Extension Magazine - Lumen Christi Edition 2020

catholicextension.org
STORIES OF FAITH FROM CATHOLIC EXTENSION LUMEN CHRISTI 2020
THELIGHTOF
CHRIST
SHINES BRIGHTLY
IN THIS COUNTRY
Lumen Christi Edition

Extension | Lumen Christi 2020 3
S T O R I E S O F F A I T H F R O M C A T H O L I C E X T E N S I O N
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and friends the stories illustrating our mission:
to work in solidarity with people in America’s
poorest regions to build up vibrant and
transformative Catholic faith communities.
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Archbishop of Chicago
VICE CHANCELLOR
Most Reverend Gerald F. Kicanas
Bishop Emeritus of Tucson
PRESIDENT
Reverend John J. Wall
VICE CHAIR OF COMMITTEES and SECRETARY
Elizabeth Hartigan Connelly
BOARD MEMBERS
Most Reverend Gerald R. Barnes
Bishop of San Bernardino
Most Reverend Steven Biegler
Bishop of Cheyenne
Dr. Arturo Chávez
John W. Croghan
Most Reverend Daniel E. Flores, STD
Bishop of Brownsville
Most Reverend Curtis J. Guillory, SVD
Bishop of Beaumont
The Honorable James C. Kenny
Most Reverend Robert N. Lynch
Bishop Emeritus of St. Petersburg
Peter J. McCanna
Andrew J. McKenna
Michael G. O’Grady
Christopher Perry
Karen Sauder
Pamela Scholl
Most Reverend Anthony B. Taylor
Bishop of Little Rock
Most Reverend George L. Thomas
Bishop of Las Vegas
Most Reverend William A. Wack, CSC
Bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee
Edward Wehmer
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COVER STORY
2020 Lumen
Christi Award
honorees 6
Father Ron Foshage is Catholic
Extension’s 2020-21 Lumen Christi
Award recipient. In the Catholic
Extension-supported diocese of
Beaumont, the humble pastor has
worked to rebuild a community
torn apart by a horrible act of
violence and racism. He spends
his days helping his flock in small
gestures that speak volumes.
COVER PHOTO PIXABAY
BUILD
Finding light in the darkness 6
LUMEN CHRISTI AWARD | Our seven finalists and recipient
are beacons of light in this difficult year
Forging a path for reconciliation 8
LUMEN CHRISTI AWARD | Missionary priest heals division in
a hurting community
INSPIRE
A champion for the voiceless 16
LUMEN CHRISTI AWARD | Healthcare worker provides tireless
love and care for severely disabled children and adults
Bringing hope to troubled kids 20
LUMEN CHRISTI AWARD | Retired social worker still
devotes herself to serve at-risk Native American
families and children
IGNITE
Breaking ground on God’s plan 24
LUMEN CHRISTI AWARD | Couple builds vibrant Catholic
ministry with Hispanic community in Kentucky
The light shined over Kingstree 26
ROOTS | Looking back at the women who overcame
religious prejudice to serve the residents of Kingstree,
South Carolina
Letter from Father Wall 4
Introducing Two by Two Back cover

4
Letter from Father Wall
Extension |Lumen Christi 2020 5
When good people come together in faith, their light radiates through the darkness
Dear Friends,
So often people
ask me, “Just
what does
Catholic Extension
do?” I
tell them, “We
do one thing.
We build up
and strengthen
vibrant Catholic faith
communities in the poorest
places of our country.”
We are doing this with you
because we’re absolutely
convinced
that bringing good people
together in faith transforms
lives. Watch what happens:
We change and the world
changes! We become more
deeply our truest selves, and
we become more genuinely
connected to each other and
to the world around us. And
this happens because we encounter
the life-giving presence
of God’s transforming
love within us.
You and I, as part of Catholic
Extension, are living witnesses
to the fact that God
is up to something beautiful
and good and hopeful in
the poorest Catholic faith
communities in the United
States. In this pandemic
and distressful moment
in history, we are especially
blessed to be walking and
working alongside of some
remarkable women and men
who are doing God’s work of
mercy and hope among our
brothers and sisters who are
suffering the most.
This is especially true of
those who have been nominated
for our Lumen Christi
Award, Catholic Extension’s
highest national honor.
Each of this year’s seven
finalists and our recipient
share in common something
that I hope you see when
you read their inspiring stories.
In each of their jour-
neys, there were moments
when the outlook for their
own lives or the dreams of
their community seemed utterly
hopeless, painfully improbable
or completely lost.
But through perseverance
and a trust in the power of
God at work in their hearts,
new and wonderful transformations
came about.
The stories of these diverse
Lumen Christi finalists
from across the country are
yet one more reminder that
our mission at Catholic Extension
is not about creating
a Church that is trying to escape
challenges or skirt trying
circumstances. Rather,
we are building faith communities
that plunge headfirst
and heartfirst into the
deepest wounds and greatest
obstacles of life. They know
that their light can shine
brighter than any darkness
around them.
St. Paul tells the Philippian
community that they “shine
like lights in the world.” And,
in reflecting on how God is
working through them, he
realizes “I did not run in vain
or labor in vain.”
Neither do we run in vain.
We have been given a mission
by God, who calls each
of us by name—to be instruments
of peace, advocates
of mercy and bearers of joy
“We are especially blessed to be
walking and working alongside
of some remarkable women and
men who are doing God’s work
of mercy and hope among our
brothers and sisters who are
suffering the most.”
and reconciliation in a world
beset by so much chaos and
cruelty.
So often when we think
that things are coming to an
end, God has already envisioned
a brand-new beginning.
God is up to something
is us, in our families, in our
children, in our Church and
in our world. Just watch what
happens!
We are so grateful for
your support, which enables
Catholic faith communities
of great aspiration
and unquenchable empathy
to transform our country
and our world through acts of
love both big and small.
May God bless you and all
whom you love.
Rev. John J. Wall
PRESIDENT, CATHOLIC EXTENSION

Extension | Lumen Christi 2020 7
INSPIRE Features of faith
LUMEN CHRISTI RECIPIENT 8 | LUMEN CHRISTI FINALISTS 12
DEACON JAMES AND DOROTHY BENNETT
LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY
2020 HAS BEEN A DIFFICULT YEAR. Our
country is in the depths of a pandemic, suffering
from devastating hurricanes and wildfires,
reckoning with its past and current struggles
with systemic racism, and enduring ceaseless
political battles in a landmark election
year. Amidst the chaos, in the valiant efforts
of everyday people of the Church, the light of
Christ shines bright as ever in America.
With the help of our donors, Catholic
Extension works in solidarity with the poor,
building up vibrant and transformative faith
communities all across America. Each year,
these communities nominate someone who
embodies the “light of Christ” for our Lumen
Christi Award. From this year’s nominees,
we honor seven outstanding finalists and one
remarkable recipient. Hailing from all corners
of this country—East Texas to Maine, southern
Alabama to the northern reaches of Wisconsin—they
are shining examples of Catholic
service and love. These individuals tirelessly
inspire new generations to find their faith,
improve community relationships and provide
life-saving care for the most vulnerable
among us.
Though they have devoted their lives to
the service of others for years upon years, we
need them now more than ever. We hope
you are inspired by these heroes in our midst,
and know that, together, by strengthening our
presence of faith, generosity and love, there
are better days ahead.
2020 u 2021
Finding light in the darkness
Lumen
Christi
AWARD
FATHER KEN SCHMIDT AND SHARON FROOM
KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN
BLUETTE PUCHNER
SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN
FATHER RON FOSHAGE, M.S.
BEAUMONT, TEXAS
VINA NGUYEN
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA
SISTER TERRY GAUVIN, SCIM
PORTLAND, MAINE
TIM MCGREE
YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
BRENDA WITHERS HICKS
MOBILE, ALABAMA

