CHARLOTTE — Catholics from 48 parishes across the Diocese of Charlotte raised $102,663.56 through a special collection to aid victims of the Los Angeles wildfires.
Fueled by severe drought conditions and strong winds, the wildfires devastated communities in late January, killing at least 29 people and leaving hundreds homeless or stranded.
Funds from the special collection, taken up at Masses the weekend of Feb. 1-2, went to support Los Angeles Catholic Charities’ relief efforts. All funds raised help individuals and families in the impacted communities. Financial support is providing life-giving essentials – such as water, food, diapers and baby formula – and also is helping with long-term recovery efforts, as individuals and families work to rebuild their lives.
“Other dioceses gave us over $1.2 million from their second collections to support us in the wake of Tropical Storm Helene,” said Jim Kelley, the diocese’s development director. “We are so grateful for their support that we thought it was imperative that we return the favor for those affected by the California wildfires.”
— Catholic News Herald
CHARLOTTE — Catholic Charities will host a free “Lunch & Learn” on Wednesday, March 19, exploring the work of Catholic Relief Services in Guatemala. Deacon Daren Bitter, who serves at St. Matthew Parish in Charlotte and is a CRS Global Fellow, will reflect on a visit he made to Guatemala in January.
CRS, the official international humanitarian agency of the U.S. Catholic bishops, has worked in Guatemala since 1963. Initially, the agency focused on humanitarian assistance, including a food distribution program, health care of mothers and children, agriculture and reforestation activities.
CRS also provided $13 million in food, medicine and relief items to those affected by a 7.5-magnitude earthquake in 1976 that killed 23,000 people and left many thousands homeless. Over the years, its scope has grown to include programs focused on food security, nutrition, sustainable agriculture, education, civil society, disaster risk reduction and emergency response.
The Lunch & Learn event will be held at the Diocesan Pastoral Center, located at 1123 S. Church St. in Charlotte. Doors open at 11:15 a.m., with a light lunch at 11:30 a.m. followed by the presentation at noon.
For more details, go to www.ccdoc.org/education. Reserve your spot by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by Monday, March 17.
— Joe Purello