural church that was really struggling,” Father John said. “The previous pastor was doing a lot at three churches. He was delighted [Glenmary arrived] because he felt he wasn’t physically able to give people the ministry that they deserved here. At the same time, it freed him up to do more at his other two parishes.” When Father John arrived, Holy Trinity was on the upswing, but problems remained. The lack of religious education in years past plagued young people’s understanding of God. There was no formal outreach to the poor and there was no adult education. Not all of those things have been addressed thus far, but Father John is learning more about his mission every day. “I’m still very much a new priest here,” Father John said. “I’m getting to know them by talking to them individually, by visits to their homes, but predominantly by living through things with them. I’m getting to know them by baptizing their kids, by some marriage instructions, and living through the liturgical seasons with them that are set up to help us enter the mystery of Christ’s incarnation.” Martin County is home to fewer than 23,000 souls, with about 5,500 living in Williamston. Like most Glenmary missions, Holy Trinity is small, Father John says about 100 people come to Mass each weekend.
Faith on Parade
christmas in bertie county story + photos by john feister Every year during the weeks leading up to Christmas, Glenmary’s Holy Spirit mission in Windsor, North Carolina, provides a treat for the community. Actually the whole community of Windsor, in Bertie County, is either lining the streets or marching with their own organization in the annual Christmas parade. But everyone knows that Holy Spirit will show the most, well, spirit. “It’s a good time,” says Glenmary Father Aaron Wessman, pastor at Holy Spirit until his recent election as Glenmary’s First Vice President. He’s talking of all the fun in preparing one of the parade’s stand-out floats, complete with a rock ensemble of keyboard, guitars, drums, singers and colorful Filipino decora-
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tions. “People enjoy themselves,” he says. “People begin to remember that the Catholic church is part of this community, that we’re involved. They look forward to hearing our music every year.” In fact, one year when the parishioners decided not to enter the annual competition for best float, the Chamber of Commerce parade organizers missed them, and awarded them the best float prize—again—anyway. “Which is kinda neat,” Father Aaron says with a smile. Holy Spirit parish boasts a sizeable population of Filipino immigrants, mostly due to an employment opportunity in the local school system. Eastern North Carolina has a notoriously hard time staffing schools: it is a remote area, with very high poverty, where education wasn’t emphasized in the distant past. This is part of the old, plantation-dominated South. So the state of North Carolina set up an incentive program to recruit teachers. The result in Windsor is an impressive population of Filipino educators, all Catholic. “Most of us come from one set of islands,” says Monet Baluyot as she and a group of parishioners put lastminute touches to the parade float. The group has been working on the float in the evenings over the past few weeks. What islands? “Cebu, Bohol, …” she lists the names of a handful of islands that the teachers, their friends and family are from, “and they speak a common native language, Bisaya.” But there’s not much time to talk: her mind and others’ are more on the project at hand. This is a forward-looking group. At one end of the parade float you’ve got Glenmary Brother Virgil Siefker helping place a large, paper star 12
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onto a bamboo plant, a popular Filipino Christmas decoration. The ornamental paper star, a parol, is symbolic of the Star of Bethlehem. There are stars on lots of bamboo plants, all mounted on the float and the white Ford pickup truck that will tow it in the parade. The truck’s bed is jammed with loudspeakers, amplifiers, a generator to run it all; the float has crowded seating for the Santa-hat-clad musicians. The project is being coordinated by Boy Baluyot, Monet’s husband, whose driveway the float sits in. Father Aaron hops aboard for one final music rehearsal, coming off of a stepladder where, in clerics and Santa Claus hat, he has been hanging paper stars. A few men have hitched the float to the pickup truck. Now the guitarist, Froilan Romero, has shown up, and the drummer, and bass player, and a few vocalists. It’s a cheerful scene, if a bit rushed. Sound checks are underway as the group starts singing a song that will keep popping up during the parade, “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.” Father Aaron seems at home with microphone in hand. Monet says that when the judges wouldn’t let Holy Spirit drop out to the competition for best float, she realized what a presence they had become in the community. “There are only a few Catholics in this place,” she says, “and they don’t know much about us. So this is our way of letting them know that we’re here. I really enjoy this!” She adds that Father Aaron has one of the best singing voices in the group. “It creates a greater sense of unity for us, the parish, as we go through the process,” says Father Aaron. “They’ve
There are only a few Catholics in this place, and they don't know much about us. So this is our way of letting them know we're here!"