8
INSPIRE
Lumen Christi Recipient
Extension | Lumen Christi 2020 9
PHOTO GUISEPPE BARRANCO | BEAUMONT ENTERPRISE
On an early Sunday
morning
in June of
1998, James
Byrd Jr., a wellliked
49-year
old Black man,
was making his way home on
foot in the East Texas town of Jasper.
In a veiled gesture of friendship,
three white men in a pickup
truck stopped and offered him a
ride. One of the men was familiar
to Byrd, so he accepted.
Instead of being driven home,
Byrd was taken to a back road
where the men set upon him, beat
him with a baseball bat, spraypainted
his face and taunted him.
Huff Creek Road in
Jasper, Texas, where
James Byrd Jr. was
killed in a hate crime.
FATHER RON FOSHAGE, M.S. | DIOCESE OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS
MISSIONARY PRIEST
HEALS A HURTING
COMMUNITY
Forging a path for
Heartlessly, they then
chained Byrd by the ankles
to the back of the pickup
truck and took off driving,
dragging him three miles
to his death, dismembering
his limbs and pulling
his head from his body
along the way. In a final
act of racist brutality, they
dumped what remained
of his lifeless body on the steps of
an African American church to be
discovered later that morning by
churchgoers arriving for services.
It was a hate crime of unfathomable
proportions that shook the
community, shocked the nation
and catapulted the tiny town of
Jasper to international headlines
that labeled it as brazenly racist.
With people divided and broken,
a quiet Catholic priest accepted
God’s call to be His instrument of
healing and reconciliation.
That priest was Father Ron
Foshage, a member of the Missionaries
of La Salette, who has been
2020 u 2021
Lumen
Christi
AWARD
RECIPIENT
Father Ron
Foshage pays
his respects
at the grave of
James Byrd Jr.
reconciliation
selected as Catholic Extension’s
2020-21 Lumen
Christi Award recipient.
In the Catholic Extension-supported
diocese of
Beaumont, Father Foshage
leads five parishes, including
St. Michael’s in Jasper.
Looking back, it’s not
all that unusual that Father
Foshage found himself in
the center of rebuilding a community
torn apart by what occurred in
Jasper that terrible night.
The religious congregation of
missionary priests and brothers
to which Father Foshage belongs
has a special “charism” of reconciliation.
This means that wherever
they are called to serve in
the world, they act as facilitators
and promoters of reconciliation
through their ministry.
“The Jasper Priest”
When he first came to Jasper 35
years ago, Father Foshage himself
encountered prejudice, as Catholics
were the minority. Rather than
greet the man wearing the Roman
collar, folks often just turned their
heads the other way. Undeterred,
Father Ron Foshage
with a fellow member
of the Ministerial
Alliance, Reverend
Kenneth Lyons.
the priest simply began showing
up at community events around
town.
He explained his determination
in working to gain the trust of the
community. “I came up as a priest
during the Second Vatican Council,
when Pope John XXIII underscored
the importance of learning
about and respecting other
religions. I studied the Methodist,
Baptist and Episcopalian traditions—and
many others, even
attending their services. The local
pastors were impressed by my
knowledge and understanding of
their liturgies. They invited me to
join their Ministerial Alliance, and
that became a turning point in my
relationship with the entire town.”
Soon, he was embraced as
“Father Ron, the Jasper priest.” He
quickly became involved in the
Alliance. Even before the horrific
murder of James Byrd Jr., he was
working to bring people together,
regardless of color or religion,
through an annual event held at St.
Michael’s, “Sing with One Voice,”
a multi-denominational concert
today in its 30th year.
The James Byrd Jr. tragedy
By Sunday evening following
the crime, three suspects were in
police custody. On Monday, rumors
of a hate crime ran rampant. There
was shock and disbelief. Events
spiraled quickly as national and
international media and rallying
groups including the Ku Klux
Klan (KKK) and Black Panthers
descended on the courthouse
square. Jasper, a Christian town
of 8,000 people and 54 churches,
was “under siege.”
“It was terrifying and heart-

