President’s Friends Gather to Celebrate Glenmary’s Mission
Glenmary has so many wonderful supporters, including a group we like to call the President’s Friends. This community of dedicated supporters that helps advance Glenmary’s mission gathered for this year’s President’s Friends Mass & Luncheon on October 21. Attendees traveled from Maine, Pennsylvania, northern Ohio, Missouri, Indiana, and the Greater Cincinnati area to celebrate the mission they share.
During the gathering, guests were offered an opportunity to celebrate Mass, reconnect with fellow supporters, and hear how Glenmary is helping Catholic communities grow in rural Tennessee. Father Mike Kerin and Pastoral Coordinator Lorenzo Ajú talked about their experiences from Divine Savior Church in Clay County and the Catholic Community of Overton County — two examples of the people and places at the heart of Glenmary’s mission.
Divine Savior: A Community Growing Together
In rural Clay County, Tennessee, building a Catholic community takes time, patience, and a welcoming spirit. Father Mike Kerin shared the story of Divine Savior Church and the challenges of serving an area where Catholics are few and the far distances can make gathering for worship difficult.
Divine Savior is part of Glenmary’s broader presence in the region, alongside missions in Carthage, Lafayette, and Hartsville. These communities reflect Mission Land USA — rural regions where the Catholic Church has little or no presence.
At Divine Savior, the mission extends beyond celebrating Mass. The mission here includes nurturing faith development, welcoming those unfamiliar with the Church, and building relationships with other Christian communities. The parish partners with a local Methodist church to bring the Second Harvest Food Bank Mobile Pantry to the area.
Four times a year, an 18-wheeler loaded with food arrives at the food bank. Volunteers load the food into their vehicles and deliver it to 300–400 families throughout the area. This partnership with a local Methodist church is a wonderful example of congregations working together to care for their neighbors. Divine Savior puts Glenmary’s five pillars of mission into practice every day by nurturing faith, welcoming everyone, building ecumenical relationships across Christian communities, and responding to local needs. Through these efforts, missioners accompany the community as it grows in faith and serves its neighbors.
Members of Divine Savior and the Catholic Community of Overton County visited St. Meinrad Archabbey and the St. Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology in July 2026.
Overton County: Where Faith and Friendship Flourish
When Lorenzo Ajú and his wife, Nicolasa, arrived in Overton County, Tennessee, they faced a fundamental question: “Where do we start?” They had just moved to the area and were tasked with building a Catholic community.
They began by traveling around the county and getting to know people. One day, they stopped to chat with a woman outside her home. On a return visit, they asked, “Are you Catholic?” They went on to explain that they were working to establish a Catholic church in the area. Her response: “I will share this with my sisters and friends.” Two months later, in June 2022, the first Catholic Mass was celebrated in the local library, with about 20 people attending. Today, the Catholic Community of Overton County has grown to about 60 people attending Sunday Mass and leases its own space for worship and celebrations. They also initiated religious education classes and are training members to serve as Eucharistic ministers, lectors, and servers. Through prayer, fellowship and service, the Catholics of Overton County are creating a place where people can grow together in faith, and experience the friendship and support of a welcoming community.
Members of the Catholic Community of Overton County celebrating the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Thank You for being Part of the Mission
Glenmary missioners accompany people as Catholic communities grow across rural America. In every place they serve, our missioners welcome their neighbors, serve local needs, and build strong faith communities.
To our President’s Friends: thank you for your prayers, encouragement and partnership. Whether you joined us in person or were with us in spirit, you are part of this mission. Your support helps make it possible for Glenmary to bring the presence of the Catholic Church to communities where it is needed.
