Cristo Rey: a director looks back at the challenges to keep it open

(The writer recently stepped down as CEO of Catholic Charitie of Ingham, Eaton and Clinton Counties.) He was previously executive director Cristo Rey Community Center.)

Leaving Catholic Charities has not been easy. This work was never just a job — it was a calling. A calling to serve the poor, the vulnerable, and the forgotten. And while I now step into a new chapter, I do so knowing in my heart: I left the organization stronger, healthier and better prepared to continue its sacred mission.

When I first arrived at Cristo Rey Community Center in 2013, the outlook was bleak. The doors were nearly shuttered, and the finances offered little hope. At first, I thought my role might be to help close Cristo Rey with dignity. But as I walked the halls, listened to families and witnessed what Cristo Rey meant, especially to Lansing’s Hispanic community, I knew this story could not end. Cristo Rey was a place of dignity, hope and belonging. A place woven into the soul of our city. The mission shifted, Cristo Rey would not close. It would survive, and thrive. Against all odds, it did.

In 2021, another challenge arose. St. Vincent Catholic Charities, a longtime pillar of care, fell into crisis after the closure of its Children’s Home. The financial spiral left the agency without a clear path forward. After a year without resolution, I asked the bishop if I could help. He agreed.

What followed was a journey built on faith, vision and the strength of partnership. We expanded Cristo Rey’s medical model onto the St. Vincent campus, adding five medical exam rooms and launching a much-needed dental program for children and veterans. The bishop embraced this vision, and soon he asked me to take on the leadership of both organizations. Together, we merged them into a single, stronger agency: Catholic Charities of Ingham, Eaton & Clinton Counties.

This progress was only possible because of those who stood beside me. The medical and dental expansions became reality through extraordinary partnerships with Sparrow Health System (now University of Michigan Health-Sparrow) and Delta Dental Foundation and critical state of Michigan appropriations.

Over the years, I also built enduring relationships with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Accident Fund, Jackson National, Delta Dental Corp., the Izzo Legacy Foundation and countless private donors who gave with generosity and trust. These allies, along with the dedication of our staff, board members, lobbyists and legislators, made the impossible possible.

The final hurdle was the Children’s Home; we fast-tracked the relicensing, I worked diligently to find a program to operate in the home that matched our strengths and passion for serving the vulnerable. Success came when I was able to forge a vital partnership with the Michigan Health and Human Services Department to serve high-needs children and set a financial course for stability by 2026.

None of this was easy. There were doubts, resistance and moments of uncertainty. Yet I was never alone. Faith carried me. The words of Matthew 25 guided me: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” And the community answered the call with courage and heart.

I leave proud: proud of what we built, proud of the lives we touched and proud of the legacy we preserved. Most of all, I am proud that Cristo Rey, born from and beloved by Lansing’s Hispanic community, remains a sanctuary for the poor and vulnerable, now strengthened through Catholic Charities.

This chapter of service has ended for me, but the mission continues. And it will forever live in my heart.

“Viva Cristo Rey! Viva Catholic Charities! Viva all who stood shoulder to shoulder to keep hope alive.”
Or as we say in Spanish: “La lucha sigue, la esperanza nunca muere.”  “The struggle continues, but hope never dies.”