Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Wilmington and Goodwill Announce Collaborative Donation Partnership

March 15, 2023 – Wilmington DE – Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Wilmington and Goodwill of Delaware & Delaware County announced today an operational collaboration benefitting people served by both non-profit organizations.

As part of the new collaboration parishes in the Wilmington Diocese will host donation drives in partnership with Goodwill. Donated items will be sold in Goodwill stores across Delaware, generating revenue for Goodwill’s non-profit mission. Goodwill will provide compensation to Catholic Charities for the donations collected, helping Catholic Charities to continue its mission services in the same communities it serves today.

“With the closing of our Catholic Charities thrift shops in Delaware we were looking for ways to continue generating revenue for our mission services,” shared Catholic Charities Executive Director Fritz Jones. “Partnering with Goodwill to accept donations that would have come to our former thrift shops seemed a natural progression, in alignment with the missions of both organizations.”

“Goodwill is humbled to partner with Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Wilmington – the city where we were founded more than 100 years ago – to help this highly-regarded non-profit organization continue to meet the needs of some of Delaware’s most vulnerable citizens,” said Goodwill of Delaware & Delaware County CEO Colleen Morrone. “Much like the work we do at Goodwill, Catholic Charities connects people with vital human services and supports the development of every human to their full potential. We are happy to be partnering and helping Catholic Charities continue to serve people in our communities.”

Individual parishes in the Wilmington Diocese will determine whether and when to host donation drives. Compensation for items donated during each drive will go back to the local host parish to support their programs. Outside of donation drives, donors wishing to give items to Catholic Charities will be directed to a nearby Goodwill location.

Catholic Charities (www.cdow.org/charities), the social services arm of the Catholic Diocese of Wilmington, has been serving those in need for more than 190 years, offering a wide range of services to strengthen families, care for children, assist the disadvantaged and build human relationships throughout Delaware and the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

Article and photo courtesy of The Dialog.

Catholics Across Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore Set for Second Annual Reconciliation Monday on April 3

March 10, 2023 – Catholics from throughout the Diocese of Wilmington are invited to receive the sacrament of reconciliation (confession) at any of the 56 parish churches in Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore, on Monday, April 3, from 3-8 p.m., during the second annual diocesanwide ‘Reconciliation Monday.’

The event is designed to make it more convenient for Catholics to receive the sacrament at the end of Lent and beginning of Holy Week, in anticipation of the celebration of Easter.

“Last year’s inaugural Reconciliation Monday was very well received, with over 5,000 Catholics participating,” said Bishop Koenig. “Many people who had fallen away from their faith, used this opportunity to participate in the sacrament of reconciliation and return to Mass at Easter. We invite all Catholics – whether it has been months, years, or decades since their last confession – to take advantage of this diocesanwide event in which all of our priests will participate.”

All parishes offer the sacrament of reconciliation on a regular basis. Many parishes offer penance services during Lent. Last year was the first time in diocesan history, that all parishes held concurrent confessions. While all parishes will participate, it is not possible for every mission church in the diocese to hold confessions due to the limited number of priests.

Parishioners are encouraged to check their local parish website or www.cdow.org/ReconciliationMonday before heading out.

According to the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, Jesus entrusted the ministry of reconciliation to the church. The sacrament of penance (reconciliation or confession) is God’s gift to humanity so that any sin committed after baptism can be forgiven, Catholics believe. Confession offers the opportunity to repent and recover the grace of friendship with God. It is a holy moment in which individuals open themselves to God’s presence and honestly acknowledge their sins, especially mortal sins. Absolution brings reconciliation with God and the church.

The Catholic Diocese of Wilmington was established in 1868 and comprises 56 parishes, 18 missions and 27 schools serving the state of Delaware and the nine counties of Maryland’s Eastern Shore. There are more than 240,000 Catholics in the diocese. Information about the diocese is available at www.cdow.org.