SPEAKER_03 0:08

Welcome to Beyond the Beacon with Bishop Kevin Sweeney, a podcast of the Diocese of Patterson, New Jersey. Join us for conversations about our Catholic faith, and together let's strive to live a life of faith, hope, and love. We're so glad you can join us. I'm Jay Agnish, and with me is Bishop Kevin Sweeney. Bishop Kevin, how are you? I'm doing well, Jay. How are you doing? I'm doing well, thanks. So so what's new? What's going on with sports or what's going on in the in the uh with the Pope? I guess there's a new encyclical that was recently issued.

SPEAKER_01 0:40

He loved us. Um he loves you, I guess. Um uh following and being helped by um Pope Francis who started this uh letter encyclical. Yeah, and um Pope Leo Francisco. Yeah, excuse me, Pope Leo picked up the baton, as we say, and uh yeah, but it's very much his own, although it's um I think uh I haven't read the full uh text yet, I look forward to doing that. But um uh Pope Francis, I think last encyclical was uh Delixit No, he knows he loved us. Um and this is even more specific, and we can talk a little bit today about how uh he's encouraging us and reminding us of uh living the gospel means caring for our brothers and sisters who are in need. Um and and as um the cardinal said to Pope Francis when he was elected, um remember the poor, don't forget the poor. And uh so I think uh being reminded of that uh as well. Again, hopefully uh do today with our guests uh is is something that we can all use um uh uh use to hear.

SPEAKER_03 1:47

Um, I certainly need that reminder every day. I uh yeah, there I just remember I looked at some excerpts briefly and um was really moved by, you know, it talks about uh how we see the face of Christ in the poor, a common theme, I think, biblical theme. And so but we're gonna get more into that in a little bit. Um so today we're gonna be talking about Catholic Charities and the Diocesan Ministries appeal, and we're gonna we have two familiar faces who are joining us. So Tim Potter, our Chief Development Officer for the Diocese of Patterson, and Scott Milliken, the Chief Executive Officer for Catholic Charities for the Diocese of Patterson. So welcome. Thank you both for being back on.

SPEAKER_01 2:28

How many years of service to the diocese combined? Uh you're thirty thirty-three. Thirty-three and scott? Thirty-four. Thirty-four. Um I'm the new guy. You've seen a few things and a few priests and bishops come and go. Yeah. God bless you for your um work for our diocese and leadership. Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 2:49

So should we open up and pray?

SPEAKER_01 2:50

Sure, we'll continue in our Jubilee um year of Pilgrims of Hope and and we'll pray our Jubilee prayer. Um and certainly um uh we strive to be yes, pilgrims of hope and instruments of faith, hope, and love, and uh and uh we'll hear how that's done through the work of Catholic charities and Catholic charities and others are able to do that work because of the support that they receive through the ministry's appeal. So um we wanna, as we pray, we thank all those who um are real instruments and pilgrims of hope um by what they do and and also by their generosity and support for for the ministries of our diocese. So we have you in mind um and our brothers and sisters who are in need as well, and those who care for them as we pray together. Uh now we'll place ourselves in God's presence in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. And together as pilgrims of hope in this jubilee of hope, we'll pray the Jubilee prayer together. Father in heaven, may the faith you have given us in your Son, Jesus Christ, our brother, and the flame of charity enkindle in our hearts by the Holy Spirit reawaken in us the blessed hope for the coming of your kingdom. May your grace transform us into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the gospel. May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos in the sure expectation of a new heaven and a new earth. When with the powers of evil vanquished, your glory will shine eternally. May the grace of the Jubilee reawaken in us, pilgrims of hope, a yearning for the treasures of heaven. May that same grace spread the joy and peace of our Redeemer throughout the earth. To you, our God, eternally blessed, be glory and praise forever. Amen. Our Lady Seed of Wisdom, Our Lady of Hope, pray for us. Saint Joseph, pray for us, Saint John the Baptist, pray for us. All holy men and women, pray for us, pray for us in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. I know this will come out next week, but we're recording on um October 15th, which is the feast of Saint Teresa of Avala, uh, the first woman to be declared a doctor of the church and um the reformer with John of the Cross of the Carmelite Order, and I was blessed this morning to be able to say Mass for our Carmelite sisters uh in in the Carmel and Morristown. So uh Saint Teresa of Avala also we ask to pray for us.

