Yesterday I attended the first of four annual Membership meetings for Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, Inc. That figure was in my mind as I did the math in my head and realized that this is my 25th year of serving Catholic Charities as a board member of one kind or another.
I first went on the Board of Directors in my capacity ex officio as chairperson of the Allegheny County Community Advisory Committee to Catholic Charities in 1989. The next year, through the suggestion of mentor Msgr. Jack McCarren, then-Bishop Donald Wuerl appointed me to a three year term on the Board of Directors, which was subsequently renewed. In 1995 Bishop Wuerl appointed me to serve him and the diocese as secretary for social concerns. My place on the Board of Directors remained, but for a different reason, now ex officio as the bishop's representative.
In 2002 when I became pastor of St. John Vianney Parish, I lost my place as a Director. But later that year Bishop Wuerl appointed me as one of the eight Members (from Allegheny County). And in 2011 when I moved to Lawrence County, with Bishop David Zubik's permission Father Mark Thomas was glad to give up his role as a Member to me, now representing Lawrence County.
The Board of Directors is a representative body of the community. Its role is to directly work alongside the executive director and senior staff in planning and executing services to the needy, according to the current times and conditions. It also assists in the necessary work of raising funds and friends to support the agency. In this "two-tier" model of governance, the Members are the "owners" of the corporation, who hold reserve powers to guard the mission, vision, by-laws and overall Catholic identity of the agency. The Membership is chaired by the Bishop of Pittsburgh, along with his representative to the agency, and six priests, one from each of the six counties of the diocese.
During those years there were 25 annual Bishop's Dinners for Catholic Charities, five executive directors, two and a half bishops (counting diocesan administrator Bishop Paul Bradley as a half--sorry Paul!), and countless meetings. Meetings for personnel, budget, St. Joseph House of Hospitality, strategic plans, fundraising, friendraising, board nominations, executive committees, annual joint meetings between the Members and Directors.
32nd Annual Bishop's Dinner
for Catholic Charities
May 2, 2014
Westin Convention Center Hotel, Pittsburgh
Over that time the percentage of agency funding from governmental sources has dropped from about 75% to today's under 40%. United Way funding has also shrunk. Fundraising has increased, but not enough to cover all those revenue losses. Each year there are struggles of management, cooperation with the pastors and the political heads of the six different counties which make up the Diocese of Pittsburgh, and over the past year, with the HHS (U.S. Health & Human Services) mandate of the Affordable Care Act.
There have been so many success stories over these 25 years. Catholic Charities was a national leader in refugee resettlement, after the Vietnam War and throughout the 1980s and 1990s. It was one of the first diocesan agencies to initiate "parish social service ministers," that is, parishioners who were trained by Catholic Charities and paid by parishes to assist parishioners and neighbors in identifying the right kind of help for the needy. In 2007 the Free Care Clinic began, which remains a bright light of service for working individuals and families who do not have medical or dental insurance.
Anyone who serves on a board of any kind--whether of governance or advisory--knows the real "dirty" work of service goes on every day by the social workers, administrators, aides, secretaries, and financial officers who meet clients and help people directly. Yet good management demands a clear vision and embraced mission, and that's the work and leadership of the Directors and Members.
Four years ago Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Pittsburgh celebrated its centennial. Founded in 1910 by three laymen, it remains the premier social service agency of western Pennsylvania Catholics. It is part of the network of Catholic Charities nation-wide, with over 1,400 different agencies, thousands of employees, and literally millions of clients served each year. Each of these agencies needs the volunteer leadership of boards of directors, and the visionary leadership of diocesan bishops and holders of the mission.
If Pope Francis is known for anything, it is his desire that every aspect of our church serve the poor. This service is done by individuals, families and parishes, by dedicated volunteers and by trained social workers, by small and large professional institutions.
It is one of my favorite stories, which I first heard from then-Bishop Sean O'Malley. O'Malley was for a time the director of services to Hispanics in the Archdiocese of Washington. His office helped to fund and build a shelter for homeless persons in the District of Columbia. Cardinal James Hickey was the archbishop of Washington at the time, and was leading reporters in a press event around the new facility. One of the reporters asked him, are all the homeless persons living here Catholics? The cardinal replied, no. He wisely remarked, we serve the homeless, and all persons in need, not because they are Catholic, but because we are Catholic, following Jesus Christ's mandate.
For more information visit Pittsburgh Catholic Charities"s website, www.ccpgh.org , or Catholic Charities USA at www.catholiccharitiesusa.org .
May Catholic Charities grow in its effectiveness and reach to serve all persons in need, regardless of their religious affiliation.
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