Visit a Glenmary Mission:

The Glenmary Sisters have missions throughout the  Appalachian and Southeastern United States. Each site is unique in its resources, population, and economy.

The Sisters' mission site in Smithland, Kentucky is located near Paducah, KY and is actually part of the Owensboro Diocese. 

The "Boot heel" area of Missouri houses our newest mission, established in June 2005. Caruthersville, MO in Pemiscot County sits on the Mississippi River.

Our mission in Millen, GA assists many in the southern most reaches of our mission area.

In the Appalachian foothills of Kentucky the Sisters have a mission in Frenchburg. Over fifty miles east of Lexington, this quiet region is not only a great area for mission work, it is also a beautiful part of the state.

You are welcome to visit Glenmary Sisters' missions. All inquiries are encouraged.

Visits can be arranged for up to five days  Day trips are also available.

All of the Glenmary Sisters mission sites are located in areas where there is an abundance of natural beauty which provide excellent spiritual and recreational opportunities.

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Millen, GA

Sister Mary Ellen Barrette lives and ministers in Millen at St. Bernadette's parish, and she also provides pastoral services in Sylvania at the Our Lady of the Assumption parish. Both small towns are in the Savannah diocese.

The Glenmary Sisters have lived and ministered in several missions in the southeastern portion of Georgia. Some of these missions have been successful in being able to be turned back to the Diocese of Savannah.

Millen is a warm southern town complete with its own fish market that offers fare from the Atlantic Ocean, which is less than 100 miles east. Palmetto trees, Spanish moss, and alligators are just a small part of the natural wonders in this section of our country.

Sr. Mary Ellen is active in many endeavors, such as volunteering at the teen center in Jenkins County and operating the Catholic Thrift Shop in Millen. She also works with the youth at St. Bernadette Church, and provides a constant Catholic presence in an area where pastors often serve several parishes at the same time.

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Frenchburg, KY

Sister Kathleen Mulchrone and Sister Kathy Burke live and minister in Frenchburg, Kentucky, which is in Menifee County, a part of the diocese of Lexington. Frenchburg is nestled in the Appalachian Mountains and the Daniel Boone National Forest. Since the population is less than 1% Catholic, there is no Catholic Church in the county and Sister has to travel 25 miles in any direction to attend Mass.

Sr. Kathleen's ministry includes a chapel at her home where people are invited to worship once a week and a shop in Frenchburg where people in need can receive help. This requires her to keep food, clothing, personal care items, and baby care items on her shelves.

As Frenchburg is in a mountainous area, part of Sister's routine involves traveling on winding rural roads to visit someone who is ill or to give another a ride to the pharmacy or grocery store.

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Smithland, KY

Located at the confluence of the Ohio and Cumberland Rivers, this historic town is another Glenmary mission area. Sr. Rosemary and Sr. Ellen Frances are missioned in Smithland where they attend to many needs of people in the area such as home improvement, transportation, and heating bills.

There are a tremendous number of programs that can be planned in the Smithland area. Sr. Rosemary has a growing list of habitat projects that are available for service.

Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area is only a 20 minute drive from the mission. It offers camping facilities as well as cabins. Activities in the park include eagle watching, moonlight canoe trips, and a summer schedule too great to list.

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Caruthersville, MO

Caruthersville is the Glenmary Sisters’ westernmost mission site and also the newest. Sister Darlene Presley and Sister Catherine Schoenborn opened the mission house in 2005.

Caruthersville is in the “boot heel” region of Missouri, which is known as a very poor area. In addition to the preexisting conditions of the area, a powerful tornado destroyed 60% of the city in April 2006. This has hurt the area even more, however, since the time of the storms, much of the citizens have started to rebuild with the help of others.

The city of Caruthersville is unique in many ways as it is a very economically poor town, yet there are very wealthy people who also live in the area. The businesses are primarily family run, yet there is a casino on the river. There is a diversity of ethnic groups, but racial trends still exist.

Sr. Darlene now runs the Caruthersville mission. She works tirelessly assisting those in need, planning events for the youth of the area who need attention, and giving time to the local Catholic Church. Her energy is a valuable asset to the residents of this area.

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