10 INSPIRE
Lumen Christi Recipient
Extension | Lumen Christi 2020 11
breaking all at once,” said Father
Foshage. “We had been a community,
friends and neighbors,
worshipping together, working
together and living peacefully
together. Now, our African American
residents felt a need to arm
themselves against our white residents.
Tears rolled down my
cheeks as I heard the KKK repeatedly
scream hate over their loud
speakers. I felt sorry to be of their
same race.”
In the aftermath, the Ministerial
Alliance, led by Father Foshage and
the Reverend Kenneth Lyons, Pastor
of the Greater New Bethel Baptist
Church, which was attended
by Byrd and his family, began to
work to heal the deep wounds and
divide. Father Foshage said, “We
had no answers, but we were all
asking the same question: why—
how could something like this take
place in our town.”
Father Foshage and Pastor Lyons
brought the community together
in prayer and dialogue. “Countless
discussions,” according to Father
Foshage. “We opened our very soul
and examined our community to
see what needed to be changed
and how we transform the evil
ingrained in the lives of some.”
Father Foshage attributes the
Ministerial Alliance with helping
the people of Jasper endure the
extremely difficult days, weeks
and months as they buried James
Byrd, Jr. and lived through the trials
of three murderers. “The Alliance
had been together for many
years before the crime. Our relationships
with one another
became the glue that held us
together. We were hurting, not
hating.”
ABOVE Father Ron
Foshage offers holy
Communion at one of
the parishes he leads.
He travels hundreds
of miles each week to
celebrate Mass.
RIGHT Father Ron
Foshage speaks at a
prayer vigil for
James Byrd Jr. in
Jasper, Texas.
Our Lady of
La Salette in
Kirbyville, Texas,
was built with the
help of a Catholic
Extension grant in
1986. Father Ron
Foshage leads
the faithful parish
today, in addition
to four other
mission parishes.
The consoler in the courtroom
Ronald King, the father of one
of the accused, was a frail, elderly
and ill man who attended St.
Michael’s from time to time but
was not Catholic. When Father
Foshage learned that none of
King’s three other children would
be attending the trial, he asked
him if he wanted someone to sit
with him in the courtroom. “The
look on his face said it all,” according
to Father Foshage. Without the
priest by his side, the heartbroken
King would have been all alone
through the ordeal.
His support of King was remarkable
enough, yet Father Foshage
would also be called to minister
to the prosecuting attorney,
Guy James Gray, who was a practicing
Catholic and member of
St. Michael’s. As Gray introduced
haunting pieces of evidence, one
ABOVE LEFT The worn and dirty shoes of Father Ron Foshage show his work extends much beyond the church walls. ABOVE RIGHT Father Ron Foshage
mows the lawns of the poor and elderly in his community.
after another, his priest sat steps
away consoling an often sobbing
King. “Sometimes, it was like walking
a tightrope,” explained Father
Foshage.
At the time Gray said, “Father
Ron was not trying to send a message,
but if there is one in it, it
is that we have got to help each
other and to forgive the hate and
anger.” Gloria Mays, the publisher
of an African American newspaper
in East Texas also commented,
“I am not going to say all Blacks
and whites get along because they
don’t, but Father Ron’s outstanding,
caring position during this trial
is an inspiration to what Jasper can
become.”
A year following the trial, Ronald
King converted to Catholicism.
A message of reconciliation
Since the trial, Father Foshage
has traversed the country as a leading
voice against racism and hate
crimes. In 1999, he spearheaded
the dismantling of a 163-year-old
fence that separated Black and
white graves in the city cemetery.
Later that year, the U.S. Department
of Justice honored his work
to improve race relations.
Father Foshage’s testimony
before legislators helped to bring
about the James Byrd Jr. Hate
Crimes Prevention Act, which
became federal law in 2009, as the
Matthew Shepard and James Byrd
Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. In
January of this year, he was named
Jasper’s “Citizen of the Year.”
Father Foshage fully embraces
his congregation’s charism of reconciliation,
but admits, “I never
thought I would be called to live it
out in such a visible way.”
Embodying the light of Christ
Out of the spotlight, Father Foshage
is a selfless servant of Christ,
working to provide housing to
homeless veterans, delivering groceries
to the elderly or ministering
to the imprisoned. “The priest is
tireless,” states one of his nominations
for the Lumen Christi Award.
Another nomination indicates a
single measure makes a profound
case for his recognition. “In a word,
mileage,” it reads. “Father Foshage
makes weekly 1,000-mile sojourns
to celebrate six Masses.”
Father Foshage is frequently
acknowledged as a “good and
grateful” steward, often reminding
the faithful of Our Lady of La
Salette, one of the small parishes
he leads in Kirbyville, Texas, that it
was the donors of Catholic Extension
who made the church possible
providing a building grant.
And then there are lawns.
He cuts more than 30 a week.
“I started doing it on my own
to save the parish money,” said
Father Foshage. “But then some
folks around town started telling
those in need to ‘Go see Father
Ron. He helps the poor.’ And I am
reminded that Pope Francis says
we need to smell like our sheep.
Well, cutting the grass, I sure do. I
am grateful for that.”

12
INSPIRE
Lumen Christi Finalist
Extension | Lumen Christi 2020 13
They’ve made a run
for it, arriving in the
company of law
enforcement with
broken bones, bad
bruises and deep
emotional scars. They come with
no cell phone, no money, no ID,
nor family to speak of. In every instance,
they’re shattered and terrified.
They are the victims of trafficking,
a form of modern-day
slavery with a human toll of thousands
each year. Most are vulnerable
women across all 50 states,
including the seemingly tranquil
state of Maine.
From the darkness they come
into the caring light of Sister Terry
Gauvin, SCIM, a nurturing nun who
has served as interim director of
Saint Andre Home and Courage-
LIVES, a safe house and treatment
program for survivors of human
trafficking in central Maine.
Safe in the care of Saint Andre’s
located in the Diocese of Portland,
Maine, they experience Sister Terry
and her team’s steady love and the
practical wisdom needed to heal
while restoring the self-esteem
and self-sufficiency
needed to rebuild their lives.
The familiar faces of human
trafficking
With 200-300 women in
Maine being trafficked each year,
Sister Terry cannot help but worry
every time she sees a posting about
a missing teenage girl. “It’s
not just in the big cities,” she
explained. “It’s not just vulnerable
immigrants. In fact, here in
Maine, most are U.S. born. Some
are just 14 years old. They look like
the girl next door.”
It often begins with victims
experiencing a troubled home
life being lured from the streets
or the internet by a trafficker who
at first, appears helpful and caring.
“They initially are showered
with love, food and gifts,” said Sister
Terry. “But soon, the trafficker
has taken their cell
phone, any ability to
connect with the outside
world and their
identification. If they
were working, they
lose their job. And,
to ensure complete
control over the victim,
the trafficker will
addict them to drugs.”
Nearly all survivors
endure sexual and physical
abuse. One girl currently
recovering at Saint Andre’s
had been sold on the internet
to the highest bidder.
Empowering survivors
Saint Andre’s can accommodate
up to five women at a time,
all of whom have been referred by
Homeland Security, the FBI or perhaps
the local jail. “Every victim
has her own unique situation and
needs,” according to Sister Terry.
“What they share in common is a
trauma so devastating, it requires
SISTER TERRY GAUVIN, SCIM |
DIOCESE OF PORTLAND, MAINE
Lighting a
path to freedom
a complete rebuilding of
their lives.”
And that’s where the
CourageLIVES program
comes in. Created in 2015
through a start-up grant
from a local foundation,
the program is Maine’s first
and only residential treatment
program for victims
of human trafficking. “We
provide food, clothing and shelter
in an unidentified location for
the safety of the women who live
there,” said Sister Terry. “More than
that however, is a comprehensive
and wholistic care plan that
includes detox for those
who need it, educational
assistance, job training
and on-going long-term
support, which is crucial.”
The women may
stay anywhere from six
months to slightly more
than a year if necessary.
“We want to be sure they
feel like they are completely
ready to live again,” said
Sister Terry. “It takes a lot of courage.
It’s tough after all they’ve been
through.”
Now in its fifth year, the program
is credited with having
helped nearly 100 survivors. Sister
Terry recently stepped down
from active operations but remains
a presence in the program by regularly
volunteering.
“They are the bravest people I
know,” she said. “My prayer is that
they live the life they want, grasping
on to the strengths and stamina
we’ve helped them develop.”
Sister Terry Gauvin, SCIM, works to help survivors of human trafficking, and to spread awareness
about its warning signs.
Spot the warning signs
Knowing these signs of human
trafficking is a key step in identifying
victims and helping them
find the assistance they need.
• Appears malnourished |
shows sign of physical abuse
• Avoids eye contact, social interaction
and authority figures
• Adheres to scripted or rehearsed
responses
• Lacks official identification
documents
2020 u 2021
Lumen
Christi
AWARD
FINALIST
• Appears destitute | lacks personal
possessions
• Works excessively long hours |
lives at place of employment
• Checks into hotels with older
males, referring to them as
boyfriend or “daddy”
• Small children serving in a family
restaurant
• Not allowed to go into public
alone or speak for themselves.
The National Human Trafficking Hotline
is available 24 hours a day to
provide help and information. Call
the hotline toll free at 1-888-373-7888.
Saying “Yes” to God
Sister Terry has dedicated more
than 50 years to the care of vulnerable
women and children. In
1966, she joined the Servants of
the Immaculate Heart of Mary
(more commonly known as the
Good Shepherd Sisters of Quebec)
a community of women religious
whose ministries primarily serve
women, children and the poor.
Catholic Extension has funded the
work of The Good Shepherd Sisters
for a number of years.
After earning bachelor’s
degrees in sociology and psychology,
and becoming a licensed
social worker, she began working
with troubled and neglected children,
as well as pregnant women
who were struggling. It was
rewarding work, but God was calling
her again, this time to teaching.
Though hesitant, she said “yes,”
eventually earning a master’s
degree in education administration
and becoming a school principal.
She continued to say “yes”
to wherever she was being called,
and work in school counseling,
youth and campus ministry and
faith formation followed.
“Looking over my life, I can see
it now it,” she said, noting it was
challenging ministries that prepared
her to lead the transformational
work of Saint Andre and
CourageLIVES.
The one thing that has remained
constant over the years is
Sr. Terry’s infectious personality
and her ability to smile. In spite of
all the hardship she has witnessed
in ministry, she continues to radiate
joy and love.

