Glenmary Missioners Arrive in Bertie County, N.C.
Active and Inactive Catholics Invited to Dec. 3 Meeting

CINCINNATI (Nov. 15)—Two Glenmary Home Missioners arrived in Windsor, N.C., the beginning of September to establish a local Catholic Church.

Father Mike Langell and Brother Virgil Siefker are members of the Catholic missionary group of priests and brothers who, along with coworkers, establish the Catholic Church in rural areas of Appalachia, the South and the Southwest. They are renting a house in Windsor and are working to gather local Catholics to form the Catholic Community of Bertie County.

"We are committed to planting a church in the local soil," says Father Mike, "which we hope will grow someday to be a self-sufficient parish of the Diocese of Raleigh."

Glenmary, founded in 1939 and based out of Cincinnati, Ohio, is no stranger to North Carolina. Glenmary has worked throughout its history establishing a Catholic presence in counties in the western part of the state. Today, Glenmary staffs over 60 missions and ministries in 11 states, meeting the spiritual and material needs of all the people living in the counties they serve. Missioners strive to nurture the Catholics in a county and reach out to the those without a church home and the poor. Ecumenical cooperation is a hallmark of Glenmary's home mission ministry.

"Glenmary's work is rooted in the love of God," Father Mike explains. "In whatever capacity that we can, we hope our Catholic community will be able to reach out, in cooperation with the other congregations in the county, to all those in need in Bertie County."

Father Mike and Brother Virgil would like to invite active and non-active Catholics to an information meeting on Friday, Dec. 3, at 7 p.m., at the Windsor United Methodist Church (408 Queen Street in Windsor). The meeting will focus on the Catholic community's commitment to establishing a Catholic presence in Bertie County. All interested participants should contact Father Mike (724-2030) or Brother Virgil (724-2029) for more information.

"As they work to gather a local community, both Father Mike and Brother Virgil are lending a hand to the parishes in Plymouth and Williamston. Father Mike is celebrating Mass in both parishes each weekend and Brother Virgil is putting his construction expertise to work doing repairs on the parish house in Williamston.

"We're very excited to be in Bertie County," Father Mike says. "The people have been very welcoming. We're looking forward to meeting more local folks and to setting down roots here."

Electronic images of Father Mike and Brother Virgil and more information are available by contacting Jean Bach, assistant communications director, at 513-881-7491 or jbach@glenmary.org.

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