2018 Caritas Gala Honors Those Who Create Hope

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Paterson presented awards on Nov. 3 to two staff members, a parish and a family for their longtime dedication and efforts to assist the organization in providing help and creating hope for those in need. 
 
Catholic Charities proudly recognized: The Parish Community of Corpus Christi, Chatham Township, with the Bishop’s Award; Dr. Anna DeMolli, Director of Child Education Services with the Straight & Narrow Award; Carlos Roldan, Director of the Food Pantry at the Father English Community Center, Paterson, with the Catholic Family & Community Services (CFCS) Award; and the Murray Family with the Department of Persons with Disabilities’ (DPD) Award.
 
“Pope Emeritus Benedict’s words perfectly proclaim the Church’s mission to serve the marginalized and the outcast. Our own diocese takes this obligation seriously, and with great commitment through the outstanding work of our Catholic Charities agencies. Tonight’s Caritas Dinner is an opportunity to celebrate their work and to recognize in a special way our honorees,” Bishop Serratelli wrote in a letter in the gala’s program. “Our honorees represent all the faithful who toil tirelessly and joyfully in the Catholic Charities vineyard. May God bless our staff, clients and volunteers. We are blessed to have you in our midst!” the Bishop mentioned.
 
That night, Bishop Serratelli presented the Bishop’s Award to Corpus Christi, Parish, Chatham.  The parish has continued its legacy of support to Catholic Charities since its founding in 1968. For over 35 years, the Parish held the Casey Classic golf tournament. This event has evolved into the Wiegand Farm Golf Classic which is now one of the largest golf outings in the country.  It is involved in many hands-on projects, such as food and clothing drives. Also parishioners give their time and resources with many of the organization’s outreaches.
 
“Msgr. Mahoney, your parish is dedicated to Corpus Christi: the Body of Christ. Under you wise and very compassionate leadership, your parish by its generous and continued outreach to so many is truly bread for those in need,” said Bishop Serratelli, who publically thanked the people of Corpus Christi for their many charitable efforts.
 
In response, Msgr. Mahoney thanked Catholic Charities and Bishop Serratelli for the award and Corpus Christi staff and parishioners for their passion and commitment in helping the disadvantaged.
 
“The essential nature of Corpus Christi is support for Catholic Charities and for all those, who are in need. It’s a privilege to serve those, who are poor, feed those, who are hungry and clothe those who are naked,” Msgr. Mahoney said.
 
Next, Sam Pirozzi, executive director of Straight and Narrow, and Dharmesh Parikh, its chief financial officer, presented the Straight & Narrow Award to Dr. DeMolli, who developed and expanded its Child Development Center, “allowing mothers to focus on their treatment needs and goals, while their children are safely cared for.” In 1995, Straight & Narrow started a day-care center and, within a year later with grant money, started to enroll its 3- and 4-year-olds in the Early Childhood Education Program, directed by DeMolli. In 2010, DeMolli, who has 46 years of experience education in various roles, joined the Straight & Narrow staff to manage its two day-care centers, Parikh said.
 
In response, DeMolli thanked Catholic Charities for the “wonderful” award. She told the audience, “Our schools house a growing nation. Inside those walls, we are nurturing a culture and we are building a society.”
 
Next, Chris Barton, executive director of CFCS, presented the CFCS Award to Carlos Roldan, who has served for more than 25 years as director of the Father English Food Pantry. Today, CFCS food pantries serve up to 125 clients each day, which equates to nearly 7 tons of food distributed yearly from three locations. Roldan picks up donations, meets clients in need and coordinates with other agencies. He also led the recovery of the Father English Food Pantry, after a fire in November 2017 destroyed it and clothing boutique — making sure that none of its clients went hungry..
 
“For more 25 years, Carlos has had the needs of community and the food pantry at his attention, taking the pantry from a mere closet to a mini-grocery store and transforming the pantry from an hand-out to a dignified shopping experience,” Barton said. “Carlos embraces those, who are poor, those in need and he welcomes them into the food pantry. We are so proud to have you as part of our Catholic Charities family,” she said.
 
In response, Roldan thanked Catholic Charities for the award. He explained that his commitment to the poor comes from having gone to bed hungry at eight years old in his native Colombia.
 
“We are not just giving a bag of food; we are creating hope. This is the best Catholic Charities in the State of N.J., because this [serving the poor] is not our job; we were chosen to do this. I was chosen to do this and I’m happy to do this. I am so proud of being part of Catholic Charities,” Roldan said.
 
Lastly, Joanna Miller, DPD’s associate executive director, presented the DPD Award to Murray family. The Murray family has drawn inspiration from Dennis and Joseph’s brother Jimmy, and their loving parents, Kit and James. As a young boy, Jimmie sustained brain damage and lived in Woodbine State Home, until he died in his teens in 1969. Two years later, late Father John Wehrlen, DPD’s founder, named the agency’s first home, Murray House, after Jimmie. Murray House is the longest running group home in N.J., according to the gala’s program.
 
For five generations, the Murrays have supported DPD’s programs that help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and other Catholic Charities initiatives. Today, a new generation of Murrays has helped volunteer and raise funds for the cause.
 
 “The Murray family is an amazing family. An unprecedented five generations have provided help and hope for those in need,” said Miller, who remembers deceased members of the Murray family, “as we continue to live out the gift that you gave us: the gift of selfless love.”