Catholic Charities seeking sponsors for its 100th anniversary event

By John Shaughnessy

When Catholic Charities marks its 100th anniversary in the archdiocese with a Mass and a dinner on Nov. 20, it will celebrate a century of making a difference in the lives of the poor and vulnerable in central and southern Indiana.

During the celebration, the archdiocese’s Catholic Charities will also make a commitment to continue to provide the services and the faith-filled caring that help more than 210,000 people each year transform their lives.

“In the past 100 years, the archdiocese and Catholic Charities have created a proud legacy of feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, supporting the disabled, strengthening families and welcoming newcomers,” says David Bethuram, executive director of Catholic Charities in the archdiocese.

At the same time, Bethuram notes, “Our world is ever changing, and along with it are the new and emerging needs of our most vulnerable. Catholic Charities is poised to address those needs as we launch the next century of providing help and creating hope across the 39 counties in central and southern Indiana we serve.”

Toward that goal, Catholic Charities is seeking sponsors for its 100th anniversary celebration, in the hope of raising $100,000 to mark its centennial year.

The celebration—“100 Years of Providing Help, Creating Hope, Serving All”—will begin with a 5:30 p.m. Mass on Nov. 20 celebrated by Archbishop Charles C. Thompson at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral, 1347 N. Meridian St., in Indianapolis. Dinner will follow across the street at 6:30 p.m. in the Archbishop Edward T. O’Meara Catholic Center at 1400 N. Meridian St.

Sponsorships are available for $5,000 at the Patrons level, $2,000 for the Partners level and $1,000 for the Supporters level. The deadline to purchase a sponsorship is Nov. 1. The deadline to purchase individual tickets—$100 per person—for the event is Nov. 4.

The event will benefit all five Catholic Charities agencies in the archdiocese—Bloomington, Indianapolis, New Albany, Tell City and Terre Haute—and offices in Bedford and Martinsville.

“What has touched me about Catholic Charities is we are so responsive to the needs of the community,” says Cheri Bush, director of mission advancement for Catholic Charities in the archdiocese. “If there is a tornado, we are helping. Now, we’re seeing more working poor, and we’ve expanded and adapted our services to help them. I think that’s the secret to our longevity—our responsiveness. We’re also a great community partner.”

Bush gets emotional thinking about all the people who have contributed to the giving legacy that has marked the efforts of Catholic Charities in the archdiocese during the past century.

“It’s very humbling to be handed this gift at 100 years. We have taken this gift to the poor and vulnerable, and we’re extending it into the next 100 years,” she said. “It’s very humbling to be trusted with that. We definitely want to propel this forward.”
 

(For sponsorships and tickets, visit www.archindy.org/cc or contact Cheri Bush at 317-236-1411. Donations can also be made through the website or by contacting Bush.) †