SPEAKER_03 5:14

My wife was listening on Hallow and learning all over her somewhere today, one of her favorite saints. Um good, so where should we begin the conversation, Bishop? So a lot going on with Captain Charity, a lot going on with the diocese.

SPEAKER_01 5:26

I guess with with Tim here, we can say it's that time of year again, right? A beautiful time of year. It'd be better if the Yankees were in the World Series. Old Tim would work for another team, but uh so uh but neither one of them is there, unfortunately. And uh Scott and I, as Jet fans, are um trying to be pilgrims of hope in the NFL, which is not so easy for um so um uh more importantly, um uh this is the time of year when we ask um your generosity uh in the support of the Dasin Ministries appeal, and Tim will share some of what you allow us to do, and Scott can share that as well. Um but Tim, maybe just give us an update on where we are in uh the 2025 DASIN Ministries appeal.

SPEAKER_02 6:09

Sure. So uh the Diocin Ministries Appeal funds uh a wide array of of needs in the diocese uh and ministries and programs, specifically seminary education, um, uh priest retirement and health care needs, uh Catholic urban education, and Catholic charities. Um these have been something that have been um great in the response from the parishioners throughout the years because their the needs are are there and um it really helps us respond as Catholics to what's going on and to respond to the gospel. Um the theme this year for the appeal is three counties, one family of faith. And uh it's great to w in a way to celebrate the different counties and all the work that's being done there because again, being the Diocese of Patterson, you kind of think of Patterson as as the place, and it is certainly, but it encompasses Morris, Bassaic, and Sussex counties, and there's so much work, especially with Catholic charities, that is being done in all the different counties, dozens of programs, and so it's it was good to highlight that this year specifically for each county to see how everybody across the diocese benefits from the appeal.

SPEAKER_01 7:17

Um and uh the it'll be in the last weekend of October, right? Uh well um we started uh uh mailings have already gone gone out and thank God people have already responded, right?

SPEAKER_02 7:29

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 7:29

Both um returning by mail and electronically offering their support and gifts and pledges. Uh and then uh in this um last weekend, in the last weekend of October we'll uh show in the parishes. Many of the parishes will show the video, which is also available online. Um but um but we'll also ask uh at at Mass, right, for that that NP weekend for for help of parishioners.

SPEAKER_02 7:52

That's correct. October 25th and 26th is the NP weekend, where we ask parishioners who have not yet made a pledge to consider doing so. Um and Bishop, you're right, they're gonna be uh showing a video um about the work of the appeal or an audio homily. Um but all this is meant to just kind of put a face to the work that we do. Um and so uh the video I hope is a good representation again of how each uh county benefits from the work of Catholic charities, especially. Um and so uh we're asking for that kind of support. And we've gotten it, we've gotten the support over the years just because people do understand the needs that we have and and have been incredibly generous. So we're so grateful for that.

SPEAKER_03 9:13

I love the video. It's it's always a great storytelling device, and it just illuminates what's happening in the dice. It's the beautiful work that many folks are doing. And so for people who are listening to this episode, you can click on the show notes. There'll be a link for the video. And for people who are watching it, we're gonna play the whole video at the end, and you'll see some clips during during our conversation as well.

SPEAKER_01 9:35

And Tim, you said 34 years, right? Was it was originally called uh the bishop's annual appeal, right? And uh when you came to visit me in Patterson before it was even installed, uh, and you had suggested, and I guess I've been thinking up for uh for a time, it's really more accurate to say the DAS is ministry's appeal, right? Because yes, it helps the bishop in my work as as shepherd, but we're all in this together as the church. And uh we have ministers, uh our priests, our deacons, our religious, uh, our lay ministers, our our Das and staff and other um uh Catholic charities uh uh has so many um employees, but they they're not in it for the money, I don't think. Uh Catholic charities, right? It's a vocation and ministry, right? For and Scott can share some about that ministry. And so uh yes, Catholic schools and our retired priests and um and seminarian education, those future uh ministers of the gospel. Um but um was the appeal around when you arrived or oh yeah. Yeah, going back to does it go back to Bishop O'Dimer? Was is he one of those?

SPEAKER_02 10:36

Uh the appeal started in 1991, and I worked on that uh uh for two years outside of the diocese. And then when I came to the diocese in 1993, I continued it. So I I've been w working on the di uh the appeal for since 1991 in this diocese. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 10:52

And uh thank God, even you know, challenging time the last few years, uh the the people of our diocese um respond so generously, right? In the last two years, I think we've done very, very well.