LEFT: Father Aaron Wessman, left, and Brother Virgil Siefker hang decorations on Holy Spiritʼs float before Windsorʼs Christmas parade. CENTER: A joyous group of parishioners carry their churchʼs banner in the parade.
been preparing, practicing, planning and executing music for at least a couple of months now. It’s brought us together on several Sunday afternoons and evenings, so we have huge food celebrations. We practiced music. So not only is this big in the Windsor community, but it’s also really a lot of fun.” The big part, aside from the fun, is that it has something to do with the mission of the Church. “Not having our own church building means sometimes not being able to have an appropriate amount of advertising, and this really is advertising for us, it’s a type of evangelization.” After seeing the sign, perhaps for the first time, he notes, “People wonder, and will call and ask questions.” Soon everyone has arrived, squeezed in to their places on the float, to start rehearsing again as the whole affair moves onto the four-lane road heading to town. The highway ride is an adventure in itself, as décor flaps in
the wind, music blares, and Brother Virgil brings up the rear in his own pickup truck. 18-wheel-truck drivers, as they brisk past in the right lane, take long, amused stares at everyone in Santa Claus hats playing instruments and singing their parts as they whisk along. At journey’s end the float takes its place in a parade that will spill out over the next mile. Meanwhile other parishioners gather for a marching contingent—did we mention that this is a big deal for everyone? They carry a large banner proclaiming, “Holy Spirit Catholic Church.” Soon the parade starts, and for the next hour, the population of Windsor who are not in the parade will watch as float after float drifts by. They will enjoy when the Catholic float, the float with the most spirit, that is Holy Spirit, comes by. And they may even notice when Maayong Pasko—“Merry Christmas” is overheard among the marchers.
LEFT: Priests always do more than one job in a mission parish. Here, celebrant Father Aaron also leads singing at Mass. ABOVE: After Mass in the rectory living room, that doubles as worship space, parishioners share fellowship. Winter 2019
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Wait in Joyful Hope an advent reflection
Two types of people in this world wait in different ways: bus people and plane people. This Advent, I hope to be a bus person. Bus people are generally people with time to spare. They don’t think of themselves as important. When a delay occurs, they most often simply wait. Plane people, on the other hand, cannot wait. When a delay occurs they march to the counter with demands to be on time. I hope to be a bus person because I know that the one I wait for has waited for me for eternity. Waiting has a very different meaning for me than it once did. In the past, it was usually a problem; now, it is a gift. Waiting is a time when I am not in control, and that is a lesson this old guy continually needs to learn. I cannot wait faster or slower. And what good is it to avoid waiting by creating distractions? Waiting is waiting. Period. But I wait in hope. The Hope of Christians St. Paul tells us that there are three lasting things: faith, hope, and love. I find it hard to separate hope and faith. When I see one, I see the other. But hope has a character of its own. Hope is not simply an emotion or virtue, it is a way of life. When I think of hope I am reminded of a man I know, Bill, who 14
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has serious health problems. He takes care of his wife, who has serious health problems of her own. All the while he is taking care of two siblings who have intellectual disabilities. In spite of all this, he volunteers at church as much as his health allows. A man of such character, of course, is the rock for his extended family. He lives on hope, and he considers all of it ordinary. I think of an immigrant family who settles in this country full of hope, just as my Irish parents did. An immigrant’s hope will turn one way or the other. Often it is fulfilled because of opportunity, hard work, and prayer. Just as often it is broken because of politics and fear. I consider my own small town, in eastern Tennessee, where I sometimes see a small Protestant church struggling with diminishing membership. Yet the congregation hopes for growth, to be a Christian witness in their community. Sometimes, working among families in the community, we Glenmarians, and our parishes, share that hope in very small ways. I would like to tell you a small story, not one about a church being built or a family finding a home or two churches working together. This small story is a Kingdom story, big in its own way. We were building a house for a family who had several glenmary.org
kids. One daughter, Lee Bob, was about eight. I was very busy one day when Lee came over to me and asked, “Joe, would you like to see my music box?” I was tempted to say “No, I’m busy,” but thanks be to God I said yes! She was all excited as she told me how her dad had gotten the music box for her. He bought it at a local store, used. It played music when it opened, had red velvet inside, and a dancer that moved to the music. It turns out Lee had shared something very precious with me. In her pure and innocent joy, she had to share it. At that moment, she was teaching me about God. She taught me that, although we wait and hope in the big things, such as the house I was repairing, hope is fulfilled in small ways. She taught me this: that the plane person who I am, often going to the counter to solve my problems, needs to be transformed into the bus person, the one who learns to wait for Kingdom stories. That’s what Advent is about. —Brother Joe Steen
The sign out front says it all. Mass is now being celebrated in a new church in Lafayette, Tenn. An overflow tent for the celebration is seen behind the church.
