Father John Rausch—Stanton, Kentucky
Making Room in the Marketplace for Faith
 

Father John Rausch leads a workshop for Appalachian writers aimed at helping the individual writers sharpen their writing skills. Workshops such as these are one of the many ways Father John works to help increase public awareness about rural ministry and the economic and justice issues of the Appalachian region.

Glenmary Father John Rausch wears many hats as  part of his ministry based in Stanton, Ky. Syndicated columnist. Frequent contributor to Glenmary Challenge. Economic advisor. Tour guide. Co-op developer/consultor. Human rights advocate. Gourmet chef.

Whatever hat he happens to have on, one can be sure that it relates to his ministry to the low-income persons living and working in Appalachia—even as a gourmet chef.

“There is more (work) done around this table,” he says as he gestures to his kitchen table. It’s through hospitality, the “antithesis to an economic system bent on efficiency,” that connections are made.

Connecting to people is key to his ministry of economic development. “I see myself as a person trying to understand how to bring justice into a world in which I see people denied opportunities and who can’t really fulfill their own desires for their families because of their economic situation,” he says. 

His message to everyone is to reflect on our economic life in light of the Gospel. “We have created a system where those in ownership positions are the only ones who get any respect and profits from the venture. It’s a community of workers who create the product and deserve to have a more equitable distribution of the profits.”

One of the ways he promotes justice is through direct work with community organizations that help people help themselves. An example is an herb co-op which he helped organize in Eastern Kentucky. Through the co-op, members grow herbs native to the region and market them. The co-op has been successful and he is still involved on an advisory level.

Education is key for Father John, whether it’s educating those involved in the herb co-op about running a business or speaking about justice and peace issues at a middle-class East-coast parish or writing his syndicated column, “Faith in the Marketplace,” which appears in 22 U.S. Catholic newspapers. 

Then on Sundays when he fills in at various churches in the Diocese of Lexington, Ky., he explains “I bring the experiences of those struggling to earn a livelihood into the pulpit to further authenticate the fact that economics is a ministry of the church.”

“It’s all about faith in the marketplace,” he says. “I ask people, ‘How do you bring your everyday faith to bear on your everyday life which in our society, is dominated by the marketplace?’” It’s a tough question to answer.

“You can talk all you want about a loving God,” he says, “But unless you put in place those structures that will keep people aware that we have to support one another in community, not as rugged individualists, people will not understand about that loving God.

“They will understand that concept when they see the Church is right there on an everyday level helping them meet their basic human needs.” That, of course, is one of the basic foundations of Glenmary’s approach to evangelization in all of its missions.

His knowledge and insight is the result of an almost 30-year association with the people of Appalachia and their issues.

“Once I joined Glenmary and was introduced to the mountains and small towns,” says this Philadelphia native, “that was it.” He speaks passionately about the beauty of the mountains and of the people and the culture. 

He shares that passion with others through the many tours he leads through the mountains, educating participants about the beauties and problems of the region. 

Father John, along with other experts, guide seminarians from various faith traditions through two-week and six-week tours. He has also been one of the core organizers for a study tour for members of the Catholic press.

With a master’s in economics, he also gives lectures and workshops relating to economic development and co-ops in home mission areas and throughout the world, having lectured in Sierra Leone, Haiti, South Africa, Bangladesh and Ghana.

His economics ministry plays a key role in his understanding of Glenmary’s mission to serve the spiritual and material needs of the neglected communities in small-town and rural America. 

“Glenmary’s task is to maintain its humbleness,” he says. “In being with the folks and then telling the stories that we live with the folks—that’s how Goliath (indifference, profit-taking etc.) will be brought down.”

Father John also serves as director of peace and justice for the Diocese of Lexington (Ky.) and director of the Catholic Committee of Appalachia.

For current assignment