July 9, 2020 // Diocese

Around the Diocese: July 12, 2020

St. Vincent de Paul Society of Fort Wayne welcomes first executive director 

LARA SCHRECK

FORT WAYNE — The board of directors of the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Fort Wayne welcomes its first executive director, Lara Schreck, to the organization. Schreck will lead the 23 parish conferences of the Fort Wayne District as they provide help to those in poverty with food, clothing, transportation, furniture, rent or utility payments and household repairs.   

Schreck comes to the society with five years of nonprofit experience in the areas of fundraising and program management. Most recently, she was the fundraising manager of Wellspring Interfaith Social Services, where her responsibilities included grant writing, donor relations and new funding research. She was the first program director of the Wellspring Shoppe, a local clothing bank, where she actively recruited volunteers and marketed the new program to clients and donors in the community.

“We’ve been searching for our first executive director for several months,” stated Jack Dunifon, board president. “Lara’s experience and dedication to serving others make her the right person to help advance the mission of the St. Vincent de Paul Society.”

Schreck has extensive volunteer experience while serving in board leadership positions. She has a Master of Science degree from Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Notre Dame.

The St. Vincent de Paul Society of Fort Wayne is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 1944. It currently serves over 40,000 individuals each year.  


New mausoleum blessed at Catholic Cemetery

Jennifer Barton
Father Tom Shoemaker, pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Parish, blesses the new St. Charles Borromeo Mausoleum at Catholic Cemetery in Fort Wayne. During the blessing, Father Shoemaker spoke of the good works that the saint performed in ministering to those suffering from the plague and in burying the dead.


Serra Club chaplain honored at reception

Provided by Randy Blum
Members of the Serra Club of South Bend attended the St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish reception in New Carlisle June 21 for retiring pastor Father Paul McCarthy. The Serrans came to thank Father McCarthy for his service as chaplain of the club for the past 12 years. From left are Randy Blum and his wife, Debby, of Corpus Christi Parish, South Bend; Father McCarthy; Ray Vales and his wife, Susan, of St. Pius X Parish, Granger; and Esther Cyr of Christ the King Parish, South Bend.


Serra club inducts new members

Provided by Randy Blum
Two new members were inducted into Serra Club of South Bend on June 17. From left, Ann Humphrey; Ray Vales, club president; Maria Siqueira; and Father Daryl Rybicki, pastor of Corpus Christi Parish and chaplain of the Serra Club. Both new members belong to St. Monica Parish, Mishawaka. The Serra Club fosters and promotes vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

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