In September, we bid farewell to IVC Philadelphia/South Jersey’s Director, John Green, who served the region ably throughout his five-year tenure. A social worker by training, John had come to us with decades of experience on the front lines, in both non-profit and counseling settings. Those skills were in demand in IVC, as he established relationships with new community partners and helped potential volunteers discern good placements.
Growing up in Bala Cynwyd, Mary Noel Hall and Bob Fogarty didn’t know one another. They were six years apart in age—a lifetime to a child. However,
last fall they each joined IVC and now serve together at Divine Providence Village’s Day Program. Located in the former school of Our Lady of Fatima parish in Secane, PA, the Day Program’s mission is to provide a safe, caring environment that allows individuals with intellectual disabilities to create meaningful and independent lives.
Reflecting on the stories that formed Ignatius, I found myself wondering how there could only have been two books in all of Loyola castle. The availability of nothing to read but The Life of Christ and The Lives of the Saints is the core of the conversion story we tell, yet it seems so improbable. Ignatius was recuperating in the wealthy home where he had learned to read; hadn’t he also cultivated his fondness for chivalric tales and courtly romances there?
When Elizabeth Doherty first approached IVC about volunteering, her background in higher education – teaching organizational behavior, and later in university administration – suggested that an educational nonprofit would be a promising fit, and that turned out to be true.
IVC Philadelphia/South Jersey partner agency, Faith Food and Friends, run by Old St. Joseph’s church in Philadelphia, was recently featured in an article on CatholicPhilly.com highlighting all the great work they and Ignatian Volunteer Corps members do for their community. Take a look at the article below and click the link at the bottom to read the whole piece!
Needs exceed resources. That’s a fact of life. On a personal level, there’s never time enough to pursue every worthy activity, nor money enough to support every deserving charity. So, how do we decide?
