Page 28 - Catholic Extension Magazine Summer2020

28 INSPIRE

Cover Story

IN BATTLING COVID-19, PRIESTS INSPIRE PARISHIONERS

On the frontlines

of this crisis,
priests heroically put
their communities’
needs above their own

n the poorest faith
communities across our
country, Catholic priests
tirelessly minister to
those in extreme poverty,
I personal crises or poor
IMPACT health. With the COVID-19

pandemic raging in severely
under-resourced parishes like
THE those supported by Catholic

Extension, the poor incur another
blow when the priests they rely
CHURCH on fall victim themselves to the

disease.
“The saints next door,” is
OF RIGHT Father Odel how Pope Francis recently
Medina, pastor of
referred to priests minis-
St. Anne Church
tering to those sickened
TOMORROW. in Carthage, MS, by coronavirus. Catholic
recovered from
Extension proudly funds
COVID-19 with
the support of his ministries of two of these
community, who “saintly” priests who, after
Naming Catholic he has served contracting the illness,
Extension as a throughout all their are slowly recovering in
BENEFICIARY OF YOUR hardships. the loving care of the faith
RETIREMENT PLAN communities they self-
is an easy way to make lessly support.
a gift that costs you MIGRANT FARMING
nothing now. COMMUNITY IN YAKIMA
BOLSTERS PASTOR WHILE
For more about long-term giving, visit HE IS SICK
legacy.catholicextension.org. In the Diocese of
or contact the Planned Giving Team: Yakima, Washington,
800-842-7804 where the rate of COVID-
plannedgiving@ 19 infection is the highest
catholicextension.org