14 INSPIRE
Lumen Christi Finalist
Extension | Lumen Christi 2020 15
In Washington’s Yakima
Valley in the mid-1980s, it
looked like the dream of a
Catholic high school would
be extinguished forever for
local families. Enrollments
had declined, the sisters who had
staffed the schools were no longer
there and operational costs wereincreasingly
prohibitive.
The future looked dark, but a
man with a dream, aligned with
a famously determined bishop,
changed the course of history for
the many working class and minority
families that call Yakima
Valley home.
Tim McGree, a lifelong resident
with countless familial ties to the
community and the diocese, rallied
to action. He, along with his
parents, his siblings and his children,
had all enjoyed the benefits
of attending Catholic schools
through high school. He knew
very well what would be lost by
cutting off the option of a Catholic
education in his community, one
that was poor, but rich in faith.
Working together with the
bishop of Yakima at the time (the
late Francis Cardinal George of
Chicago) and the De La Salle Christian
Brothers, Tim helped open La
Salle High School, a private Catholic
school, in 1998. The vision of
the school was to provide students
a complete education that instilled
Catholic values while ensuring
anyone who wanted to attend
could do so regardless of their ability
to pay.
TIM MCGREE |
DIOCESE OF YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
Growing hope through
education in Yakima Valley
Education for all
A proud, Irish Catholic who admittedly
does not easily take no
for an answer, McGree relies heavily
on his faith, his education and
his creativity to raise the scholarships
needed to fulfill the school’s
mission.
His approach is simple but impactful.
When faced with a difficult situation,
he responds with “What
are the challenges?” then “let’s remove
them.”
Some of the students in the Yakima
Valley can live up to 40 miles
away from La Salle High School.
Many of their parents work in the
fields with limited income. At first,
they saw Catholic school as expensive
and lacking in diversity.
But McGree believed that the
school should reflect its community.
So, he got creative,
starting close to home. The
Yakima Valley is known
for its optimal conditions
for growing hops. He
transformed acres of the
school’s land into fields,
growing hops that resulted
in hundreds of thousands
of dollars for scholarships
each year.
Since 63 percent of students
receive tuition assistance,
McGree is charged with raising
over $1 million each year from
fundraisers and securing additional
funding from grants. In
2019, $4.1 million in tuition assistance
was distributed.
He also invested in vans and
drivers to help children in remote
areas, including the Yakima Nation
reservation, get to class. Now,
the student body of 240 students
includes 45 percent Hispanic children,
30 percent of whom live below
the poverty line.
“I have worked with Tim for 19
2020 u 2021
Lumen
Christi
AWARD
FINALIST
years and have witnessed firsthand
his tireless commitment … he has
passionately worked to lead our
young school to long-term sustainability,”
said Ted Kanelopoulos,
principal of the school.
Catholic Extension has
helped the school’s journey.
Our support enabled
them to work with Notre
Dame ACE Consulting to
learn strategies for school
advancement. They also
participated in Catholic
Extension’s Latino Enrollment
Initiative in 2018 for
training on how to attract
and serve Latino students more effectively.
Prepared for the pandemic
This spring when the coronavirus
pandemic shut down schools
across the country, La Salle High
School had already equipped their
students with the technology
needed for remote learning.
This school had begun the transition
nine years before COVID-19
made it necessary. Rebecca Garza,
director of admissions, said this
made the transition to remote
learning nearly seamless. Be-
Tim McGree
attends an event
supporting
Catholic
education
in central
Washington.
cause of this foresight, staff attention
could instead be spent on the
well-being of their students.
A few months later, when they
reopened for summer school, kids
arrived wearing masks and looking
nervous. But McGree was by their
side, reminding them that they
were all trailblazers.
Garza says that McGree’s coaching
leadership style motivates students
and staff daily. He checks
in with teachers to see what they
need, careful to not overstep the
role of the principal. He is there to
offer encouragement and lead by
example.
McGree has served as the president
of the high school for 22 years
and counting. This past school
year marked 13 years of 100 percent
college acceptance. And just
months after facing a historic pandemic,
staff and 230 students will
be equipped to return for in-person
learning in the fall.
“This is a man who is living
those principles that we are telling
the kids that they need to live,”
said Garza. “They feel seen, they
feel heard, they feel important,”
And that can make all the difference.

