Deacon Steve Ferran joins Catholic Charities staff

    That same spirit of hospitality is a major motivating influence on Deacon Steve Ferran, a New Orleans hotel executive who was appointed in June to the newly created position of vice president of Catholic Identity and Mission at Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans.

    Catholic Charities president Gordon Wadge said Deacon Ferran, who was ordained to the permanent diaconate in 2006, will be responsible for “creating a renewed, refocused and reenergized attention to our ministries” and for “celebrating our Catholic identity.”

With 45 programs and 800 employees, Catholic Charities offers an array of services that include health care, mental health care, counseling, residential programs, transitional housing, immigration, supplemental food and nutrition, pro-life issues and maternity services.

Hospitality means caring

    “I want to make sure that in every program we have within Catholic Charities that the interaction between the client, customer or patient and us is warm, caring and authentic,” said Deacon Ferran, who since 2007 was general manager of the Omni Royal Orleans Hotel in New Orleans and has spent 26 years in the hospitality industry. “My experience so far has been that it is.”

    Among Deacon Ferran’s critical duties as a hotel general manager was getting his executive team to track the daily e-mails the hotel would receive from guests to determine whether or not the hotel’s service was falling short.

    “That really was the hotel’s report card from the guests,” Deacon Ferran said. “That guided us as to what we were doing well and what we needed to improve on. What I read over and over, every day, was how warm and caring and genuine our people were with whom the guests interacted.”

Individuals who call Catholic Charities for help need to know they will be treated with care and respect, Deacon Ferran said. He will spend the first several weeks familiarizing himself with the expansive ministries of Catholic Charities by meeting with program directors.

Much more than a job

    “I’ve asked every person I’ve sat down with what they like about working at Catholic Charities, and they all said, ‘We don’t view it as work. We view it as ministry,’” Deacon Ferran said. “I’m learning to keep the word ‘work’ out of my vocabulary.”

    “Once I learn what we’re about and who we serve, I want to be sure that in everything Catholic Charities does and in every interaction with every person that we have Christ present in that interaction,” Deacon Ferran added. “We want Christ to be present and visible in the mission, and we want the social teaching of the church evident in our interactions with every individual.”

    Wadge said when Jim Kelly stepped down as co-president of Catholic Charities earlier this year, Archbishop Gregory Aymond and he Catholic Charities’ board went through a review process to “plan for the future.” It was Archbishop Aymond’s “inspired vision,” Wadge said, that prompted the creation of the new position.

    Wadge had known Deacon Ferran for many years because the two often had collaborated whenever the archdiocese hosted major events or receptions following ordination ceremonies.

    “I can’t think of a person better suited for this position than Steve,” Wadge said. “As an ordained deacon, he certainly has the commitment to the church and the passion for ministry. If you want to create a Catholic identity, it’s all about hospitality in the Old Testament sense, where you gave up your home to the traveler and welcomed people.

    “We’ve talked about how we can create the presence of Jesus in the ministries of Catholic Charities, and that’s really all about hospitality – how do we receive people on the phone, at the front door? How do we create that welcoming space?”

    Deacon Ferran will head up Archbishop Aymond’s initiative to expand Catholic Charities’ mentoring and parenting programs to help families and combat violence. In addition to creating the new Catholic identity position, Catholic Charities has expanded the responsibilities of Martin Gutierrez as vice president of Community Services Ministry. Catholic Charities is in the process of filling the position of vice president of Health Ministry.

    Deacon Ferran serves as assistant director of the archdiocesan Office of Permanent Diaconate and ministers at Sacred Heart Parish in Lacombe. As a resident of Mandeville, Deacon Ferran will oversee the work of Craig Marinello, who will direct the northshore office of Catholic Charities.

    Peter Finney Jr. can be reached at pfinney@clarionherald.org.