58th Annual Peru Mission Dinner
Our annual dinner was held on Tuesday, October 10, 2023.
Our 2023 Chimbote Mission Dinner honoring life – the life-giving, life-sustaining and life-affirming ministry of our Catholic medical missionaries in Chimbote, Peru
Our dear friend of Chimbote, Mike Clark, distinguished news anchor for WTAE-TV, once again volunteered to be our dinner’s Master of Ceremonies for 2023. The evening’s presentations included updates from Chimbote Mission co-founder, Sister Lillian Bockheim, along with special remarks from Bishop David Zubik.
This annual night of celebration strengthens the Center of Social Works where there has now been more than 100,000 babies born at the maternity hospital, and where the health clinic is beginning to ramp up to its pre-pandemic volume of 1,000 patients per day.
Donations are still being accepted to help the poorest of the poor.
2023 Chimbote Mission Video
The evening was a celebration of the life of Sister Margaret Mary Birchmeier, who recently went to her eternal reward.
Father Jules Roos, Sister Margaret Mary Birchmeier and Sister Lilian Bockheim created both the Maternidad de Maria and the Center for Social Works with the hope that general healthcare be accessible in a loving Catholic atmosphere to all the people of Chimbote. Sister Margaret Mary leaves behind a well-trained local staff that numbers well over a hundred people. Bishop Zapata, along with the leadership in Chimbote, are excited to continue this important work for years to come.
Thanks to mission partners like you, in 2022, we were able to invest more than $200,000 in an Electrical Infrastructure Upgrade Project that included a generator and other critical upgrades. This year, again, due to your ongoing support, the board of the Chimbote Foundation approved an IT Renovation Project at an estimated cost of $500,000. As an example of why this too is critical, many of their current workstations are running unsupported Microsoft operating systems from the 1990s.
2023 Annual Dinner Recap
We are incredibly thankful to Jesus for the success of the 58th Annual Peru Mission Dinner. It was wonderful to have so many Pittsburghers together to celebrate our ongoing work in Chimbote. Your support made the evening especially successful. Thank you!
During that evening, we shared a camaraderie of spirit as people drawn together by our desire to serve those less fortunate. We viewed another powerful video produced by Dr. Dennis Woytek and Mike Clark about the incredible work done in Chimbote. And we celebrated of the life of Sister Margaret Mary Birchmeier, who recently went to her eternal reward.
Together that night, we raised more than $100,000 for serving the healthcare needs of the poor and treating them with respect and dignity as a Catholic Mission should. We also enjoyed a good and less-expensive meal helping to raise more than $8,000 in additional support for the mission.
You can still support our mission with your donation.
Thank You to Our 2023 Sponsors
Principle Dinner Sponsors
Most Reverend David A. Zubik and the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh
Anonymous
Friends of Chimbote ($2500+)
Msgr. John Kozar
Mr. Mark and Mrs. Judith Roos
Mr. Ken Roos and Mrs. Beth Hutter
Mrs. Mary Carleen Ferry in memory of Mr. James R. Ferry
Chimbote Benefactors ($1000-2499)
Mr. Herbert Hungerman
Mr. John and Mrs. Donna Rosser
Dr. John and Mrs. Julieta Uribe
Mrs. Jean Comber in Memory of Mr. Gerald P. Comber
Anonymous
Saints Martha and Mary Parish
St. John XXIII Parish
Patrons of Service ($500-999)
Gateway Engineers
Mr. Mark and Mrs. Carole Shepard
St. Isidore the Farmer Parish
Cardinal Donald Wuerl
Mr. Dennis Baca
Ms. Mary Lou Gartner
Ms. Mary Lou Einloth
Most Reverend William Winter
Partners of Peru ($250-499)
Fr. Albert Zapf
Felician Sisters of North America
Anonymous
Mr. James and Mrs. Eugenia Concelman
Fr. John Gudewicz
Fr. James Torquato
Mr. Joel and Mrs. Anne Madison
Ms. Megan Roos Patterson
Mr. Fritz and Mrs. Nancy Gimbel
Mr. William and Mrs. Susan Caldwell
Mr. Michael Woshner
Good Samaritans ($150-249)
Fr. Thom Dansak
Dr. William and Mrs. Joanne Fronczek
Fr. Richard Wesoloski
Mr. Tom and Mrs. Rita Gurganus
Mr. David and Mrs. Noreen Saville
Mr. Michael and Mrs. Kathryn Boyle
Fr. Robert J. Miller
South Hills Movers, Inc.
Ms. Amy Gunsallus
Mr. Tom and Mrs. Joann Zagorski
Dr. Donald Marinelli and Ms. Jan Grice
Fr. Robert Vular
Mr. Alex Brennsteiner in Honor of Deacon Frank and Norma Szemanski
Mr. Paul and Mrs. Coleen Murray
Friends of the Poor ($100-149)
Anonymous
Mr. Don and Mrs. Mary Dowler
Mr. John and Mrs. Denise McCarthy
Mr. Paul and Mrs. Ila Stabile
Mr. Frederick and Mrs. Ellen O’Brien
Anonymous
Mr. Theodore and Mrs. Josephine Turchick
Mr. David and Mrs. Judy McNally
Mr. Willard Hoel, Jr.
Anonymous
Mr. Joseph J. McNally
Mr. William Bourne and Ms. Barbara Kolodziej
Mr. John Cvetic
Fr. Miroslaw Wojcicki
Anonymous
Anonymous
Joseph Allen
Ms. Madonna Smith in Honor of Deacon Frank Szemanski
Ms. Carol Nolan
Ms. Dorothy Fitzsimmons
With Heartfelt Gratitude for the following table sponsors, donors, and ads
The Catholic Parish Cemeteries Association
Felician Sisters of North America
Holy Family Parish
Mrs. Gretchen Roos and Mr. Scott Lane
Dr. Pat and Mrs. Rita Joyce
Ferry Electric Company
Deacon Tim and Mrs. Lisa Noca
Ms. Milagros and Mr. Enrique Mu
Anonymous
Ferry Electric Company
Saint Aidan Parish
Mr. Patrick and Mrs. Carol Riley
Mr. Keith and Mrs. Rosemary Boyce
Reverend Albin McGinnis
Holy Family Parish
Holy Family Parish
Mr. Richard and Mrs. Anna Marie Rettger
Mrs. Gretchen Roos and Mr. Scott Lane
Mr. Thomas and Mrs. Cheryl Shanahan
Catholic Family Security Association
Mr. Frank and Mrs. Norma Szemanski
Mr. Frank and Mrs. Norma Szemanski
Triumph of the Holy Cross Parish
North Catholic High School
Christ the Divine Shepherd
Duncan Financial Group
Anonymous
Seminarian Table Sponsors
Saint Philip Parish
Saints Martha and Mary Parish
Student Table Sponsors
The Catholic Parish Cemeteries Association
Ms. Clare Browne
Mr. Herbert Hungerman
Mrs. Jean Comber in Memory of Mr. James J. and Mrs. Edna Ferry
McCarthy Family
Photos from the 2023 Annual Dinner
The Poorest of the Poor in Chimbote Thank You for Your Prayers and Support!
PODCAST
A Beautiful, Uplifting Story about Catholic Faith in Action!
Attorney Gretchen Roos and Deacon Tim Noca of the Chimbote Foundation board of directors discuss a half century of help and hope offered for the poorest of the poor in Chimbote, Peru. They were interviewed recently by Father Tom Burke for the diocese’s “Catholic Education Plus” radio program on KDKA-AM.