With its new initiative, “People Up,” Catholic Charities of Louisville is inviting the Catholic and wider community to join its mission to assist people in need.
Serving those in need is “our baptismal call,” said Lisa DeJaco Crutcher, CEO of Catholic Charities.
“This is a call to the whole community not just the staff of Catholic Charities,” she said during a recent interview. “It’s a call to all the people of God.”
Father John Schwartzlose, director of mission for Catholic Charities, said the goal is to help Catholics see themselves as an “active part of the arm of the church.”
To that end, he’s offering hour-long presentations on Catholic social teaching during Lent. The events, which are scheduled at five parishes around the Archdiocese of Louisville, focus on the life and dignity of the human person and the call to family, community and participation.
He plans to explore, “What does it look like when people’s dignity is upheld? What does it look like when people are responding to the call of the church to participate the way Jesus instructs us to?” he said.
The “problems of the world,” such as the high poverty rate in the Commonwealth, often seem overwhelming, but “everyone is called to do something,” noted DeJaco Crutcher.
“What does that look like for you?” she asked people to consider. Serving as a volunteer with Catholic Charities is “one way to fulfill this baptismal call.”
Karen Pate, the agency’s volunteer coordinator, agrees that each individual is called to make a difference. That notion can sometimes feel overwhelming, leaving individuals with a desire to help but uncertain how to do so, she said.
“We can find something for you,” said Pate. “I don’t think people may even be aware of all the programs” Catholic Charities offers and how each has opportunities for volunteers.
Pate said people often think of stocking food pantries when they think about volunteering. Programs such as the Bahkita Empowerment Initiative, which serves human trafficking survivors, need volunteers who can make phone calls from home and those who can do administrative work in the office.
Pate also suggests that families volunteer together. There are opportunities on the weekends for that, she noted.
“If you can get your kids involved early on, it helps to encourage our future and what’s to come,” she said.
DeJaco Crutcher said Catholic Charities’ wide array of programs — and those who help make them a reality — represent “our church at work in the world.”
“It’s hard to be Catholic if all you hear are the negative things,” she said. If people haven’t heard about the Catholic Charities staff member at the airport at 1 a.m. welcoming arriving refugee families, “then we’ve let you down. We want to remind you that you are part of the church at work in the world.”
DeJaco Crutcher added that when individuals volunteer, it’s a contribution to the needy. But the volunteers also get something in return.
“We are contributing to each other,” she said. “The community is healthier and better off when we take care of each other.
“What are you doing to make your community better?” she asked. “You do what you can, with your skillset, for those who need help.”To learn more about Catholic Charities of Louisville and its programs, visit cclou.org. A list of volunteer opportunities can be found here.
