Studies suggest that within the first seven seconds of meeting someone new, people will form a solid impression of who that person is — and some research suggests a tenth of a second is all it takes to start determining traits like trustworthiness.
One can imagine that when people are in a state of crisis, as those who come through the doors of Catholic Charities, often are, that window of time to establish trust is both small and crucial.
Margarita Lugo’s ability to do just that — provide an immediate sense of calm and trust — is one of many reasons she’s earned the deep respect and admiration from her colleagues and clients alike over the past 30 years of serving the poor and underserved at Catholic Charities’ center in Camden as a case manager.
Her last day was Friday, Dec. 18.
According to Jose Sanchez, a colleague who has worked alongside Margarita for the past 15 years, “[Margarita] has often times been the first face or voice that people see or hear when they reach out for help. She makes them feel at ease and not judged. She maintains their dignity, always.”
And while Lugo has seen many things change in the diocese over the past three decades, recognizing and maintaining the dignity of all those she serves and encounters has been a constant. Referencing Matthew 25:36, she says, “Serving the vulnerable, especially working with the homeless and finding them a steady and secure place to live … it has been an honor.”
Margarita Lugo was born in Susua Baja, Sabana Grande, Puerto Rico. In 1968, she moved to Camden. The oldest of five sisters, she is also a mother of three — Margarita Ruiz, Angel Ruiz Jr., and Mario Ruiz, who died at age of 24. Margarita is a grandmother to seven, and a great-grandmother to two.
Lugo has been a fixture in her community and an involved member of her parish, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Camden. But her devout Catholic faith was never confined to the walls of her church. She brought it to work every day, especially when interacting with people who often feel a mix of emotions, ranging from fear and desperation to embarrassment and mistrust.
Their needs are equally diverse: housing issues, food insecurity, unemployment, addiction and other crises. Whenever a person reaches out to Catholic Charities, Lugo responds with empathy and urgency — listening to their needs, making the phone calls, assembling the forms, writing the letters, whatever is needed to jump start the process of securing the desired outcome and needed assistance.
When Margarita was asked to write down some reflections as she looks back on the past 30 years, she immediately thought of the long list of people she wanted to thank — from the three bishops under whom she worked, to her past and current colleagues and supervisors, to the many others she’s met and encountered over the decades. “How much space do I have? I’m worried I won’t be able to fit all of their names!” she said.
Kevin Hickey, who has served as executive director of Catholic Charities for the past 16 years, was quick to praise Lugo as he reflected on her many years of service.
“The Holy Spirit breathed ample amounts of wisdom, and knowledge, counsel, fortitude, understanding, piety and fear of the Lord into, on, and about Margarita. An inspiring, strong woman. Always a model to me and someone to whom I always knew I owed my own best efforts. Margarita will be deeply missed by the thousands and thousands of people she has assisted over her long vocation of service and charity. I will miss her, and her colleagues will miss her.”
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