Is the Diocese of Dodge City a "mission diocese," where priests must come from thousands of miles away to serve a region that is suffering from too few priests, in a nation that is suffering from too little faith?

Yes and no.

Father Renato "Rene" M. Sapungan, chancellor for the Diocese of Boac in the Philippines (home diocese to most of our Filipino priests), recently spent a few weeks in Dodge City for missions’ appeals. It was his third trip to the sunflower state, and he was adamant that the Diocese of Dodge City is no more, or less, a "missionary diocese," than the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, or a host of others.

"The mission of Christ is always there," he said from the home of Father Nicanor Ferangco in Kinsley. "We have to continue Christ’s mission through a process that is called evangelization. We are compelled by the power of the Holy Spirit to do that."

When former Dodge City Bishop Stanley G. Schlarman agreed in 1997 to offer financial support to the Diocese of Boac in exchange for Filipino priests to serve three-year terms here, it created a win-win situation that has served both dioceses tremendously.

The Diocese of Dodge City — more financially stable, but with fewer vocations — has hosted several Filipino priests since Father Orestes Huerta first arrived in 1997. Meanwhile, the Diocese of Boac — rich in religious vocations, but not so in funding — has received continued financial support for their "diocesan students to priestly vocations" program from the Diocese of Dodge City.

The island diocese of only 14 parishes boasts an astounding 27 priests and 30 seminarians, the youngest of whom look forward excitedly to the day when they too, may find their temporary home on the range in southwest Kansas.

The people of the Diocese of Boac don’t know too much about Dodge City, but they are fully aware of the cooperation between the two dioceses, Father Sapungen said.

"Once a priest is chosen to be sent, we have a ‘sending off’ celebration, in which the priest is introduced to the people, and they are told he is doing missionary work in the Diocese of Dodge City. They are very supportive of it."

That spirit of cooperation between the dioceses is very important to Father Sapungen.

"We are so lucky, and the Dodge City Diocese is lucky too, because we have that spirit-filled cooperation. I’m so thankful to the bishops, mine and yours. They have that missionary spirit. Bishop Gilmore has been very welcoming to our priests, and I like that."

Each priest sent to Kansas goes through a strict screening process; each must have had at least 10 years experience in ministry, and each will serve a three-year term here, although in special circumstances their stay may be extended. Father Feranco has been here six years, after his stay was lengthened following heart bypass surgery.

Southwest Kansas is currently home to three priests from the Diocese of Boac: Father Feranco (who attended seminary with Father Sapungen), and Fathers Bernard Felix and Rene Labrador, who both were taught by Father Sapungen at seminary. A fourth Filipino priest serving in the Diocese of Dodge City, Father Angel Dy, is from the Diocese of Sorsogon.

"As long as a priest has that missionary zeal and presence, as long as he is spirit-filled, he will always work hard for the people, and they will appreciate him," Father Sapungen said. "Every diocese is a missionary place. As long as the mission of Christ is there, it is a missionary place."