Catholic Charities gets new director

BY BECCY TANNER

The Wichita Eagle

There was a time when Cynthia Colbert didn’t see any reason to leave Texas.

Lately, though, she’s been packing bags and getting ready to move to Wichita.

On April 1, Colbert begins as executive director of Catholic Charities of the Catholic Diocese of Wichita.

She will replace Janet Valente Pape, who has been executive director for 18 years. Pape will retire May 1.

“I studied what Catholic Charities has been able to do in Wichita and I thought it was a great opportunity for me to share what I have learned in Austin,” Colbert said Sunday. “I’m looking forward to working with the board and volunteers and building on what Janet has done.”

Catholic Charities and the Diocese announced Colbert as the new director last week.

“She has a good history of engaging people in ministry with those who struggle at the edges of society,” said Monsignor Robert Hemberger in a news release. Hemberger is the vicar general of the Catholic Diocese of Wichita and Catholic Charities board member.

“We have always known there will be big shoes to fill when Janet Valente Pape retires,” Hemberger said. “We believe we have found the right person to fill them.”

Colbert, 51, received her master’s degree in social welfare planning from the University of California, Berkeley.

She has more than 20 years of nonprofit management, including working for United Ways in Santa Clara, Calif., and Austin.

She is currently the executive director of Catholic Charities in the Catholic Diocese of Austin.

“I have a long history of social services,” Colbert said. “It is my heart’s desire to make a difference in work through faith.”

The Catholic Diocese of Wichita has 90 parishes in 25 counties in the southeast region of the state. There are nearly 116,000 Catholics in the diocese.

Colbert will oversee the $9 million budget of the agency. She will do this at a time when Wichita is in a recession, facing high unemployment.

“I saw this as a great opportunity in helping serve the needs of the poor and vulnerable,” she said. “We will be making sure basic needs are met ā€” in collaboration with other faith-based organizations. We will be looking at affordable housing because people need places to live. We will also be looking at jobs. In order to have strong families we have to have good wages and ongoing employment.”

Beyond those two issues, Colbert said she will look at addressing the needs of elderly people and immigrants.

“My first year, I will look, learn and listen,” she said. “I will be working with the board on developing a strategic plan and direction. My main job is to look at what has been done, listen to those around me and learn what the needs are.”