Catholic Charities celebrates 40 years carrying out mission of Christ
By Eileen Jevis
Staff writer
Three community leaders were honored for their contributions to social justice and living a life of faith in service to others at the annual House of Providence Awards that took place Sept. 18 at The OnCenter in Syracuse. Funds raised will support Catholic Charities’ programs for individuals and families in need in Onondaga County.
Mike Melara, executive director of Catholic Charities, hosted the event, and Dan Cummings, a former broadcast journalist, acted as emcee.
The event marked the 40th anniversary of the House of Providence Awards. Melara said the number 40 has great significance, often representing a period of testing, trial, or probation. “Moses spent 40 days on Mount Sinai. The flood for Noah’s Ark lasted 40 days, the Israelites spent 40 years in the wilderness, and the 40 days that Jesus was tempted in the desert, which for Catholics has come to be known as the 40 days of Lent,” Melara explained.
“If the number 40 represents a period of trial and testing, then I dare say that Catholic Charities has been tested time and time again over the past 40 years and we remain undaunted,” Melara added. “We are present for so many people who come to us every day in great pain. We receive their suffering without judgment and strive to bring them relief.”
In addition to his colleagues, Melara thanked past and present honorees, board members, donors, stakeholders, neighbors, and friends who have been by their side each and every day.
2025 House of Providence Awards recipients
Father Christopher Celantano
The Bishop’s Award honors individuals who actively serve the people of the Syracuse Diocese and live as a model of service to others through their professional and voluntary pursuits. The award stands as testimony to their devotion and commitment to others.
Father Christopher Celantano attended St. Daniel Church. He attributed his love of Christ and the Catholic Church to his upbringing as well as his lifelong pastor, Msgr. Eugene Yennock. He was ordained a priest in 2008 and currently serves as pastor of St. Rose of Lima Church and School and as a local spiritual director.
Fr. Celentano, who was on a pilgrimage in Rome, Italy, gave his remarks virtually. He recalled a conversation with Mike Melara in 2021 as they watched the U.S. military’s withdrawal from Afghanistan. “We were in shock when we witnessed people trying to cling to the planes and pleading for help. We didn’t know what we could do, but we were certainly moved,” said Fr. Celentano, who, at that time, was also serving St. Margaret’s Parish. “Sometime later, Mike told me that they were looking for a place to house Afghan refugees. We worked together to convert the vacant convent at St. Margaret’s into a place that became a temporary home for refugees. I was blown away at the speed and efficiency with which Catholic Charities made that happen.” Fr. Celentano said he was blessed to be a part of the project and felt it was a call from Jesus. “I’m grateful and humbled to have been a part of that.”
Meg O’Connell
The President’s Award honors individuals who have immeasurably enhanced the Diocese, Catholic Charities, and the community through their voluntary contributions. These individuals exhibit a devotion to the betterment of the human condition and a concern for others.
Meg O’Connell serves as executive director of the Allyn Family Foundation, which focuses on building a vibrant, equitable, and prosperous community. Before joining the Foundation, O’Connell worked in nonprofit fund development and served as interim president of Onondaga Community College. She led the creation of the Salt City Market in downtown Syracuse and has recently undertaken the redevelopment of the Chimes Building on South Salina Street. She serves on multiple nonprofit boards, including Syracuse Urban Partnership, Early Childhood Alliance, and CNY Works.
During her remarks, O’Connell explained that she grew up in a household that was very much engaged in social justice and the importance of service to others — attributes that have stayed with her throughout life. “I have come to believe through all the things that I have seen that many of the ordinary people who do extraordinary things at work, at home, and as they pass through this life, never get acknowledged.”
O’Connell said that those who work for Catholic Charities embody hope. “Hope is really hard sometimes. It’s hard in the work that we do and in the neighborhoods we serve. I have seen a lot of people almost paralyzed by hopelessness. But there’s a stubbornness in that hope. It’s embedded in a lot of people that show up and try [to] do the right thing,” she said. “So, on those challenging days, and there have been many over this past year for everyone at Catholic Charities and in our community, what keeps us showing up every day is our desire to make things a little less difficult. Mike Melara and all the people who work at Catholic Charities are my heroes.”
Tim Penix
The Humanitarian Service Award honors individuals who display consistent desire to improve the human condition through a life of service, both personally and professionally. Their concern for the well-being of others motivates them to make lasting commitments to serving those in need.
For over 25 years, Tim Penix has dedicated his career to opening doors of opportunity for thousands of underserved individuals throughout Central New York. As vice president of Syracuse Educational Opportunity Center (EOC) at SUNY Morrisville, Penix’s work transcends educational administration to include a lifelong commitment to human dignity, economic justice, and community empowerment. He believes that education is capable of breaking the cycle of poverty and creating pathways to sustainable careers. Under his leadership, the Syracuse EOC has developed innovative workforce training programs in healthcare, information technology, and advanced manufacturing, helping countless individuals find meaningful employment.
In his remarks, Penix recognized Catholic Charities for its decades of serving as the voice of those most in need. “Your unwavering commitment to human dignity and service embodies what it truly means to be humanitarian,” he said. “It has been an honor to work alongside an organization that transforms compassion into concrete action every single day.” Penix thanked his colleagues at the EOC, who, he said, are a driving force behind every life we touch. “Every student who discovers new possibilities, every individual who overcomes seemingly impossible barriers, and every person who finds hope through education is the result of our collective humanitarian spirit,” he said. “This humanitarian service award represents all of us working together to make our community more just, more compassionate, and more hopeful. Thank you all for allowing me to be part of this vital mission.”
