In 1946, Father Joe Dean established a Catholic presence in Norton, Va. From that base mission, many missions were established including, in 1947, St. Patrick in Dungannon. Celebrating the 60th anniversary of its founding, St. Patrick is now a mission of Gate City, which also celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Glenmary has remained committed to maintaining a presence in these economically depressed areas of Southwest Virginia because of the great need still found there. For 60 years, the Dungannon Catholic community, while small in number, has been a constant in Scott County and has readily answered the challenge to spread the Good News. Today, the St. Patrick community celebrates its past and continues to envision a future filled with hope.

1950: The Glenmary Sisters arrived in Dungannon and began teaching catechism classes for children like those pictured above. These classes were instrumental in reaching the local residents whom the sisters described as living ”where angels fear to tread.”

1959: As a mission of St. Paul in Norton, Va., St. Patrick served as a training site for Glenmary brothers in formation. Brother Timothy Hyland provided outreach in the local community, worked to address the issues created by Scott County’s severe poverty and to educated the local population about the Catholic Church.

1947: Fathers Joe Dean and Ray Dehen and Brother Vince Wilmes celebrated the dedication of the St. Patrick Chapel on June 1, 1947. Father Joe and members of the mission helped build the unique log church. Prior to the construction of the church, local Catholics gathered to celebrate Mass in private homes. When Glenmary first entered Southwest Virginia, missioners introduced themselves—and Catholicism—through tent and street preaching.

1950s: Father Pat Breheny told this story of his time in Dungannon: The area followed the Appalachian tradition of open range for farm animals. Unloading groceries, he returned to his car and saw the back end of a contented cow, kneeling on the back seat, happily munching on his recently purchased bag of apples. Perhaps these are those cows!

1972: Long-time parishioner Agnes Hagan, a descendent of Joseph Hagan, helps paint the chapel exterior. The Joseph Hagan family were the first Catholics to settle in the area and donated the land where the church stands.

2002: The consummate storyteller, Father Rollie Hautz, the pastor of Glenmary’s Gate City and Dungannon missions, has spent a total of 23 years in Southwest Virginia. He even remembers cutting down some of the trees used to build the log church! Here he speaks with Betty Meade a recent convert. Through his stories, he forms relationships with people of his county—and attracts new Catholics like Betty. In 2002, he welcomed eight people into the Church. “The parish increased by 25 percent in one year!” he laughs.