Holy Family a new church
Holy Family parish, in Lafayette, Tenn., dedicated a new church Sept. 21, and people are telling stories. Or at least people were telling stories, lots of them, at the dedication celebration. There was parishioner Faye Fitzpatrick, speaking of the days in 1982 when the first Masses were held in a church building in Macon County. The pastor, Glenmary Father Vic Subb, tells of the years when the most devoted of local Catholics drove 29 country miles, across the state line, to the nearest Catholic parish. Trinita Escobar fondly remembered Carol Kempf and her husband, Bob, both now deceased, two of the founding parishioners. Perhaps the most interesting story is told by parishioner Anna Breeding. She recounts how no one would rent or sell property to Catholics to build a church, how back in the 80s the community settled for a half-constructed church abandoned by its congregation after someone took off with the money. “We really worked hard because we had dirt floors, we had snakes, we had mice…” she could go on. There was the day about 20 years later, in 2003, when Glenmary’s Father Dennis Holly came as the first resident pastor. Soon after, Hispanic families arrived, bringing with them
photos by glenmary archives
story + photos by john feister
ABOVE MIDDLE: In days past Father Dennis Holly was the first pastor of Holy Family parish. ABOVE: The primitive worship space was the parish home from the early 1980s until the construction of the new church.
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life and energy that added steam to the whole effort that led to today’s Mass of Dedication. “When I came here seven years ago, I thought it’d be done in about two years!” says Father Vic, with a chuckle. “But there were complications.” Then there was the capital campaign, a two-year effort that was boosted by the local Catholics and by Glenmary donors. When enough local funds were secure, the diocese contributed as well. “But here we are,” says Father Vic, with a hint of pride. “Macon County knows we’re here now. It’s a permanent place in the community.” The parish started small, brought together all sorts of people, and depended upon generosity from all over. Fitzpatrick and Chris Fessenden co-chaired the capital campaign. “The goal was a million dollars,” says Fitzpatrick, who also is Parish Council president. “We raised $600,000 locally.” There were bake sales and cultural festivals, of course. And there were longer-term commitments: “Parishioners made three-year pledges,” she explains. Those three years will be complete in March 2020. The rest came from supporters from afar. The building itself is designed with the future in mind. This main area seats about 220 people, explains parishioner Frank Landry, dressed today in his Knights of Columbus regalia. Near the entrance, the baptismal font came from a donation in memory of Mary Kimball, a young woman who died suddenly, from a previously unknown heart condition, in 2016. “She was an activist for the unborn,” recalled her father, Tom Kimball. “What better memorial could there be?” The sanctuary has a beautiful altar. The substantial, well-crafted pews came from an Indiana Baptist church, explains Father Vic. “We spent hours and hours refinishing them.” A large room before the sanctuary doubles as space for community events, and for overflow seating when needed, something that everyone here seems to expect. “We’re hoping that more people will come,” explains Fay Fitzpatrick, “both non-practicing Catholics who come back, and those we can convert to Catholicism, (continued on page 18) LEFT: Parishioners and clergy, including the Bishop of Nashville J. Mark Spalding, celebrate on dedication day at Holy Family Catholic Church in Lafayette, Tenn. There was worship, laughter, food, fellowship and even a moment of healing prayer for the Kimball family at the new baptismal font. 16
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Wise Missioner
interviews on glenmary spirituality
father bob dalton :
‘ god
A journalist once called him a “circuit riding priest.” The writer was speaking of Father Bob Dalton’s service to a number of parishes in northeastern Mississippi, reminiscent of horseback-riding Methodist ministers of old. It’s a fitting comparison. Since he came to Glenmary in 1957, Father Bob’s circuit has taken him from colleges to parishes, to Glenmary leadership, to official national dialogue with the Southern Baptist Convention, to leading a parish-services partnership among laity, priests and brothers. Q: How did you hear your call? A: This is not an edifying story, but a few months before high school graduation I was sent to the principal’s office. He chewed me out and dismissed me with a wave of the hand. When I got to the door, he said, “Come back here. Think about being a priest. I think you’d make a good one.” I came to Glenmary.