SPEAKER_02 11:02

Yeah, we've we've we've always done well uh thanks to the parishioners of the diocese, even during COVID um in 2020, uh when so many uh uh appeals honestly were not doing as well because for obvious reasons with with parishes being closed and the COVID situation, um we actually did better than the year before. Um and again, I think that was because people saw the need, they understood that some people were hurting and might not be able to give to the appeal like they did in previous years, and so others stepped up to make up for that. So um that's what's so great about the parishioners of this diocese is that they respond so well to it. And and it isn't just the parishioners, but it's the pastors who promote it in the parishes. We could not do it without their support. The pastors, right, are so important.

SPEAKER_01 11:48

Um and uh as there are those uh the the main uh areas that receive support, as we've mentioned, um have been there, I guess, for some time. But um there are times when uh there's a special need, and uh Scott being here today can tell us about the new um newly renovated building for our Catholic charities um food pantry, also known as the Father English food pantry. Um and uh so the last couple of years there's been an extra um uh dedicated uh uh support of um the um the the food pantry. Uh Scott, maybe you want to tell us a little bit about how that's going and and where we are with uh our food pantry.

SPEAKER_00 12:28

Sure. Uh I would say about three years ago uh I came to Bishop uh Sweeney and uh you know gave him our heartfelt message that our food pantry is falling down. It had asbestos, it had walls that were collapsing, uh no HVAC, no proper uh refrigeration units for serving the poor. Uh at right before COVID we were doing uh 2.6 million pounds of food a year. Um since COVID, we're doing four million pounds of food every single year. The need has just increased. And if we didn't do something radical to fix the food pantry, then uh the building. The building is we wouldn't have a food pantry. Um uh yeah, I think everybody knows Carlos Rodin. He's our our food pantry director, and he's so passionate about um, you know, him coming from a uh situation of poverty where he was hungry as a child and he's made it his life mission to to feed the poor. Uh he just told me yes yesterday he came in on Sunday just to check the lights, and somebody was outside, and he opened a door and fixed a bag of food for them.

SPEAKER_01 13:52

Uh we thank uh St. Joseph's Hospital, St. Joseph's Health, right? That has allowed us to be in a building uh warehouse on a busy street. Um but Carlos has adjusted, and that's been the temporary location now for a little over a year, I think.

SPEAKER_00 14:07

Yes, and we haven't dropped one day of not giving food out even during the transition.

SPEAKER_01 14:12

Um and the change of location might have even made it more visible for some and uh some who didn't realize it was in the original spot.

SPEAKER_00 14:20

Absolutely. And and then the new food pantry is is going to be a choice food pantry as well, which is extremely important. Uh the whole um objective is to provide as much dignity as possible to people who are suffering. And with a choice food pantry, all the renovations are going to allow somebody to not only come in, not have to wait online outside, but wait in a waiting area and then shop with a basket, being able to go into a Costco-like cooler and refrigeration unit and cost a point system, like a point system based on uh need and family size, that uh a family will get a certain amount of points, and be coming come in and shop.

SPEAKER_01 15:05

We might have a future episode on the Holy Father's new letter about uh, you know, it's not only about giving charity, right? It's about encountering the presence of of Christ and and recognizing the dignity of every person. And uh Carlos in the food pantry has been doing it for some time and now in they're gonna be able to do that in a a new a new way in a newly refurbished building, right?

SPEAKER_00 15:26

Yes. Um I ironically, uh this past week I was with uh 88 of my fellow CEOs of Catholic charities across the country in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and in the Apostolic Ex Exhortation came out that week while we were there. And uh everything that Catholic charities is based on our Catholic social teaching is represented in in this in this uh exhortation. Um and it shares just a little bit about um that always resonates with myself because one of our staff had said it uh to me when I first started that um Catholic charities and the diocese and the church that for some folks we are the only face of Christ that some of them might ever see because of their current situation, and Catholic charities provides help and creates help. And the diocese and ministries appeal and the funds that come in for that, um, what separates us from all the other nonprofits, it's our faith and our our reflection back on Catholic so Catholic social teaching. And it allows me and our our staff to say yes when so many others um turn the turn their turn away. Um so these funds directly help us to help those people who fall through the cracks. So can you you you printed up part of the exhortation? Sure. Can you share something? This is um a ref a reflection from Pope Leo. I've chosen re to recall the age old history of the church's care for the poor and with the poor in order to make clear that it has always been a central part of her life. Indeed, caring for the poor is part of the church's great tradition, a beacon, as it were, of evangelical light to illuminate the hearts and guide the decisions of Christians in every age. That is why we must feel bound to invite everyone to share in the light and life born of recognizing Christ in the faces of those suffering and those in need. So it's exactly you know what we talk about. I think Tim several years ago we had the face of Christ on the posters made of all the pictures of all the people that we have served over.

