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“The abbot must always remember what he is and remember what he is called, aware that more will be expected of a man to whom more has been entrusted. He must know what a difficult and demanding burden he has undertaken: directing souls and serving a variety of temperaments, coaxing, reproving and encouraging them as appropriate.” 

— From the Rule of Saint Benedict, Chapter 2: Qualities of the Abbot

On July 11, the Feast of Saint Benedict, the monks of Conception Abbey announced the election of their next abbot, Fr. Paul Sheller, OSB. I gratefully welcome Abbot Paul and look forward to many fruitful years ahead.

In late May, Abbot Benedict Neenan announced that he would be stepping down as the abbot after ten years. 

I want to take this space in the Catholic Key to express my personal gratitude, as well as that of our entire diocese, for Abbot Benedict’s leadership and service to the monastery and the seminary which Conception supports and operates as an apostolate. I want to thank him for the many ways the abbey contributes to and impacts our diocese. 

In my time as bishop here, I have grown to realize just how blessed we are to have a monastic community like Conception in our own local Church. The proximity of Conception to so many of our clergy, religious and lay faithful allows for many fruitful interactions and encounters with God and others. A majority of our college seminarians, past and present, were formed at Conception Seminary. Our youth summer camp, Camp Savio, has flourished in partnership with the abbey, and it has introduced not only our youngest generation, but many of their parents, to a deeper spiritual life. Many find at Conception an oasis for retreats, including our diocesan priests. Our deacon formation is overseen by Conception Seminary. We should all be grateful for Abbot Benedict’s and the monks’ desire and willingness to allow us to draw from the “living water” we find there. 

The monks originally arrived at Conception over 150 years ago at the invitation of the first bishop of St. Joseph (and then Kansas City), John J. Hogan. Bishop Hogan began without much of anything in what was then a wilderness being settled. Without clergy, money or buildings and just a few people, he needed help. The Benedictine monks in Switzerland answered the call. They came to rural Missouri with both a monastic and a missionary spirit. From the outset, they helped to prepare men for the priesthood, something that continues today for not only our diocese but many others. 

Along with this important service, the monks helped the bishop with parish ministry. As the number of monks grew, Conception served parishes in neighboring dioceses as well. Today, that service continues in several parishes in proximity to the abbey and is a vital part of our Church history. Again, thank you Abbot Benedict. You embody the same missionary spirit of your predecessors. We are so grateful!

Let us pray for Abbot Benedict as he returns to the life of a monk without the burdens of the office of abbot. And if you have the opportunity, thank him for his wise and generous service which benefited not only the monastic community, but all of us. Let us also pray for Abbot Paul, that God will bless him with an abundance of grace as Conception Abbey continues in prayer and work to give glory to God and bless his Church. 

The post On the Way | Thank you, Abbot Benedict appeared first on The Catholic Key.

By Allison Vrooman | Photos by Michael Hogan

When Cornerstones of Care opens its doors to its new home in the former Archbishop O’Hara High School building, the move will represent far more than a change of address. It marks an expanded capacity to serve, a deepening partnership with the south Kansas City community and a renewed commitment to supporting the mental, emotional, and educational needs of children across the region.

Cornerstones of Care is a behavioral and mental health nonprofit that serves children and families throughout Kansas and Missouri. The organization has three key services: youth and family support; foster care and adoption; and education and training. Their trained professionals utilize a certified model to identify, address, treat and monitor a variety of behavioral healthcare needs.

“Everything that we do is delivered through the lens of being trauma-informed,” said Sarah Scharinger, chief administrative officer. The organization is certified through the Sanctuary Model of Trauma-Informed Care, ensuring that therapeutic principles are woven into all its programs and services.

The move into the former high school facility creates new opportunities for growth. Previously, Cornerstones of Care operated two separate day-treatment schools serving students in grades K-8 and 9-12. Uniting under one roof will allow the organization to expand its reach and better serve its students.

