By Mary Stadnyk, Associate Editor
Top photo caption: Msgr. Sam Sirianni, rector of St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral, Freehold, explores interactive displays during the People of Hope: Faith-Filled Stories of Neighbors Helping Neighbors traveling museum, which visited the Diocese of Trenton June 22-23. The exhibit highlights the nationwide impact of Catholic Charities through stories of service, hope and compassion. Mary Stadnyk photos
For years, Mary Pettrow has helped families affected by domestic violence through her work with Catholic Charities, Diocese of Trenton. But after touring the People of Hope: Faith-Filled Stories of Neighbors Helping Neighbors traveling museum, her appreciation for the national impact of Catholic Charities grew even deeper.
“Sometimes you feel like you are just a part of your own program or Diocese,” said Pettrow, director of Children and Family Services. “The museum reminded me of why we do what we do and that Catholic Charities is a movement of positivity across the nation.”
Hosted by Catholic Charities USA, the People of Hope museum made a two-day stop June 22-23 in the Diocese of Trenton as part of a nationwide tour designed to help visitors better understand the realities of poverty and the transformative impact of charitable service in marginalized communities. Housed in a retrofitted 53-foot tractor-trailer, the traveling museum will continue its national tour through the first half of 2028.
The interactive multimedia exhibit features more than 42 videos in which staff members and volunteers from Catholic Charities agencies across the country share firsthand accounts of meaningful encounters with individuals and families facing poverty and hardship. Among them are two videos featuring Diocese of Trenton staff members: Pettrow and Arnold Valentin, director of Community Services.
In her video, Pettrow recounts reconnecting with a young man whose family she helped escape a domestic violence situation nearly 20 years ago.
“He was about 8 years old when I first met him,” she said. “When I saw him again as an adult, he told me how that experience impacted his life. Today he’s a teacher and a coach, has a son of his own, and is working to break the generational cycle of violence.”
Reflecting on the museum experience, Pettrow said it reinforced the broader mission of Catholic Charities.
“It really opened my eyes to what we do across the country,” she said. Touring the exhibit and learning about ministries nationwide “brought it all together for me,” she added. “I can see that we’re quite a force going in a positive direction.”
Deacon Jim Casa of Sacred Heart Parish, Mount Holly, and his son, Jim, were among the museum visitors.
“It promotes and makes known, in a compelling way, the good work of Catholic Charities throughout the country and who the many people are who benefit,” he said. “It provided good information on how the needs of people can vary from region to region.”
Calling the exhibit “a top-notch experience,” Deacon Casa expressed hope for its continued impact.
“My prayers go with the tour to future locations with the hope that lives will be touched,” he said. “There is no doubt that during the dark times that we live in, this traveling museum of hope offers a bright candle to shatter the darkness.”
Jim Casa said one story especially resonated with him. It featured a farmer who endured the loss of many family members while also facing serious health challenges, yet maintained a hopeful outlook.
“It made me realize how fragile life can be,” he said.
