Catholic Charities strategic plan to strengthen parish partnerships |
 |
 |
|
Written by LAURIE STEVENS, Chronicle Writer
|
|
Friday, 04 January 2008 08:39 |
Strengthening partnerships with parishes across the Diocese of Toledo is a top priority for Catholic Charities as the local agency implements a new strategic plan approved last fall.
Lou Cocchiarella, executive director of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Toledo, says the new model grew out of listening sessions around the diocese that revealed a widespread desire for support and training to help parishes better serve their communities.
While continuing to offer a variety of direct services, the agency pledges in its new mission statement to “support, enhance and augment our parish communities’ response to the social Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the Diocese of Toledo.”
Under the new agency structure, all Catholic Charities services fall into two divisions: Parish Ministries and Social Concerns; and Parish Community Services.
Rural life ministry, social justice education and advocacy, parish outreach services, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, the Human Rights Commission and disaster response services are classified under Parish Ministries and Social Concerns. Adult advocacy services, family emergency services, pregnancy support and adoption services, the school attendance initiative and housing services are included in Parish Community Services.
“The divisions are based on service, not on geography,” explains Mr. Cocchiarella. “That’s a dramatic shift for us.”
During the strategic planning process, Catholic Charities evaluated its existing services in relation to mission, funding streams and availability. Certain “duplicate services” widely offered by other agencies were eliminated. Catholic Club and its programs remain in Toledo.
“We felt it would be a better use of our resources to be a referral source to those existing services,” explains Mr. Cocchiarella.He explains if a parish identifies a need for ministry, like a soup kitchen, Catholic Charities will provide resources to help start such an initiative at the local level.
“It was really, in the long run, looking at us in a partnership relationship with parishes,” adds Ursuline Sister Christine Pratt, director of the Catholic Charities division of Parish Ministries and Social Concerns.
Every call for help to Catholic Charities still receives a response, notes Sr. Pratt. “We may not have the answer — we will find it. We may not have the person — we will find the person for you. Our support staff is superb,” she says.
Catholic Charities maintains offices in Toledo, Lima, Fremont, Norwalk and Mansfield. To learn more about the services offered by the agency, visit www.catholiccharitiesnwo.org.
|
|
Last Updated on Monday, 28 July 2008 08:45 |
