Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota Welcomes New Directors

Submitted by Sheila Collom, director of administrative services for Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota

Sue Degallier

Sue Degallier

On August 30, 2021, Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota was pleased to announce Sue Degallier as the new Active Aging Program director.

Sue grew up in Austin. While attending the College of St. Teresa in Winona, she fell in love with the city – and one of its citizens, Paul. While staying home to raise four children, she continued to work in her degreed field of music and spent many hours volunteering in various capacities. These connections made her transition to Catholic Charities an easy one.

Sue started working with Active Aging’s Common Good RSVP program in December of 2013, helping individuals 55 and above with meaningful volunteer opportunities to enhance their lives and meet critical needs in their community. As an Active Aging Master Level Trainer, she is trained in several evidence-based program offerings and has led numerous programs and supported countless volunteers across Southern Minnesota.

Sue currently serves as president of the board of directors of WellConnect of SE MN, a collaborative effort that provides valuable partnerships with area organizations. She has built strong connections with Winona State University to involve students in the implementation of health and wellness classes, providing insight and information on working with older adults. She has been instrumental in the management and support of Catholic Charities’ VITA tax program in Winona, working to expand it to include St. Charles. She looks forward to growing the program in 2022 by incorporating pop-up sites to reach more underserved populations. Sue’s prior knowledge and experience will be a tremendous asset to the Active Aging Program, and we look forward to the creative ideas and program enhancements that she will bring to the role.

Isaac Landsteiner

Isaac Landsteiner

On September 13, 2021, Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota was pleased to announce Isaac Landsteiner as the new Parish Social Ministry director.

Isaac grew up in Fairmont. He attended Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary at St. Mary’s University for four years, receiving a B.A. in philosophy and graduating from the Lasallian Honors Program in 2018.

Isaac began his work with Catholic Charities in 2019 as a deanery coordinator for the Parish Social Ministry program. As a deanery coordinator, he had the opportunity to work with numerous pastors and parishioners in their communities, giving him a strong understanding of the topics and issues that are most critical to parishes across the Diocese of Winona-Rochester.

Throughout his time with Catholic Charities, Isaac has been an active member of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester’s Social Concerns Committee, currently serving as its chair. He has developed and presented Catholic Social Teaching 101 – aimed to introduce Catholics to the Church’s social doctrine – to several parishes in the Mankato area. He has also served as interim director of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) and as chair of the Ad Hoc Works of Justice Committee since November of 2020.

In this new role, Isaac is most looking forward to sharing his passion for Catholic Social Teaching with others and to continuing to aid parishes in responding to the needs of our communities. “In the last few years, our program has been able to do a lot of good work in the Worthington and Mankato deaneries,” Isaac shared. “As program director, I am excited to focus on extending this work to other areas of our diocese.” Isaac’s prior education and experience make him an ideal director for the Parish Social Ministry Program, and we look forward to the passion and enthusiasm that he will bring to his new role.

Catholic Charities serves the 20 southernmost counties of Minnesota spanning the territory from the Mississippi River to the South Dakota border. With a mission to serve the poor and vulnerable, the marginalized, the alienated, and the stranger, Catholic Charities’ staff and volunteers serve people without regard to religion, race, gender, or ability to pay. Offices are located in Winona, Rochester, Mankato, Austin and Owatonna. For more information, please visit its website - www. ccsomnorg.