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Our Connections to Eastern Kentucky
Fr. Tom Carroll, founder and principal of the Piarist preparatory high school, had a dream to work in Appalachia. In 1988, he was sent to the new Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky to open a school for the poor. The Piarist priests take a fourth vow to educate youth. The school opened in 1990 and is a private Catholic College Preparatory High School. 100% of the school's graduates are able to go on to college. This education is tuition free and dependent solely on donations from parishes like ours. Fr. Tom travels most weekends of the year seeking donations to continue this goal of providing education as a way out of poverty. In the past, the area has relied heavily on the mining industry, which is in severe decline, leaving high unemployment to follow.
Ron and Diane Siever began working with the Outreach Program in 1995 and, along with other parishioners, Jon and Pat Dosher, and Ruth & Gary Davis, began delivering gifts each Christmas to the incredibly poor families of the hollers of Eastern Kentucky. Each summer we also collect donations for the purchase of much needed school supplies. Steve and Annette Patrick from St. Patrick's along with Karen Himmel from Immaculate Conception continue the work Ron and Diane began with the additional support of Altar and Rosary. This service continues today.
We invite you to explore more about the Outreach Program our parishes have been supporting for over 20 years, by checking out their website: www.catholicmissionky.org. You will be astonished by all the good that has been accomplished.Steve and Annette Patrick are looking for other individuals that would like to assist and visit Eastern Kentucky for the drop off of gifts and get familiar with the work done there to help continue the tradition in the future.
In 2018, we raised $2,382.00 for school supplies. Thank you for your generousity!