16 INSPIRE
Lumen Christi Finalist
Extension |Lumen Christi 2020 17
BRENDA WITHERS HICKS | ARCHDIOCESE OF MOBILE, ALABAMA
A champion for the voiceless
where. Interviews and offers were
rolling in shortly after the bright registered
nurse attained her license as
a nursing home administrator
in 2008. Then came
a call from the Father Purcell
Memorial Exceptional
Children’s Center (FPM)
in Montgomery, Alabama,
located on the grounds of
the historic and hallowed
grounds of the City of St.
Jude, where the marchers
from Selma once rested.
“When I saw the children,
I knew God was opening a
door for me,” said Hicks.
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Living a founder’s vision
Hicks’ recognition as a Lumen
Christi finalist is entirely fitting
given “hope, light and dignity” for
the marginalized in Central Alabama
was the vision of the Center’s
namesake founder, Father Harold
Purcell. FPM was the final piece
of Father Purcell’s dream
known as The City of Saint
Jude, the first Catholic ministry
in Alabama dedicated to
the needs of African Americans.
Although Father Purcell
died in 1952, tens of thousands
of Blacks, poor whites
and other disenfranchised
citizens of Alabama’s capital
continued to be served
through the City of St. Jude, which
today includes a church, social service
center, supportive housing and
FPM.
FPM serves individuals, mostly
children, with severe physical and
developmental disabilities as a
result of birth defects, traumatic
The City of St. Jude, a Catholic parish and institution dedicated to the spiritual, health, social and
educational needs of the community of Montgomery, Alabama.
For the greater part
of the 20th century,
a deep racial divide
existed in Alabama.
One of the most poignant
moments
during that struggle occurred on
the evening of March 24, 1965,
when 25,000 marchers who, having
been bloodied and beaten as
they walked from Selma to Montgomery,
were given sanctuary that
evening on the grounds of a large
multi-ministry Catholic institution
called the City of St. Jude.
From the bleakness of that
moment sprung courage and
determination among Alabama’s
African American citizens that prepared
the way for future advocates
for the voiceless and vulnerable
like Brenda Withers Hicks.
Hicks could have worked anyinjuries
or abuse. They are 58 of the
most vulnerable among us—mostly
non-communicative, all wheelchair
bound, unable to feed themselves,
use the bathroom and in
some cases breathe without the
assistance of a trach tube. Many
have been abandoned by family
who could not or would not care
for them. Brenda has served as
administrator at the Center since
2008. She and her team of 83 professionals
provide round-the-clock
custodial care, medical treatments
and rehabilitative services for the
residents of the center—people of
every race, creed and
corner of the U.S.
But beyond the clinical
care she delivers,
Hick brings compassion,
respect and
above all, love to the
FPM community. “They
are my family,” she
explained.
A tireless servant
Hicks grew up in
a small town in Alabama,
the youngest of
12 in a loving family supportive of
her expressive and creative ways.
When the opportunity at FPM
arose, not even a three-hour commute
to and from the Center could
deter her. Nor did the 12-hourday,
six-days-a-week schedule
demands or substantial clinical
needs of those in her care.
Hicks and her staff are committed
to ensuring each individual
at the Center is not just well
cared for, but experiences the fullness
of life and reaches their Godgiven
potential. “The residents
here really are exceptional,” she
said. “They just want you to love
and care for them. They smile, and
any cares melt away.”
On any given day, Hicks and her
team are engaging the residents
in their therapies,
activities and outings,
which include
Mass on Sundays at
the church on campus.
She explained,
“It’s long hours, but
so rewarding. They
know me, and I have
a relationship with
each one them.”
Because families
are rarely present,
that relationship
extends to birthdays
and holidays. Though Hicks and
the staff earn modest salaries, they
ensure the children have “all the
little extras.” Hicks said, “We see
the faces of our own in their faces.
Dozens of severely disabled
children recieve round-the-clock
love and care at FPM.
We love doing what we do.”
Hicks also goes above and
beyond, spearheading an annual
fundraiser for FPM to offset clinical
expenses not covered by Alabama
Medicaid. Physical, occupational
and speech therapies for residents
in long-term facilities are among
those services not reimbursed. The
event, a golf outing, brings in about
$100,000 each year.
Hicks explained how access to
the therapies can make all the difference.
“One of our little girls here
had suffered a stroke as a result
of being abused and was unable
to move her arms and legs. We
worked with her, and she grew
more and more determined. She
learned how to walk, she says a few
words, and now she is running the
place. We pushed her to learn, and
she pushed us to do our best and
we have a success story now.”
Bursting at the seams
Early in Hicks’ career at FPM,
children would “age out” when
they turned 18 and, under the law,
require a transfer from the Center
to an adult facility. When Hicks
learned children who previously
lived at FPM were dying at the facilities
to which they had been transferred,
she successfully lobbied the
state for approval to care the residents
of FPM regardless of their age.
As a result of Hicks’ leadership,
FPM enjoys an outstanding reputation
and is at capacity. Like FPM’s
founder, Hicks too has a vision to
expand FPM so that more children
can benefit from the care delivered
there.
“God loves them more than anything,”
she said. “And I think they
see and feel that here.”

18 INSPIRE
Lumen Christi Finalist
Extension | Lumen Christi 2020 19
VINA NGUYEN | DIOCESE OF SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA
A dream fulfilled
Vina Nguyen helps students in the
Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth
Movement become leaders of
faith themselves.
In 1975, when the war with
the United States had
ended, the local Vietnamese
who had fought alongside
the Americans against
the communist forces
were rounded up and taken into
custody. Among them was a Catholic
young man who, imprisoned
for seven years, wondered if his
life had essentially ended before it
ever really began.
Little did he know, there was
an American dream waiting to be
fulfilled.
A humanitarian resettlement
initiative was endorsed by President
Ronald Reagan, who said in
1981, “We shall also, with other
countries, continue to share in the
responsibility of welcoming and
resettling those who flee oppression.”
The young man, released from
prison after seven years, was
among the refugees coming to
America. He brought his wife and
children with him. Once settled,
they welcomed another daughter,
the only one to be born in the U.S.
She grew up trying to figure out
what it meant to be a Vietnamese
American Catholic. Eventually,
she realized she could embrace all
of these identities, and was eager
to show other young people in her
community how they too could
embrace their Catholic faith and
their Vietnamese heritage within
the context of their experience as
Vina Nguyen is the vice president of the
Sacramento chapter of the Vietnamese
Eucharistic Youth Movement.
Inspiring faith and
preserving culture
Nguyen serves as the vice president
of “Kitô Vua,” or Christ the
King, a chapter of the Vietnamese
Eucharistic Youth Movement
(VEYM), in the Diocese of Sacramento.
The organization was born
in Vietnam and expanded to the
U.S. in 1975. Catholic Extension has
been extensively involved in prochildren
in America.
The young woman is Vina
Nguyen, today a rising, dynamic
leader in the Sacramento chapter
of the national Vietnamese
Eucharistic Youth Movement. She
is overseeing the growing numbers
and vibrancy of a young
crowd: more than 500 students,
ranging in age from 7 to 17. Leading
by example, she is sharing
her Catholic values and Vietnamese-American
pride with
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hundreds of other young people
in Sacramento—where Catholic
Extension supports youth ministry—through
her kindness, enthusiasm
and love for God.
viding funding for similar youth
ministry programs in the diocese.
Nguyen was part of VEYM as a
young girl. After leaving for a brief
period, she was encouraged by
her friends to return, and found
her passion for the Lord rekindled
as she trained to become a youth
leader.
VEYM educates and trains youth
to become great people and excellent
Christians, to guide all youth
in spreading the good news of the
Gospel and to actively be involved
in working for the good of society
through charitable services and
helping others.
“We like to see ourselves as representatives,”
Nguyen said. “It’s one
thing to be Christian and Catholic,
and another to be the face of God.
Actions speak volumes. We hope
to improve the people that we
reach and the lives that we touch.”
On top of her full-time job,
Nguyen dedicates her time, skills,
and love for Jesus to the youth
movement. She helps to organize
the group, support and train their
leaders, and works to stay in touch
with young adults after they have
moved out of the area. She serves
as a bridge between the generational
and cultural gaps unique in
her community and is passionate
about protecting and developing
Vietnamese traditions and cultures.
“Vina is very much family first,
but her ‘family’ is defined not just
by her familial relations, but by
all those who share her faith,” Uli
Schmitt, director of clergy coordination
and formation at the diocese,
said. “She is incredibly kind
and able to bring people together
by just being herself.”
Rising and thriving
She has overseen the difficult
changes brought on by the pandemic,
switching many activities to
online-only and ensuring the students
know that they are still part
of a community and that God is
with them. She took on these additional
responsibilities while the
president went on paternity leave.
“Because of Vina’s intimate
understanding of the challenges
in her community, her love for the
Lord, and her commitment to the
youth, her parish ministry to young
people is thriving,” said Bishop
Jaime Soto of Sacramento.
Nguyen’s openness, energy,
relatability and pure desire to see
young people united and strengthened
by their faith attracts them
to become more actively involved
within the group. She has been
very open about her own early
struggles with staying connected
to her faith and family and has
removed the stigma about talking
about those challenges. By creating
this safe space to discuss experiences
and feelings, she empowers
the members of her group to dig
deep and discover truer connections
to their faith.
The remarkable change in the
students does not go unnoticed.
After retreats or the annual summer
camp, parents will text or
email Nguyen, asking, “Who did I
bring home? Where is my child?
This is the child that I’ve always
dreamed of—being excited for
God.”
“It makes me so, so happy for
them to finally receive that fire
within and to happily show it to
their friends and family,” Nguyen
said.
Nguyen and her father continue
to share a close bond. While
it took him many years to open up
to her about what he endured, she
now fully understands the sacrifices
he and his mother have made
on her behalf. She, for her part,
has squandered nothing, opting
instead to spend her early years of
life bettering herself professionally,
growing in her faith and serving
her community.

