Bishop Braxton Names Task Force to Study Catholic Charities Model

By LIZ QUIRIN
Messenger editor

Bishop Edward K. Braxton has appointed Gary Huelsmann, director of Catholic Social Services, as interim director of Catholic Charities of Southern Illinois in the Diocese of Belleville.

During the interim, a task force is being assembled to study the Catholic Charities model to determine how best to reorganize it to meet the needs of the people of the Belleville diocese.

Members of the task force include people from the diocese as well as people who work within some of the agencies that were under the original diocesan Catholic Charities agency.

The agencies continue to operate, serving the needs of the people without interruption.

The task force began meeting earlier this month to discuss how work would be done and to establish committees to address issues.

Members of the task force will be recognized at the Nov. 4 All Saints' breakfast for Charity at Fischer’s Restaurant in Belleville.

Also included at the breakfast will be information about each of the agencies, the mission, history, services and future vision of Catholic Charities.

The breakfast is free, and reservations are required by Oct. 30. Those attending the breakfast will be asked to make a donation to support the ongoing work of the agencies within Catholic Charities.

The task force is expected to send Bishop Braxton progress reports in January and April of 2007 with changes and approvals expected by May 2007. The implementation of the approved plan is expected in July 2007.

Some of the issues to be considered include identifying which organizations and ministries should be included in the new Catholic Charities structure and which current activities should be re-aligned within the diocese. Identifying the scope of services in the new model will also be discussed.

The overall goal, Huelsmann said, is to develop a plan "for a sustainable, reconstructed, reorganized Catholic Charities of Southern Illinois," and to "consolidate the administrative functions and oversight of each of the Catholic Charities' organizations under the new Catholic Charities model."

For more information about the breakfast, please call CSS at 618-394-5900, ext. 106.