Some south Bronx residents received a Christmas blessing by none other than New York’s Cardinal Timothy Dolan this week.
On Tuesday afternoon, Dolan visited Abraham House, a Catholic Charities Agency at 340 Willis Ave. in Mott Haven, which offers extensive services for adults and children affected by incarceration, poverty, violence and truancy.
During the cardinal’s auspicious visit, he provided Bronx residents with some much needed holiday cheer, along with some food and gifts to brighten up a year that most would like to forget.
The cardinal extended his “love and good wishes for Christmas” and added that, “[Abraham House] is where Jesus would be, when you think about it he would not have a place for his birth, he was a refugee on the road with his family. He spent his life loving and embracing people like you.”
Joined by Executive Director of Catholic Charities of New York Monsignor Kevin Sullivan, Abraham House Executive Director Althea Brooks and Catholic Charities Day Labor Program Associate Director Gabriela Rosa, Dolan greeted residents and distributed gifts to day laborers who have participated in the Catholic Charities Community Services training program.
He also had other special surprises for Abraham House residents who have been reentering the Bronx community following their release from Rikers Island.
Dolan concluded the visit with a Christmas celebration and distributed more gifts going to Abraham House’s food pantry recipients.
The visit was socially distanced and followed standard safety protocols while still bringing a warm Christmas cheer to the south Bronx at a time when the community needed it most.
Dolan gave a special shout out to those who made the event possible even during an ongoing global pandemic.
“Our revenues have been down because we can’t do the fundraisers that we usually depend on to keep going. Our loyal people in this great area have been tremendously generous so we’ve been able to maintain it,” he said.
Monsignor Sullivan echoed the cardinal’s sentiments and added that teamwork is the key to survival.
“We’re very grateful for our partners who enable us to meet the increased need. The economic devastation is going to go on for years. We know at Catholic Charities and our parishes and our schools, we’re going to be walking with people who are suffering for 3 to 4 years, but we’re going to do it together.”
