On Tuesday, May 1, over 400 people gathered at Holy Family Church in Chicago for Catholic Charities’ “Mass of Gratitude” featuring The Priests, a trio of singing clergy from Ireland.

The Mass thanked Catholic Charities board members, donors and volunteers for their support during a time of increased need and demand for social services, due to the struggling economy.

Monsignor Michael Boland,  Administrator, President and CEO of Catholic Charities and his brother, Rev. Jeremiah Boland, Administrator of Holy Family Church, planned the event as a joint celebration of Catholic Charities and Holy Family, one of Chicago’s oldest Catholic communities.

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago is one of the largest private, not-for-profit social service agencies in the Midwest, annually assisting 1.1 million persons in Cook and Lake counties without regard to religious, ethnic or economic background. Catholic Charities fulfills the Church's role in the mission of charity by providing compassionate, competent, professional services that strengthen and support individuals, families and communities.