loves you ’
Q: You knew you were called? A: Calls are mysterious, aren’t they? But I attributed a lot to the number of mission magazines that were coming into my childhood home. My mother would save her extra money and send it off to the missions. I’ve never looked back after I joined Glenmary. 57 years as a priest and a heart filled with gratitude! That doesn’t mean there were not hard days. I learned to persevere. Q: Tell me about some of the difficulties that led you to persevere. A: In the 1960s, everything I learned in the seminary was being overturned. When you’re out there living alone, it’s hard to keep up with it. At the same time, the country in the South was in upheaval over civil rights and I didn’t feel adequate to that challenge; I wasn’t prepared. Q: How did you deal with that? A: I was talking to a very wise priest on a regular basis. He kept encouraging me. And the African American folks endorsed what I was doing. Q: It strikes me that you’ve been a good listener over the years. True? A: I think the big part of evangelization is not telling your story until Winter 2019
you’re asked. Just listening to the problems, the crosses, the sorrows, and the joys—there is where God is working in one’s life. From that you can build. Q: For example? A: Immigrants often have a very insecure life. They just at times need somebody to listen, not to tell them what to do—they can solve their problems better than I can. But to know somebody that they know loves and cares goes a long way. Q: You counseled recovering alcoholics. What did you learn? A: I’ll use just one example. I had a large copy of Rembrandt’s “The Prodigal Son” in my living room. During our sessions together, we’d read the story from Luke 15 and then just study the picture. Almost universally what I found was surprise. “God loves me.” So many had love driven away. Q: What spoke to them in that painting? A: I can remember one young fellow, he just stood in front of that picture for the longest time, so long that I was getting very uncomfortable. I thought, O.K., now what do I do? Finally he said, ‘Wow, I’m worth something after all.’” —John Feister GLENMARY CHALLENGE
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(continued from page 16) hopefully. Maybe. But we’re going to grow.” The principal worship space can be expanded into that space, when the time comes. “It’s truly a dream fulfilled,” says Father Vic. “God has been so good. I just think of how long the people waited for this. It will be a great way to reach out even more, a great tool of evangelization.” Diocese of Nashville Bishop J. Mark Spalding rejoiced in the spirit of the community during his homily before the rituals of anointing the altar and other key places around the church. “This church is built of living stones!” he said. “When we’ve heard the Word and when we’ve received the Eucharist, we go outside of this church. You and me, working together, with the Spirit, one in Christ Jesus.” Those living stones will increase. Father Vic counts on the support of Administrator Father Charles Aketch (Glenmarian) and Pastoral Associate Deacon Jose Pineda to help see that happen. There were about 400 people at the first Sunday Masses in the new building (151 English language, 252 Spanish). “We’re going to have ‘What Catholics Believe’ sessions in two weeks,” adds Father Vic. “We’ll advertise in the newspaper, and people are going to come to that.” RCIA is starting late this year, he says, “but we have two people already, and many people who came to the dedication are interested.” Add to that 14 from last Easter and 16 from the Easter before that. “And these were not babies!” he emphasizes. This parish is growing. 18
GLENMARY CHALLENGE
letters to the editor pass it on
I really enjoy reading your magazine. I enjoy it and then pass it on to friends. Thank you! Joe Tebo · Canton, N.Y. feel the love
I love Glenmary! And I love your magazine. My favorite part is the priest stories. Iʼm blessed and encouraged. My faith is inspired to believe more, trust more and know that God really is near—all the time. I love to hear how the Catholic faith lives in out of the way places. God has it all! Mary King · College Park, Md. your letter here
We hear so many great comments from
readers when our magazine comes up in conversation. One reader told me this magazineʼs four issues make up his four favorite things to read each year. We love hearing these stories, and others do too. Please consider writing a letter to share your thoughts with the world. I hope to hear from you soon! John Stegeman · Challenge Editor
we want your feedback !
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.
This Christmas, Give a Gift to Glenmary! Prayerfully consider partnering with us this Christmas: • • • • •
Make a gift of cash or appreciated assets Join Glenmary’s Monthly Giving Program Make a gift from your IRA Establish a Glenmary Gift Annuity Join us in prayer for Glenmary vocations For more information, contact: Luke Carey, Planned Giving Officer lcarey@glenmary.org 800-935-0975
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T H E W E B S I T E O F C AT H O L I C MISSIONERS TO RURAL AMERICA
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Sounds of the Season Glenmary hosted its annual Christmas Concert Dec. 8. Check out photos from the event featuring Cincinnati Brass Band!
glenmary.org/concert2019 Inside the Life of a Missioner Learn more about our missions and get to know our priests, brothers, and coworkers. One thing’s for sure, life at Glenmary is never boring!
Farm Volunteer Reunion An influential group of volunteers from the 1970s revisit the old Glenmary Farm to share faith journeys.
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facebook.com/glenmary.org #GivingTuesday Update Thanks to all of you who donated on Giving Tuesday in December. Every gift makes an impact. See how your gifts will be used in the missions at:
glenmary.org/gt2019 Spend a Gap-Year with Glenmary To engage in solidarity with the poor, itʼs worth being stranded in Atlanta.
Spend a year serving God and others as a long-term volunteer at our Group Volunteer Program on Joppa Mountain in Tenn. Your life will be changed!
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A Priest Stranded at an Airport
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Missioner Saint Weekly Saints from all times lived the missioner spirit of the Church. Read about a new one every Tuesday.
Are you passionate about supporting the missions? Monthly giving provides a sustained income to continue bringing Godʼs love to rural America!
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Winter 2019
GLENMARY CHALLENGE
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