May 2006 - Sister Grace Pasquarello, SSJ

Sister Grace Pasquarello, SSJ, recalls one of the first times she ventured out alone by car in the mountains of eastern Kentucky. At night, in the rain, she was navigating the narrow roads "when I saw a green light at the top of the hill." In the rain and fog, Sister had mistakenly driven up a "coal ramp," where trucks and heavy equipment loaded mined coal, and a line of traffic had followed her. She wasn't hurt, but it's an example of the risks faced by missionaries working in some of the most remote areas of the U.S.

Sister Grace, who turns 75 this month, has been serving in Kentucky's coal region since 1988. A Sister of St. Joseph of Philadephia, Sister Grace traveled up and down the "hollers" with Father Terence Hoppenjans to find Catholics in this rugged area of the Bible Belt, where Catholics still represent less than 1 percent of the population.

She and Sister Anne Schuck lived in a house that was part of an old coal camp at Phelps, Ky. Catholic Extension helped establish a little mission church, Jesus of the Mountains, in the coal-camp house next door.

The Sisters helped in local literacy programs, worked with other area churches to open a thrift store and tutored students. Through Sister Anne's efforts, the Phelps Area Habitat for Humanity was established, which has built 20 homes for residents in the region, and repaired many more. Sister Grace is still secretary for Habitat.

Sister Anne returned to Philadelphia in 1994 and another Sister, Sister Eleanor McNichol, worked with Sister Grace until 1997. Since then, she has served as administrator at Jesus of the Mountains on her own.

But, she told the local newspaper, "I've never felt lonely. Our faith is strong, and we thank God for leading us here and sustaining us in this mission."

To help provide for the ministries of hard-working missionaries like Sister Grace, please donate now securely. Thank you.

Read more about Sister Grace in the June issue of Extension Magazine.