Saint Luke Appalachian Mission Trip - Louisa Kentucky 2025

Each year, the Father Beiting Appalachian Mission Center welcomes 60 volunteers from Saint Luke the Evangelist Parish to assist with home repairs in Appalachia over two trips. A diverse group of teens, college students, and adults spend a week in Eastern Kentucky and parts of West Virginia, working to make homes safer and cleaner for families in need.

Our days begin at 8 AM and conclude at 4 PM, followed by time for prayer and community. Volunteers share witness talks, engage in small group discussions, and participate in prayer, including confession and Mass.

Nestled atop a quiet hill in Louisa, Kentucky, sit two cozy double-wide homes, each accommodating up to 15 people - one for the men and one for the women. Teens and adults have separate sleeping areas and bathrooms, following diocesan safe environment standards.

Both homes are equipped with air conditioning, welcoming gathering spaces, and kitchens perfect for packing lunches and sharing homemade dinners. It’s a simple, homey retreat—a place to rest, recharge, and build community after a day of service.

At the Father Beiting Appalachian Mission Center, teens work alongside skilled professionals and experienced volunteers to learn hands-on skills such as basic plumbing, electrical work, deck and ramp construction, step building, underpinning, and window replacement—just about anything except rooftop work!

We’re always in need of patient, knowledgeable mentors to guide our teens, not only in learning valuable trades but also in building relationships and life skills that will stay with them for years to come.

In Matthew 25, Jesus tells us, "Whatever you did for the least of my brothers and sisters, you did for me." This call to serve is at the heart of our mission trips. Our Catholic faith is central to the experience, guiding everything we do.

Participants are expected to take part in daily Mass and are invited to deepen their faith through prayer opportunities such as guided meditations, Eucharistic Adoration, night prayer, confession, and more. Through service and prayer, we grow closer to Christ and to one another.