“Our dinner guest looked into my eyes and reminded me who she was — the face of Christ in our downtown Chicago headquarters — and it has changed me.”   

— Keara Ette, Senior Director of Community Programs 

Every Tuesday, Keara Ette, Senior Director of Community Programs for Catholic Charities, manages dinner service for 130 guests at the Sister Joyce Dura, O.S.F., Supper Program. In February, as dinner was wrapping up, Keara thanked guests and volunteers then checked her watch and realized she had nine minutes before she needed to hustle out the door to catch the train home, relieve the babysitter, and get her young kids to bed.  

It was then that a guest waved her down and asked for help going to the washroom to clean up. “I remember she had tears in her eyes,” Keara said.  

Keara was pressed for time, but realized she had to stop, pause, and recenter on this person in need. 

In that moment, Keara said she could hear and feel Jesus’ invitation: “Do you love me? Show my sister — our sister — your love.” The only answer worthy of Catholic Charities and the team of staff and volunteers who work so hard to serve their neighbors, Keara said, was, “Here I am. How can I help?”