Media
Grappling with the life of a pope
Jeannie Kirkhope, Charleston Gazette-Mail (Jan. 5, 2023)
A Future in Appalachia: As the Catholic Committee of Appalachia celebrates 50 years, young leaders keep looking ahead
John Feister, Glenmary Challenge (Winter 2020)
Catholic Committee of Appalachia marks 50 years of collaborative ministry
Dennis Sadowski, Crux/Catholic News Service (Nov. 2, 2020)
Appalachia’s story: Reconnecting to a sense of place
David Gibson, Catholic News Service (Aug. 30. 2020)
Living models of faith: The Catholic Committee of Appalachia
Carol Warren, Catholic News Service (Aug. 30, 2020)
Thanks, Bishop Stowe, for showing there’s more to ‘pro-life’ than just opposing abortion
Paul Prather, Lexington Herald-Leader (Aug. 13, 2020)
Nazareth Farms a grassroots effort to help those in need
Candice Black, Parkersburg News (Aug. 11, 2020)
Bishop John Stowe rebukes Trump as 'anti-life'
Lucy Grindon, National Catholic Reporter (Aug. 7, 2020)
Trump ‘is so much anti-life,’ Kentucky Catholic bishop says in abortion discussion
Mike Stunson, Lexington Herald-Leader (Aug. 7. 2020)
Bishop Brennan must address racism in his diocese
Michael J. Iafrate and Jeannie Kirkhope, Charleston Gazette-Mail (July 12, 2020)
Discovering ecological conversion in the spirit of Laudato Si'
Doug DeMeo, National Catholic Reporter (July 3, 2020)
Nun, priest receive St. John XXIII Awards
La Croix International (June 26, 2020)
For Appalachia pastors, reopening means walking with the poor and vulnerable
Don Clemmer, National Catholic Reporter (June 23, 2020)
Kingwood Parish Holds Black Lives Matter Gathering
Colleen Rowan, Catholic Spirit (June 19, 2020)
West Virginia religious leaders call for unity, action in dealing with social injustices
Jake Flatley, WV Metro News (June 9, 2020)
Living 'Laudato Si'' in Appalachia leads to mix of efforts to feed families
Don Clemmer, The Record (June 3, 2020)
Four Lessons from the Life of Father John Rausch
Margaret Gabriel, Cross Roads (June 2020)
Easter as a Judgment on False Signs of Life
Michael Iafrate, Medium (April 13, 2020)
The Spirit of Cherokee
Katy Koontz, The Connection (April 2020)
Catholic lay leader says release of diocese audit is significant but not enough
Jake Flatley, WV Metro News (Feb. 24, 2020)
WVU Extension Service and Wyoming County food pantry provide nutrition and inspiration through poultry project
WVU Today (Feb. 19, 2020)
US Catholics respond to Pope’s ‘challenging’ Amazon document
Nick Mayrand, Crux: Taking the Catholic Pulse (Feb. 15, 2020)
Glenmary Father John Rausch, advocate for Appalachian people, dies at 75
Dennis Sadowski, Catholic News Service/National Catholic Reporter (Feb. 11, 2020)
Glenmary Father John S. Rausch Dead at 75
Catholic Telegraph (Feb. 10, 2020)
‘Without a Vision, the People Perish’: Lessons from Wheeling
Jessica Wrobleski, Conversations on Jesuit Higher Education (Jan. 9, 2020)
Interview: Michael Iafrate (Catholic Committee of Appalachia) on Talkline (begins at 1:21:00)
Hoppy Kercheval, Talkline/WV MetroNews (Dec. 30, 2019)
The Bransfield report: Post publishes secret Vatican document as parishioners demand answers
Shawn Boburg, Robert O’Harrow, Michelle Boorstein, Washington Post (Dec. 23, 2019)
Church Should Investigate Allegations About Bransfield Fully
Michael J. Iafrate and Jeannie Kirkhope, Wheeling Intelligencer (Dec. 20, 2019)
[See also: Diocese must address dishonesty, Charleston Gazette (Dec. 28, 2019)]
Former Seminarian Reacts To Catholic Diocese’s ‘List Of Amends’ For Banished Bishop Bransfield
Glynis Board, West Virginia Public Radio (Dec. 3, 2019)
A penthouse, limousines and private jets: Inside the globe-trotting life of Bishop Michael Bransfield
Shawn Boburg and Robert O’Harrow, Washington Post (Sept. 12, 2019)
Too many questions remain unanswered in the case of West Virginia Bishop Michael Bransfield
Michael J. Iafrate, Washington Post (August 2, 2019)
Appalachia a ‘Sacred Place Calling for a Spiritual Solution’ Says Forum Speaker
Michael Barrick, Appalachian Chronicle (July 26, 2019)
WV Catholics, take claim. ‘WE own this.’
