May 14, 2010

Jim Collins to retire from Catholic Charities

By PAUL R. LEINGANG (Message editor)

There’s not a lot that has happened in southwestern Indiana over the past several decades that has not had some connection with the work of Catholic Charities. Not just in the parishes and schools, but also in the larger civic community.

James F. Collins, director of Catholic Charities since August 1994, is retiring at the end of this month. Over the years, he has supervised a staff with a history and tradition of involvement in the good times and bad times of people’s lives.

Examples

People affected by the Flood of 1997 were assisted by Catholic Charities. Survivors of the tornado of 2005 were offered counseling and gift cards for food and necessities.

School counseling, pregnancy counseling and marital counseling — in English and in Spanish — are among the services provided, traditionally and continuously. Adoption, foster care, post-abortion counseling — these services, too, are part of the responsibilities.

Marriage and family life

Under Collins’ direction, Catholic Charities offers an array of services for marriage and family life, coordination of pro-life efforts — from marriage preparation for engaged couples to Golden Wedding celebrations for couples married 50 years or longer.

Abstinence programs in schools, peer mentorship and other programs have assisted high school students in Catholic and public schools.

In an interview before he came to the area, Collins said he wanted Catholic Charities to support the parishes of the diocese “in their role of living out charity and justice in the community, and to help parishes in their support of strong family life.”

A culminating event in his push for marriage and family formation was experienced in April, with the Marriage Convocation held in Evansville, bringing Archbishop Joseph Kurtz from Louisville and James Healy from Joliet, Ill., as featured speakers.

The Neighbor-to-Neighbor program provides a path out of poverty for individuals and families. Partnership in the re-vitalization of the Glenwood area of Evansville is another success.

Like the confidentiality of a counseling session, or the emergency assistance provided, much of the work is unseen. Many are the hands that do not know what the hands of Catholic Charities are doing.

Management

The managerial responsiblities at Catholic Charities include supervising employees, counting hours of counseling and other services, filling out forms for certification and other government requirements, and working with the United Way.

Collins earned his master’s degree in social work from the University of Pittsburgh in 1975, and received postgraduate Family Therapy Certification from the Family Therapy Institute of Washington, D.C. in 1986.

Collins came to southwestern Indiana from Catholic Charities in Pittsburgh, where he had been director of family services. After retirement, he plans to leave the area and move back east.