The Home Mission Sisters of America, more commonly known as the Glenmary Sisters, have a long history and presence in the Diocese of Owensboro. Founded in 1941, the Sisters opened their first full-time mission in the diocese of western Kentucky in 1947. Because "the rules of cloistered, nursing and teaching sisters ... restricted contact with people," our founder, Fr. William Howard Bishop, did not envision the Glenmary Sisters to be a teaching order. (Thy Kingdom Come: Constitutions, pg.VI) However, after long dialogue with Bishop Cotton, the Sisters were empowered to open a small parish school in Russellville in September of 1947.

The Sisters in Russellville taught school all day. Then, in keeping with their call as missionaries, they would visit the poor, both white and black, in the late afternoons and early evenings. On Saturdays they ran a clothing and food distribution center. During the week they also served as itinerant religious education teachers for the children in Todd county. The Catholic people of Russellville still tell me that the Glenmary Sisters were known as the "women who would help anyone in town and county--no matter how poor or what religion."

One of the original Sisters to open the Russellville mission and parish school was Opal Simon, known in religion as Sister Mary Frances Simon. Opal was born and raised in Sunfish, KY. She was the second to persevere in our founder's plan for the Sisters. She died in 1989. As you can see, our connection as a community has deep ties with the Diocese of Owensboro. Not only did we open our first full-time mission here, our second vocation is from this diocese.

How I Come to Share with You

So, as you can see, today I come to you as a Glenmary Sister who will share out of our specific charism as home missioners, to the rural and small towns of your diocese. Our past connects with yours during the years of Bishops Cotton, Soenneker and McRaith. Our missionary presence and ministries have been constant in the diocese since 1947 in Russellville, Guthrie, Elkton, Morgantown, Beaver Dam, Fordsville, Livermore, Calhoun, Smithland, Grand Rivers and Providence. The only significant difference in our ministries from 1947 through 1966, when we transferred the parish school to the Ursulines, is that we do not own or operate parish schools. I do believe you, and the whole diocese, can be thankful for that.

In 1990 the Glenmary Sisters began a discernment on a new location for our central offices and administrative residence, motherhouse. At the time we thought it would be another location in the Cincinnati area, our foundation city. Then, in studying our past chapter minutes, we discovered that as early as the late 1950's the Glenmary Sisters thought of moving our central house to a mission diocese in the South To make a long story of discernment short, it was facilitated by the invitation of Bishop McRaith and then confirmed, blessed and missioned by Archbishop Daniel Pilarcyzk of Cincinnati. We moved our offices and central house to Owensboro in July 1991, the year of our 50th anniversary of foundation.

It has been our hope that, in re-locating our central residence and offices to this wonderful mission diocese, our charism would take root here, i.e. that the charism would influence and assist the Catholic Community of the diocese in such a way that all would respond to God's call to mission in an even more dynamic way. We pray that our humble presence here will assist all of you, the local leaders of the Church, in opening the hearts and minds of your people to the need of mission right here in our own homeland, yes, in our own state, yes, even right here in our own diocese. And, it remains our hope that we will be blessed with more vocations from this diocese, as God so wills.

As you may know the charism of the Glenmary Sisters is that of the Glenmary priests and brothers: "to implant the church in those areas of the United States where it is not yet present in its fullness." (Thy Kingdom Come, Constitutions of the Glenmary Sisters,#I) Our Mission and Charism continues, and I would like to share it with you before I share the critical elements we face as a diocese in this millennium. I need to share this with you because then you will understand how and as who I am led to share. Our constitution says:

Called and sent to gather the church community, we minister to all God's people, regardless of their race, creed or lifestyle. We encourage all people to five strong moral lives and gospel values. We work with the intention and desire for Christian unity through sharing frequently the word of God in our humble and untiring labor for conversions, in our compassionate outreach to the poor and forgotten of this land, and in our ministry to nurture the faith of the local Roman Catholic community. (TKC,#2)

The challenges that await us are, as was stated in the introduction to this Convocation, an historical moment that is rooted in the past, active in the present and ready to unwind in the future. So, based on our past with the diocese and the present in which we live and serve, 1, after much consultation with our Sisters, offer you the following items that we, as leaders, need to be about in this, the first year of the third millennium.

As I look at and have experienced the Church of western Kentucky, I am most concerned that we continue our focus on developing local parish communities to their capacity. As with all of us, I can well imagine that as the number of priests available for full-time ministry diminishes, decisions will need to be made about how parishes will be covered. I am aware of the findings and proposals of parish clustering from the task force set up by the Bishop some years ago. I was honored to serve on that task force. As then, I remain concerned, as you are, how this clustering will be implemented, including the consultation with the local laity as how such decisions will affect them. If the diocese will implement pastoral administrators or directors more in the future, will there be ministry descriptions and guidelines for these roles in the local church? How will we assist priests who wifl cover 3 or, maybe, more parishes in preparation for this ministry?

