Monthly Newspaper • DIOCESE OF BRIDGEPORT

Retired executive reaches out to faithful, one phone call at a time

After retiring as director of sales and marketing for Eli Lilly and Company 15 years ago, Ford Lynch walked into the Catholic Center of the Diocese of Bridgeport looking for work…and he got it. Plenty of it.

“I was looking for some way to give back, so I went to see the head of development and asked, ‘Do you need any help? I’ll do whatever you want.’”

Lynch, a parishioner at St. Luke Church in Westport, has generously volunteered his services and done everything from working at the Thomas Merton Center to helping at the Catherine Dennis Keefe Queen of the Clergy Residence for retired priests. He has assisted pastors with the Annual Catholic Appeal and delivered materials throughout Fairfield County to the many charitable organizations the diocese supports.

“I do whatever I can,” says Lynch. “I deliver things to churches, driving around picking stuff up. Nothing is too big; nothing is too small.”

His latest project, which began several weeks ago, is a simple, yet powerful initiative on the part of the diocese to express its gratitude to the many people who have donated to the annual appeal.

Lynch sits at his desk at his home in Westport several days a week and calls parishioners from a list he has been given by the Development Office. Since he began, he has made more than 1,000 calls.

“I call up folks on the list and tell them, ‘This is a ‘thank you’ call for your support and to let you know that during the pandemic, the diocese is continuing all its programs,’” he said. “I call to thank them and tell them to stay healthy.”

The calls are not only thank you calls, but wellness calls. He asks parishioners how they are doing in the crisis and updates them on how the diocese is continuing its programs, such as online Masses, nutrition services providing increased meals, distance learning and children continuing their schooling, hospital chaplains with patients where families were unable to see their relatives, and faith and sacramental programs.

Many of the people he reaches out to have questions. Some even share the struggles they are facing during the pandemic, so Lynch reminds them of the services the diocese provides and urges them to look on the website and not hesitate to seek help themselves.

“I want to thank them, but also remind them that we are here for them,” Lynch said.

“I can guarantee them their money has been well-spent since I have seen it firsthand, from the soup kitchens to the Blue Ribbon schools, and the work the priests do,” he says.

People are encouraged by his phone calls and often write down the information about the services. They are also grateful for the recognition and to know the Church cares about them during this crisis. Others ask if he has any information about when things will return to normal in their churches. And still others share stories of their personal hardship.

“I hear all kinds of stories. Some say, ‘My business is falling apart. Or I’ve been furloughed. Or I’m going to lose my job. Or I’m afraid what will happen to me in the future,’” Lynch said. “We are facing something that has never been seen in 100 years.”

Lynch, a native of Cambridge, Massachusetts, graduated from the College of Pharmacy at Northeastern University, before starting his career at Eli Lilly, the pharmaceutical company. He has been a committed lifelong Catholic.

“I have always gone to church…always, always, always and still do now,” he said. “I felt this was an opportunity to help the Church and other people. Then, once I got into it and saw how the contributions were spent helping people in Fairfield County, it fortified my belief that it was worth my time to be doing this.”

(For information about the services the Diocese of Bridgeport offers, visit www.bridgeportdiocese.org.)

By Joe Pisani