Where We Work
Our mission areas are identified as isolated and/or financially under-resourced dioceses in the United States.
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87
Catholic dioceses distributed throughout United States
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35
States and 5 territories receive help and sponsorship for their communities.
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1
Mission to work in solidarity with people in America’s poorest regions to build up vibrant and transformative Catholic faith communities.
Our Impact
We believe that faith communities are transformative — that they change who we are, how we live and how we see the possibilities in our own lives and in the lives of those around us.
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770+
scholarships
to Catholic universities given to lay leaders and religious sisters. -
1/5
US Catholics
live in areas supported by Catholic Extension Society. -
13,000
grants
provided for church buildings since 1905. -
550+
seminarians
in poor dioceses receiving annual assistance. -
2,000+
grants
awarded annually to dioceses.
“I want to say, with regret, that the worst discrimination which the poor suffer is the lack of spiritual care. The great majority of the poor have a special openness to the faith; they need God and we must not fail to offer them his friendship.”
— Pope Francis
“It is my fervent belief that every Catholic in the United States is called to be involved in Catholic Extension Society. We have to be in this together. It is the glory of the Church that we are never better than when we see the face of Christ in the poor.“
— Father Jack Wall, President of Catholic Extension Society
That’s Why We’re Here.
We help to provide the poor with one of the most essential needs—a loving faith community. Fueled by the generous support of our donors, together we provide the life-restoring friendship of God and build communities of faith that are essential to the transformation of lives and society.