Another area we must consider is that 55% of the Catholic population resides in Daviess County. That raises lots of needs in one county. Is it possible, though, to see that with 75% of the parishes located in the rural areas of the diocese, this is a tremendous missionary moment? Is it possible for us to raise the consciousness of the people of Davies County to enter into the missionary mind of the Church in asking these people to share more of their resources, Catholic resources, i.e. priests, religious, lay ministers, with the small rural parishes of the diocese. Is it possible to assist them to see that most of these rural parishes are in low Catholic population areas? This is ad gentes in a diocesan sense, isn't it?

I wonder, as a missionary, if it might be possible for the diocese to consider these mission areas where Catholic nurture, evangelization, ecumenism and social needs need to be developed and met, can assist the small parishes with mission workers--lay ministers graduating from Brescia, for instance. That is, could salaries be provided so that these parishes whose budgets cannot afford needed pastoral aids like youth or music ministers or resident missionaries can have access of them And, again, can these people be asked from existing programs like the ministry formation program?

With a Catholic population of 6.5% the diocese is considered a missionary diocese. (As you may know, some of the criteria for determining a diocese or area "mission territory," are: a very small percentage of Catholics compared to the total population of an area; a high percentage of those who claim no church affiliation; limited access to Catholic education; a high rate of poverty, etc-) Are all of us aware of what being in mission is about--or needs to be about? The fundamental elements of proclamation, evangelization (witness), dialogue with other faith traditions, programs of social outreach to answer the cries of injustice, and spirituality that is respective and inclusive of the local culture are critical to be about in our parishes every where--but especially in those areas where Catholics are few in number. At the U.S. Catholic Mission Congress in the fall of 2000, all participants, mostly missionaries, agreed that we need courses and immersion experiences on "mission" added to the curricula of all seminaries, ministry formation programs, religious formation programs, high schools and grade schools throughout our country. And, for the home mission dioceses, we need courses and input on what it means to be and what is needed to be in ministry in the home mission areas. Mission is critical to the future of the Church--here at home and beyond our borders.

The mission of Jesus was not only to his own people but to those beyond his borders--and he never left Israel!!! That, I believe, is our challenge--especially you who are committed to this diocese--the whole diocese. (cf. The Diocese of Owensboro map with Catholic population statistics--addendum #l)

When we see our ministry as the mission of God and the Church, then going to the mission areas of our diocese will be a great joy even though the congregations may be small. Just because these congregations may be small and in the rural areas they are as important as a large parish. I do applaud Bishop McRaith for his care and support of the small and the large. God can accomplish much in the people of these parishes. Our challenge is to find the people who truly want to be in remote areas, in the mission areas of the diocese--and who won't be frustrated by and with the small numbers. I believe that our challenge is to think and believe: " Small is beautiful." That does not mean, however, that we missionaries will not try to extend our presence and gifts beyond our parish ... for you are, by definition, the pastors of all the people in your jurisdiction--not just the Catholics. believe that is what I was taught in canon law class--and what we Glenmary Sisters take to heart, not as pastors, but as sisters and missionaries to the people of God wherever we are sent.

Unclaimed Persons Need to Be Evangelized

In every county, except Fulton and Caldwell, 0%, has a high percentage of unclaimed, or unchurched persons. This means that they are not active members of any church. It is imperative that the diocese develop means to reach out to these individuals, households and families. In our missionary plan, we need to, as our Founder directed us in Glenmary, have a "plan" of outreach for every season of the year. Evangelization programs must abound, for I fear these percents will remain, and, possibly even grow, as we begin this millennium. (The 1990 statistics prepared by the Glenmary Research Department show that the overall percentage of those who claim no church affiliation in the diocese is 28.4%. No less than 13 counties have percentages ranging from 31- 52.5%. Cite addendum #2.) Here, again, we cannot allow Catholic nurture to take up our full ministerial and pastoral time. Also, we cannot limit our programs of outreach to the inactive Catholics in the area--we must reach beyond to those who may be waiting for an invitation.

The difficulty in the small, rural setting is not having enough pastoral workers. Those in the urban areas may feel that, because the rural parishes are small, they do not need as much assistance. This stance is taken when people see parish only as taking care of the Catholic members. Here, in mission areas, we are talking about always going beyond our boundaries.

That is why I would like to suggest that the diocese consider supporting a missionary in every parish--one who is called to represent the local Catholic community in evangelization. This person would collaborate with the pastor and staff. I wonder, again, if the diocese would be willing to develop this kind of mission ministry through the ministry formation program.