“Being able to combine them into a single facility not only expands our capacity,” Scharinger said, “but it also gives us an opportunity to serve more school districts. What we are really excited about is that this is a 90,000-square-foot facility that gives us the opportunity to integrate academics, therapeutic, workforce, and professional development functions all under one roof. It is a 260 percent increase in space over what we have had previously.”

The two previous school buildings were a combined 25,000 square feet and were able to accommodate 115 students total. The new space will be able to welcome 150 students with adequate room for all its programs.

The need for services Cornerstones of Care provides continues to grow. According to the organization, one in four children today carries a mental health diagnosis, and schools are increasingly being called upon to address behavioral and mental health challenges within educational settings.

That reality has made the organization’s partnership with diocesan Catholic schools especially valuable. Through its Behavior Intervention Support Team (BIST) program, Cornerstones of Care provides professional development and consultation designed to equip educators with effective behavior management strategies.

“Schools across the diocese have accessed the professional development and consultation services offered through Cornerstones of Care,” said Karen Kroh, superintendent of diocesan Catholic schools. “Some schools have expanded beyond the professional development and consultation services and contracted directly with Cornerstones of Care to provide services in their building.”

Kroh said access to organizations like Cornerstones of Care is essential for helping schools meet the diverse needs of students.

“Their partnership strengthens a school’s ability to create safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environments where every child can thrive.” She later said, “Caring for students’ social and emotional well-being is an important part of Catholic education because we are committed to developing the whole child, mind, body and spirit.”

In the past year, Cornerstones of Care served 137 students from more than 40 school districts in its therapeutic education programs. Among those students, 97 percent maintained or improved their academic performance, 61 percent improved their functioning and 55 percent reduced their severity of behavioral concerns.

“Our mission is to partner for safe and healthy communities,” Scharinger said. “We are very excited and grateful for the opportunity to be in this facility and to have partnered with the diocese.”

The post A shared mission, a stronger future appeared first on The Catholic Key.

By Marty Denzer | Photos by Michael Hogan

Many of us grew up hearing stories our grandparents or great-grandparents told about “the good ol’ days.” Today, demographers count seven generations going back to the Silent Generation (1928-1945). Unfortunately, often there’s a disconnect between older and younger people.   

Roots and Rounds, Inc., a lay apostolate founded in 2019, recognizes and promotes multigenerational communication, acceptance and, according to Debbie Sheppard of our diocese’s Life and Justice Office, the realization that Catholic social teaching is based on the teaching, vision and example of older people.

Since 1978, National Grandparents Day has been celebrated in America on the first Sunday after Labor Day, this year on Sept. 13. In 2021, Pope Francis declared World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly to be celebrated annually on the fourth Sunday of July, alongside the Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, Jesus’ grandparents. The USCCB approved the transfer and a plenary indulgence may be earned for its celebration.

Roots and Rounds founder Christel Gollnick is Gen X and her husband Bruce is a Baby Boomer. The program’s genesis lies in youth engaging the wisdom, learning and experience of older people, while they, in turn, value the younger folks. It’s the “Circle of Life.” 

Gollnick authored Stone Soup: A Familiar Folktale Brings All Ages to the Table, a 21st century retelling of the ancient tale of hungry travelers tricking stingy villagers into sharing their food by making “stone soup” with hot water and stones. Intrigued, villagers began contributing meat and vegetables, creating a communal feast. 

Seen through the eyes of stranded campers in an area cut off from food delivery services, a stone symbolizes hope, inspiring them to pool their remaining supplies into a communal meal. 

Gollnick’s version — complete with recipes and activities — shifts from an outlook of scarcity to abundance. Everyone brings something valuable to the table.

In 2022, Roots and Rounds applied for a diocesan Life and Justice Campaign grant, outlining its purpose, mission and vision. Its purpose focuses on the root principles of inclusivity, respect and innovation to empower leaders and teams of all ages. The mission is to bridge the wisdom and energy of all ages in communities and workplaces through improved intergenerational communications and leadership, which can engender thriving communities led by people who value each other. Their project description says, “Age is the one diversity that all people share. Yet, young and older people … feel ‘less than’ for being born in a particular generation.”

