PatchQuilt1 A publication of the Catholic Committee of Appalachia Summer 2019 81 Puddle Run, Spencer, WV 25276 (304) 927-5798 [email protected] Ed Sloane Philadelphia, PA [email protected] Sarah George Vanceburg, KY [email protected] Jerry Hardt Salyersville, KY In response to Pope Francis’ establishment Jesus entrusted the Church with [email protected] of a commission to study the possibility of the mission to embody and proclaim again ordaining women to the permanent the Good News of love and mercy to diaconate, CCA’s Board of Directors ap- all nations. In our part of the world, Joan Wages proved the following letter which was sent the Appalachian region of the United Roanoake, VA to Francis on February 26, 2019. CCA is States, we have both great missionary [email protected] grateful to member Don Becher of Charles- opportunities and formidable pastoral ton, WV for drafting the letter. challenges. We still have large areas Gerrie Zimmer Asheville, NC that are underserved by any Catholic Dear Pope Francis, clergy, and we hear regularly from [email protected] our members of chronic unmet pasto- We are writing to express our hope ral needs. that the Church will soon be able to Jeannie Kirkhope We are grateful for your coura- call forth women, as well as men, to geous consideration of the possibility Spencer, WV serve as ordained deacons in the min- of women deacons and urge you al- [email protected] istries of liturgy, word and charity. low those worthy women among us to We are aware that a committee which serve in this capacity. Michael Iafrate you commissioned to study the possi- Marietta, OH bility of ordaining women deacons is Your brothers and sisters in Christ, [email protected] complete and its report is now before you. We are the Catholic Committee of Donald Becher, Bishop John Stowe Member Representative Diocese of Lexington, KY Appalachia—an organization that has sought to be a force for the poor and Edward Sloane, [email protected] neglected of our mountainous area for Chair, Board of Directors Sarah George, almost 50 years. We trust that the commission has presented to you a Vice-Chair, Board of Directors strong theological basis for the ordina- Jeannie Kirkhope, Find CCA on Facebook, Co-Coordinator Twitter, and Instagram tion of women to the deaconate. We urge you out of our sense of need and Michael J. Iafrate, fairness to allow this to happen. Co-Coordinator on behalf of CCA 2 Jeannie Kirkhope In the 16 years I’ve been involved with CCA, we’ve Magisterium of the People, in both the United States and had a stream of stellar board members coming and go- Canada. If you haven’t yet viewed it, please see the ad ing. They are asked to serve a three-year term, but on page 18 that shows how. some serve an additional term or even two! Every time Beyond producing the documentary for us for free, someone’s term comes to an end (whether it was 3, 6 or the director of the film, Sebastian Gomes, was also kind 9 years) Michael and I go through a grieving process enough to get a copy of the People’s Pastoral personal- and wonder how we’ll ever manage without them. But ly delivered into the hands of Pope Francis with a note each person adds a unique perspective and fills a gap handwritten to him in Spanish inside, thanks to our such that their voice simply becomes a piece in the or- member translator, Michael’s sister, Angie Iafrate. chestra that has kept the symphony of CCA humming This spring was busy with Michael and I giving through various movements for nearly 50 years. talks to various college groups who came to our areas This year, we had to say goodbye to our Chair, for their Appalachian service-immersion trips. But Mi- Matt Kosydar, and former Treasurer, Bruce Cahoon, chael also traveled quite a bit. He spoke to member both of whom served two terms. Losing two key play- Debra Murphy’s classes at West Virginia Wesleyan, ers simultaneously is always sad, but in a board that is to member Bob Pennington’s classes at Mount St. Jo- already reduced in size, it was worrisome, too. They seph University, and to former board member Bryan both joined when we still had 9 members, and left us Wagoner’s classes at Davis & Elkins College. We with only three remaining, the minimum number al- screened Magisterium of the People and gave a joint lowed by law. Matt kept us on time, on track and fo- talk at the (Re)Imagining Catholic Vocation conference cused, and we were grateful for his challenging ques- at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, and tions, while Bruce gave invaluable insights and