And, let us not forget that not all people will become Catholic. But, our presence can serve as an added way of breaking down the barriers of separation between churches and peoples.

As this millennium unfolds in our country and in this diocese, I think we will continue to see, what missiologists are calling, "mission in reverse." We are now experiencing missionaries from other countries coming to the U.S. to be in mission. No longer are we the great mission sending nation as we once were. I believe that in this experience we will be challenged to welcome and include these men and women in our ranks. We have much to learn from them--as they do from us. We wifl also need to provide a proper and adequate orientation for them to minister in the diocese. This is one of the main concerns now of the US Catholic Mission Association and the Bishops’ Committee on World Mission. The Mexican Sisters in Paducah are an example of this missionary outreach. I believe that with the migration of peoples into our midst, we will experience this facet of mission more and more.

As we have seen throughout our country and in our own diocese in the last millennium, racism will continue to challenge us greatly, With the increase of more people of color into our region, we have also seen the evil head of racism rear up in our parishes and local communities. The struggle to be inclusive is always with us, isn't it? Yet that is what we will have to be about more and more in this millennium.

We white people are going to have to realize that we are the minority race in the world. We church leaders are going to have to be able to assist white people in this recognition--not as a put down but as reality! We are also going to have to continue the struggle to educate our people to share their resources so that all people have access to what is often only available to middle, upper middle and wealthy whites This is a reality that statistics support and we, as church, will be more and more involved in this as the years progress.

In the Messenger-Inquirer's Sunday, January 7th edition, Bob Ashley shares the findings from the Long-Term Policy Research Center's latest state of our state report. The report is entitled, "Challenges for the New Century." This is the finding on the income gap in our state: "'While many in the state are prospering, the poorest are falling farther behind."' "Nationally, the upper middle class used to make about 2.5 times what the lower middle-class earned. That ratio has increased to about 3 times--and in Kentucky, it has grown slightly larger, so that the upper group makes about 3.1 times what the lower group makes." The report goes on to say that, "if you are poor, uneducated, a minority or older, you are far less likely to have access to computers or network services." That is especially troubling as the report says: "once a novelty, computer literacy is approaching the status of a core skill."

My point is that these issues of racism and the earnings gap will continue to affect us deeply in the future--even in our churches ... will we opt for the poor, as directed by our Holy Father? Will we find ways to bridge this gap and encourage the wealthier in our midst to share their resources in more equitable ways?

The life issues that confront a culture of death in our country and state and diocese will crescendo in the future. As church leaders we need to be strongly opposed as a Gospel people to the evils of abortion, euthanasia and the death penalty. opposition should be the same for all three. The level of Since the approval of abortion, taking the lives of others has become common- place. And, even though politicians promise, they are not consistent. Though one may be for a woman's right to choose, s/he may not be for abortion. That is, in my estimation, a very thin line. However, those politicians who claim they are against abortion, when questioned seriously on the matter, will tell you they are against it except in the cases of rape, incest and the endangerment of the mother's life. And then we have those politicians who are against abortion, at least partially, but are completely supportive of the death penalty and/or euthanasia.

What are we to do? I believe that we have to be constant in our response and that is "no" to any and all. I applaud you for joining the thousands and millions of us whose groups have signed for a moratorium of, and, ultimately, abolish the death penalty. In a country where we have the means to imprison someone in a humane way, we do not need to kill to say that "killing is wrong." In my ministry with the imprisoned at KSP I have seen that a penalty of life without parole is, in some ways, more difficult than execution-- except the waiting game that the death penalty sentences on the killer, the victim's family and the judicial system.

However, as in all issues, we must take the lead in accepting the sinner and not the sin. We must welcome and assist the woman who felt she had no alternative. We must include in our prison ministries the victims. Though our ministry in a state or federal institution may deter us from direct contact with the victim's family, we must support them in prayer and, in our counseling with the violator, we must encourage him/her to seek forgiveness and pray for the victim's loved ones--and all those affected by their crime.

The diocese has truly supported the efforts of all the above in the past and present. We will All, I believe, be called upon to educate and assist all involved in these life issues. I believe that you as priests have the single gift of teaching reconciliation, forgiveness and restorative justice rather than vengeance. Instead of just talking the talk of forgiveness and reconciliation, I believe we are going to be asked to renew our commitments to "walk the walk" of those who kill through abortion, execution and drugs to make the pain go away ... we will need to renew the message of the gift of suffering--it is salvific.

Before us is a society that is becoming more and more vindictive and vengeful. To undo these ungodly ways to handle differences and pain, I think we will be called upon to encourage those called or, to join them, in implementing the concept and practice of "restorative justice" rather than "getting even."