Some may say, ‘So what?” The mission and vision answers that question. Roots and Rounds may be a stone of hope for the future. 

Learn more at rootsandrounds.org. 

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By Marty Denzer | Photos by Michael Hogan

Many people worldwide are in need, whether for food, clothing, shelter or medical care. About 10 years ago, a group of women at Holy Trinity Parish in Weston organized a charity sewing group ministry, crafting handmade essential items needed both locally and globally. 

Coordinator Lori Mathews loves to sew, loves to give and loves to serve others. She enumerated projects the sewing group has completed, meeting once a month: quilts encased in pillowcases for Quilts of Valor; travel rollups and sleeping bags for the homeless made from donated blue jeans; lap blankets, walker bags and clothing protectors for local retirement communities; baby quilts for Children’s Mercy Hospital and Parkville Women’s Clinic; quilts and sheet sets for the Sleep in Heavenly Peace program which donates bunk beds and bedding to kids ages 3-17 to ensure no child has to sleep on the floor; baby doll quilts and learning softies for Operation Breakthrough; and washable, reusable sanitary pads for young women in Africa. The group also makes items to sell at Weston events to fund material and sewing supplies.

The sewing group is currently working on a request from an Immaculate Heart of Mary Sister at Maranatha Caring Mission Hospital in Umueje, Nigeria, for 500 dresses, sizes 2-12, and 400 pairs of boys’ shorts. The group began sewing the dresses in March; more than 300 are completed and vacuum sealed for shipping. Mathews said shipping has been slow, but as soon as the shipping container is ready to leave, the dresses will be in it. She added that it takes four months for shipping pods to reach Umueje in rural Nigeria.

“Those kids have nothing,” she said, adding that Father Joseph Totton, pastor, blesses items before shipment. The shorts request will likely be filled next year, she added.

Mathews said the monthly meetings are fun, filled with their labors of love — sewing, pressing, conversing and sharing a meal. There has been a bit of competition in the speed a child’s dress could be made — from first cut to last stitch. The record so far is 35 minutes! 

She said sewing skill or experience isn’t needed. Help is welcome for cutting and ironing as well as sewing. Each attendee brings a dish to share for lunch. The group also shares conversation and laughter, sewing tips and encouragement.   

Those interested in supporting or volunteering may email lori.mathews4@gmail.com. 

The post Making a difference, one stitch at a time appeared first on The Catholic Key.

By Marty Denzer

Ten years ago, following profound experiences with Christ in the Eucharist, Father Mathias Thelen and Patrick Reis co-founded Encounter Ministries. 

Ordained in 2010, Father Thelen currently serves as pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Brighton, Michigan. He earned his licentiate in sacred theology in 2016 from the Angelicum in Rome. Father Thelen is an author and speaker and has appeared in several documentaries.

Reis, executive director of Encounter Ministries, received his bachelor’s degree from Franciscan University, Steubenville, Ohio, and his master’s from  Holy Apostles College and Seminary in 2014. An international speaker, minister and author, he has appeared in  documentaries with Father Thelen. Reis is married and has six children.

Encounter Ministries seeks to teach, equip and activate disciples to demonstrate God’s love through the power of the Holy Spirit in their spheres of influence. The Encounter School of Ministry, a two-year, part-time training program, is designed to take both clergy and lay people deeper into supernatural discipleship. The main campus is in Brighton, with numerous satellite schools around the world. The local satellite campus is at Holy Spirit Catholic Church  in Overland Park, Kansas. 

Holy Spirit’s campus and academic curriculum underwent a rigorous review by a team of Catholic theologians and was approved by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas, now retired, and Bishop James V. Johnston, Jr., of the Diocese of Kansas City – St. Joseph. The first graduations were in 2023.

