Catholic Charities touches many lives

In a column published in the Jan. 4-17 edition of the Catholic New World, Father Michael Boland, administrator and president of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago, gave an annual report on the outstanding outreach of this 91-year-old organization.

More than 1 million people in its 159 programs at 156 locations were served with competence and compassion. And 178,000 infants and children were nurtured in body, mind and spirit through its child- and family-centered programs. Adoption and maternity services assisted 375 maternity clients and staffed a 24-hour hotline. Day care and after-school experiences benefited 1,800 infants through school-age children. Half a million meals were provided at its nine child-development centers.

More than 80,000 seniors received services from at least one of its 27 programs offered at 43 sites in Cook and Lake Counties. Nearly 1,500 low-income seniors live in dignity in 18 beautiful low-income senior residences built and managed by Catholic Charities. Senior citizens were enabled to stay in their own homes through home-delivered meals, homemaker services, home health care, elder abuse protection, neglect and exploitation investigations, Respite Care services, adult day care centers, and case management.

The list of good work goes on and on. Father Boland graciously acknowledges, "All of these works of charity were supported by the generosity of tens of thousands of parishioners, donors, volunteers and people of good will. By constantly creating the culture of life through service to our neighbors in need, we live together."

Arlene Sawicki

South Barrington