Catholic Charities Christmas program distributes 2,650 gifts across diocese
Maggie Abrams of Peoria, single mother of six, said of the Catholic Charities Christmas gift distribution: “We feel blessed.” (The Catholic Post Online/ Paul Thomas Moore)
Catholic Charites conducted its Peoria Christmas gift distribution at Cabrini Center on Tuesday, Dec. 17.
See the smile on my face? I definitely am excited for Christmas now.” – Maggie Abrams, single mother of six
Bishop Louis Tylka helped to hand out the gifts, and prayed with staff and volunteers before the doors opened.
“We are grateful for all those who are participating in this effort, so that we can reach out to those in need, and giving them, not only gifts . . . but really, a sense that they are loved and cared for by the Christian community here in our diocese,” he said.
Bishop Louis Tylka prays with the “North Pole Christmas Express” team before the Catholic Charities Christmas gift distribution at Cabrini Center in Peoria on Dec. 17. (Catholic Charities/Sister Clare Key, DSF)
Maggie Abrams of Peoria, a single mother, said the Christmas gift distribution helps her “so much. I have six kids and twins on the way.”
She added, “We feel blessed—see the smile on my face? I definitely am excited for Christmas now. I wasn’t (before.)”
Sister Clare Key, DSF, Christmas gift program coordinator, said 221 people were expected to be picking up Christmas gifts on this day at Cabrini Center. (Some couldn’t be confirmed as they might be without phones and living in tents or shelters.)
GIFT TOTAL UP AGAIN THIS YEAR
Similar gift-giving events were “unwrapped” at locations across the diocese in December during the regular monthly visit of the Catholic Charities St. Nicholas van.*
In addition, Catholic Charities distributed Christmas gifts at the parish level through St. Mary Parish in Canton, and through the Galesburg food pantry.
The Christmas gift distribution total across the diocese was expected to ring in at close to 2,650 presents, up from 2,300 in 2023. Twenty parishes helped to supply the gifts by hosting Catholic Charities Christmas Giving Trees, and many other businesses and volunteers were also involved.
Chris McAtee, director of Catholic Charities for the Diocese of Peoria, echoed Bishop Tylka’s opening prayer in saying that for staff and volunteers, the gift program is an example of how they are privileged in “living out our Lord’s corporal and spiritual works of mercy . . . to provide hope and courage and faith and love.”
*For Catholic Charities, St. Nicholas does not return to the North Pole after Christmas. His van distributes food and other essentials throughout the year.