Katrina Schmitz, attended an Encounter Ministries Summer Intensive program last year, a four-night experience of learning about identity as sons and daughters of God, power and healing, growing in faith, hearing God’s voice more clearly and getting equipped to participate in Jesus’ ministry of “healing the broken hearted and and binding up their wounds.”

Schmitz, who calls herself a “real Catholic mom,” said, “Those four short nights, 12 hours, launched me into wanting more! The classes continue to point me back to my own relationship with Christ.” She now attends the school.

“It’s mostly for me,” Schmitz added. “Sharing testimony and experiences builds faith. My hope is to live more boldly, holistically in the Holy Spirit! Come to be encouraged and sent out to encourage others in faith. We all have difficult moments in life; inviting God and the Holy Spirit into every part of life is healing. Every time I give more, I get more. I want to pass my faith on to my three boys, a ripple effect. And, I want everybody to know about it!”

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By Karen Ridder

Years ago, a friend of mine took a trip alone with her husband. Family members watched their four young daughters. They went to some sunny place. After their return, I asked how the trip had gone.

“We’re not doing THAT again,” she said.

I was confused. Her marriage is strong. Didn’t she enjoy the time away with her husband? “Of course,” she said. “But I just missed the kids like crazy. I don’t want to leave them like that again.”

It was a bit of a countercultural statement. As a mom, I’ve ALWAYS taken time for myself, believing it to be important. It is, but there was a truth in the way she said she missed her kids that shifted something in me. This parenting thing is a gift we often treat too blithely. We are encouraged to do so, and in that we miss something.

Once in the confessional I complained to the priest about not being able to offer my gift of hospitality to friends and neighbors much in this season of life. He responded, “Perhaps the hospitality you’re meant to offer in your home right now is to your children.” I realized he was right.

Jesus told his apostles, “Whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because the little one is a disciple — Amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.” (Mt 10:42)

To be a disciple means to be a learner or a follower. Our children ARE little disciples of us. We give them our homes, our tables, our resources, our energy, our today and our tomorrow. In it all, they learn and follow us. The reward for parents is becoming more like the Lord.

A second time, Jesus told us to be active in meeting the needs of others, saying, “To the extent that you did it for one of these least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me.” (Mt 25:40)

When we catch Jesus repeating himself — it’s best to pay attention.

I wonder if, during that week away, part of what my friend actually missed was the presence of Jesus mysteriously mirrored through the hospitality she was regularly offering her children at home.

Jesus is with us when we parent. It is good to remember this truth and be intentional about how we respond. Without hospitality in our hearts, it may be tempting to fall into resentment over what we’ve been asked to sacrifice.

The season of parenting children in your home is a gift that will come and go quickly. This month, I send my second of four children off to college. I no longer get to be Jesus to him and his brother with daily drinks of cold water. Others must come alongside now to offer that hospitality to them both. That’s OK, though, because it never really was me anyway. It was always Jesus. He just allowed me to be a part of the gift.

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By Allison Vrooman | Photos by Michael Hogan

When the diocesan Catholic Schools Office created the new position of president of Bright Futures Schools, they sought a leader who could strengthen Catholic education by building relationships, expanding community support and ensuring the long-term vitality of four of its urban core schools. With nearly two decades in Catholic education and nonprofit leadership, Christy Cook has stepped into the role.

For Cook, this job feels like a door that God opened for her in his perfect timing and that her previous experiences had been preparing her all along.

“I always knew I wanted to [work again for] the Church; I just didn’t know what that would look like,” she said. “The Lord definitely had this in store.”

Raised in a military family, Cook lived around the world before graduating from high school in Florida and earning a business management degree from the University of Florida. Her career has included 10 years as a Catholic educator in Texas and North Carolina, community outreach and development for a Catholic school in Omaha, business manager at St. Regis Academy in Kansas City and, most recently, serving as operations director for Warriors’ Ascent, a Kansas City nonprofit supporting veterans and first responders experiencing post-traumatic stress.

