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.

Most Reverend David A. Zubik

Most Reverend David A. Zubik

Bishop of Pittsburgh

 

Read the Bishop’s Letter (PDF File)

Sister Margaret Mary Birchmeier

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

 

Follow the Chimbote Foundation

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.

Diocesan Mission in Chimbote, Peru

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