Archdiocese of Philadelphia Announces the Appointment of James Amato as Secretary for Catholic Human Services

Mr. Amato will replace Mr. Joseph J. Sweeney, Jr. who is retiring at the end of this year after 31 years of service to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia is proud to announce that Mr. James Amato, LSW, Deputy Secretary for Catholic Social Services, has been named Secretary for Catholic Human Services.

For the past 32 years, Mr. Amato has served the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s Catholic Social Services division in several roles.  He began his career as a supervisor in various parish social ministry and service center roles before becoming Assistant Director of Professional Services where he managed Homeless Services and Family Service Center programs.  He went on to become the Director of Children Services managing Foster Care, Group Home and In-Home Services involving contracts with the city and state, and finally took on his most recent role as Deputy Secretary for Catholic Social Services in 2000.  Mr. Amato managed operations for all programs and services, adapted programs to changes in governmental funding and policy priorities, and assured fidelity to Catholic teaching in all programs.

Mr. Amato, an active State Licensed Professional Social Worker, is an advisory member of Visitation School, a member of Catholic Charities USA and the Pennsylvania Council for Children Youth and Family Services, and currently serves on the local Federal Emergency Management Assistance Board and various Catholic Social Services Boards including Finance, Youth Services, Strategic Planning and Nominations. He has previously held a board membership for the World Meeting of Families’ Hunger and Homelessness Committee, Covenant House, Saint Vincent Tacony, Nutritional Development Services and the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.

“I look forward to working with Jim Amato as he begins to serve as Secretary and am confident that his knowledge of the mission of Catholic Human Services and his dedication to that mission will be a blessing,” says Auxiliary Bishop John J. McIntyre. “I am also very grateful for the manner in which Joe Sweeney brought his Faith to bear upon his work, his dedication to the mission of the Church to care for the poor and those most in need and for his leadership of the Secretariat in what were often trying times.”

Mr. Amato holds both a Bachelor’s Degree and a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Temple University.  His appointment is effective January 1, 2016.

# # #

Editor’s Note:  For more information on the Secretariat for Catholic Human Services in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, please visit http://cssphiladelphia.org/.