Partners in Charity hosts appreciation dinner

By Tanya Connor
The Catholic Free Press

Partners in Charity helps Catholic Charities meet people’s emergency needs, in a first step to helping them become self-sufficient, the agency’s head told donors recently.
A teenager told them the Appeal helps her – and she helped with it.
Timothy McMahon, executive director of Catholic
Charities, and Caitlin Moughan, who turned 14 on Sept. 16, were speaking at the annual Society Appreciation Dinner for Partners supporters. It was held Sept. 14 at Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston.
The event gave Bishop McManus an opportunity to thank those who help with the Appeal, some of whom received awards for their years of service.
Mr. McMahon said Catholic Charities uses the money it receives from Partners in Charity for emergency services, such as food and clothing.
When people come in for such services, Catholic Charities will use software it is purchasing to discover what prohibits these people from being self sufficient, he said. The agency will then seek to meet those needs or refer the people to places that can meet their needs.
Data Catholic Charities collects about its successes with people could enable the agency to get additional grants, he said.
“Partners in Charity is important because of all the people it helps,” said Caitlin, who hails from St. George Parish in Worcester. “It helped my uncle when he was younger and went to Nazareth School for Boys. It helps our retired priests, like Father Charlie Dumphy, who is really funny and was a great priest at our church. It helps with religious education, which I am in right now, so you are helping me!”
She said her father, James Moughan, was Partners chairperson at their parish this year, and she helped him. Their pastor, Father Edward D. Niccolls, even called her “Madame Chairperson.”
She said she likes to volunteer, and thinks she gets that from her parents. Her mother, Beth Moughan, volunteers at church, and has “done a lot with my schools.” Her father serves at church and at work, and volunteered with the Bishop’s Fund when he was her age. She and her sister, Alyssa, volunteer at church and school. Caitlin thanked listeners for giving their time, talent and treasure to Partners and said she plans to continue volunteering for the Appeal.
Bishop McManus said he’s been touched by diocesan Catholics’ generosity, noting that they raised $150,000 for their sister Diocese of Les Cayes, Haiti, after Hurricane Matthew devastated it last year. He talked about seeing “desperately poor” people there pack a church for a two-and-one-half-hour Mass, despite the lack of fans.
The bishop said Haiti was just one of the ways local people have been generous and mentioned the collection taken at parishes recently for those affected by Hurricane Harvey.
Michael P. Gillespie, director of the diocesan Office of Stewardship and Development, who coordinates the Partners Appeal, noted that $10,000 of the money collected was sent to Hurricane Harvey victims. Listeners applauded.
People awarded for their service to Partners were:
Elizabeth Sabaj, St. Joseph Basilica, Webster
Barbara Avery, Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish,  Webster
Dan and Diane Cetin, St. Joseph Parish, Charlton
Helen Fitzgerald, St. Peter Parish, Worcester
Eugene McCarthy, St. Peter Parish, Worcester
Una Rice, St. Mary Parish, Uxbridge
Vicky Zarella, St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Fitchburg
Mary Lou Anderson, Partners advisory board chairwoman, from Blessed Sacrament, Worcester
Those not present at the dinner were to be given their awards by their pastors, Mr. Gillespie said. He also acknowledged the Partners advisory board members who were present.
Mr. Gillespie reported that the grand total for  this year’s Appeal was $5,125,528.
Sixty St. Paul Society members contributed a total of $310,925 and 48 Holy Family Society members contributed a total of $630,424. The priests’ society, named for St. John Vianney, saw 142 priests donating, 91 of them giving $1,000 or more, for a total of $218,660.