Father Ralph Beiting, founder of the Christian Appalachian Project, and a Roman Catholic Priest, served as the pastor of parishes in Garrard, Rockcastle, Jackson and southern Madison counties in Kentucky until 1981. During those years he constructed churches and served families in each of those counties, then was transferred to parishes in the Big Sandy region, where he built churches in Water Gap, Louisa and Hode. During his nearly 50 years in eastern Kentucky, Father Beiting has founded and/or constructed twenty churches. From his earliest days in eastern Kentucky, Father Beiting recognized the needs -- physical, economic and spiritual -- of the people in the counties in which he was serving. He had learned during his seminary days that all people, not just Catholic people, were members of his parish, and so he began to reach out to those in need. In 1964 he named that outreach "Christian Appalachian Project." He served as CAP's president until 1986, then as a board member until September 1999 when he was honored as lifetime chairman emeritus of the board.

Father Beiting has been recognized for his work at CAP and in eastern Kentucky by both religious and secular groups. In 1970, he was named a monsignor by Pope Paul VI,  He served as dean of the Mountain Catholic Clergy from 1960 through 1978. Kentucky Governor Louie Nunn recognized Father Beiting as an outstanding Kentuckian in 1969, and he was honored in 1996 by Governor Paul Patton for his work in economic development. His work as a volunteer has been recognized by the National Catholic Development Conference (The Good Samaritan Award in 1973), the National Center of Voluntary Action (The National Volunteer Award in 1971) and the Caring Institute (The Caring Award in 1990). He received the Meeker Award from Ottawa University in Ottawa, Kansas, in 1997; and the Lincoln Award from Northern Kentucky University in 1998, which said, "This award represents a commitment to service, fidelity to noble causes and sense of turning challenges into opportunities." Father Beiting was featured in the PBS series The Visionaries in 1996. He was selected by the governor to represent Kentucky as a delegate for the 1997 Presidential Summit in Philadelphia. He was also the receipient of the Catholic University of America Theological Colleges 1999 Alumnus Lifetime Service Award.

In addition, he has authored twelve inspirational books on Appalachia and its people. In the year 2000, Father Beiting celebrated fifty years of service to Appalachia. Father Beiting is a graduate of St. Gregory Minor Seminary in Mount Washington, Ohio, St. Mary's Seminary in Norwood, Ohio, and the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.