†Ten Hispanic women from Immaculate Heart of Mary, Glenmary’s mission in Houston, Miss., are participating in a research project organized by Mississippi State University. The women are members of a focus group that is exploring ways in which the libraries in northeast Mississippi can better serve the needs of the Hispanic community.

† Members of Glenmary’s St. Susan mission in Todd County, Ky., have been involved in “study circles” (guided discussion around people’s racial concepts) with Phillips Chapel CME Church as part of the Undoing Racism Taskforce in the county. Paul Witte, pastoral associate, and Father Frank Ruff, pastor, have worked to organize a “Pastors Night Out” for the county as a way to introduce study circles to the larger community and promote better race relations in the county.

† Father John Rausch, who lives in Stanton, Ky., is included in the recently released Kentucky’s Everyday Heroes: Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things by Steve Flairty. The book is a collection of 37 stories of people who “…inspire others by the way they live daily. They go quietly about their daily living, making others’ lives better with little or no thoughts of personal benefit.” Father John has also been cast in the film version of “Big Stone Gap,” based on Adriana Trigiani’s New York Times best-seller, portraying the local Catholic priest. In the early 1970s, he was the local Catholic priest and Adriana and her family were members of his mission. The filming is set to begin in August in Big Stone Gap, Va.

† Brother Jack Henn was recently awarded the Tom Wess Service Award for his work with the Little Brothers-Friends of the Elderly. He served as a volunteer and volunteer coordinator with the Little Brothers in Cincinnati. He was recognized for the “organization, creativity and stability that he brought to the position.” Brother Jack currently ministers in Bertie County, N.C.