GLENDALE : Cardinal Mahony Blesses New Charities Building

The new Catholic Charities Glendale Community Center was ceremonially blessed Monday by Cardinal Roger M. Mahony, who sprinkled the concrete block building with a mixture of holy water and city tap water and quipped that it was to symbolize the cooperation of church and government.

The social service arm of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles has benefited frequently from government grants.

But Father Gregory A. Cox, executive director of Catholic Charities, said the $622,000 in federal Housing and Urban Development funds allocated by Glendale came as many cities and government agencies are pulling back from such cooperative arrangements because they say they can’t spare the money.

Nevertheless, Charles Ming, a HUD representative at opening ceremonies attended by more than 100 people, said his department is pleased with the partnerships formed with religious groups. The opening Monday of the 6,200-square-foot building at 4322 San Fernando Road replaces a dilapidated building at the same site that was torn down in 1992.

The center, which will be staffed by Catholic Charities workers, is not only for the young, Mahony said. The collaborative effort is “to lead children, young adults and families to self-sufficiency and away from the clutches of poverty.”