‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:35-36,40)
Founded in 1978 and incorporated as a non-profit charitable organization in 1980, Catholic Charities is the Official Social Outreach Ministry of the Diocese of San Bernardino, founded to carry out the work of the Social Gospel on behalf of our local Church. For the next 40 years, Catholic Charities’ staff, volunteers, and Board of Directors have been voraciously committed to increasing the stability, safety, and health of poor families and those in crisis throughout the Diocese.
Though Catholic Charities is a separate 501(c) public benefit corporation of the Diocese of San Bernardino, it is intrinsically linked. The Bishop of the Diocese of San Bernardino is the President of the corporation of Catholic Charities San Bernardino & Riverside Counties. With the full support of Bishop Phillip Straling and Bishop Gerald Barnes over the years, the heart of the work of Catholic Charities is described by the motto, “Providing Help, Creating Hope.” It is overwhelming to consider the number of staff, volunteers, Directors on our Board, community partners, donors, and others that have supported this motto in one way or another over the past four decades. As a result, hundreds of thousands of children, adults, and seniors have benefited from the efforts of the countless persons who played an important role in reaching out to families in need in our local communities year after year.
Catholic Charities is guided by the core values of Catholic Social Teaching. These values are rooted in the belief of the dignity and worth of all people and the understanding that all people have the right to access all that they need in order to achieve fulfillment. While society may disregard some people because they are poor or in crisis or considered unworthy, Catholic Charities reaches out to those who are most often ignored and unfairly judged with profound respect for their human dignity. By virtue of our name, values, and presence, Catholic Charities represents “faith in action” on behalf of the Diocese of San Bernardino.
The early years of establishing Catholic Charities to provide services to the poor throughout the vast area of the diocese were quite difficult. Acknowledgement is due to these early visionary pioneers. Then in 1990 Bishop Straling appointed as Executive Director Father Alfred LoPinto, who established the stability, structure, and needed financial resources to set Catholic Charities on the path to becoming one of the most significant non-profit organizations in the two-county region. He was joined in these efforts in the early 1990s by notable lay leadership that included Ms. Beverly Earl, Ms. Bridget Helmer, Ms. MyHanh Luu, Ms. Catherine McMillian, and Ms. Susan Kleszeweski.
Pope Francis said, “To live charitably means not looking out for our own interests, but carrying the burdens of the weakest and poorest among us.” His words describe perfectly the work of Catholic Charities over the past 40 years.
Catholic Charities’ mission is to “carry the burdens” of the poor, the elderly, the homeless, the ill, the anxious, the isolated, traumatized children, the unemployed and low wage worker, the emotionally troubled parent, stressed, hurting and broken families, immigrants, veterans, and so many others - that need attention. For these, Catholic Charities lives our motto of “Providing Help, Creating Hope” for thousands families each year throughout our two-county region. Catholic Charities is a Catholic presence in the community serving all in need regardless of religious affiliation.
Families come to Catholic Charities when they find themselves at their weakest and need others to carry their burdens with them. Staff and volunteers have the holy and precious opportunity to show them God’s love through service. Catholic Charities’ caseworkers, therapists, immigration specialists and others, offer compassionate care for suffering families, so they can receive the help they need in order to move forward with their lives.
Catholic Charities is a public witness of our Church that does care for the most vulnerable, forgotten, misunderstood, and often disregarded. For it is in the public arena, most often outside of parish life, that Catholic Charities shines and is seen by the world as the compassionate face of the Catholic Church in our two-county region. Day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year for 40 years, Catholic Charities’ staff and volunteers have doggedly practiced the Corporal Works of Mercy with incredible passion and determination on behalf of the Catholic Community. Our mission and work is clear. But what is clear for the future?
As we honor our past, give witness to our present, we must also look to the future. The harsh reality is that government resources for the poor are absolutely diminishing and will continue to do so into the future. Private resources to fill that gap are needed more now than ever - particularly as we look toward the future. Today, 750,000 residents in our Diocese are destitute and up to 1.5 million residents are poor by most anyone’s standards. Such a pressing reality presents a direct challenge to people of faith to dramatically expand their support for ministries in service to the poor in our parishes and the community.
The only option is for Catholic Charities and others tending to the poor is to dramatically increase our plea to the Catholic Community and other concerned citizens and entities for their financial support of our efforts. Those that fight poverty need resources, so others can receive the help they desperately need. Over the past 40 years, Catholic Charities has developed the heart, expertise, and courage to dare to fight against poverty. Now, generosity from our communities is required to insure our love of neighbor continues for the next 40 years and beyond.
As Catholics, we have a rich tradition of acting on the Social Gospel to care for our brothers and sisters in need. The life of Christ has shown us the way. We are nourished by Catholic Social Teaching that inspires and compels us to affirm that each person (regardless of circumstances) is made in the image of God and possesses inherent dignity and worth. On this 40th anniversary, Catholics are reminded of our solidarity with the poor that requires not just caring about the poor but our responsibility to do the heavy lifting and whatever is necessary to love and serve the poor now and into the future.
If you wish to support Catholic Charities’ mission and work to fight poverty in our diocese now and into the future:
By Mail: 1450 North D Street, San Bernardino CA 92405 | By Phone: (909) 763-5920 | By Website: www.ccsbriv.org
Also, please remember Catholic Charities in your estate planning.
“Carrying the burdens of the weakest and poorest among us.”