Those experiences gave her both the operational expertise and the relationship-building skills that will serve her in the newly created role.

Karen Kroh, superintendent of diocesan Catholic schools, shared, “Christy has a remarkable ability to build relationships, bring people together around a common vision, and inspire others through her Faith and enthusiasm. I am confident that her leadership will be a tremendous blessing to the Bright Futures Schools, the Bright Futures Fund and the families they serve.”

Although the position is new, Cook embraces the opportunity to help shape it from the ground up. She hopes to help the broader Kansas City community see the Bright Futures Schools as an investment in the city’s future.

“It’s titled a Catholic school,” she said, “but these are your community kids attending these schools. It’s our responsibility as a community to care for them and support them.”

As president, Christy will guide the four schools currently supported by the Bright Futures Fund: Holy Cross, Our Lady of Hope, Our Lady’s Montessori School and St. Regis Academy. 

Learn more at brightfuturesfund.org.  

Bright Futures Schools

Holy Cross School has served families in the Historic Northeast community in Kansas City, Missouri, for over 100 years. Educating pre-K through eighth grade students from a variety of nationalities, cultures and religious backgrounds, the school has dedicated itself to creating a welcoming environment to all families, while providing quality Catholic education. About 98 percent of students receive tuition assistance. Holy Cross School does not receive any parish subsidy and is fully dependent on the Bright Futures Fund and other outside support to remain open.

Our Lady of Hope School is located off Westport Road near the state line and serves families in both Missouri and Kansas. Families choose the school because of its small class sizes, diverse and supportive community, and daily Faith formation. With the belief that every child deserves access to a high-quality Catholic education, tuition is determined based on each family’s unique financial situation and 100 percent of students receive scholarships. Our Lady of Hope School does not receive any parish subsidy and is fully dependent on the Bright Futures Fund and other outside support to remain open.

Our Lady’s Montessori School is a small Catholic Montessori school, located in Kansas City, Missouri, near St. Therese Little Flower Parish. The school was opened in 1973 by the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity and moved into its current location in 2022 where it serves children ages 3 to 14. Our Lady’s Montessori School has received support from the Bright Futures Fund to help with building improvements, as well as scholarships for preschool students who do not yet qualify for state scholarships through the MOScholars program.

St. Regis Academy became the newest Bright Futures School in the spring of 2026. The academy is supported by a hybrid model in which the Bright Futures Fund and St. John Francis Regis Parish partner to ensure ongoing enrollment growth and student support. Located in south Kansas City, St. Regis Academy is a K-8 school serving Catholic and non-Catholic families seeking a classical Catholic education for their children. The student population is very diverse and more than 50 percent of students qualify for free and reduced lunch.

The post A new chapter for urban core Catholic education appeared first on The Catholic Key.

Por Leyden Rovelo-Krull

Cada agosto, los padres se hacen una serie de preguntas conocidas.

¿Quién será el maestro de mi hijo?

¿Qué clases va a tomar?

¿Ya compramos los útiles escolares?

¿Ya lo inscribimos en deportes?

Pero hay otra pregunta, una que rara vez aparece en un formulario de inscripción escolar:

¿Quién le está enseñando a mi hijo lo que vale la pena amar?

Los padres católicos escuchan con frecuencia que deben ser los primeros educadores de sus hijos. Normalmente, entendemos esto en el contexto de la educación religiosa o de la formación moral. Sin embargo, la realidad es que todo niño ya está aprendiendo qué importa, qué es admirable, qué es deseable y, en última instancia, qué vale la pena servir.

En otras palabras, siempre están siendo discipulados.

La tradición cristiana ofrece una idea sorprendente sobre la persona humana. Con frecuencia nos imaginamos principalmente como personas que eligen, que toman decisiones y trazan su propio camino. Pero quizá sea más preciso decir que la persona humana no es principalmente alguien que elige, sino alguien hecho para amar, servir y pertenecer. Y aquello que captura el corazón eventualmente se convierte en su señor.

