Rosalind Tucker was unprepared for the culture shock of moving from Birmingham to the small “Bible Belt” town of Centre, Ala. There was no Catholic Church in all of Cherokee County.

She discovered that the social life of a rural Southern town revolves around its churches. Rosalind’s polite refusals of neighbors’ invitations to come to their churches were met with amazement. No one was Catholic here. Catholics were weird and different. Her refusal to participate in these Protestant worship services meant isolation and loneliness.

Her family made the long trip each week over to the next county to St. James in Gadsden for Mass and for religion classes for the children. But they lived too far away to really become a part of the parish community. The Tucker family felt lonely in their Catholic faith.

Those who move to a community without a Catholic presence either become very strong in their faith or they drift away. Rosalind Tucker became stronger.

“For 21 years I have wanted a Catholic Church in Cherokee County,” she says. “People tell me there will never be a Catholic Church here. I want to prove them wrong.”

Part of “proving them wrong” was to visit the Glenmary Web site and to contact Glenmary for help in establishing a Catholic congregation in her county.

But I had to deliver some bad news to Rosalind: It may be a long time before there is a Catholic eucharistic community or church building in Cherokee County. It is one of 369 counties in the southern United States awaiting Catholic missionary ministry and presence. While Glenmary continues to take on new mission territory, we can’t tackle all 369 counties at once given our limited personnel and financial resources.

In the meantime, Rosalind and a few Catholic women are beginning to meet to pray together and study their faith. With enthusiasm, they are looking at possible ways to locate the scattered Catholics of the county who go to four different churches in two states.

They are asking: How can we reach out to the growing Hispanic community? Could we have a booth with Catholic literature at the local fall festival? Could we have a column in the newspaper to explain what Catholics believe? Could we…
I wish I could tell Rosalind that a Glenmary missioner will be coming to Centre to pastor their fledgling missionary community.

But, for now, I can say this: In a very real sense, Rosalind, you have already proven wrong those who said, “There will never be a Catholic church here.” You can’t see a church building. You haven’t met as a congregation for your first Mass. But you and the other faith-filled women who are gathering already have the Church present in your hearts.

This group is already beginning to see itself as the Catholic People of God of Cherokee County. The rest will follow in time with determination and hard work. And, in the meantime, Rosalind need never be lonely again as a Catholic in Cherokee County, Ala.