SPEAKER_01 17:54

And he gave a little shout out to the beacon. Oh, yeah? He talks about the beacon. Yes. So um uh but yes, uh uh uh it I just had the chance to be in the Sisi, and you know, you think of the going back to St. Francis and the Sisi and before that as he talks about it's who we are as the church that from the very beginning, the care for the poor, and seeing um Carlo Acudis buried there, um, you know, uh 800 years after St. Francis, this young kid um growing up in a family that wasn't all that religious, but something in him attracts him to the Eucharist, to the Mass, and then he realizes he needs to see the face of Christ in uh those who are in need, and he would organize food uh drives in his school and and and uh personally reach out to to people who are in need. Um and uh um and and maybe say a little bit, Scott, about the your staff, this our staff at Catholic Charities, not only the food pantry, but we're opening um a new uh uh rebuilt uh uh straight and narrow drug treatment facility. And um we also have the DPD um homes, uh which again all are supported by the people of our diocese through the ministry's appeal, right? We had the special uh part of it for the the um the the food pantry the last few years, but um but uh Catholic charity is more than just the food pantry, right? And and and now the staff, some of the staff that we have.

SPEAKER_00 19:15

Yes, uh the ministry's appeal is directly affecting our at-risk at-risk youth in Patterson. Uh we're going to be able to buy um and start a robotics program for uh the inner city youth of Patterson, um which they don't have access to that. And uh our students from our Catholic schools are are because they have it, are volunteering to come in and teach those robotics um to the youth. So without the diocesan ministry's appeal, that wouldn't happen. We're opening up a uh state-of-the-art. We just received the CO last Friday. So uh as soon as it's licensed now, we'll um we have a uh a newly renovated kitchen that'll do 3,000 meals uh a day. Uh it'll service over three to four hundred people coming in for outpatient counseling every single day, and it has a halfway house for men for 75 beds upstairs, um, plus the administrative office of straight and narrow for Catholic charities.

SPEAKER_01 20:24

So in the heart of the city of Patterson?

SPEAKER_00 20:27

Yes, right in the heart of city in the city of Patterson is actually was the old Carter Wright building that was built airplane wings for World War II. Um and because the train tracks were right there, they used to build the airplane wings, put them right onto the railroad and ship them overseas. Oh cool. Uh so that is our new new building, and it's uh dedicated in honor of Monsignor Herbert Tillier. We'll be there for uh the dedication, right? The dedication is December 8th, uh, and we're really looking excited to and very excited to open that. At the same time, we're opening a medical day program. There are 3,000 uh folks who are have HIV and AIDS or AIDS that are under the poverty level. Uh they will come uh 50 people a day to straight and arrow to assure that they have um proper medication, uh, a meal, and see a doctor and a nurse to make sure that they're keeping up with their regimen of medication. We just opened up a fully functional CrossFit Gym that is fully functional now. We're doing six classes a day for men, women in recovery at straight and narrow. So, straight and narrow, there's lots of things really moving and shaking. Uh then at the food pantry, uh with the the help of the diocesan ministries appeal, we we're just trying to get the new electrical service, the electrical service that was there, uh for those of you who remember Eddie and the Munsters, you know, with the big, you know, that's what it looked like, the electrical panel. Uh we're we're you we're waiting for the new electrical service, so permitting, and as soon as we get that in, um the all the the stuff that the the shelves and everything is all coming. And including hydroponic? Yes. So we are opening up the first hydroponic farming system in any urban area in New Jersey. And uh again, just waiting on permitting, but uh once we get through those permits, uh It it actually grows uh It's gonna give a whole new meaning to a vegetable garden, right? Yes. It grows five hundred heads of lettuce a week. Yes a week, two thousand heads of lettuce a month, um twenty-four thousand heads of lettuce a year, and it will be grown right in the parking lot of the food pantry and brought across the driveway, fresh right into the new coolers that we have, um, refrigeration units, and that will be going just to give out to the poor.

