Former Pilot Leaves Skies To Head Catholic Charities

MARY ANNE CASTRANIO, Staff Writer

Published: August 19, 2004

ATLANTA—The Archdiocese of Atlanta has named Joseph J. Krygiel as the new Secretary for Catholic Charities, effective Aug. 9. Krygiel, a retired Delta Air Lines pilot and long-time Serra Club member, brings a varied background of management and leadership skills and training experience to the job, as well as a wealth of devotion to the church and spirituality.

In his new position, Krygiel will directly oversee the Department of Catholic Charities, which includes under its umbrella Catholic Social Services, Inc., Catholic Housing Initiatives, Inc., and Catholic Personal Care Homes, Inc. He reports to Vice Chancellor Kathi Stearns.

He has been active with Serra International, an organization devoted to fostering and promoting priestly and Religious vocations through prayer, awareness, affirmation and support, since 1989, serving in a local and national capacity with that group, including stints as regional director for Serra Southeast and president of the North Metro Serra chapter at St. Peter Chanel Church, Roswell.

His new position as Secretary for Catholic Charities is “a dream come true.”

“I’ve always wanted to serve the church,” said Krygiel.

He noted that Catholic Charities is an exciting area in which to serve, using the compassion of Christ to help those in need.

Krygiel said, “I have developed an interest and deep concern for the most vulnerable in our society—the unborn, the immigrants and the elderly. I hope to be able to apply my energy and talents to assist those most in need from all walks of life, regardless of religion, origin, race or economic status.”

Archbishop John F. Donoghue is delighted that Krygiel is joining the staff at the Catholic Center.

“I’ve known Joe the entire time I’ve been here in the archdiocese,” he said. “I know him through Serra, and he is completely devoted to the church and the Magisterium. I always thought that someday he would be working for the church.”

Archbishop Donoghue added, “He has many talents and much to offer. He will greatly benefit those he works for and with.”

After spending the first week becoming familiar with the operations of the various Catholic Charities offices and meeting as many of the staff as possible, Krygiel is enthusiastically tackling his first tasks, which will be to focus on the various programs administered by Catholic Social Services. In particular, he is looking forward to addressing the needs of an aging population in the archdiocese, focusing on physical, social, economic and spiritual needs. He will also fully support all of the efforts of the Pro-Life Office and the HIV/AIDS ministry. He believes that his experience as an administrator and his management ability will aid in his effectiveness in his new job.

Krygiel, who was born in St. Louis, was raised on a farm in Troy, Mo., a small rural town with a population of about 1,500. He attended Catholic elementary school for grades four to eight and later graduated from Troy High School. As a child, said Krygiel, “I admired the priest and sisters who taught me at Catholic school.” His respect for the priests and Religious and the work they do remains with him today.

He earned a bachelor of science degree in business administration at the University of Missouri in Columbia, with a focus on personnel management.

Krygiel served six years’ active duty in the U.S. Navy as a carrier pilot and 16 years in the Naval Reserve, where he attained the rank of captain. He went on to work for Delta Air Lines for 25 years, retiring in June 2004 as a captain on B-737-800 aircraft. At Delta, Krygiel also held management positions in the training department as a flight instructor, flight training programs coordinator and line check airman. Throughout his career, he gained experience in the different areas of the company, including operations, administration, personnel, safety, and instruction, working not only as a pilot but on training programs at the national level.

Krygiel said, “After challenging and rewarding careers with the Navy, Naval Reserve, and Delta Air Lines, where I held both flying and management positions, at this point in my life I felt it was appropriate to change careers and try to more directly serve the Catholic Church.”

Krygiel, who through his Serra ministry developed a special devotion to the Eucharist and the Blessed Mother, said, “I truly believe that after our lives here, our Lord will show us the abundant graces that were available to us during this period, and he will ask us what we had accomplished during this time. I hope to be able to say my efforts assisted in building up his kingdom here.”

Citing his deep respect and affection for Archbishop Donoghue, Krygiel said that “working for him in the position as Secretary for Catholic Charities allows me to more actively support the Eucharistic Renewal in the archdiocese and to unconditionally support his programs and policies in the archdiocese.”

Krygiel, who is 54, has been married for 27 years to Pamela. They have two children, Timothy, 20, a student at the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Tucker, and Rebecca, 17, a senior at St. Pius X High School in Atlanta. The family has resided in Atlanta since 1979, and they currently live in Marietta and attend St. Peter Chanel Church in Roswell.

The new Secretary for Catholic Charities begins his assignment with a sense of gratitude. He said, “I am thankful for many things in my life that our Lord has given to me especially my family and our great Catholic faith. I feel now that it is my responsibility to give back to the church as much as I can.”