20 INSPIRE
Lumen Christi Finalist
Extension | Lumen Christi 2020 21
Divine intervention
may very well be
the only explanation
for how a
young girl raised in
a troubled home
without any presence of religion
can grow up to be an extraordinary
faith leader, loving mother, foster
mom and a transformative force in
the lives of countless at-risk kids.
Bluette Puchner serves the poor,
tribal communities of northern
Wisconsin. Tirelessly working
within the school system and out
in the community as a foster parent
and as a guardian ad litem for
children in the tribal courts of the
St. Croix Band of Ojibwe, Puchner
has quietly and immeasurably
impacted thousands of children
and their families.
For many years, Catholic
Extension has supported ministry
outreach to the Ojibwe peoples in
the Diocese of Superior.
Passion born from
difficult childhood
Puchner’s passion for helping
at-risk children and families
can be traced to growing up in a
home without love and where she
witnessed her mother’s day-to-day
struggles. She also was raised
without religion until a meeting
with a priest as a teenager opened
her eyes to the power of God’s
love. Today, her faith is never
far from her mind. “I’m on my
knees every morning, praying for
our country and for the kids of
our country, because that is our
future,” she said.
She was drawn to social work
and together with her husband
fostered 23 children over a 12-year
period, in addition to raising three
of their own.
Bringing
hope to
troubled
kids
Bluette Puchner
brings love and support
to at-risk children and
families in northern
Wisconsin.
BLUETTE PUCHNER |
DIOCESE OF SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN
As a foster parent, Puchner
would crisscross the state to get the
children to doctors’ appointments,
act as a surrogate parent to address
problems at school and home and
ensure they were well fed and cared
for. It was her shoulder to lean on as
they grew up and out of the system
that these children remember
so fondly, and how her love and
support changed their lives.
One of the children they fostered
was Native American. “The
young lady came from a horrific
background,” Puchner explained.
“Today, she’s a successful social
worker with whom I am in frequent
contact. Her story gives me so much
hope for troubled kids of today.”
Involvement with the State’s
foster care system exposed alarming
truths:
Many of Wisconsin’s Native
American reservations had inadequate
school systems, limited
access to transportation and a
lack of supportive social services.
Amidst abject poverty in a large
number of households, children
were often left to fend for themselves,
and teen pregnancy
and drug use surged.
The guardian
Chatting with a friend
one day about the plight
of Native American kids,
Puchner decided to get
involved as a guardian ad
litem for the St. Croix tribal
council. It’s a demanding
role that involves acting as
the child’s advocate, making
home visits, connecting with
incarcerated parents or kids in
juvenile detention, and reporting
findings back to the court. In short,
Puchner was tasked with ensuring
the children’s best interests are at
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the heart of the court proceedings.
“I was one of three who signed
on in May of that year,” she said.
“By December, I was the only one
left.” Puchner absorbed the council’s
entire caseload—43 families,
some with multiple children.
She was undaunted. “I was
learning so much from the tribal
elders and even more from
the kids. It was hard to
gain their trust because I
am not Native, but I was
diligent and persevered.”
Puchner recalled a
turning point with one
family. “Frustrated, one of
the elders said, ‘Who do
you think you are telling
me how to raise my grandchildren?’
I asked him to
think about his goals for
the children. And I told him mine
were to keep them in school, keep
them safe, healthy and away from
abuse. From that moment on he
accepted me and would teach me
an Ojibwe word whenever I came
to visit. More importantly, word
spread that he respected me, and
that improved my ability to work
more closely with the children.”
Not slowing down
While others may slow down in
retirement, Puchner’s commitment
to the diocese and the families in
her community has only increased.
She is an active member of St. John
the Baptist Parish in Webster, Wisconsin,
a parish built with Catholic
Extension’s help back in 1915. She
also serves as ministry enrichment
coordinator for the Diocese of
Superior.
And her passion to help children
is stronger than ever. Her work on
the state’s STRIVE (Students Taking
Renewed Interest in the Value of
Education) program has helped
countless teens stay in school
and work toward graduation. The
program helps motivate students
and gives them a path to a brighter
future. Many students enter the
program with no credits, but under
her tutelage, earn the credits they
need to graduate.
Puchner makes it clear that
she is not just a social worker or a
do-gooder. Everything that she is
and does emanates from the love
of God that she discovered as a
teenager all those years ago. Perhaps
that is why she has been such
a great friend to so many troubled
teens—she understands that transformation
is possible when a young
person discovers what it means to
be truly loved.
When asked how she possibly
manages to get it all done she
replied, “I believe I have been
called. I draw my strength on my
knees, and God never lets me
down.”