SPEAKER_01 23:10

So um and I had the opportunity to visit a number of times to uh give tours to uh for the that was the before part, right? When the building was still then we some some one wonderful, generous donors joined us there, and uh we'll you're looking forward to we're looking forward to having a little gathering, right, to um see the newly renovated uh Father English Food Pantry, Catholic Charities Food Pantry. And yeah.

SPEAKER_00 23:32

Catholic Charities USA um has a uh a a statue, a bronze statue outside of the corner office, right by the in between the courthouse and the Catholic charity's main headquarters of uh Jesus embracing a homeless man. And it is just uh you walk past it and it is just beautiful and thought-provoking, and uh they've encouraged Catholic charities across the country to put this in their most vulnerable area. And uh thanks to everyone involved with the food pantry and and the renovation of the food pantry, we will have that beacon of hope sitting outside our new food pantry. So it's gonna be a glorious grand opening when when we get there. And uh we're all anxious for it to open and and really just start serving the poor and continue to serve.

SPEAKER_01 24:28

The food pantry uh uh straight and narrow, family services, all that Catholic charities does, and then there's something called DPD. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 24:37

Uh DPD is our Catholic uh Department for Department for Persons with Disabilities. Uh we service folks with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Uh it's been around over 50 years. Uh Father Worlin started it many, many years ago with through with uh Bishop Nava. And uh it's been going strong and growing ever since. And how many homes? Uh 13 homes all together. Uh case case management services for young adults uh graduating from high school and and aging out of the school system, uh 275 case management uh services for that, as well as a a day program for adults to go who are kind of um learning skills and yeah, there's such um you talk about meeting the seeing Jesus, right?

SPEAKER_01 25:30

And uh the when you when you see some of the residents in uh in our in our DPD homes that you can lift and see.

SPEAKER_00 25:39

You know, if you're having a bad day, just go to Grohner Center. Your whole day will will and and r uh attitude on where you're currently at changes very quickly. Um but we're opening the the homes that were originally had, you know, there was no thought of people aging and aging in place. So uh Murray House is is one of our first homes that was is actually the longest running group home in the state of New Jersey. Uh and the Murray family is still involved. The Murray family's still involved. There's been a board member of on Catholic charities since its inception of of uh of of of uh charity's history. And uh we're purchased we purchased two new homes, one for Murray House and one for Worland House in West Milford to move them to more rant-style homes. Uh this way people can age in place because if they can't go up and down the stairs, licensing is involved and fire evacuation becomes an issue and safety. So this allows people to age in place who might not have the opportunity to stay with us if that uh changes. And then we're we're looking, currently looking for another ranch-style home, which is very difficult to find in more specific Sussex County. Uh, but we're looking for another home to open Smitherman House. And uh Smithman Donald Smitheman was a uh a parent who had four children with developmental disabilities, all who lived with Catholic charities. And um after passing in his children's past, he left an estate to Catholic charities to open up a Smith herman home. So um we're looking, actively looking. If you have a Rand style home out there, let us know. Let us know. Let us know. Okay. So lots of exciting things at Catholic Charities.

SPEAKER_03 27:30

In Catholic charities, clearly bringing out the best in people with with the financial support and finding homes and the leaving estates. It's pretty, pretty amazing stuff.

SPEAKER_01 27:41

Um and there's web the Catholic charities and the ministries appeal, right? There's uh people can go um to the different websites, right, and and get some information.

SPEAKER_02 27:51

So uh to make a gift to the diocese of ministry's appeal um online, which a lot of people do, um, it's it's actually growing each year. More people more and more people are doing that. It's very simple. It's 2025appeal.org.

SPEAKER_01 28:03

2025appeal.org. Right.

SPEAKER_02 28:06

And they can make an online gift, and uh it's very very simple. So uh I encourage people to do that as well.

SPEAKER_01 28:12

And uh you mentioned Monsignor Tillier, um, I think also of Monsignor Jim Mahoney and for and Bishop Saratelli. Um the effort, I we may have mentioned it before, but uh, you know, there was almost three separate organizations, right? Catholic charities, family services, DPD, um uh um and straight narrow. And uh over these past six, seven years, I guess now, um it's really come together as one Catholic charity, right, Scott? And is that reflected that I think it's g it is or it's gonna be in in the website as well, right? Because you can go to one place and hear all the see here and see all the good news.

