DANBURY – Hundreds of people attended the Annual Catholic Charities Breakfast to honor two women who have enriched the lives of so many people in the Diocese of Bridgeport and beyond.
Nancy Murphy and Carolyn Silliman were honored for their unwavering faith and dedication to helping others.
“Nancy and Carolyn are two very special people who have done so much for Catholic Charities,” said Tony Giobbi, Board Chair of Catholic Charities, during his opening remarks at the early morning event.
Murphy, has been on the board of Catholic Charities for 15 years after accepting an invitation to join the organization by Dr. Roger LaGratta, who has served on the board for more than four decades. Catholic Charities is an organization that helps the needy and most vulnerable of all faiths to permanently improve their lives. Murphy became the first woman to chair the National Catholics Charity board.
Carolyn Silliman was recognized for her tireless work as the program manager for the Family Loan and Financial Stability Program that she runs to help provide financial education and budget counseling programs to eligible applicants and anyone in need. The financial education is an important component that helps prepare clients for sustainable self-sufficiency and ensures loan repayment and positive credit building.
Both women were moved to tears from the gratitude and appreciation expressed at the gathering.
“Truly it’s an honor to be a part of Catholic Charities,” Murphy said. “Catholic Charities gives me the opportunity to live my faith by helping others,” she explained during a heartfelt acceptance speech.
“I am so proud to be a part of this organization, and I pray that I can be an instrument of God’s peace and love in the world. It starts here, one person at a time,” Murphy said. She and her husband Dr. John Murphy, President and CEO of Nuvance Health, are parishioners of St. Rose of Lima Parish in Newtown.
Silliman echoed those sentiments.
“This has been the most amazing journey,” Silliman said of her 23 years running the Family Loan and Financial Stability Program. The program assists with funds for childcare, purchasing a used car, car repairs and security deposits for apartment rentals.
“It has been so fun to have a part in molding people’s lives,” she said. “I’ll never stop loving the people I help.”
A video testimonial about the program was played during the breakfast and one of the people Silliman helped was present to thank her and congratulate her for the special recognition of her work in person.
Devon Dillard, a single mom working full-time said Silliman’s help, guidance and compassion made all the difference during a tough time when her car became unreliable and the cost of constantly repairing it became too much.
“I’ve never worked with people before, who believed in you so much,” Dillard said of Silliman who she likened to a caring and stern parent.
Through the program, which has recently expanded to Norwalk and Stamford, Silliman helped Dillard purchase a 2012 Nissan Rogue which Dillard said she named Hope.
Silliman will soon retire and said she is depending on God to direct her next steps.
Michael Donoghue, President of Catholic Charities, credited Silliman with the success of the program that saw almost 700 loans totaling approximately $2 million with an 85 percent payback rate or better during her tenure.
“Thanks to your compassion and dedication, you have made a tremendous impact on this county,” Donoghue said, adding that her work helped low-income clients build credit and
break the cycle of poverty. He said if people seeking help didn’t meet the criteria of the program, Silliman would help connect them to other resources.
Donoghue also praised Murphy for being instrumental in the growth of Catholic Charities.
“Nancy’s dedication, passion and fundraising efforts were critical in leading Catholic Charities,” Donoghue said. Both Murphy and her husband are also involved with the Order of Malta.
Diocese of Bridgeport, Bishop, Frank J. Caggiano congratulated both women for the well-deserved recognition and asked for the continued support from those gathered.
“At the heart of who we are is the strong and unwavering belief that we are all God’s children,” Bishop Caggiano said. “It is a fundamental belief in Catholic Charities. We are serving friends. We are serving neighbors. Everyone who comes to Catholic Charities has a name, has a family, has a history, has a dignity and has a place at our table.”
