Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens has announced that Monsignor Alfred LoPinto, Vicar for Human Services of the Diocese of Brooklyn, will serve as Chief Executive Officer of Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens and related agencies effective November 2014.
“Monsignor LoPinto brings more than 30 years of leadership experience to Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens,” said Thomas Kevin Murtha, President of Catholic Charities Board of Trustees. “Monsignor LoPinto is passionate about social justice, affordable housing, and providing solutions to serving New York City’s most vulnerable population. During this transition, we are confident that Monsignor LoPinto will support Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens in a thoughtful and seamless way.”
In 2014, Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens completed the first stage of a Strategic Visioning process. The many activities of this phase resulted in a re-articulated mission statement and the setting of strategic directions for the Agency in the areas of sustainability, presence and innovation. Led by Monsignor LoPinto, along with the oversight and active participation of a committee of the Agency’s Board of Trustees, Catholic Charities will continue the process of planning and assessment in light of the ever-changing environment in the Diocese of Brooklyn and New York City.
In the Diocese of Brooklyn, Monsignor LoPinto was a leader in the recovery efforts that followed in the wake of Super Storm Sandy in 2012. For more than nine years, Monsignor also played an integral role in Catholic Charities Progress of Peoples Management and Development Corporation, seeing many projects from concept to creation such as the Monsignor Anthony J. Barretta Apartments in Brownsville, N.Y. that opened in fall 2013 and the Howard Beach Senior Apartments in winter 2013.
During his career, Monsignor LoPinto has worked with parishes throughout the Diocese of Brooklyn, as well as played a leadership role in working with parishes nationally. In 1985, he was appointed the Executive Director of the Campaign for Human Development, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). During his five-year tenure in this position, he visited over 65 dioceses in the U.S., working with diocesan bishops, their staffs and local groups on poverty issues.
In 1990, Monsignor LoPinto assisted the Diocese of San Bernardino, California with the revamping of its social justice ministries. He was later named Executive Director for Catholic Charities San Bernardino and Riverside Counties and was asked to serve as a consultant to the California Catholic Conference on issues of social policy, where he became heavily involved in welfare reform and immigration issues.
In January 1998, Monsignor LoPinto began an assignment as a Parochial Vicar at St. Camillus in Rockaway Beach. In the spring of 1999, Bishop Daily asked him to accept the position of Pastor of St. Therese of Lisieux Parish in the East Flatbush section of Brooklyn, and in the spring of 2005, Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio asked him to accept the position of Vicar for Human Services for the Diocese of Brooklyn.
During his career to date, he has received a number of civic, community and organizational awards and commendations. In March 2007, he was raised to the rank of Monsignor by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI.
Since being appointed Monsignor, he has served as a Member of the Corporation, which oversees Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens and all of its affiliate agencies. Since 2006, Monsignor LoPinto has served as Executive Vice President of Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens Board of Directors, and has been an active member of the Boards of Directors of Catholic Charities Neighborhood Services, Inc., Catholic Charities Progress of Peoples Corporation, and the Saints Joachim and Anne Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
Monsignor LoPinto succeeds Robert Siebel, who retired on Nov. 1, 2014. Siebel will assist Monsignor LoPinto in a consultative and supportive role through November 2015.