SPEAKER_00 28:47

Yes. Um, you know, in the past we had three organizations that um ran completely separately. And I remember the words Monsignor Mahoney gave to me when I first walked into his office. He says, Scott, we are one church, we will be one Catholic charities. And uh and it always that always always stuck with me and resonated with me as well. And and we're we're you that started and then COVID hit. Uh so there was some difficulties just bringing everybody together, but we're moving to one email address, CC Patterson.

SPEAKER_01 29:23

Monsignor Tillier taking really stepping up at that point, right?

SPEAKER_00 29:27

Yes, and Monsignor Tillier was the only uh person who had been on all three boards at at one time in his life. So he was the perfect option to be president of of Catholic charities.

SPEAKER_01 29:41

Uh and he did that for a number of years and now thanks to um Father um um uh the the pastor. Father Martin uh Father Martin Glynn uh uh stepped up right a um uh when Monsignor Tilia was retiring and uh has been so involved.

SPEAKER_00 29:56

Uh I cut you off, you were saying the what new website Yeah, c ccpatterson.org and all of the every we have over 450 staff at Catholic Charities in Patterson, and everybody will have a ccpatterson.org. Uh domain name and email address, uh, because we have so many different domains out there and it's bringing it all together. Um Bishop thankfully um allowed us to also purchase uh a new home for Catholic charities in in Parsipony. Uh so all of the administrative function of Catholic charities will be in one location for the first time ever. Uh so we've been um scattered. Scattered over the last uh seven years.

SPEAKER_01 30:41

Father Glenn has been also not only being the the the head of the board, but uh he's been hosting right a lot of meetings. Yes, he's been hosting our board meetings.

SPEAKER_00 30:49

In Denver, yes. Um but it's really when when we first started looking at this, um our buildings and facilities have were falling down around our seas, around the seams. Our our partnership for people in Sussex County has been completely renovated with the consolidated board and a focus mission on hey, what are the priorities? Uh and our Hope House in in Dover, we were operating out of a school that was on five levels and only accessible on the first level for folks who were handicapped. So served people were coming downstairs, and now we're on social services row um in Dover, and uh that's Hope House, so we were successfully able to move that, and then our our steeple that was that was falling down, we fixed that. Uh that was one of our first projects, right? Tim, we didn't want anybody to get it hit in the head. And then uh, you know, in the food pantry, and straight and narrow, obviously, um, and that whole lot of moving parts there to get everything into an environment that's conducive for treatment. And the last piece of the puzzle was the food pantry. And you know, Tim stepped up and Bishop, thank you. And our people and the people that that um so graciously assisted us in getting this project under underway and so so excited to to show it off, and it it really is gonna be a beacon of hope for for many, many years to come for people who are suffering.

SPEAKER_02 32:25

And that that's kind of what I like about the appeal in a sense that it really pivots to the needs that are happening at that moment. Um so we talked about how the appeal helped uh with the funding of the food pantry um in these last three years. Uh this year it's helping with the at-risk youth program. And in 2019, uh I think two weeks before the appeal started was the fire straight and arrow. Two weeks before, we had everything ready to go. Uh but Bishop Saratelli at the time s uh we got together very quickly and we again pivoted again and uh made a decision to use some of the funds for that year to help support the rebuilding of the of the uh Straight and Narrow building. Um and uh we changed the letters, we did everything, the marketing changed within two weeks. Um so that's that's what I like about the appeal is that each year is kind of fresh and new and responds to the needs of the people and the community and the diocese.

SPEAKER_03 33:20

Awesome. Well, um I mean so much has happened in the past few years. What what's how how do you how do you do how do you collaborate across departments like that and make make effect a change like this? Like is there if you could what's the secret?

SPEAKER_00 33:36

Um well Bishop is really uh kind of talking about it. Yeah, but it's it's not the the leadership division is is the the leaders we're just directing the ship. The the staff who do everything day to day and work with people and you know uh our staff who are working with um soil diapers and people c enthralled in addiction from the very beginning where they're walking on the street homeless or in prison. Uh and bringing those folks in and our dedicated staff who don't make enough but it is their mission and their calling. The staff is what makes us great and blessed. Doing what Jesus would do, um, and just caring for people and giving proper direction and vision, you know, as an example, the food pantry um when I came was operating out of a room no bigger than this with a big space and we were renting out the hall for for weddings, right? Um and that's not what Catholic charities is about. And like from the first day it said, no, this is gonna be our food pantry, and and um the food pantry is also has it used to be an old theater and the stage it still had multiple levels of flooring and it's all gutted now, it's all one level, and that is going to be clothing for the for the needy. So, and it's gonna be like uh any other Kohl's or JCPenney's, everything will be sorted by size and I'm just remembering now we did an episode in the um temporary uh um food pantry, I guess it was last year.

