Helping Hands Gala celebrates lives of service and a growing mission of care
By Kristine Rilling10/17/2026
For Father John Jacquel and Joe and Rhonda Schember, serving others has meant responding to the needs of the people God places before them. At the 2026 Helping Hands Gala, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Erie honored that commitment while highlighting the growing reach of its ministry.
Held Oct. 15 in Gannon University’s Yehl Ballroom, the gala recognized Father Jacquel as the Helping Hands of Justice honoree and the Schembers as the Helping Hands of Service honorees. The evening brought supporters together for music, auctions and a celebration of faith in action.
Bishop Lawrence Persico thanked the honorees for demonstrating how faith takes shape through service and respect for every person.
“Every person who seeks assistance is someone made in the image of God, someone whose life has dignity and whose hopes and struggles deserve our attention,” he said.
Drawing on the Gospel, Bishop Persico reminded guests that Jesus identifies himself with those who are hungry, strangers, sick or imprisoned. Caring for a neighbor in need, he explained, is also a response to Christ.
Through Catholic Charities, its affiliated agencies and parish ministries, that belief becomes food, shelter, companionship and advocacy.
“It becomes a listening ear and a helping hand,” Bishop Persico said. “It becomes the assurance that someone does not have to face a difficult moment alone.”
That conviction has guided Father Jacquel throughout more than four decades of priesthood. Ordained in 1983, he has served parish communities across the diocese and currently serves as pastor of St. Bernard of Clairvaux Parish in Bradford. His ministry has included diocesan leadership, involvement with Jesus Caritas and service on the Catholic Charities board.
Introducing him, Catholic Charities Executive Director Erin Tubbs shared his response to a question about how Catholic social teaching influences his ministry: “A sense of fairness is paramount. The Kingdom of God is inclusive. Every person is precious.”
For Joe and Rhonda Schember, service has extended from parish life to organizations supporting vulnerable individuals and families. Longtime members of Sacred Heart Parish, they have helped prepare engaged couples for marriage through diocesan Pre-Cana teams. Joe’s service has included the board of St. Martin Center, while Rhonda has served as a trustee of The Arc of Erie County and has been deeply involved with Barber National Institute.
“Whether serving in their parish, supporting community organizations, or lending their experience and leadership where it is needed most, they have consistently demonstrated a commitment to the dignity and worth of every person,” Tubbs said.
The evening also offered a look at what donors make possible.
Tubbs reported that grants from the previous year’s gala supported new mattresses and benevolent care in skilled nursing facilities, a counseling program for individuals and families with low incomes, security improvements, and food and personal hygiene supplies.
Beyond assistance to affiliated agencies, Catholic Charities provided more than $101,000 in direct service in Erie, Warren, Mercer and Clarion counties since the previous gala. Staff also fielded 700 calls from nine of the diocese’s 13 counties, connecting people with help close to home.
Its work has expanded through parish support, disaster relief guidance and poverty education in Catholic schools. Tubbs emphasized that assistance also includes helping affiliated agencies navigate leadership changes, funding challenges and other complex needs.
“As we spend our days meeting the need in front of us, meeting the person in front of us or on the other end of a phone call or email, it is good to step back and celebrate all the good that God has brought,” she said.
For those gathered, the gala was an opportunity to celebrate that good – and help extend it to the next person who reaches out.
Special thanks to:
- Catholic Charities Board of Directors
- Catholic Charites Agencies
- Gala Sponsors including Diamond Sponsors Industrial Sales & Mfg, Inc. and PNC Financial Services Group
- Michael Malthaner, Cocktail Hour Entertainment
- Jan Stork, Master of Ceremonies
- Mike Spagnolo of Northbound Soul, Entertainment
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