For many years St. Barnabas Parish, through the Outreach Ministry, has made a difference in Uganda, Africa, by partnering with missionary Sherry Meyer.  

In 2024, we received a request from Sherry to help with building a chapel.  The chapel at the parish center, Katrini Chapel, was too large to manage and the church building was not large enough to accommodate everyone. With the advice and encouragement of the parish priest, a few small Christian communities within Katrini Chapel joined together and sought a donation of land from the people in the community to start a new chapel at Erakaa. These “pioneers” had been praying under a makeshift tent on that piece of land every Sunday since December 2020. The catechist & her community were struggling to raise the funds they needed to build a small hall that can be their church, the home for their community. They used the dry season to burn bricks. They carried the materials to the building site and fed the builders as they worked.  Through your gift of stewardship here at St. Barnabas, we were able to assist this group of Catholic families nearly 8000 miles away.   

Each summer Sherry and Father Tonino come back to the United States and Father often has Mass for us here at St. Barnabas.  Father has gone back to Uganda and sent a “thank you” to our parish from the people of Arua Diocese where we have assisted with materials for them to build their chapel.  Father says “They sang a song thanks to the Christians of St. Barnabas for our donation which helped them with building their new chapel.”  A video of them singing their “Thank You” included instruments they have created.  Awadifo means "Thank you!"

Our parish is blessed to be able to reach our arms around the world to make a difference. 

The Outreach Ministry is always happy to have new members.  We meet on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 7 PM in Patty Cain’s office.