Jeannie Kirkhope and Michael J. Iafrate, Charleston Gazette (July 17, 2019)
A pretty weak whistle (scroll down)
Michael J. Iafrate, The Washington Post (July 12, 2019)
Facing financial boycott, West Virginia’s Catholic diocese agrees to hire new auditor and make findings public
Michelle Boorstein, Washington Post (July 17, 2019)
W.Va. AG takes diocese to task for quiet updates, says press release should accompany changes to priest list
Jess Mancini, Parkersburg News-Sentinel (May 29, 2019)
Catholic Community Needs Archbishop Lori to Listen
Michael J. Iafrate and Jeannie Kirkhope, Charleston Gazette-Mail (May 5, 2019)
Parish Life Directors Reflect on Role
Don Clemmer, Crossroads (Diocese of Lexington), (April 21, 2019)
Transparency on Sex Abuse Requires More Than Just Clerics
Vincent DeGeorge, Charleston Gazette-Mail (April 11, 2019)
Wild Church West Virginia / Villanova
Edward Sloane, AllCreation.org (April 3, 2019)
What is Social Action in the Church Today?: A New Generation of Catholic Activists is Beginning to Find its Voice
Kaya Oakes, U.S. Catholic (March 2019)
“God’s Garden is in Danger” (Review of Magisterium of the People)
Elias Crim, Solidarity Hall (Feb. 21, 2019)
West Virginia Catholics Want to ‘Follow the Truth Wherever it Leads,’ Including to Philadelphia
Michael J. Iafrate and Jeannie Kirkhope, Philadelphia Inquirer (Feb. 4, 2019)
Lincoln Memorial Standoff Exposes Divisions Among Kentucky Catholics
Sarah McCammon, NPR/All Things Considered (Jan. 27, 2019)
Bishop Stowe: Why the MAGA Hats at the March for Life?
Michael J. O’Laughlin, America Magazine (Jan. 24, 2019)
Wearing a Trump hat? That’s not exactly pro-life, says Catholic Bishop John Stowe
Bishop John Stowe, Lexington Herald-Leader (Jan. 24, 2019)
The laity is the Catholic Church’s last earthly hope
Jeannie Kirkhope and Michael J. Iafrate, Associated Press (Jan. 13, 2019)
See also: Herald-Dispatch (Huntington, WV), Willliamson Daily News (Williamson, WV)
Documentary chronicles the 40-year Catholic push for Appalachia
Christopher White, Crux (Dec. 29, 2018)
New documentary chronicles a grass roots Catholic ‘magisterium’
Michael McKinley, Religion News Service (Dec. 24, 2018)
People’s Pastoral from Appalachia is subject of new documentary
Michael Sean Winters, National Catholic Reporter Online (Dec. 21, 2018)
“Follow the Truth Wherever It Leads”: Resisting the Jurisdictional Mentality that Protects Abusers in the Church
Michael J. Iafrate, Medium (Dec. 13, 2018)
Iafrate Fighting for a Better Church
Nora Edinger, Weelunk (Nov. 29, 2018)
“Lay investigation” of diocese doesn’t equate transparency
Michael J. Iafrate and Jeannie Kirkhope, Charleston Gazette-Mail (Nov. 22, 2018)
“Lay Involvement” in Church Investigation Does Not Guarantee Truth or Transparency
Michael J. Iafrate, Medium (Oct. 29, 2018)
Special Report: A Few Good Men
Brooke Chaplain, WTRF-Channel 7 Wheeling (Oct. 25, 2018)
WV Catholics Want ‘Specific, Achievable Actions,’ Full Investigation
Jeannie Kirkhope and Michael J. Iafrate, Charleston Gazette-Mail (Sept. 15, 2018)
The Audacity of the Laity and the Option for the Poor in the Appalachian People’s Pastoral Letter
Michael J. Iafrate, Lay Movements as Structures of Grace Conference (July 6-8, 2018)
Church Goes ‘Wild’ as Believers and Seekers Head for the Trees
Cathy Lynn Grossman, Religion News Service (July 3, 2018)
Imperative Observations from a Native West Virginian
Bonnie Thurston, Next Church (June 11, 2018)
Appalachia Isn’t All White, All Poor, All Passive: Two Books Rebut Homogeneous Story of America’s Eastern Mountains
Michael Iafrate, National Catholic Reporter (May 23, 2018)
Traditional Disobedience: Renewing the Legacy of Catholic Activism
John Gehring, Commonweal (May 22, 2018)
Holy Thursday: Radical Reversals
Michael Iafrate, Ignatian Solidarity Network: Break Forth (March 29, 2018)
Glenmary Speaks to United Nations
Glenmary Challenge (Spring 2018)
Religion Writing in the Time of Trump
Michael Iafrate, Sojourners (February 21, 2018)
You Only Have Your Life to Give
Jeannie Kirkhope, Ignatian Solidarity Network: Break Forth (February 15, 2018)