I say this because during this year of 2001 we will have over 2 million of our population in prison--that's I out of every 20 of us--that is one-fifth of our population We will outnumber Russia in our prison population.

Instead of this U.S. idea of getting those we can't deal with out of our sight, we are going to need to deal with the issues that put people behind bars. In working with prisoners I can tell you that, after hearing their backgrounds, I am amazed they didn't do more harm than they did. In the process of recognizing and admitting the wrong done, we need to assist youth and adults in prison that they need to restore what they have destroyed or taken from the other. In a murder case it means assisting them to pray and act for a time to ask for forgiveness. I do believe that if this concept of justice, were implemented in our communities we would see less in jails and prisons ... we would begin to hear what the issues are that place these individuals in confinement.

Prisons at this time are the fastest growing home mission territory in our country! We need to be there--and be prepared for the ministry it entails to be there. We also need to support those trying to find ways to keep our youth out of jail and in programs of restorative justice and rehabilitation. At the same time we are called upon to assist wardens and other officials in reaching out and finding ways to assist those under their care when state budgets do not allow for such needed programs. In the future this issue will continue to challenge us and we need to be prepared in our local parishes to provide ways for our people to be educated to the need for this approach to justice rather than revenge.

I want to take this opportunity to thank and applaud Bishop McRaith for the wonderful ceremony on Pentecost during the Jubilee Year The ritualizing of the signed document of the Christian churches of the area was very moving and also very prophetic.

With this ritual in mind, I believe with all my heart that we are going to be called to work for Christian Unity as never before. I hope that the example of the diocesan stance is or will be the activity and stance of all our local parishes. The need for combined prayer for reconciliation and appropriate ecumenical ministries in our small towns is imperative because Jesus' prayer for unity must be our prayer and action.

I think it is also important to model this desire and work for unity to our young people. In the mission areas of the diocese we lose many, as you know, to mixed marriages. I don't have the answer, but I hope we can come up with ways to assist our Catholic youth to be tolerant of differences yet true to their faith tradition. During my years in the rural home mission areas, I never attended a Catholic wedding for all I attended were between a Catholic and a person of another faith tradition. am sorry to say that the majority of those young people joined the other's church. As I said I don't know what the answer is, but with God's assistance, there is one.

Rural Poverty

Over the last few weeks there is very little, if any, good news about the poverty rates diminishing in the rural areas of our country--especially the rural south and southwest. The lack of medical care, the plight of the elderly on fixed incomes, substandard housing, loss of farms and mining jobs, etc. will increase, according to the stats. Children are at great risk in our rural areas. This is precisely where Jesus would be in our diocese, I believe. Jesus always opted for the poor and the marginated, And, so must we.

Every time one of our donors asks me how are things in the "hollers" of eastern Kentucky or the backroads of the western part, I know, that after I tell them availability of jobs is getting harder and harder, the next question will be: "Can they move to the city?" And, my response is: "Why?" They love their homes--we must be in solidarity with them to find ways of bringing work into their areas--or providing ways to work elsewhere. This dilemma will grow and I fear for the rural communities in our midst. All I do know is that we will need to be there with the poor and forgotten ones Here, again, answers will be given. Our challenge is to remain committed to being there with them through this struggle. And that may get more difficult before it gets more positive.

Conclusion

Truly, it is a great time to be alive and in ministry. For with all the challenges, we, in leadership, know that there is also a kinship that develops when we include those in our parishes to join us in meeting the challenges. With this "kinship" approach to discerning the decisions for action, more ideas will be generated--and, possibly, more creative ways to approach a challenge will arise. Leadership for the next millennium will need to be shared with others in your parishes. This kind of process, though more time consuming, as you know, will be more productive in the end.

As you have probably noticed, I have lots of questions regarding the issues we face in the future, but few, if no answers The reason for that is that the answers and means to approach the issues are solved by all of us discerning the paths God leads us to tread. want you to know that we, the Glenmary Sisters are here to dialogue, to share experience, to assist in mission development and, most of all to be your Sisters-in-prayer- and-action. And, if you find yourself losing hope because you are just a small little diocese in the western part of Kentucky and feel that what you and the diocese does isn't important, FORGET IT!! Who you are and what you do is critical--for God has placed you here and with God--all are important. What you do here truly impacts the world ... what you do here in mission affects the missions of the world!! Take this advice from someone who belongs to a very small religious community with a mission that is like yours--to the people of the rural and small towns in missionland, U.S.A. And, remember, small not only can be, it is beautiful. Amen. Alleluia.

Continuing Education for Clergy, Diocese of Owensboro

© 2001, by the authors, all rights reserved.