May 2024

By Peyton Rhea



You can tell a lot about a place by its wallpaper.

If you see NASCAR wallpaper, you’re either in a kid’s room or a Chevy dealership. If Shabby Chic, you are in a clothing store in NuLu.

And when you walk into the main community space at Catholic Charities Center on East Broadway, our wallpaper communicates a quick read, too. The first 30-feet of wall you see is covered, floor to ceiling, with wallpaper that lists the Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching – in colors so bright and letters so bold they cannot be missed.

• Life and Dignity of the Human Person
• Rights and Responsibilities
• Option for the Poor and Vulnerable
• The Dignity of Work and Rights of Workers
• Solidarity
• Care for God’s Creation
• Call to Family, Community, and Participation

Based on Jesus’s teachings and shaped by generations of papal wisdom, these themes guide our every move at Catholic Charities. They represent the reasons why we do what we do and give us a clear guide on how to go about doing it.

In short, they are the foundation for putting the Church to work in our communities.

The Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching set us apart from other social service agencies. They shape every program we offer and nurture the souls of everyone we serve.

When we see dignity ripped away from the vulnerable, such as refugees fleeing perilous situations or human trafficking survivors escaping coercion, we work to restore their humanity and place them on a path toward a safe, peaceful, and self-sufficient life in our community.

When we see our fellow neighbors being circumstantially neglected of their rights to food and clothing, we see it as our responsibility to feed them, clothe them, lift them up, and help move them from surviving to thriving.

When we see a fellow brother or sister left out of the conversation in important settings because of language barriers, we work in solidarity to make sure they understand what is being said, so they can participate fully in decisions that affect the lives of their families.

And down the list we go.

We use these seven themes as our eyes and ears to seek out injustice and dehumanization and to guide our hands to uplift and restore the human dignity of those that fall victim to it.

Wallpaper can cover a wall, but it can’t cover up the blemishes in our society. Wallpaper doesn’t change the status quo. Nor can we do it alone. Our hands can only lift up so much without the participation and support of people of goodwill – people like you.

In my position as Engagement Coordinator at Catholic Charities, I am blessed to be able to communicate our mission with school students and parishioners all across the Archdiocese. Whether presenting “Catholic Social Teaching 101” after a Mass on Sundays or advocating for one of our specific programs in a classroom during the weekday, I would love to share our story with your community and get you engaged.



If you’d like to learn more or discuss opportunities to participate in the mission of Catholic Charities, just drop me a note here.

Peyton Rhea is the Parish and School Engagement Coordinator for Catholic Charities of Louisville.

Fr. Anthony Chandler, Vicar for Priests and Director of the Office of Priest Personnel, joins Dr. Brian Reynolds, Chancellor of the Archdiocese, to discuss his role as Vicar for Priests, the work of the Office of Priest Personnel, and the priest assignment process.

New episodes of What's New in ArchLou will be available on the first Tuesday of each month here.

By Michal Horace

A 2020 study by Springtide Research found that as the number of trusted adults in a young person’s life increases, his or her reported feelings of loneliness, social isolation, and stress decrease significantly. So how can we help them experience the love and community of our parish? One way to cultivate their experiences of belongingness to our community is through a simple intentional process known as “Noticed, Named, Known” developed by Springtide. When young people are first noticed by one or more adults, subsequently addressed by their first name, and finally become known to one or more adults, they will begin to feel that they “belong” to that community or institution.  

So how can that play out in your parish? Next Sunday at Mass, intentionally scan the pews for youth and young adults, particularly single young adults who often sit alone. Whether at the Sign of Peace or after Mass, intentionally make eye contact and acknowledge them through a wave or a head nod. It’s that simple. But remember that this is a process, so there’s more. The following Sunday, notice them again, and this time, approach them, introduce yourself, and ask them their name (and be sure to remember it!).

Your name is one of the sweetest sounds you can hear and will go a long way toward helping that young person feel like they belong. If you strike up a conversation, be sure to try to remember the highlights of the conversation, especially if it involves something you can follow up with later. It could be about their school or work, a sick friend or family member, a hobby, or simply asking how their week was. Then on a subsequent Sunday, again notice the young person, say hello to him or her by name, and ask a non-judgmental follow-up question based on what he or she has shared, e.g., “You mentioned last week that your grandmother was in the hospital. How is she doing?” That simple yet powerful question demonstrates that you (representing the community) not only know this young person, but that you care about him or her. The young person’s sense of belonging grows as does their trust and commitment to the organization because of the “Noticed, Named, Known” process.    

You can make a significant difference in a young person’s life, loneliness, and sense of belonging this summer. Will you commit to notice, name, and know one young person at your parish this summer? Imagine if your parish’s entire adult community made this commitment. 

Michal Horace is the Director of the Archdiocese of Louisville's Office of Youth and Young Adults.