Jesús señala esta realidad cuando dice: “Nadie puede servir a dos señores” (Mt 6,24). Notemos que Jesús entiende que vamos a servir. Tenemos que hacerlo. Estamos hechos para ello. La pregunta no es si una persona se entregará a algo más grande que ella misma. La pregunta es qué será ese “algo”.

Esto es cierto para los adultos. Es igualmente cierto para los niños.

Los catequistas de hoy muchas veces no son las personas que esperamos. Son personalidades de YouTube, influencers en redes sociales, anunciantes, celebridades, grupos de amigos, plataformas de streaming y algoritmos. Día tras día, ofrecen respuestas a las preguntas más profundas de la vida.

¿Qué te hará feliz?

¿Qué te hará importante?

¿Qué te hará digno de ser amado?

¿Qué hará que tu vida tenga sentido?

Cada una de estas voces propone una visión de “la vida buena”. Cada una está enseñando a nuestros hijos lo que vale la pena amar.

Ninguna de ellas es neutral.

El mundo es notablemente eficaz para discipular.

Esto importa de una manera particular para los padres hispanos. Muchos de nosotros llevamos un profundo deseo de transmitir nuestra herencia, y ese deseo es bueno. Queremos que nuestros hijos conozcan el idioma, la comida, las historias, las canciones y la historia familiar que nos formó. Pero debemos tener cuidado de no confundir la memoria cultural con la formación católica. Nuestros hijos pueden conocer las comidas, las banderas y las historias familiares, y aun así no conocer a Cristo. Si nos obsesionamos con las “raíces latinas” sin anclarlos en su identidad católica, corremos el riesgo de que nuestros hijos piensen que la identidad es algo que pueden escoger, en lugar de una herencia que Dios quiere que reclamen como Sus hijos e hijas.

Este es el corazón de lo que la Iglesia quiere decir cuando afirma que los padres son los primeros formadores de sus hijos. La tarea no consiste simplemente en transmitir información sobre la fe. Consiste en ayudar a formar el corazón. En enseñar a nuestros hijos que su libertad no está separada del servicio. En ayudarles a descubrir a un Señor cuyo “yugo es suave” y cuya “carga es ligera” (Mt 11,28-30).

Mientras los niños regresan a la escuela este otoño, los padres católicos pensarán, con razón, en calificaciones, maestros, horarios y oportunidades. Estas cosas importan. Pero quizá la pregunta más importante sigue siendo:

¿Quién le está enseñando a mi hijo lo que es verdadero, bueno y bello?

Porque si no formamos intencionalmente sus corazones, alguien más lo hará.

Todo corazón pertenecerá a algo. Toda vida será entregada en servicio a alguien.

Y la gran pregunta que enfrenta todo niño, y todo padre, es finalmente la misma:

¿Quién será mi Señor? 

The post ¿Quién Está Formando a Tus Hijos? appeared first on The Catholic Key.

By Leyden Rovelo-Krull

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Every August, parents ask a familiar set of questions.

Who is my child’s teacher?

What classes are they taking?

Did we buy the school supplies?

Did we sign up for sports?

But there is another question, one that rarely appears on a school registration form:

Who is teaching my child what is worth loving?

Catholic parents often hear that they must be the primary educators of their children. Usually, we mean this in the context of religious education, or moral formation. Yet the reality is that every child is already learning what matters, what is admirable, what is desirable and, ultimately, what is worth serving.

In other words, they are always being discipled.

The Christian tradition offers a surprising insight into the human person. We often imagine ourselves principally as choosers, making decisions and charting our own path. But perhaps it is more accurate to say that the human person is not primarily a chooser, but someone made to love, serve and belong. And whatever captures the heart eventually becomes its master.