Dwelling in the Wild Places, Welcoming the Light: Advent Meditations on Multispecies and Interspiritual Encounter
Ed Sloane, Creature Kind (December 25, 2017)
Gopala, Jesus, and the Friendly Beasts: Interspiritual Friendships and the Care of Animals
Michael Iafrate, Creature Kind (December 22, 2017)
ISN, Jesuit Conference Join in Call for Passage of Legislation Promoting Economic Revitalization in Appalachia
ISN Staff, Ignatian Solidarity Network (December 13, 2017)
Comforting the Afflicted, Afflicting the Comfortable
Michael Iafrate, Ignatian Solidarity Network: Rise Up Weekly (December 11, 2017)
RECLAIM Act Will Promote Jobs, Land
Bishop John Stowe, Lexington Herald-Leader (December 8, 2017)
Religious Organizations Call for Passage of Just Transition Legislation
Creation Justice Ministries (December 8, 2017)
These Gender-Nonconforming People Are Building a Safe Haven on an Appalachian Farm
Cristina Maza, Narratively (December 6, 2017)
Taking Our Place in the New Appalachian Story
Michael J. Iafrate, Ignatian Family Teach-in for Justice (Nov. 4, 2017)
Catholics Help Queer and Trans Youth Start West Virginia Retreat and Farm
Jeannie Kirkhope, New Ways Ministry Blog (November 4, 2017)
Solastalgia in Appalachia
Jeannie Kirkhope, Sojourners (October 4, 2017)
Review of The Telling Takes Us Home: Taking Our Place in the Stories that Shape Us; A People’s Pastoral from the Catholic Committee of AppalachiaGilson Waldkoenig, Journal of Appalachian Studies 23, No. 1 (2017), 132-33
Intentional Communities in Our Common Home: Building Interfaith Cultures of Encounter in a New Appalachia
Michael Iafrate, The Other Journal (July 13, 2017)
Sister Jaculyn Hanrahan, CND, Testifies Before Natural Resources Public Forum
Congrégation de Notre-Dame (June 13, 2017)
“Hillbillies” Want Action Not Elegies: Laudato Si’ and Northern Appalachia
Jason King, Catholic Moral Theology (May 4, 2017)
At Home in Northern Appalachia: Laudato Si’ and the Catholic Committee of Appalachia
Jessica Wrobleski, Journal of Moral Theology 6, Special Issue on Laudato Si’ and Northern Appalachia
The Significance of Pope Francis’s Prophetic Call: “Care for Our Common Home” for Northern Appalachia
Anne Clifford, Journal of Moral Theology 6, Special Issue on Laudato Si’ and Northern Appalachia
Wednesday of Holy Week: Silence Crucifies
Michael Iafrate, Ignatian Solidarity Network (April 12, 2017)
Care for Creation, Care for Workers
Catholic Climate Covenant (March 24, 2017)
Public Prayer to Move Hearts in Appalachia
Fr. John Rausch, Glenmary Challenge (Spring 2017)
Service to God Binds 3 Jubilarians
John Stegeman, Glenmary Challenge (Spring 2017)
Civil Liberties Lobby Day Draws Big Crowd
Erin Beck, Charleston Gazette-Mail (March 2, 2017)
Appalachian Coal Country, Where Sisters See Little Change in 40 Years
Dan Stockman, Global Sisters Report (NCR) (March 2, 2017)
Q & A with Sr. Mary Going, Fighting for Disability Pay for Former Coal Miners
Dan Stockman, Global Sisters Report (NCR) (February 23, 2017)
Laudato Si’ and Pastoral Theology in Appalachia
Bishop John Stowe, lecture presented at St. Louis University (February 13, 2017)
Q & A with Sr. Gretchen Shaffer, Witness to the Struggles of Coal Country
Dan Stockman, Global Sisters Report (NCR) (February 2, 2017)
Coal Industry’s Ties Run Deep With Catholicism
Darrah Perryman, The DePaulia (January 30, 2017)
North Carolina ‘Church in Exile’ Battles Restorationists
Peter Feuerherd, National Catholic Reporter (January 26, 2017)
Dark as a Dungeon, or Hope in the Dark? Catholicism and Coal in Appalachia
Michael J. Iafrate, lecture presented at DePaul University (Jan. 26, 2017)
Between a Rock and a Coal Mine: The Challenge of “Laudato Si’” in Appalachia
Jessica Wrobleski, Conversations on Jesuit Higher Education (Fall 2016)
Appalachia’s Catholic Committee Holds Gathering
Margaret Gabriel, The Record (September 2016)
Appalachia Demonstrates a Path of Dialogue and Hope
NETWORK Lobby (Summer 2016)
A Vision for the Future of Appalachia
John Rausch, Glenmary Challenge (Summer 2016)
When have you witnessed the Spirit of Christ working through conflict?
