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BUFFALO, NY – Most Rev. Edward U. Kmiec, Bishop of Buffalo, has appointed Sister Mary McCarrick, OSF, the eighth Diocesan Director of Catholic Charities of Buffalo. The first woman religious to serve in the role of diocesan director since the organization began in 1923, Sister Mary was appointed on an interim basis in December 2009 and began serving in mid-January.
Bishop Kmiec said, “Sister Mary’s exemplary service and leadership as Interim Director over the past several months has been a rich blessing to all. I am confident that with her vast experience in social work and direct involvement with the work of Catholic Charities in our diocese she will provide the necessary inspired leadership to advance the mission of Catholic Charities throughout the eight counties of Western New York.”
He added, “On behalf of Dennis Walczyk, Chief Executive Officer, as well as the members of the Board of Trustees and all at Catholic Charities, I am deeply grateful for Sister Mary’s willingness to assume this important responsibility in service of the poor and the needy of our community.”
A member of the Catholic Charities Board of Trustees since 2007, Sister Mary’s association with Catholic Charities began in the 1980s during her 10 years of service as a licensed clinical social worker for Catholic Charities’ sites in Buffalo and Lackawanna.
Sister Mary succeeds Msgr. Joseph J. Sicari, who marked 14 years of service with Catholic Charities in 2009 and was appointed diocesan director and president in 2003. He is currently assisting at Christ the King Parish in Snyder.
The new director also follows in the footsteps of Msgr. John C. Carr (1923-1934), Rev. William H. Meegan (1934-1938), Msgr. Eugene A. Loftus, PA (1939-1953), Msgr. William Wozniak (1953-1965), Msgr. John J. Conniff, PA (1965-1995), and Msgr. Henry J. Gugino (1995-2002).
Sister Mary oversees and directs the annual Appeal, and is involved in mission integration, board development and social policy advocacy.
Sister Mary expressed her appreciation for the Bishop’s confidence in her.
“I consider it an honor to be appointed to a leadership position at Catholic Charities,” Sister Mary said. “I am grateful for the confidence of Bishop Kmiec. The mission of Catholic Charities resonates with my call as a Franciscan Sister and the quality of the services the staff offers challenges me to excellence in service.”
Dennis C. Walczyk, CEO, said, “With her contributions to our Board and her wealth of experience in fund-raising and advancement, I have the greatest respect for Sister Mary. In our work together thus far, her affinity with Catholic Charities’ mission is clear. I look forward to her being a partner in advancing our mission and vision and welcome her to our Senior Management Team.”
Serving as administrator of several local non-profit organizations, Sister Mary has developed a wealth of expertise in fund raising. She most recently was executive director of Heart, Love and Soul food pantry and dining room in Niagara Falls. She also held leadership roles with Benedict House in Buffalo, Stella Niagara Health Center and the Sisters of St. Francis in Stella Niagara.
Sister Mary has been a Sister of Saint Francis for 40 years, and she has served the Franciscan movement nationally as chair of the research committee of the Franciscan Federation and as a retreat director and meeting facilitator nationally and internationally.
In addition to serving in the field of social work in Buffalo and for the Diocese of Pueblo, Co., she taught at St. Bonaventure University, Bishop McMahon High School and the Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart.
Sister Mary has been involved in both the Governance and By-laws Committees of the Catholic Charities’ Board. She is chair of the Providence Fund Charitable Trust, and has served on a number of boards including St. Ann’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, Eastern Franciscan Common Novitiate in Newark, N.J., and locally for such organizations as Daemen College, Sacred Heart Academy and Stella Niagara Education Park. She was a member of the diocesan Leadership Conference of Women Religious for eight years.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Rosary Hill (Daemen) College, and master’s degrees in Franciscan Studies from St. Bonaventure and the Worden School of Social Work in San Antonio, Texas, and post graduate studies at the University of Rochester, Department of Family Therapy.
Catholic Charities is the most comprehensive human service provider in Western New York, reaching all eight counties with 61 locations. Founded in 1923, Catholic Charities also provides, without regard to religious affiliation, comprehensive counseling services for children and families, anti-domestic violence programming and emergency services, among other social and mental health services.
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