New structure extends role of charity in Diocese of Metuchen

PISCATAWAY – In the face of a pandemic, with many people struggling to make ends meet, Bishop James F. Checchio today announced the establishment of a new secretariat in the Diocese of Metuchen – the Secretariat for Charity.

The new secretariat, a grouping of related ministries within the diocesan curia, which supports the bishop in his shepherding responsibilities, is expected to incorporate more integrally the “essential mission of Charity that shows forth the face of Christ like no other to hurting people in need into all aspects of diocesan and parish life,”  according to a letter from Bishop Checchio in which he announced the change.

As part of the new structure, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Metuchen will be under auspices of the Secretariat for Charity, which will further integrate the mission shared the Catholic social service agency and that of the parishes, schools, and other institutions in the diocese.  

In his letter, which was set to be released Feb. 2 – the liturgical Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, which recognizes Christ as the “light to enlighten the nations” – but was delayed because of the powerful winter storm, the bishop acknowledged it can be difficult to see the “light of goodness” in the world and even in the four counties of the diocese.

Yet, he said the light of Christ can bring about hope for even the most destitute. It is through the Church’s mission of Charity – concern for all those who experience the darkness of poverty, abuse, addiction, homelessness and hunger – that the light of Christ shines. 

“In every age, the Church must be true to her mission by her outreach, care and concern for those that the world has forgotten,” the bishop wrote. “Every aspect of Catholic Charities is an opportunity for more of Christ's light to shine brightly, scattering darkness and illuminating the truth that every person is a beloved child of God and our brother and sister in the family of mankind.” 

The Secretariat for Charity will be under the direction and leadership of Anthony P. Kearns III, Esq., diocesan chancellor, who will serve as its Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Julio Coto, LCSW, who has led Catholic Charities, Diocese of Metuchen for the past several years as its Acting Executive Director, has also been formally named as the Executive Director.

According to Kearns and Coto, the Corporal Works of Mercy – among them feeding the hungry and sheltering the homeless – unfold every day through the outreach of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Metuchen, even in the midst of a pandemic.

The Catholic social service agency has been fully operational, working to provide remote services and face-to-face essential services, since the shutdowns last March. In response to the needs of New Brunswick residents, staff and volunteers for Catholic Charities, Diocese of Metuchen distributed nearly 700 Covid-19 kits to households in the city, in partnership with Saint Peter’s University Hospital and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. The kits included masks, soap, and sanitizer, as well as safety and hygiene information. Additional kits were also distributed to the men and families living in the two homeless shelters, operated by Catholic Charities.

With more than 20 sites and over 100 programs across Middlesex, Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren Counties, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Metuchen averages 40,000 hours of counseling services per year, provides childcare for nearly 1,600 children, supplies more than 166,000 meals to feed the hungry, and offers assistance for more than 50,000 people annually. The Catholic agency serves all people regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, or economic status living and working in the four counties of the diocese.

“When the rest of the world came to a halt because of the pandemic, the work of Catholic Charities continued in spite of it and even increased because of it,” Bishop Checchio wrote. “They are indeed the hands and feet of Christ in our local Church. This pandemic has shown us more than ever the increasing need for the charitable presence of the Church.”

With funding from the Bishop’s Annual Appeal, Catholic Charities serves the community with compassion, dignity and respect, and continually adapts to the growing and changing needs in the Diocese of Metuchen.