Catholic Extension celebrates 100 years with exhibition

Published: 2005-07-18

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- In honor of its 100th anniversary, the Catholic Church Extension Society, which supports missions in the United States, brought a multimedia exhibit to the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington July 15. The exhibit, which was to remain open until Aug. 31, is organized chronologically, displaying the growth of the society from 1905 to the present day. It features charts that inform the viewer about exactly how the society works -- chronicling the steps a mission church takes to become a permanent parish and mapping the U.S. dioceses where there are missions today -- along with a documentary and photographs that include historical images and pictures of people who live and work in mission areas today. Bridget Monahan, the group's special events coordinator, said in an interview with Catholic News Service July 14 that she believed the exhibit was important because "a lot of people don't realize missions exist in the U.S." Catholic Extension was founded in 1905 by a young priest from what was then the Diocese of Detroit, Father Francis Kelley.

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