I would like to share updates about the new Catholic Charities headquarters and exciting new staff positions at Catholic Charities of Louisville.
Catholic Charities Headquarters Building Project
As you are aware, two years ago in June, Louisville Metro Planning and Zoning unanimously approved the new Catholic Charities Headquarters Project. Later that month, the permit process was halted when some individuals presented a petition to landmark the Holy Name School and convent buildings that the headquarters project would demolish – a petition not signed by a single Holy Name parishioner.
The Metro Council rejected the landmark designation sought by the petitioners, and Catholic Charities was victorious in the Circuit Court when the petitioners sought judicial review. Earlier this month, the Kentucky Court of Appeals sided with Catholic Charities. Unfortunately, the petitioners have asked the Kentucky Supreme Court to accept the case. Thus, groundbreaking will be delayed at least until spring 2022 even if the Kentucky Supreme Court eventually decides not to review.
The new Catholic Charities Headquarters is so important as Catholic Charities deals with maintenance on the current aging buildings. In the past year, Catholic Charities experienced a ceiling collapse due to age at the St Anthony campus that fortunately did not injure anyone, a leaky Holy Name convent roof, and a barely functioning elevator. With a partnership with Holy Name and Holy Trinity parishes, Catholic Charities has opened a new food pantry in the basement of the Holy Name rectory – but it is accessed from the parking lot inside the campus and not visible from the street for those who need its assistance.
I am deeply thankful for the support of our parishes for this project. Pastors agreed to pledge more than $1.2 million to the Building a Brighter Future campaign. I also appreciate the support of so many individual donors.
If there is a silver lining to be found in the litigation delays, it is the opportunity to take advantage of the insights the pandemic has provided as to how Catholic Charities works. While the exterior of the project will not change, CEO Lisa DeJaco Crutcher and her staff are reviewing the interior build-out plans to ensure that the building fully aligns with the needs of the agency and those they serve moving forward.
Catholic Charities Staff
In other news, new staff are joining Catholic Charities in the Mission Department. The Mission Department at Catholic Charities engages our parishes and schools and works closely with archdiocesan offices such as the Office of Faith Formation, Family Ministries, and the Office of Hispanic Ministry. The Mission Department provides learning opportunities, such as trainings on Catholic social teaching and refugee simulation camps, and coordinates opportunities for Catholics of all ages to put their faith into action, whether by volunteering for direct service or through advocacy work. The Mission Department may be the Catholic Charities staff who are most familiar to parish and school staff and volunteers.
In June 2020, long-time Mission staffer Mark Bouchard retired; his position was filled by Father Lawrence Goodwin, CJM, who relocated to Louisville from California. Father Goodwin is a member of the Congregation of Jesus and Mary (the Eudists). Despite the pandemic, Father Lawrence has spent the last year making his presence known all across the Archdiocese, visiting 35 of our 110 parishes since starting his role in August.
Long-time Mission Department Director Deacon Lucio Caruso retired from Catholic Charities at the end of June, though he will remain active in his parish assignment at Saint Ignatius Martyr. Deacon Lucio was instrumental in building the Mission Department in recent years, and I am very grateful for his dedicated service and leadership at Catholic Charities. Father Lawrence succeeds Deacon Lucio as Director of Mission, and Father Lawrence’s previous position will be filled by Mary Wurtz, a 2020 Bellarmine University graduate and Louisville area native.
Fr. Lawrence and Mary will work alongside Denise Puckett (shared Mission position with the Family Ministries Office) and Claudia Bejarano (shared Mission position with the Office of Hispanic Ministry). The Mission Department is adding a new staff position as Catholic Charities enters a partnership with Louisville Metro and the Office of the Coroner. Catholic Charities hired Matthew Whisman to manage the ministry of burying the indigent. The indigent burial program has long been supported by volunteers from Catholic high schools and some parishes, and Catholic Charities is very glad to revitalize the program for this important corporal work of mercy.
Please join me in praying for all of the staff at Catholic Charities.
