Assisted by Susan Montalvo-Gesser, the director of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Owensboro, Bishop William F. Medley blesses the new Catholic Charities building on Feb. 2, 2022. RILEY GREIF | WKC
‘Beacon of light’ gets a new home as bishop blesses Catholic Charities offices
BY ELIZABETH WONG BARNSTEAD, THE WESTERN KENTUCKY CATHOLIC
On Feb. 2, 2022, Bishop William F. Medley blessed the new home of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Owensboro.
The building is a small repurposed house which was formerly the home of the late Bishop John J. McRaith, the third bishop of Owensboro, after he retired in 2009. (Bishop McRaith died in 2017.)
The exterior of the new home of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Owensboro, which was formerly the home of the late Bishop John J. McRaith. RILEY GREIF | WKC
It is located next door to the McRaith Catholic Center, the pastoral center and home of the central offices of the diocese. Catholic Charities used to be located in the pastoral center, but their ever-expanding resources and services – including ongoing relief efforts for the December 2021 tornado disaster – eventually required that they move to a larger space.
Susan Montalvo-Gesser, director of Catholic Charities, said they are retaining the pastoral center’s mailing address in order to continue the close relationship with the diocesan offices.
Following Mass with diocesan staff, Bishop Medley walked across the parking lot to Catholic Charities. Pandemic social distancing guidelines made it impossible for all staff to join him for the blessing, but the Catholic Charities employees were able to be present.
“May God, true light of the world, who commanded us to help one another as brothers and sisters, and to be a beacon of light in the darkness, bless this Catholic Charities building with the light of his presence, and look kindly on all who enter here,” prayed Bishop Medley.
Susan Montalvo-Gesser, the director of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Owensboro, explains the significance of the décor at the entranceway of the new Catholic Charities building, after it was blessed by Bishop William F. Medley on Feb. 2, 2022. RILEY GREIF | WKC
Accompanied by Montalvo-Gesser, who carried a small bowl of holy water, the bishop walked from room to room and sprinkled holy water throughout.
Bishop Medley commented that the mission of Catholic Charities – helping the vulnerable and marginalized of society – aligns with the house’s former resident.
“One of (Bishop McRaith’s) legacies was that the poor would come to his house time and time again – and he would help them,” said Bishop Medley of his predecessor’s habit of opening the door to anyone and giving them money without exception. “It’s a great memory of him today.”
In these new facilities, not only is there space for Montalvo-Gesser and Catholic Charities’ paralegal, Miguel Quintanilla, to work comfortably, but they also have workspaces for Brionna Greer, the AmeriCorps VISTA member; Khaibar Shafaq, case manager and paralegal working primarily with the Afghan refugees in the diocese; Alex Reid, the volunteer coordinator overseeing volunteer efforts with tornado recovery; and Alyssa Magnuson, who will be joining Catholic Charities as their new, full-time administrative assistant mid-February. Currently Charlotte Hedges works as administrative assistant for both Catholic Charities and the Marriage & Family Life office.
Brionna Greer, the AmeriCorps VISTA employee of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Owensboro, and Susan Montalvo-Gesser, Catholic Charities’ director, look on as Bishop William F. Medley blesses the new Catholic Charities building on Feb. 2, 2022. RILEY GREIF | WKC
There is also an office for Heidi Reyes-Taylor, the case manager for the Owensboro satellite location of Bakhita Empowerment Initiative of Catholic Charities of Louisville, which works with human trafficking survivors and awareness.
Since everything is so new and they have kept busy with tornado relief, the Catholic Charities employees haven’t had much chance to decorate yet, but the entranceway does feature several mementos of those who inspire their mission.
This includes framed photos of Bishop Medley, Bishop McRaith, and the late Sr. Fran Wilhelm, OSU, who was instrumental in starting Hispanic ministry in western Kentucky and who died in 2020. There is also a John Deere mug that once belonged to Bishop McRaith (who was a farmer) and a painting of the late Sr. Dianna Ortiz, OSU, a human rights activist who died in early 2021.
Since the blessing took place on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, (often called Candlemas from the tradition of blessing and distributing candles on that day), Bishop Medley also blessed small candles bearing the Catholic Charities logo in English and in Spanish.
“This has become a place of holiness for those who wish to serve the poor,” he said.
How to help
Catholic Charities’ daily work of providing food and housing resources; coordinating counseling resources for individuals, couples and families; operating the St. Gerard Life Home (a home for those experiencing a crisis pregnancy and have chosen life for their baby); offering immigration legal services and more continues even amid the ongoing tornado recovery work. To donate to their ministry, visit https://owensborodiocese.org/give/ and select “Catholic Charities” for general Catholic Charities contributions, or “Tornado Relief – Catholic Charities” to donate directly toward tornado recovery efforts. Those wishing to donate to the tornado disaster relief may mail a check with “Tornado Disaster Relief” in the memo to: Catholic Charities, Diocese of Owensboro, 600 Locust Street, Owensboro, KY, 42301.
