For Immediate Release
Tuesday, January 14, 2020
On Wednesday, January 15, 2020, Archbishop William E. Lori, Archbishop of Baltimore, and Mr. William J. McCarthy, Executive Director of Catholic Charities, will co-host the first annual Faith in Baltimore celebration, bringing together government and civic leaders along with the Archdiocese’s business and non-profit partners, and heads of various Catholic institutions to highlight the broad range of services and support carried out daily to benefit residents of the City of Baltimore. The Archdiocese of Baltimore is the nation’s first Roman Catholic diocese, established in 1789.
The event will take place from 6-8 p.m. at Center Stage in the city’s Mount Vernon neighborhood. Approximately 300 people, including Mayor Jack Young, Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison and other public officials, will be in attendance for this unique spotlight on the 230-year legacy of Catholic service to improve the lives of residents and neighborhoods through education, health care, social outreach, food and shelter assistance, addiction recovery support, immigration services, and by addressing many other essential needs. This legacy continues in the current day through Catholic Charities’ extensive programs carried out across 200 locations in Baltimore and across the State of Maryland by over 8000 volunteers, as well as through the Archdiocese’s ministries that serve a wide variety of other social needs and by providing faith support.
A special feature of the evening will be the presentation of the inaugural Faith in Baltimore Award. Mr. Ray Kelly, a well-known community leader from the Sandtown-Winchester neighborhood, will be this year’s recipient for his faith-based service to one of the City’s most troubled neighborhoods. Mr. Kelly’s Pastor, Rev. Raymond Bomberger, S.S.J., will introduce the recipient.
The Archdiocese recently broke ground on the first Catholic elementary school to be built in Baltimore in more than 60 years, Mother Mary Lange Catholic School, representing an investment of $24 million. Last month, Archbishop Lori handed out over 1,000 coats to children in Baltimore City, an annual tradition that began in 2015 and has resulted in over 6,000 children receiving new winter coats, sponsored by the Knights of Columbus. Those in attendance will also learn about the many programs of Catholic Charities that serve people in need in Baltimore, as well as those of other Catholic safety net agencies such as St. Vincent de Paul of Baltimore and Franciscan Center. Catholic Charities is the largest provider of social service in Baltimore and in Maryland. With the majority of its more than 80 programs located in Baltimore City, Catholic Charities annually serves over 500,000 meals to the City’s hungry and provides job training and placement, housing/emergency housing, behavioral healthcare, violence interruption, and an array of emergency services.
The goal of the evening is to create awareness of the many ways the Catholic Church is serving in the City and building opportunities for greater cooperation and partnerships among the City’s public, nonprofit and private sectors.
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About the Archdiocese of Baltimore
The Archdiocese of Baltimore, established as a diocese in 1789, is the Premier See of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. The archdiocese serves more than a half-million Catholics and encompasses most of the state of Maryland, serving the greater community in various ways.
Media Contact
Sean Caine
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