Enhancing Ministry and Partnerships in Rural Areas and Small Towns

Location: Chicago, IL
Grantee: Catholic Extension Society
Website: catholicextension.org
Project Contact: Odette Barrientos
Email: obarrientos@catholicextension.org

Who we serve

Catholic Extension Society focuses on serving rural and small-town congregations from 87 dioceses — mission areas that are isolated and/or financially under-resourced. Ultimately, we aim to serve rural churches in America’s poorest regions.

How we support rural congregations and ministry leaders

Through four areas of focus, we seek to address some of the key challenges faced by rural communities:

1. Expand and create new ministries that engage, serve, and create more leadership and ministry opportunities for young people in rural communities.
2. Expand and create new ministries that respond to the changing demographics of some rural communities by adapting to and reflecting the cultures of the people.
3. Expand outreach ministries that deepen the rural church’s role in their local community, particularly their pastoral and social care of those on the margins.
4. Expand capacity-building programs that promote financial sustainability and the long-term economic health of rural faith communities.

St. Anthony youth summer enrichment program

Partners

• iThirst / Trinity Missions
• SEPI Southeast Pastoral Institute
• Catholic Foundation of South Louisiana
• #iGiveCatholic
• Missionary Servants of the Divine Spirit
• Lafayette Office of Black Catholic Ministries
• Catholic Social Services Montana
• University of Notre Dame - Alliance for Catholic Education
• ALMA - Advancing Latino and Multilingual Learner Achievement through Catholic Education (University of Notre Dame)
• Edmundite Missions
• Loyola University Chicago - Institute of Pastoral Studies
• Whole Kids Outreach
• Laudato Si Initiative/Peace and Justice Office, Roman Catholic Diocese of Lexington
• Beth Shearer (Coaching and Training for Leaders)

Faith tradition

While we are a Catholic fundraising organization, our program activities and services are designed to be ecumenical, to serve anyone and everyone in the respective communities.

Geographical focus

We have both regional-focused projects and national-scope projects. Some of our regional programs minister locally in states such as Montana, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Some are much more localized, such as Selma, Alabama. Our national-scope programs, such as trainings and certification, are open to all of the 87 dioceses which we serve — areas that are isolated and/or financially under-resourced.