November 20, 2024 // Diocese

A Reason for Thanksgiving: Catholic Charities Serves Hope to Those in Need

Nicole Kurut

This Thanksgiving, we are reminded of the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi – that it is through giving that we receive. For more than 100 years, the staff of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, along with its volunteers and supporters, have exemplified this teaching, dedicating themselves to providing resources and a sense of hope strong enough to uplift our most vulnerable neighbors.

Our team meets those in need right where they are and without judgment, accompanying them on their personal journey toward building lives that are stable. Approaching financial, material, emotional, and spiritual poverty through a multi-faceted holistic approach, we provide stability, mental health, pro-life, and migration services. It is through the hope that our clients find in these services that gratitude reflects into our own hearts.

Provided by Catholic Charities
Ramona, center, holds up her certifcate after graduating in early November from the Thrive Life Skills class offered by Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend. Ramona is posing with Catholic Charities staff members Caroline Bradford, left, and Nicole Roush.

Farada, a newly resettled refugee originating from Burma, thrived when engaged in rich conversation with others in her home country. After arriving in the United States, she became isolated, without the words to share a funny joke or a personal story. Farada became a regular attendee of the Catholic Charities’ Refugee Women’s Support Group. There, she began to build confidence and hope for better days ahead. Farada is resolute in learning one English word a day so that in one year she will know 365 words. Farada’s resilience will benefit her own journey and the entire community.

Hope can also be found in the hallways of our Catholic schools as our counselors provide a listening ear and clinical resources to children dealing with trauma and difficulties. When a priest encounters a parishioner with mental health needs, hope is in a phone call to our clinical liaison who responds with compassion and urgency, connecting that person with a licensed clinician who respects our Catholic faith.

As we strengthen our clients through resources and hope, a feeling of gratitude echoes throughout our office. We are reminded of how fortunate we are to be living in this country, and we rejoice when another barrier has been torn down for a vulnerable neighbor, making room for them to receive a hand up over a shorter mountain.

When we first met Will, he was a veteran living at the Rescue Mission. The people at Catholic Charities helped him find job training that built his skills and résumé. Meanwhile, he joined our Thrive Life Skills class, which helped him see the unhealthy habits that perpetuated the cycle of crisis in his life. Strengthened by his newfound knowledge of living with a growth mindset, setting goals, the power of making good decisions, and overcoming setbacks, Will graduated with his class, a group that will enrich one another’s lives for years to come. Will is full of hope for his future.

When a crying single mom calls us on December 16 because she knows there will be no presents under the tree, hope arrives. The families of more than 700 children across the diocese receive the gift of hope during the Christmas season because of Catholic Charities’ Christmas program, supported by many of our parishes and the broader community.

Working in social services is a vocation – a way to love and serve God by honoring the dignity of every person. Many who come through our doors in Fort Wayne, Auburn, and South Bend are at a crossroads, nearly losing hope. They are met by case managers who are the first to say, “I believe in you; you can do it.”

Catholic Charities’ foundation rests on our Catholic identity and our services that foster hope for all. Throughout our 100-year history, we are grateful to those in our community who show up for our clients, dispelling myths and misconceptions that damage the road to hope for many. The extra hands and advocacy of our volunteers amplify our ability to serve others. This Thanksgiving, we are thankful for our clients who keep us humble; our staff who carry out the charitable work of the Church; our volunteers who lend a hand; our stakeholders who fuel our opportunity to serve; and most importantly, for our faith that compels us to carry out our mission of serving all those in need as Christ calls us to do.

Nicole Kurut is the marketing manager for Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend.