In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God
for you in Christ Jesus. - 2 Thes 5:18

Outreach In South Georgia: Father John Brown provides sacramental outreach to migrant workers in South Georgia. In addition to meeting their spiritual needs, Father John and the members of his missions make sure the workers have essential items like clothes and food.

One of the things I enjoy most as part of Glenmary’s leadership team is having the opportunity to make frequent visits to our missions in the south, southwest and Appalachia where I witness the amazing work being done by Glenmary missioners. With my recent re-election to Glenmary leadership—this time to a term of four years as first vice president—I look forward in the coming years to continuing these visits as well as sharing the inspiring stories of our missioners and ministries with you.

I often travel by car on these trips. As I get off the interstates and head towards our missions, I am surrounded by the beauty of God’s creation in the mountains of Appalachia and the cotton fields of the South. Once at a mission site, I see firsthand the dedication of our missioners to their county-wide ministry. As I leave a mission and head for the next one on my visitation schedule, I often think about the missioner I just visited and the work he does day in and day out and I am overwhelmed with a deep sense of thankfulness. Thankful for their ministry, for Glenmary’s mission, for the people we serve and for donors like you who make our ministry possible.

It’s not always easy to live by Paul’s mandate to the Thessalonians: “In all circumstances give thanks.” We often don’t take the time to see and give thanks for the world that surrounds us and the blessings in our lives. I’m grateful for these travel times when I can slow down, think, pray and give thanks for, among other things, the work being done by Father John Brown, Bob Laremore and Father Larry Goulding. As Thanksgiving approaches I hope their stories will help you slow down and, no matter your circumstances, give thanks to God for the blessings in your life.

Father John serves two missions in South Georgia. The face of these missions in Metter and Swainsboro change with the seasons as migrant workers come to the region to plant the Vidalia onion crop in the autumn and then return in the spring for the harvest. I always say an extra prayer for these workers when this delicious vegetable appears on our Thanksgiving table!

Father John goes out of his way to see that these folks have access to the sacraments. Because of the workers’ long hours, Father John often offers Mass for them after dark, by candlelight, in the trailer park where they live. He supplies these workers, who have no mode of transportation, with personal hygiene items, blankets and many times, food. Father John and the members of his missions are truly a lifeline to those living in the migrant camps of South Georgia.

Bob Laremore provides a Catholic presence in Moulton, Ala., as the pastoral coordinator of Resurrection Catholic Chapel. With Bob’s leadership, the small Catholic mission has earned a reputation as a community that reaches out to those in need, no matter their faith tradition or lack thereof. Bob helped initiate an outreach effort called the Good Samaritan Project which serves 90 percent of the impoverished residents of the county by distributing clothes, furniture, utility assistance and other necessities.

There’s another group of inspiring missioners that I give thanks for and I don’t have to visit them—I live with many of them at our headquarters in Cincinnati! They are our senior members. While many of them live in Cincinnati, many others, like Father Larry Goulding, live in the missions where they provide sacramental ministry and outreach.

Father Larry is the sacramental minister of two missions in Grayson and Vanceburg, Ky., and is a frequent visitor to the nearby Glenmary Farm where he shares stories about his years in the missions with Farm volunteers. He encourages them in their service and plays a mean game of cornhole with them! He seems to be as busy now as when he was pastor of two missions in South Georgia—and he loves every minute of it!

When you gather around your table this Thanksgiving, please offer a prayer of thanksgiving for Father John, Bob Laremore, Father Larry and all Glenmary missioners, coworkers and those we serve. I hope you will reinforce that prayer with a gift to Glenmary to help us continue witnessing to the Good News of Jesus Christ in the home missions and establishing a Catholic presence to counties that have none.

As we all take Paul’s words to heart, be assured of my thanks for your support of our work. Please know that you and your loved ones will be in my prayers this Thanksgiving.

Your brother in mission,

Father Dominic Duggins
Director of Development