USD Magazine Fall 2020

DANIEL TELLES

[ f a i t h i n a c t i o n ]

Catholic Charities dedicated to serving human needs PROVIDING SOLACE AND HOPE

and home deliveries in the region. By utilizing multiple parish distribution locations, mobilizing as a drive-thru pan- try, and limiting the number of volunteers at each site, Catholic Charities is able to adhere to physical distancing while pro- viding food to those in need. “Our faith institutions are where we go in times of trouble and where we’re looking for so- lace and hope, inspiration and connection,” says Wolf. “Even with the doors to our churches closed, we’ve been able to invite people back to church in a way.” For Wolf, faith exemplified through action is at the very heart of Jesus’ teachings. “It’s very biblical. As Matthew 25 tells

F

by Allyson Meyer ’16 (BA)

response to a global pandemic. In March 2020, as the number of U.S. COVID-19 cases rose, the Catholic Charities Diocese of San Diego searched for new ways to serve. Under the direc- tion of CEO Appaswamy “Vino” Pajanor ’02 (LLM), the Catholic Charities Emergency Food Dis- tribution Network was estab- lished to serve the food insecure and the senior population through weekly food pantries

aith transcends our churches, moving beyond pages of Scripture and

Wolf (pictured) has seen how faith in action has been an integral part of the organization’s re- sponse to the global health crisis. In 1919, as the Spanish Flu pandemic gripped the West Coast of the United States, Catholic Charities of San Diego was established as a children’s home for those orphaned by the crisis. Now in its centennial year, the organization is once again serving its community in

into our communities. As the COVID-19 pandemic forced houses of worship to close their doors this spring and summer, Deanna Wolf ‘12 (BA) witnessed faith taking hold in parking lots and neighborhoods. As the com- munity and volunteer engage- ment manager for Catholic Charities Diocese of San Diego,

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