SPEAKER_01 35:21

With Carlisle, yeah, yeah. So we'll have to go back and do one at the newly renovated uh with the bright light and uh and the uh when the electricity's on. You know.

SPEAKER_00 35:40

And um she was amazed about you know how many families we're serving a day and just the food insecurity with the cuts from SNAP and what families are going through, and you know, that a lot of people think that the people waiting on the food pantry line, and and uh Pope references this in in in his um encyclical. And uh, you know uh most of the people who are on the line at the food pantry, I'm gonna say 90 percent are are working two or three jobs. They're not looking for a handout. And they're there because they need food. Uh the first thing that that goes is food because they're trying to pay their rent. Um and they're m multiple families living together um to meet the need to pay uh just basic necessities, you know, clothing, housing.

SPEAKER_01 36:35

Yeah and not to mention trying to raise children, right?

SPEAKER_00 36:37

And raise children at the same time, and they have their parents and sometimes grandparents living with them in two families in a one or two bedroom apartment. So um it's so important for us to to try to give them hope and and food, just the daily basics of life. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 36:57

All right. Well, this has been something incredible hearing all this. Um thank you both for your hard work. Um Bishop, before we wind down this episode, is there anything you uh want to reflect on about the conversation thus far?

SPEAKER_01 37:12

Uh uh gratitude, thank you to all those who support the ministry's appeal, all um uh Scott and and Tim for their great leadership. Leadership is very important, and we're blessed um by the by the leadership of both of you. Um Tim working with a small crew, but uh you do a lot with a little, and and Scott, the large uh organization that is, Catholic charities, but as you said, also um the demands on on so many of our um employees and team members. Um so we're we're grateful to them, and then again for all the support. And as Tim mentioned, I know Scott knows, and uh uh we're we all need to be aware of uh the leadership of our pastors, right? I mean, and and priests uh uh in our parishes um is um we're having uh this coming weekend uh the Vivare Christus Awards where parishes recognize uh um uh leaders leader, lay usually lay leaders or religious possibly, but um uh our our pastors and priests also um whether it be in supporting um and working together with Catholic charities, calling Catholic charities when they encounter someone in need. And Scott, your you and your team are always so responsive. Um, but also um in in in in this time of year, uh uh uh in the uh in Pew weekend and in other ways, uh what our pastors uh and parish leaders do for um support of the ministry's appeal is is is so important, right?

SPEAKER_02 38:34

Absolutely. They make they they they're make it happen. Um so grateful.

SPEAKER_01 38:39

Right.

SPEAKER_02 38:39

So what was that website address? 2025appeal.org.

SPEAKER_01 38:44

2025appeal.org.

SPEAKER_02 38:45

I say my sleep.

SPEAKER_00 38:48

And cc Patterson. CCpatterson.org and just thank you for everyone who donates to the appeal. And I'll say it again. It it allows us to say yes when so many others say no and turn their backs. So thank you all.

SPEAKER_03 39:04

Okay. All right, before we uh close up here, Bishop, uh what are you looking forward to? Your your schedule is always so busy. You mentioned Christmas. Um what else is uh coming up?

SPEAKER_01 39:15

As uh it'll the episode will come out next week. We'll be with our priests um on the uh every three years we have a convocation um from Monday evening till Thursday morning, a time to get away, a retreat slash workshop, and also opportunity for fraternity. So um we get to go spend a little time down by the shore in Spring Lake, and uh and uh so please um keep that in in your prayers uh as we look forward to our our priest convocation.

SPEAKER_03 39:42

Okay. All right, well, thank you all, and thank you for joining us. Please subscribe, comment, and leave a positive rating. Get to know us better by following Bishop Kevin's Instagram and beyond the beacon on social media. Read the bishop's weekly column on beaconnj.org and get in touch if you have a question for the bishop or a podcast topic idea. And discover our other podcasts, Coffee with Kupke in the Paul Street Journal. See you next time. Thank you, everybody. God bless you.