Catholic Extension
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Catholic Extension (also known as the Catholic Church Extension Society) is a national fundraising
501(c)(3) organization A 501(c)(3) organization is a United States corporation, Trust (business), trust, unincorporated association or other type of organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code. It is one of ...
which supports and strengthens poor mission dioceses across the
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. They provide funding and resources to dioceses and parishes through programs and services investing in people, infrastructure and ministries. This support is given based on need, passion and commitment to the growth of the
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faith.


History

Francis Kelley, a priest from
Lapeer, Michigan Lapeer ( ') is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is the county seat of Lapeer County. As of the 2020 census, the city population was . Most of the city was incorporated from land that was formerly in Lapeer Township, though portions were ...
, first envisioned Catholic Extension in 1904. Through his travels, he discovered places and communities that were struggling to keep the Catholic faith alive and growing. The
Archbishop of Chicago The Archdiocese of Chicago () is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction, an archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church located in Northeast Illinois, Northeastern Illinois, in the United States. The Vatican erected it as a diocese in 1843 and e ...
,
James Edward Quigley James Edward Quigley (October 15, 1854 – July 10, 1915) was a Canadian-born American Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Chicago from 1903 to 1915. He previously served as Bishop of Buffalo from 1897 to 1903. Biography Early life a ...
, agreed to help Kelley launch this new organization. As a result, the Catholic Church Extension Society was organized on October 18, 1905. Temporary headquarters were established in Lapeer, Michigan, where a charter was granted to the society by the state of
Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...
on December 25, 1905. In January 1907, society headquarters were moved to
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
, and the president was transferred to that archdiocese. On June 7, 1907, Catholic Extension received its first papal approval by an apostolic letter of
Pope Pius X Pope Pius X (; born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto; 2 June 1835 – 20 August 1914) was head of the Catholic Church from 4 August 1903 to his death in August 1914. Pius X is known for vigorously opposing Modernism in the Catholic Church, modern ...
addressed to the Archbishop of Chicago. Almost exactly three years later, on June 9, 1910, the Pope issued a brief by which the society was raised to the dignity of a canonical institution directly under his own guidance and protection. By the terms of this brief, the Archbishop of Chicago will always remain chancellor of the society, and the president must be appointed by the Pope himself. The president's term of office is not more than five years. The board of governors has the right to propose three names to the
Holy See The Holy See (, ; ), also called the See of Rome, the Petrine See or the Apostolic See, is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City. It encompasses the office of the pope as the Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishop ...
for this office, and to elect, according to their laws, all other officers of the society. Mission dioceses generally are rural, cover a large geographic area, and have limited personnel and pastoral resources. Since 1905, the society has given more than $500 million to 94 mission dioceses across the country.Pronechen, "Catholic Extension Makes Faith Local", ''National Catholic Register'', October 13, 2016
/ref> Extension has been active in Puerto Rico for over 100 years, funding about 1,400 building projects.


Present day

In 2012, Catholic Extension approved a $56,000 two year grant to the Archdiocese for the Military Services to support a faith formation program for Catholics in the United States military. In 2018, Catholic Extension launched a Mission Immersion Program for pastors from various parts of the country, which allows them to experience circumstances pastors in poor areas of the country face. Large-scale raids conducted in August 2019 by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement resulted in the arrest of 680 people at various food processing plants in the state of Mississippi. Extension set up "The Holy Family" fund to financially assist families without their main breadwinner because of detention or deportation. The fund will be managed by the
Roman Catholic Diocese of Jackson The Diocese of Jackson is a Latin Church diocese in Mississippi in the United States. Its ecclesiastical jurisdiction includes the northern and central parts of the state, an area of . It is the largest diocese, by area, east of the Mississippi R ...
.


Leadership

* Chancellor – Blase J. Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago * Vice Chancellor –
Gerald F. Kicanas Gerald Frederick Kicanas (born August 18, 1941) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Tucson in Arizona from 2002 to 2017 and has been serving as the apostolic administrator of that Diocese si ...
, Bishop of Tucson * President – John J. Wall


Past presidents

* Francis Clement Kelley – Founder, President 1905–1924 * William D. O'Brien – President 1925–1962 *Joseph B. Lux – President 1962–1966 *Kenneth G. Stack – President 1966–1968 * John L. May – President 1968–1970 *Joseph A. Cusack – President 1970–1976 * Edward J. Slattery – President 1977–1994 *Kenneth J. Velo – President 1994–2001 *William R. Houck – President 2001–2007


''Extension'' Magazine

In April 1906, the society began the publication of a quarterly bulletin called ''Extension''. In May 1907, this quarterly was enlarged and changed into a monthly bulletin. Kelley served as the original writer, editor and publisher. Since then, ''Extension'' has developed to include a collection of articles illustrating the history of the Catholic Church in America. Now a quarterly publication.


''Lumen Christi'' award

Every year, Catholic Extension's ''Lumen Christi'' award honors an individual or group working in one of America's mission dioceses who demonstrates how the power of faith can transform lives and communities. The $1,000 award is accompanied by a $50,000 grant: $25,000 for the honoree and $25,000 for his or her nominating diocese. In 2018, the ''Lumen Christi'' was awarded to Marie-Paule Willem, a Franciscan Missionary of Mary, serving in the Diocese of Las Cruces, New Mexico, honored a lifetime of missionary work."Catholic Extension receives 48 nominations for annual Lumen Christi Award", Catholic News Service, August 21, 2019
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References

;Attribution *


External links


Catholic Church Extension Society (USA)
{{Catholic laity Christian organizations established in 1905 1905 establishments in Michigan Catholic charities Charities based in Illinois