Jesus points to this reality when he says, “No one can serve two masters.” (Mt 6:24) Notice that Jesus understands that we will serve. We must. We are made to do so. The question is not whether a person will give himself to something greater than himself. The question is what that “something” will be.

This is true for adults. It is equally true for children.

Today’s catechists are often not the people we expect. They are YouTube personalities, social media influencers, advertisers, celebrities, friend groups, streaming platforms and algorithms. Day after day, they offer answers to life’s deepest questions.

What will make you happy?

What will make you important?

What will make you lovable?

What will make your life meaningful?

Every one of these voices is proposing a vision of “the good life.” Every one of them is teaching our children what is worth loving.

None of them are neutral.

The world is remarkably effective at discipleship.

This matters in a particular way for Hispanic parents. Many of us carry a deep desire to pass on heritage, and that desire is good. We want our children to know the language, the food, the stories, the songs and the family history that shaped us. But we should be careful not to confuse cultural memory with Catholic formation. Our children can know the foods, the flags and the family stories, yet still not know Christ. If we obsess over “Latin roots” without anchoring them in their Catholic identity, we risk having our children think identity is something they can choose rather than the inheritance God wants them to claim as his sons and daughters.

This is the heart of what the Church means when she says parents are the primary formators of their children. The task is not simply to pass on information about faith. It is to help form the heart. To teach our children that their freedom is not separate from service. To help them discover a Master whose “yoke is easy” and whose “burden is light.” (Mt 11:28-30)

As children return to school this fall, Catholic parents will rightly think about grades, teachers, schedules and opportunities. These things matter. But perhaps the most important question remains:

Who is teaching my child what is true, good and beautiful?

Because if we do not intentionally form their hearts, someone else will.

Every heart will belong to something. Every life will be given in service to someone.

And the great question facing every child, and every parent, is ultimately the same:

Who will be my master?  

The post Hispanic Ministry | Who is teaching your children? appeared first on The Catholic Key.

By Father Leonard Gicheru

The Church’s history is filled with men and women who responded to God’s call with extraordinary courage. Among them stands Venerable Henriette DeLille, a pioneer of faith whose witness continues to inspire many Black Catholics today.

Born in New Orleans in 1813, Henriette DeLille grew up in a society marked by racial divisions and social inequality. As a free woman of color, she encountered barriers that limited opportunities for education, advancement, and religious life. Rather than allowing those obstacles to define her future, she discerned a deeper calling: to dedicate her life entirely to God and to the service of those most in need.

At a time when women of African descent were excluded from most religious communities, DeLille refused to abandon her vocation. Instead, she gathered like-minded women who shared her commitment to prayer, charity and Christian service. Together with Juliette Gaudin and Josephine Charles, she founded the Sisters of the Holy Family, one of the first religious communities in the United States established by women of African descent.

Their ministry was both courageous and transformative. The sisters cared for the sick, the elderly and the poor. They welcomed orphans, educated children and provided religious instruction to both free and enslaved Black Catholics despite legal and social restrictions. Through their work, they affirmed a fundamental truth of the Gospel: every human person possesses God-given dignity and deserves to be treated with respect and compassion.

What makes Henriette DeLille’s witness particularly relevant today is her unwavering trust in God’s providence. She faced prejudice, rejection and countless challenges, yet she never allowed bitterness to take root in her heart. Instead, she responded with faith, perseverance and love. Her life demonstrates that authentic Christian discipleship is not measured by circumstances but by one’s willingness to remain faithful amid adversity.

In an age marked by polarization, loneliness and social division, DeLille’s example reminds us that holiness begins with recognizing Christ in others, especially those who are forgotten or marginalized. Her commitment to serving the vulnerable challenges all Catholics to become agents of mercy, justice, and reconciliation within their communities.

Declared Venerable in 2010, Henriette DeLille remains a powerful model of faith-filled leadership and sacrificial love. As the Church continues to pray for her canonization, her life invites us to trust more deeply in God’s grace and to courageously answer his call wherever he leads us. 

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