The Legacy of our Founder

October is a special month for our family at A Chance In Life. Throughout this month, we are celebrating and remembering the amazing legacy of our founder, Msgr. John Patrick Carroll-Abbing. I invite you to celebrate Founder's Month with us!

In 1945, while working at the Vatican, the petite but energetic Monsignor had the audacity to ask for an audience with the Holy Father. Everywhere he looked in the streets of Rome at the end of World War II he saw hungry, homeless, war-orphaned children struggling to survive.

“Holy Father, someone needs to do something!” 
“Yes, Monsignor, you have our blessing,” replied the Holy Father.

With only the blessing of Pope Pius XII, Msgr. Carroll-Abbing started an amazing project, working relentlessly until his very last day on July 11, 2001 at the age of 88, surrounded by his boys. You, and thousands like you, made the realization of his vision possible.

Today his innovative approach continues to change and save the lives of thousands of young people.

Why have we chosen this month to honor him? It was in October of 1953 that he laid down the first stone of La Città dei Ragazzi in Rome, Italy. It was in October of 2015 that we inaugurated Boys’ & Girls’ Towns of Ethiopia, bringing Monsignor’s vision to another continent. And this October we are inaugurating Boys’ & Girls’ Towns of India. 

Together let's celebrate our founder and the family he created: more than 31,500 children in 71 years and thousands of generous friends like you. Learn about an exciting initiative starting this month as part of the celebration.

Please share your stories and photos of the Monsignor! E-mail your memories to office@achanceinlife.org and we will post them to our Facebook page. Thank you for being part of Monsignor’s legacy.
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Gabriele Delmonaco