​St. Nicholas Ball supports Catholic Charities at Christmas

St. Nicholas Ball supports Catholic Charities at Christmas

“Let us love, not in word or speech but in truth and action.”

–1 John 3:18

As Thanksgiving draws near, I want to take the time to thank everyone who supports Catholic Charities, be it through giving of their time and talents, monetary donations or keeping us in their prayers. We are blessed to have been able to help over 177,000 people last year through our 35 programs. We have provided for the needs of our community through selfless service under the sign of love for the past 74 years and we are committed to empowering disadvantaged individuals and families in the years to come.

When reflecting on our care for the world and for others, the term “stewardship” comes to mind. When God created the world, he entrusted us to be stewards of the earth and all of its gifts, serving the common good by caring for it, mastering it through labor, and enjoying the fruits we bear. Thus, the church teaches us the law of human solidarity and charity, promising all men are truly brothers and sisters. As the social services arm of the church, Catholic Charities responds to the call to serve others regardless of race, age, gender, creed or religious affiliation. This can only be done with continued support by the faithful’s gifts of time, talent and treasure.

Because of our donors and events like our St. Nicholas Ball, seniors are protected from exploitation and neglect and given a chance to serve their community. Refugees are given a safe place and support in a new country. Parents learn how to better care for their children and prevent abuse. Those in need are given the food, clothing and emergency financial assistance to help them survive difficult times. The St. Nicholas Ball is our annual fundraiser designed to help raise money to support our now 38 programs and services throughout the Archdiocese of San Antonio. We would love to have each of you join in our event and enjoy the cocktails, food, dancing, raffle, silent auction, live auction and much more!

Through efforts such as our St. Nicholas Ball, Catholic Charities is able to act as good stewards of creation on behalf of the church and help the least among us through selfless service under the sign of love. My hope is each of you will consider attending our Ball and have a great time supporting Catholic Charities and the services we provide. If you are unable to attend, I humbly ask you to please include our programs, clients, staff and our St. Nicholas Ball in your prayers. For any questions or more information, contact the Mission Advancement office at (210) 222-1294.

Finally, I and the staff at Catholic Charities would like to wish each and every one of you a blessed Thanksgiving and thank you for your continued support.

J. Antonio Fernandez is president/CEO of Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of San Antonio, Inc.