By Jay Sorgi \u2022 Posted January 14, 2026 <\/p>\n
Amy Stoner\u2019s tenure of 38 years of compassion with Catholic Charities of Philadelphia<\/a> became a canvas upon which she painted genuine love of God and neighbor upon hundreds of thousands of people in need.<\/p>\n Two people who have worked closely with Stoner, the outgoing director of the Community-Based and Housing and Homeless Services Division of Catholic Charities, will now be dividing up her mission within Catholic Charities of Philadelphia.<\/p>\n Kathleen Bevenour and Jim Kerrigan will be offering their own genuine compassion for others, the kind that becomes obvious when you encounter them. They also offer a combined four decades of expertise and leadership in areas of social responsibility, all through a philosophy of accompaniment that evangelizes with loving action.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s really, you know, what it says is bringing kind of the church to the communities and the families that are in need,\u201d said Bevenour, who is now Director of Catholic Charities of Philadelphia\u2019s Family and Community Services.<\/p>\n Her role entails the Out of School Time Program<\/a>, Family Service Centers<\/a>, Casa del Carmen Preschool<\/a>, Immigration Legal Services<\/a> and School Social Work<\/a> \u2013 areas that particularly focus on immigrants, \u00a0children, and families.<\/p>\n Bevenour\u2019s career at Catholic Charities\u2019 Community-Based Services Division spans nearly two decades, first joining the organization as a social worker in 2010. She went on to lead the Bucks County Family Service Center as its administrator before being named Assistant Director of the division in 2016, serving under Stoner.<\/p>\n She says her experiences taking care of a brother with special needs, and simple encounters playing with children placed in her care after parents were accused of abuse, revealed God\u2019s calling for her.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve always \u2018caretaked.\u2019 I knew I wanted to help other folks that just needed someone to walk with them,\u201d Bevenour said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was just giving care and compassion and walking along with someone and making a difference. This was God saying, \u2018This is what I\u2019m calling you to do. You are to give to others.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n She and Stoner share that simplicity of calling in a professional but genuine friendship that has affected Bevenour\u2019s journey.<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s always been a driving force in making things happen and in leading the way she led,\u201d said Bevenour.<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s a wonderful friend. She\u2019s a wonderful mentor and has been for a really long time. I\u2019m very grateful for our relationship and her helping me move into leadership opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n Stoner\u2019s professional presence and compassionate charism have also affected Kerrigan, preparing him for his new role as the new Director of Homeless Services for Catholic Charities of Philadelphia.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve always wanted to lead a life of service to others. I decided to actually do some work internationally in Peru, and so that was something that stuck with me. It was life-changing. Since then, I\u2019ve had various roles, but it\u2019s always been a calling,\u201d Kerrigan said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have eight homeless services programs that serve a wide array of programs to those experiencing homelessness and those that need assistance in finding stable, independent living.\u201d<\/p>\n Kerrigan comes back to Catholic Charities of Philadelphia after 10 years at the state and federal levels leading antipoverty and community development initiatives. He spent six-and-a-half years with Catholic Charities leading prevention programs in urban Catholic schools and community-based centers helping thousands of at-risk young people.<\/p>\n His public service career included the last five years with the Department of Housing and Urban Development, where he oversaw nearly $300 million in community development and planning grants that went out to areas in New Jersey, but he saw an opportunity this year to better align his career with the core of his faith.<\/p>\n A cup of coffee with Catholic Charities of Philadelphia Executive Vice President Heather Huot became a providential meeting and a chance to return to working in a city he \u201cfell in love with\u201d when he moved here 25 years ago.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the time, Catholic Charities was going through some reorganization, some refocusing, some reshifting of priorities and resources,\u201d Kerrigan said.<\/p>\n \u201cShe gave me her vision, and she wanted to focus on housing and the homeless. I took a stab on betting on myself in a really tumultuous time for me professionally, and this is how I was rewarded. It was God\u2019s will, divine intervention.\u201d<\/p>\n He especially finds pride in working for an organization whose source is his Catholic faith, one that has the breadth and depth of services to holistically be present to each person\u2019s unique need.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen Catholic Charities comes to the table, it\u2019s all of these different facets that we bring. Most organizations may focus on one or two aspects, but we focus on all of these,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n \u201cThat makes Catholic Charities uniquely qualified to be able to respond and to develop programs that are needed not just in Philadelphia, but all the surrounding communities.\u201d<\/p>\n