During the Thanksgiving season here at Catholic Charities, we have been reflecting on the words of G.K. Chesterton, one of the great Catholic thinkers, who wrote: “Thanks are the highest form of thought, and gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.” As I write this letter of thanks, I’m thinking about how your generosity has touched so many lives this year.
Archive
The unique vision of a leading expert on gang intervention and what it can mean for all of society
Seeking to heal and elevate public discourse on social issues, Catholic Charities of Oregon is hosting a talk by a widely celebrated minister to former gang members. Father Greg Boyle often says amid cultural debates: “There is no us and them, only us.”
Monastery property to continue as space for service and love
MOUNT ANGEL — Like many of Oregon’s elders, the Benedictine Sisters are downsizing. They are selling the four-story monastery that has housed generations of nuns since 1888. They have bequeathed most of their ministries to younger hands. By the end of May, all the remaining sisters will have moved from their 30-acre campus to nearby…
Catholic Charities buildings named finalists for prize
Two Catholic Charities housing developments are up for awards in the 2023 TopProjects competition. The Daily Journal of Commerce contest recognizes the best buildings put up in the past year in Oregon and Southwest Washington.
Catholic Charities lauded for fire recovery work
SALEM — Since late 2020, Oregon has provided long-term shelter in Jackson County to survivors of the 2020 Labor Day wildfires. With the help of organizations like Catholic Charities of Oregon, remaining survivors this spring were able to move out of shelters into their own homes.
Portland philanthropist receives agency's highest honor
Catholic Charities lauds Joe Weston at fundraising gala, a night that raised more than $600,000 for the neediest Oregonians.
Professor: Philanthropy should be a relationship
Catholic Charities of Oregon came up in an April 13 evening lecture by Jordan Skornik, an adjunct professor of theology at the University of Portland.
National Volunteer Month: Volunteer, an Army veteran, stands out because of her dedication
Rock stars normally earn fame with sharp vocals or shredding on an electric guitar so loudly that it peels the paint off houses. Renatta Robertson is a rock star volunteer at Germaine’s Kitchen and Café whose tools include sharp knives, graters and peelers for vegetables. But her main implement is passion for service and feeding…
Counting when everybody counts
Meeting people who are houseless is not new for Julia Paulsen and Caitlin Gleeson. As staff for Catholic Charities of Oregon, their weekly work includes outreach and encounters with houseless people in the busy area around St. Francis Parish in inner Southeast Portland. The pair bring water, snacks, socks and other gear prized by people…
Federal homelessness leader praises on-site services at pod village
A small federal delegation visited Catholic Charities’ Kenton Women’s Village in North Portland March 21, learning how the innovative tiny house model might be applicable in the region and nationwide.
A note on Black History Month
God created all men and women in the divine image and likeness. So, all humans deserve high respect and great dignity. No one is to be held above another. This is another area in which we have greatly disappointed our loving God. We could issue platitudes and overreaching promises this month. Instead, we’ll simply offer a…
In Celebration of Black History Month
PORTLAND’S CATHOLIC SERVICE COUPLE Some considered Bill and Gladys McCoy a power couple. We at Catholic Charities prefer to remember them as a service couple.
Meet Catholic Charities' Board Chair, Rebecca Yazzie
Rebecca Yazzie has served on the Catholic Charities board of directors since 2016 and is current board chair. She directs the Master of Social Work program at George Fox University, where she is associate professor of social work.