22 INSPIRE
Lumen Christi Finalist
Extension | Lumen Christi 2020 23
Sharon Froom, a mental health
professional, and Father Ken
Schmidt have helped victims of
childhood abuse for nearly 20 years.
Father Ken Schmidt is the co-founder of the Trauma Recovery Program,
and currently serves as the executive director.
SHARON FROOM AND FATHER KEN SCHMIDT |
DIOCESE OF KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN
Offering hopeful future
to trauma victims
The inner turmoil
caused by traumatic
experiences
in one’s childhood
can significantly
alter an individual
from experiencing life in all its fullness.
In fact, research shows that
it can completely change a child’s
trajectory, affecting not only their
emotional development, but also
their physical well-being.
Without treatment, childhood
exposure to traumatic events can
affect the brain and nervous system,
increasing risk of disease or
unhealthy behaviors such as eating
disorders and substance use. Survivors
may also be more likely to
have increased involvement with
the justice or welfare systems.
For nearly 20 years, a mental
health professional and a priest
have helped traumatized victims
of childhood abuse to walk
the journey toward recovery.
What began as a simple idea in
one Kalamazoo, Michigan, parish
has grown into a program—supported
by Catholic Extension—that
is transforming the lives of thousands
of people around the world.
ing a master’s degree in counseling
psychology, brought the issue
to Sharon Froom, a licensed mental
health professional and parish
staff member.
Froom ascertained that to combat
the problem and truly help
these wounded people, they
needed to provide much more
than a simple support group. What
they created became the Trauma
Recovery Program, which quickly
expanded beyond their parish
and into faith communities across
the diocese, free for anyone who
had suffered childhood abuse or
neglect. Catholic Extension support
has enabled the program to be
offered in Spanish as well.
The program is inspired by the
model developed by the psychiatrist
Dr. Colin Ross, which is based
on an understanding of what’s
really going on inside the mind,
heart and the body of a trauma survivor.
The Trauma Recovery Program
provides effective treatment
tools and equips survivors with
strategies to face ongoing challenges.
Certified facilitators teach
the program in small groups in
community-based settings. Attendees
learn to recognize and understand
their responses to childhood
abuse and neglect while gaining
new skills to live healthier lives.
They also learn to recognize their
triggers, manage strong feelings by
More than just a support group
In 2002, the sickening news
of clergy sexual abuse triggered
a need for discussion and help
among parishioners at St. Thomas
More parish in the Diocese of
Kalamazoo—many of whom were
not abused by clergy, but were
traumatized in other ways as children.
The pastor, Father Ken
Schmidt, who was just completcalming
the body’s stress response,
overcome challenges to make
more desirable choices, and accept
grief and understand the power of
forgiveness.
“It’s a new way of looking and
feeling and thinking and
behaving in the world that
they haven’t seen before,”
Fr. Schmidt said. More than
600 people in the Diocese
of Kalamazoo have completed
the program.
Published academic
research has demonstrated
that the participants show
significant improvement
after the sessions, which
they maintain or improve further
over the next few years. “We
really get to see incredible impact
and change of life in a very short
amount of time,” Fr. Schmidt said.
A world of change
Through the Trauma Recovery
Associates, a nonprofit agency they
created that is now led by Father
Schmidt, the program is delivered
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by licensed social workers, marriage
and family therapists, addiction
counselors and nurses, and
has hosted over 175 presentations
and workshops. More than 500
mental health professionals in the
Diocese of Kalamazoo and
more than 6,000 professionals
worldwide have
been trained. The program
now has a presence in 23
U.S. states and seven countries.
It is also the national
program of the Catholic
Church in Ireland.
The program serves
populations who typically
have a root in childhood
trauma as well, such as the incarcerated,
those living at domestic
abuse shelters, refugee families,
and victims of sex trafficking.
With the Diocese of Kalamazoo,
the agency offers trauma healing
programs for the community
at large and at sites including the
county jail, a local domestic abuse
shelter and a home for women
transitioning from incarceration.
“It doesn’t just go away because
we grow up or because our bodies
get older. It doesn’t disappear.
So many people are suffering the
effects and they don’t even know
that it’s related to their trauma,” Fr.
Schmidt said.
One woman who entered the
program was extremely emotionally
sensitive. Shortly after
attending the group sessions, she
underwent a wonderfully positive
transformation. “Her whole
demeanor was just lighter and it
was noticeable to people whom
she worked with,” said Froom.
“They were commenting about
it, independent of knowing that
she’d gone through the trauma
program.”
In the pandemic, Father
Schmidt and Froom teamed up
again to provide another program
that is specifically for people experiencing
the adverse aspects of
the pandemic: those feeling out
of control or vulnerable because
of their health and safety. They
posted the program to their website,
available for free in English
and Spanish.
Because of Father Schmidt and
Froom, a small program designed
to respond to a need in their parish
became a mission that serves people
around the world, making individuals,
families and communities
stronger. Participants develop
greater self-confidence, are more
willing to let God into their lives
and have a desire to become better
spouses and parents, and to reconnect
with their communities.

24 INSPIRE
Lumen Christi Finalist
Extension | Lumen Christi 2020 25
In the early 1880s, a Catholic
movement started in
Connecticut to help immigrant
families arriving from
European countries. These
immigrants were outcasts
because of their strange, seemingly
anti-American religion, called
“Roman Catholicism.” They typically
worked in dangerous factories.
Many fathers were killed or
maimed on the job, leaving their
children and wives economically
destitute. This new Catholic group
wanted to do something for these
families, and they called themselves
the Knights of Columbus,
one of many Catholic organizations
founded to support Catholic
immigrants.
In many ways, the Church in
America remains a Church of
immigrants even today, and for
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DEACON JIM AND DOT BENNETT |
DIOCESE OF LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY
Breaking ground
on God’s plan
many immigrants, their
life in America is still
filled with adversity. They
often face discrimination
and language barriers.
To provide for their families,
they take two or three
jobs, working long hours.
Many long to belong to a
supportive community
where they can practice
their faith, pass on their
values and traditions to their children
and be reminded that they
are loved by God.
One diaconate couple is building
a beautiful center for the more
than 10,000 Hispanic immigrants
of eastern Kentucky to call home.
The culmination of years of service
to Hispanic immigrant families,
Deacon Jim and Dorothy “Dot”
Bennett are breaking ground for a
new faith and social outreach center,
Centro San Juan Diego, to bring
the Church and much-needed services
to the Hispanic population
in the Diocese of Lexington, where
Catholic Extension has supported
Hispanic ministry since 1997.
Called to serve
The Bennetts, married for 50
years, met after bonding through
their shared experience of studying
abroad in Mexico, and their
love of the people and the culture.
In the early years of their
marriage, Dot earned a
graduate degree in counseling
from Penn State, where
Jim also received a Ph.D.
and taught safety and loss
prevention in mining for
12 years. They moved with
their two sons to South
America, where Jim worked
to reduce injuries and fatalities
at the largest coal mine
in the world.
The experience further
cemented their respect for the language
and culture of Latin America.
They returned to the United
States to begin their own consulting
business, which grew over 20
years to operate in 125 countries.
However, Jim felt that something
was missing from his life.
Although his wife was a lifelong
Catholic, Jim grew up in a Protes-
RIGHT Deacon Jim and Dot Bennett oversee
the construction of the new faith and social
outreach center for the Hispanic community.
BELOW Community and faith leaders attend the
center’s groundbreaking ceremony.
tant tradition and was not active in
the Church. One day in his office,
he inexplicably found a catechism
book. He took it as a sign and
immediately began taking RCIA
classes. The pair joined their parish’s
diaconate program, and Jim
was ordained a deacon
in 2008.
One more sign confirmed
for Jim his true
calling. After delivering
a homily in Spanish,
he walked past the
altar and froze. Unable
to move, he was crying
heavily and heard
a voice say, “This is
what you’re supposed
to be doing.” He knew
it was a message from
God, telling him that
his true purpose was Hispanic
ministry.
Together, the couple amped up
their service to the Hispanic faithful
in the Diocese of Lexington
through a program called “Missionary
Disciples.” For a number
of years, the Bennetts would spend
their Saturdays and Sundays driving
250 miles to six different parishes
to ensure the burgeoning Hispanic
Catholic population in the diocese
were welcomed by the Church.
A faith community’s
one-stop-shop
The pair wanted to give back
even more and decided to build
their own innovative new faith
and social outreach center for the
Hispanic community. Financed
through their own nonprofit, The
Bennett Family Foundation and
many other generous people, the
center will address the needs of
body, mind and spirit.
“There’s three things that we’re
trying to accomplish in this Center,”
Jim said. “One is to bring people
to Christ or back to Christ.”
The second goal is to offer
social services to “close the gap”
for members of the Hispanic community,
including legal aid, basic
medical visits, counseling and
English classes. The medical services
include hearing and eye
examinations, glucose and cholesterol
screenings, tests for hypertension
and diabetes and even
physical therapy.
Even before the building was
completed, the services had
already begun—services they didn’t
even initially plan on. “It’s like the
manna falling out of the sky from
heaven,” Jim said.
The third goal is to engage others
in experiencing the wonder
of helping these families. “We’re
hoping that we’ll make a connection
with others who have also
been blessed like we’ve been
blessed,” said Jim. “And they’ll
either want to participate in supporting
something like this or go
out and do something on their
own as a way to give back.”
Already, the ripple effects have
begun; people from all over the
community, including professionals
from all walks of life, law
enforcement and even schoolchildren
are getting involved, eager to
give back.
The building will include an
18th century mission-style chapel,
allowing for Mass, Bible study and
praying the rosary. There is also a
kitchen and a large room for catechetical
activities and for community
gatherings to celebrate
the sacraments and quinceañeras.
It will be the only space in the
region that can hold more than
160 people.
“It’s a very lovely building—
built well, beautiful design,” Dot
said. “We think the community is
worth this, that this beauty is for
them. It’s their building.”
“We have a sense of what it’s
like to be in a country where you
don’t know all the customs and
practices. It can be intimidating
at times,” Jim said. “So, we want
to give them hope, and help them
achieve whatever God’s plan is for
them.”