Jean Denton, Catholic News Service (August 2016)
Appalachian Spring: In Coalfield Communities, a Grassroots ‘People’s Pastoral’ Takes Catholic Tradition in a New Direction (PDF)
Barry Hudock, Sojourners Magazine (July 2016)
West Virginia Catholic Diocese Challenged to Reject Coal’s ‘Dirty Money’Michael Iafrate, Appalachian Chronicle (April 2016)
Dirty Money in the Appalachian Church: Six Years After Deadly Coal Mine Disaster, Where Are We Now?
Michael Iafrate, Religion Dispatches (April 2016)
CCA-KY addresses food access, health care, energy and technologyCrossroads, Diocese of Lexington, KY (February 2016)
Mountain state catholic social justice group cites church teaching for opposing WV religious freedom restoration actMichael Barrick, Appalachian Chronicle (Feb. 2016)
WV religious freedom bill is license to discriminate says catholic committee
Francis DeBernardo, Bondings 2.0: New Ways Ministries (Feb. 2016)
Diverse group opposes religious freedom billCharleston Gazette (Feb. 2016)
CCA opposes WV “Religious Freedom” bill
William Lindsay, Bilgrimage Blog (Feb. 2016)
Catholic Pastoral Letter Shares Stories of Hope and Struggle in West Virginia
Allegheny Front, (Feb. 12, 2016)
Putting Liberation Theology to Practice in Appalachia
Michael Barrick, Appalachian Chronicle (Jan. 24, 2016)
Grassroots Pastoral Letter from Appalachian Catholics Calls for the Telling of New Stories
Glynis Board, West Virginia Public Radio (Jan. 15, 2016)
Suffering, Hope of Appalachia Shared in New Pastoral Letter from its People
Sharon Abercrombie, National Catholic Reporter (Jan. 12, 2016)
Think Globally, Act Locally: Laudato Si’ in Appalachia
Jessica Wrobleski, paper presented at Society of Christian Ethics Annual Meeting, Toronto (Jan. 8, 2016)
Catholic Committee of Appalachia Issues “People’s Pastoral”
Michael Barrick, Appalachian Chronicle (Dec. 30, 2015)
Water concerns bubble up in Appalachia
Lydia Noyes, Global Sisters Report (Dec. 30, 2015)
People’s Pastoral: Our Stories Take Us Home
Hoots and Hollers, the OVEC blog (Dec. 27, 2015)
Catholic Committee of Appalachia Issues “People’s Pastoral”
Iglesia Descalza blog (Dec. 25, 2015)
Catholic Committee of Appalachia Releases People’s Pastoral Including LGBT Voices: “Churches That Condemn Same-Sex Relationships End Up Attacking the Very Personhood of Gay and Lesbian People”
William Lindsay, Bilgrimage blog (Dec. 22, 2015)
Just Released: Appalachian Pastoral Elevates Dignity through Memory
Keith Michael Estrada, Proper Nomenclature blog, Patheos.com (Dec. 22, 2015)
“People’s Pastoral” Shares Struggles, Hopes, Dreams of Appalachians
Dennis Sadowski, Catholic News Service (Dec. 22, 2015)
(Appeared in several diocescan newspapers and other websites)
Catholic Appalachian Group Asks Bishops to Be Strident on Laudato Si’ –
Dennis Sadowski, Catholic News Herald (July 30, 2015)
A Renewed Call to Consciousness from the World’s Oldest Mountains
Jean Denton, The Catholic Virginian (July 20, 2015)
Pope’s Environmental Encyclical Gets Waylaid in West Virginia
Michael Iafrate, National Catholic Reporter (July 1, 2015)
The Hidden Poor of AppalachiaTony Magliano, National Catholic Reporter (June 8, 2015)
Four Decades Later, a Message from the Mountains Still Resonates Today
Nicholas Napolitano, Jesuit News (April 22, 2015)
Catholic Committee of Appalachia Develops Its Third Pastoral Letter
Glynis Board, WV Public Broadcasting (April 21, 2014)
‘Preserving Sacred Appalachia’ Conference Offers Unprecedented Gathering
Michael Barrick, Appalachian Chronicle (March 19, 2015)
