Catholic Diocese of Arlington
Encourage and teach with patience

Art Bennett, founder and director of the Alpha Omega Clinic, has been appointed by Bishop Paul S. Loverde as the first-ever president and chief executive officer of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington (CCDA), the social services ministry for the diocese which aids tens of thousands of Virginians each year.

“Our outreach to those in need is more crucial than ever before – we must work even harder to ensure that human dignity is upheld among the poor and vulnerable. Our ministry has grown significantly over the past several years, and the creation of the position of president will assist CCDA in fulfilling its mission. At the conclusion of this nationwide search, I am confident that Mr. Bennett’s administrative leadership experience will help guide CCDA to serve those in need while proclaiming our Catholic identity,” said Bishop Loverde.

The addition of a president and chief executive officer to the existing organizational structure of approximately 100 full-time employees and over 1,000 volunteers became necessary because of the continued growth in both the request for services and in the programs provided to those in need. Stephen Luteran oversaw much of this expansion as executive director; he will now serve as senior vice president.

Over the past three years, CCDA opened a new branch office in Leesburg; began St. Margaret of Cortona Residences, a transitional housing facility for families in Prince William County; started Christ House on Wheels, a diocesan-wide food distribution program, to serve the outlying counties of our diocese; and integrated Migration and Refugee Services, formerly a diocesan program, into their operations. These changes alone caused agency budget and staff to grow by more than 25 percent. Already-existing programs have also seen increases in requests. For example, over the past two years, CCDA has experienced a dramatic increase in requests for emergency assistance from families asking for help with rent, utility bills and medical costs.

In order to maintain quality services and assistance in the midst of this growth, Bishop Loverde sought to expand and restructure the agency’s administration. The experienced leadership of Mr. Bennett, partnered with the seasoned knowledge of current staff, will allow CCDA to fortify existing programs and respond with continued strength to the needs in our community.

“I would first like to express my gratitude to Bishop Loverde for this exciting opportunity. Thanks to the leadership of Stephen Luteran, the staff and the Board of Directors, our services are more extensive than ever. I look forward to collaborating with them and the people of the Diocese of Arlington to ensure that we answer the Lord’s call to serve and minister to those in need,” said Bennett.

Mr. Bennett founded the Alpha Omega Clinic in Maryland and Virginia and has served as director for the last eight years. The not-for-profit clinic integrates the Catholic faith with counseling and consultation best practices.  Mr. Bennett was previously employed by Science Application International Corporation (SAIC) as a division manager and vice president. He has been a member of the Diocese of Arlington since 1991, and is a well-known presenter and author, publishing on topics ranging from communication skills to employee assistance programs. He will begin at CCDA on July 12, 2010.

Founded in 1947, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington is a fully-accredited nonprofit social service agency serving 21 counties and seven independent cities in Northern Virginia.  Approximately 100 full-time staff are supported by nearly 1,000 volunteers to orchestrate the ministry of tens of thousands people annually through a variety of programs such as: mental-health counseling; adoption services; pregnancy counseling and assistance; foster care; English as a Second Language (ESL) and immigrant services; senior services; Christ House soup kitchen and men’s shelter; food pantry and thrift shop; emergency financial assistance for rent, utilities and prescriptions; prison ministry; transitional housing for families; and refugee services. Catholic Charities helps those in need, regardless of race or creed. More information is available at www.ccda.net.

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