26 INSPIRE
Roots
Extension | Lumen Christi 2020 27
Charlotte
VIRGINIA
NORTH CAROLINA
FROM THE LUMEN CHRISTI
AWARD ARCHIVES
Atlanta
GEORGIA
FLORIDA
Kingstree
SOUTH
CAROLINA
Savannah
Charleston
In times of extreme racial
and religious divide,
brave Catholic women served
relentlessly in the South
... and the light shined
over Kingstree
In 1977, a member of Catholic Extension’s board of governors
asked if there was a way to discover who, in any
given year, had made the most significant contribution
to America’s home mission cause. This sparked an
idea within Catholic Extension, and the concept of the
Lumen Christi Award was born.
Catholic Extension’s first recipient of the Lumen Christi
Award, Florence Kaster, was no stranger to navigating tense
racial divides. Her decades of service to the African American
community in Kingstree, South Carolina, reveals how her
selfless answer to the call of the Lord—like this year’s recipient,
Father Ron Foshage—brought forth vibrant transformation
for the entire community. Her mission in Kingstree continues
today–decades later–with the presence of the three
Felician sisters.
“
Prejudice, isolation, misunderstanding,
physical and mental
threats have all been a part of
Florence Kaster’s life as a pioneering
lay catechist. Her efforts
have required great strength and
uncommon tenacity.”
—Extension magazine, June 1978 edition
A valiant lady
Florence Kaster | 1978 Lumen
Christi Award recipient
Diocese of Charleston,
South Carolina
In 1949, Kingstree, South Carolina,
was not considered
a proper place for a single,
white, Catholic woman. Black
people faced segregation and
Jim Crow laws, and Catho-
From left, Sisters
Mary Jacqueline
Benbenek, Mary
Susanne Dziedzic
and Mary Johnna
Ciezobka in Kingstree,
South Carolina.
“
Klux Klan while withstanding arrived to keep that light alive.
The sisters have been credited
shots being fired at the building
in which she was teaching. ter Mary Jacqueline Benbenek, with transforming the lives
Later, they were joined by Sis-
Florence Kaster, the first winner of
But she remained undeterred,
and over time her mis-
The ministry would build
CSSF, and a ministry was born. and hearts—and many would
Catholic Extension’s Lumen Christi
Award in 1978, smiles with one of the
say the entire community—of
schoolchildren in her ministry and her dog. sion proved to be fruitful. lics weren’t allowed to own
property there. It’s not hard to
imagine the resistance
Florence Kaster must have
faced when she announced,
at age 20, that she was leaving
her comfortable teaching job
in Connecticut to “follow the
When she arrived at St. Ann’s
parish in Kingstree, there was
only one Black family there.
By 1978, the number of Black
parishioners at St. Ann’s had
grown to 200. Miss Florence’s
courage became legend. Said
one local, “Them Catholics
don’t scare easy!”
Catholic presence that Kaster
established in this community,
with special attention given to
the underserved Black children
in the region.
“We made a pact when
we first moved here that we
would be present to the people,”
said Sister Johnna, “that
—Extension magazine, Winter 2012 edition
forge in a place where race
and religious prejudice still
call of the Lord.”
it would be our main ministry.”
lingered. In an area where
This presence included Catholics were feared and
“Miss Florence,” as she later
became known by the Black
“God sent angels
immersing themselves in accused of practicing “voodoo,”
the sisters partnered
community she served, spent
Kingstree and developing
an after-school program, with other denominations,
more than 30 years in
our way”
Kingstree. A teacher and catechist,
her ministry also
Felician Sisters | 2012 Lumen
food pantry, clothing closet, creating an army of volunteers
from 11 different denom-
Christi Award recipient
hot meal program, cooking
included driving people to
Diocese of Charleston,
classes, home repair ministry, inations. Said one pastor in
church or school, creating teen
South Carolina
legal advocacy program and Kingstree, “That’s the almost
clubs, conducting prayer services,
medical ministry.
unbelievable thing in the rural
visiting senior citizens, More than 40 years
“We have become a bridge South, to see the cooperation
and working with individuals
who were mentally ill. This
moved to Kingstree, the ‘have-nots,’” said Sister between churches, and to see
after Florence Kaster between the ‘haves’ and rather than the competition
laywoman planted herself in
South Carolina, to bring the Susanne. “It wasn’t our plan– old biases and worries pushed
a community rife with bigotry
light of Christ to the people the Holy Spirit guided us.” aside to do the work of God
and misunderstanding. She
there, Sister Mary Susanne Perhaps most striking about and be the light of Christ in
even faced outright danger–
Dziedzic, CSSF, and Sister the sisters’ work was the relationships
the world.”
being threatened by the Ku
Mary Johnna Ciezobka, CSSF,
they were able
to
Kingstree, South Carolina. They
have led by example, with faith
and love.”

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