40 years later, challenges persist in ‘This Land’
Barry Hudock, Our Sunday Visitor Newsweekly (January 28, 2015)
Beware structures that reinforce racism, says Catholic group
Dennis Sadowski, Catholic News Service (January 9, 2015)
For 40 years, pastoral letters focus on sustaining Appalachian culture
Dennis Sadowski, Catholic News Service (October 24, 2014)
Pastoral letter ‘from the trenches’ emerging in Appalachia
Sharon Abercrombie, National Catholic Reporter (April 17, 2014)
A Call for Justice: The People’s Pastoral
Kimber Ray, Appalachian Voice (Feb./March 2014)
West Virginia chemical spill a ‘calamity’ but not rarity in mining towns, priest says
Sharon Abercrombie, National Catholic Reporter (January 14, 2014)
Kentucky: A Priest Takes on the Coal Industry
Dwight Billings, Kate Black, and Kathi Kern, Religion & Politics (July 23, 2013)
A Judgment Upon Us All: Poverty in Appalachia
Barry Hudock, Commonweal (March 18, 2013)
West Virginia Catholic Worker finds God in her surroundings
Sharon Abercrombie, National Catholic Reporter (Jan. 11, 2012)
Religion’s View from Appalachia: Only God Should Move Mountains
Stacy Morford, Inside Climate News (March 26, 2009)
2020 - 50th Anniversary Annual Gathering
Access these 16 archived videos by clicking on the picture below and using the password: bethechurch50years
They include: the business meeting, two impressive keynote speakers, 9 breakout sessions with inspiring panelists, the Saturday night concert and Happy Hour, Sunday’s liturgy with Bishop John Stowe, the Weekend Wrap up, and the Closing Prayer Service.
Magisterium of the People: The Story of the People’s Pastoral from the Catholic Committee of Appalachia (TRAILER)
This film by Sebastian Gomes and Salt + Light Media tells the story of CCA and its third pastoral letter, The Telling Takes Us Home. For more info, or to rent the film, click here. Buy a DVD of the film in the CCA Store. See the trailer below.
The Telling Takes Us Home:
A Reflection on the People’s Pastoral
Immersion and service groups coming to the Appalachian region may find this short video reflection on CCA’s “people’s pastoral” letter, The Telling Takes Us Home, particularly helpful. Produced by Bob Choiniere and Kelly O’Donnell in 2017. A higher quality version is available to stream and/or download here.
An Introduction to the Catholic Committee of Appalachia
Produced by Dave Harl in 2014. Narrated by Martin Sheen.
Cross in the Mountains Ecumenical Prayer Service
This video of the Kentucky Chapter’s 2010 Cross in the Mountains service was produced by Dave Harl.
Sister Jaculyn Hanrahan, CND, discusses her work and the “People’s Pastoral”
Fr. John Rausch featured on Al Jazeera
“Catholics and Coal” at DePaul University
Presentations by Michael Iafrate and Fr. Edwin Gariguez
Justice Transition: Shrinking our Carbon Footprint While Leaving No One Behind
Webinar from Catholic Climate Covenant with Dr. Jessica Wrobleski and Dr. Erin Lothes Biviano
Taking Our Place in the New Appalachian Story
Michael Iafrate’s presentation at the 2017 Ignatian Family Teach-in in Washington, DC
The Audacity of the Laity and the Option for the Poor in the Appalachian People’s Pastoral Letter
Michael Iafrate’s lecture at the Lay Movements as Structures of Grace Conference in Cincinnati, OH (July 6-8, 2018)
Alyssa Pasternak Post at Catholic Women Preach
CCA member Alyssa Pasternak Post preaches for the 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2018 for the Catholic Women Preach series. For more info and to see the text, click here.
