Sarah Hanley
“In this way, the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him. In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins… if God so loved us, we also must love one another.” (1 John 4:7)
Valentine’s Day is remembered on February 14th each year as a day to be celebrated by people in love. That love can be romantic , familial, or even love of thy neighbor. We send chocolates, flowers, and cards to proclaim our love. However, how often do we remember that the ultimate manifestation of love is the love God has for all of us?
Christ’s purpose on earth was a mission of restoration and love. He modeled unending love and support for us by fulfilling the promise of salvation through his death and resurrection. He affirmed that our love for God is made “real” and tangible through our actions as we aid our brothers and sisters in life. He showed us that at the heart of charity is love. At CFGP, we are fortunate to partner with so many organizations and fund holders who share their heart with others.
One of those organizations is Catholic Human Services (CHS) of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The Catholic Human Services Charitable Fund is one of CFGP’s longest-held funds. It supports the various social services, educational services, ministries, programs, and organizations of CHS, which is the umbrella agency for Catholic Social Services, Catholic Housing and Community Services, and Nutritional Development Services. CHS is greater Philadelphia’s largest social service provider and is committed to changing lives with faith-filled compassion.
Catholic Human Services provides a network of social service programs, family service centers, senior centers, and community centers for people in need. Rooted in the Catholic faith, their social service programs provide help and create hope that fosters dignity, independence, and opportunity for those in need. The goal of the resources and services they provide is to impact our community for the better. CHS shares its heart with others, and they continue the work of Jesus by affirming, assisting, and advocating for individuals, families, and communities.
We recently spoke with Jim Amato, the Secretary for Catholic Human Services in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. He told us about his good fortune at being able to do the charitable work of the Church for over 40 years, “I’ve seen such good people, people of faith, giving their lives, giving their commitment daily to those in need.” Jim noted why establishing a fund with CFGP is so important to our Catholic Community, “they should explore all the options of what they want their fund to support and how they want to support and establish that fund. A hundred percent of what they give will support that fund, whether it be folks with developmental disabilities, whether it be the homeless, whether it be the hungry, whether it be at-risk children or youth, whether it be seniors. So, they could tailor their particular interest, their particular giving, and their particular prayer to those services that they must embrace.”
CHS envisions a world touched by God’s mercy—a world without poverty and need and a world where all people share justly in the blessings of creation.
Just as Christ showed us the true love of God by His presence and eternal promise, CHS shows us how to reflect and share that love by caring for those in need. At CFGP, we are honored to partner with an organization that embodies the love of our Father and His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. To learn more about all our trusted partners and to watch our new video, please visit www.thecfgp.org.
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Sarah Hanley is the president and CEO of the Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia.
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