GLENMARY SISTERS
THE GLENMARY SISTERS IN FRENCHBURG, KY HAVE OFFICIALLY BEEN PAIRED WITH THE OFFICE OF YOUTH MINISTRY AT ST. SIMON FOR YOUTH MISSION WORK!!!!!!
Frenchburg, KY
It was the pleasure of 12 St. Simon teens and 2 adults to spend the week of June 20-24, 2011 in Frenchburg, KY working with the Glenmary Sisters.
Since 1941, the Glenmary Sisters have established missions in the impoverished and rural areas of the South and Appalachia regions where the Catholic population is usually less than two-percent. The Sisters help people become self-supportive, break the reins of poverty and lead successful, Christian lives.
They currently have Sisters missioned in western and eastern Kentucky, southeast Georgia and southern Missouri. The Sisters are supported at the central office in Owensboro, Kentucky by a small staff, part-time consultants, a volunteer advisory board and an auxiliary.
Sister Kathleen
The greatest blessing we received throughout the week was serving with Sr. Kathleen Mulchrone. Sister Kathleen lives and ministers in Frenchburg, Kentucky, which is in Menifee County, a part of the diocese of Lexington. Frenchburg is nestled in the Appalachian Mountains and the Daniel Boone National Forest. Since the population is less than 1% Catholic, there is no Catholic Church in the county so Sister Kathleen has to travel 25 miles in any direction to attend Mass.
The ministry of Sr. Kathleen includes a chapel at her home where people are invited to worship once a week and also a shop in Frenchburg where people in need can receive help. This requires them to keep food, clothing, personal care items, and baby care items on the shelves.
As Frenchburg is in a mountainous area, part of Sister's routine involves traveling on winding rural roads to visit someone who is ill or to give another a ride to the pharmacy or grocery store.
It was truly awesome for all of us to see Sr. Kathleen living the following scripture passage from Galatians 2:10 each and every day, "All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do."
July 24, 2011
Recently, a group of twelve youth were led by Francesca Marino and Delana Ross to Frenchburg, Kentucky for St. Simon’s first mission trip. Upon our arrival we were warmly welcomed by Sister Kathleen, a white-haired Irish immigrant and a kind-hearted woman named Sue. They were quick to put us to work. The first day we tackled painting a new thrift shop run by Sister. On the second day, we ventured through some pretty steep hills to reach a family that we stuck with for the rest of the week. There, we cleaned up two greenhouses bursting of dead plants and then managed to fix up the inside of their double-wide. Along the way, we met their pet raccoon, repainted a bathroom, and played kickball with their four little boys. We were blessed with Journey’s End Lodge, a place where we ended everyday with closing prayer/bible/lesson session.
All in all this was an eye-opening experience that made me personally realize what service was all about. Looking back, I think the lessons that this trip taught me are more valuable than the physical work that I provided. Mother Theresa once said, “… at the heart of life, is service.”
--Sara Lyday- youth participant
For more information on how you can become involved with next years mission trip,
Please contact Mike Braun, Pastoral Associate for Family Life at mbraun@saintsimon.org or 317-826-6000 x152