added got a chance to see long time members Sisters Loretta comic relief just when we needed it. They were each Scully and Nancy Fackner, and visit the graves of Sis- instrumental in making decisions that helped CCA go ters Mary Raymond Keane and Kathy Britt while we through needed transitions to remain in existence, rele- were there. Michael was also invited by Bishop Stowe vant in the region, and more self-sustaining. Thank to give two talks to the Diocese of Lexington’s lay par- you, gentlemen. ish life directors. To bring us back up to our optimum number of 5, Meanwhile, between these and other office related in their seats, we welcome Gerrie Zimmer, also active tasks, we’ve been seeking extra funding to make up for in the North Carolina State Chapter, and Joan Wages, the shortage from bishops this year. In addition to your our first board member from Virginia in quite a while. generosity, ACF has contributed $1,000 toward general We’re already learning how Gerrie’s realism and skills operations, AMERC came through with $6,000 for the with logistics, and Joan’s example of prophetic witness, Cherokee retreat, and the Sisters of St. Joseph Health enhance the work of CCA overall. Since we can accept Foundation and Wheeling Gift Committee blew us up to 9, we are always open to more, but will be stag- away with a total of $8,000 earmarked for our latest gering the start of their terms so that, when they ex- project we’ve named SAKO’s. pire, we don’t have too many vacancies at once again. When SAKO’s opens in 2020, CCA will finally have We are looking to bring on one from West Virginia and its own Center for Reflection and Prayer as called for in one from southern Ohio to have representation from the 1975 Appalachian Bishops’ pastoral letter, “This those states. Please contact us if you’re interested. Land is Home to Me.” In collaboration with, and addi- As Co-Coordinators, we often talk about how tional funding from, Appalachian Catholic Worker grateful we are to have such a supportive board, but (ACW), we are using all earmarked gifts and grants to especially lately. With much of the work this year fo- restore an old homestead near Spencer, WV, donated cusing on how the sexual abuse scandals are affecting by the family of an artist who went by the name the church in Appalachia, it’s been exhausting for both “Sako.” SAKO’s has a dual purpose to serve both our of us, and emotionally taxing particularly for Michael organizations, and a dual meaning to its name. 1) CCA who has kept a constant pulse on the ongoing multi- will be offering it for free retreat and meeting space, layered crisis right in Wheeling, where he lives. He has with preferential option given to grassroots groups of become as much of a target for criticism as an indis- marginalized populations (women, people of color, pensable resource for up-to-the-minute information. LGBTQ, etc.). And, when not in use for that, 2) ACW Without the encouragement of the board and many will open its doors for short-term emergency housing. members, CCA could not be the prophetic voice that it The name refers not only to the man who previously is in local, national, religious and secular media in the owned the property but, as an acronym, SAKO’s hon- midst of these historic turbulent times. ors those who first inhabited that land—Shawnee And Our work on behalf of victims of the abuse crisis is Kanawha Originally. not the only thing bringing attention to CCA. People Thank you for making these works of CCA possible are watching Salt + Light Media’s recent documentary, with your prayers, participation, and donations. 3 Michael J. Iafrate For almost two years, members of CCA have been tions that we bring to him. increasingly engaged on the issue of clergy sexual In order to work for reform, laypeople need to stay abuse in the Roman Catholic Church, specifically as it informed. To that end, we have added a page to the impacts our Appalachian dioceses. We have acted as CCA website titled “Abuse in Appala- individuals, as CCA state chapters, and as an organi- chia“ (www.ccappal.org/abuseinappalachia) as a re- zation. This article explains the origin of this work and source for tracking news about the abuse crisis in our some of the things we have been doing. region. The page collects news articles, opinion pieces, In November 2017, CCA published a statement on and analysis on the various aspects of the situation in sex abuse in the Catholic Church, available online and West Virginia, as well as various legal documents per- in the Summer 2018 issue of Patchquilt.