Lenten Almsgiving with Catholic Extension

CtR has once again partnered with Catholic Extension Society to raise essential funds for the St. Joan of Arc parish community in the Diocese of Brownsville in South Texas. The Diocese of Brownsville - the poorest Catholic diocese in the United States - has an average household income of just $30,000, less than half the national average.


The parish’s goal is to construct a new rectory to provide adequate living quarters for the pastor, Fr. Francisco Solis. The current building, which also doubles as the parish offices, was constructed in the 1960s and lacks privacy and functional space. Your almsgiving will fund converting the current building to dedicated office and meeting spaces and constructing a new rectory on acquired property next door.

St. Joan of Arc parishioners continue to fundraise for facility needs, but your gifts are needed fill in the gaps and help make this project a reality. The parish’s average weekly collection is around $2,000.

St. Joan of Arc was founded in 1921 in Weslaco, TX, and has long served as a cornerstone of the community, providing spiritual guidance and education. Initially established as a wooden chapel, it grew alongside the town's Catholic population, leading to the construction of a larger church and the establishment of an independent parish in 1929. Over the decades, Saint Joan of Arc has remained a vibrant neighborhood parish with a strong sense of community. 

Under the leadership of Fr. Francisco Solis, St. Joan of Arc's pastor, the parish has undergone several capital improvements - renovation of the parish hall for income potential, renovation of the church façade and sanctuary, and expansion and repaving of the parking lot. All of these projects are injecting an invigorating spirit into an already active and vibrant community of faith. Hardworking apostolic movements by the parish community have supported these improvements with little outside support. However, the current needs at St. Joan of Arc are beyond the parish’s ability to finance on its own.

In 2024, CtR raised funds for Sacred Heart Church in the Diocese of El Paso. It is the oldest church in the city, located literally a few steps from the border. Father Rafael Garcia, Sacred Heart’s pastor, said parishioners are committed to seeing the dignity of the human person in everyone who comes to their doorstep. It is not uncommon for hundreds upon hundreds to be camped out in and around the church and the parishioners of Sacred Heart strive to see the face of Christ in all of them.
 
To meet the needs of so many, Father Rafael and his staff have had to improvise and have converted the parish gym into a shelter. Volunteers bring food and water daily, and medical care is arranged for those sick or in distress. The parish scrapes money together to support and care for as many people as it can every day.
 
Fr. Rafael and the people of Sacred Heart are not only working to restore the dignity of those who come to them, but they are likewise trying to restore their physical building. The original Sacred Heart church was built in 1892, and through the help of Catholic Extension in 1916, a new church was built. For more than 100 years, Catholic Extension has partnered with Sacred Heart in its mission to serve all of God’s people.
 
Thank you for your generosity! CtR raised $169,752 in support of Sacred Heart parish in El Paso.

In 2023, CtR partnered with Catholic Extension to support the Literacy Wagon program and Migrant Ministry in the Diocese of Yakima, WA. Catholic Extension is a fundraising organization that helps ensure that all American Catholics can practice their faith within vibrant faith communities.

Fr. Jesus Mariscal visited CtR to share more about the Literacy Wagon and its impact on migrant families and children. See the video on this page for his homily from 9 a.m. Mass on Feb. 19, 2023. 

Thank you for your support of our 2023 Lenten Almsgiving project! CtR raised $95,023.35 in support of the Literacy Wagon and Migrant Ministries in Yakima!

In Summer 2023, CtR staff members and parishioner Carol Hall traveled to Washington to see firsthand the impact made by the Diocese of Yakima's Migrant Ministries and Literacy Wagon programs. See the video on the right-hand side of this page for images and testimony by Carol.