November 14, 2011 -- 97 To Receive Cheverus Award In Ceremony On Sunday November 20th*

BRAINTREE, MA (November 14, 2011) — Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley, OFM Cap will present 2011 Cheverus Award Medals to 97 laypersons, deacons and religious during a 3pm prayer service on Sunday, November 20 at the Cathedral of The Holy Cross.

First presented in 2008 at the conclusion of the Archdiocese’s bicentennial, the annual award recognizes Catholics for their dedicated service to the Church.  The medal is named for the city’s first bishop, Jean-Louis Anne Magdelaine Lefebvre de Cheverus, who led the diocese from 1808 until his return to France in 1824. Bishop Cheverus died in 1836 as the archbishop of Bordeaux.

The oval-shaped medal is made of sterling silver and bears a likeness of Bishop Cheverus based on the Gilbert Stuart portrait. On the reverse side is Bishop Cheverus’ coat of arms.

The medal recipients are chosen for their service to the Church and God’s people.  Most recipients are nominated by their pastor, forwarded by their area vicar and approved by their regional bishop and Cardinal O’Malley.  Some recipients are personally selected by Cardinal O’Malley.

Each year, one third of the parishes of the archdiocese are asked to nominate a parishioner, therefore most parishes will have one honoree every three years.  The criteria given to pastors is that the nominee should be a lay person who has served the parish well over an extended period of time and has done so in a quiet, unassuming and, perhaps, unrecognized fashion.

The Regional Bishops each year are asked to nominate from their respective regions a religious and a deacon of similar qualifications to be honored with the Cheverus medal. The Central Ministries of the Archdiocese also make nominations from among religious, deacons and lay persons who serve on Archdiocesan committees or lead important ministries. 

There is no limit to the number of family members and friends who can join the honoree at the Cathedral. The presence of the pastor and a delegation of parishioners is warmly encouraged to help underline the appreciation and gratitude of the parish towards the honoree.

For more information on the Award and for a list of previous award recipients, please visit http://www.bostoncatholic.org/cheverusawards.aspx.  Please also see the most recent edition of The Pilot regarding the awards http://www.thebostonpilot.com/article.asp?ID=13991.

Below is a list of those receiving the Cheverus Award Medal on November 20, 2011:

Mr. Arthur Abbott, Saint Paul Parish, Hamilton/Wenham
Mr.  Paul G. Alconada, Sacred Heart Parish, Weymouth
Mr. Frank Joseph Angiulo, Saint Theresa of Lisieux Parish, Sherborn
Mr. R. Stephen Barrett, Archdiocesan Improved Financial Relationship Committee
Ms. Helen Barrett, RN, Saint Gregory Parish, Dorchester
Sister Marian Batho, CSJ, Pastoral Center
Ms. Roberta Breen, Saint Mary Parish, Billerica
Mrs. Virginia Budak, Saint Thecla Parish, Pembroke
Mr. Paul Carlin, Saint Thomas the Apostle Parish, Peabody
Mrs. Lillian Carr, Saint Thomas Aquinas Parish, Nahant
Ms. Ann Casey, Saint Marguerite d'Youville Parish, Dracut
Mr.  Paul J. Cavanaugh, Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha Parish, Plymouth
Mr. William Celeste, Our Lady of Grace Parish, Chelsea/Everett
Mr. Anthony Cerullo, Saint Florence Parish, Wakefield
Mr. Augustine Chiango, Saint Rose of Lima Parish, Topsfield
Mr. Vincent Concannon, Saint John the Evangelist Parish, Swampscott
Mr. William Conley, Saint Margaret Mary Parish, Westwood
Rev. Mr. Anthony J. Constantino, Central Region - Sacred Heart Parish, East Boston
Mrs. Elizabeth Constantino, Sacred Heart Parish, East Boston
Mrs. Kathleen Darby, Saint James Parish, Haverhill
Mr. Vincent DeBaggis, Saint Mary Parish, Franklin
Brother  John J. DelCasale, OSA, Saint Augustine Parish,  Andover
Mr.  Albert DeLuca, Saint Lucy Parish, Methuen
Mr.  Stephen P. DesRoche, Saint Mary Parish, Quincy
Ms. Joan Dixon, Saint Brigid Parish, South Boston
Ms. Mary-Catharine Donovan, Our Lady of Victories Parish, Boston
Mr. Richard G.  Donovan, Saint Margaret Parish, Burlington
Mr. John Every, Saint Stephen's Church, North End, Boston
Mrs. Joan M. Fawls, Saint Mary of the Hills Parish, Milton
Ms. Angela Federico, Saint Adelaide Parish, Pebody
Mrs. Mary Therese Ferraris, Saint Jude Parish, Norfolk
Mr. George Fischer, Saint Mary Parish, Georgetown
Mr.  Daniel  Fitzpatrick, Saint James Parish, Stoughton
Mrs.  Marilyn Fougere, Saint George Parish, Framingham
Sister Gioviana  Fratelli, PDDM, Central Region
Sister Rose Clarisse Gadoury, S.S.A., West Region
Mr. John  Gaffny, Saint Mary of the Assumption Parish, Lawrence
Mr. George Gambale, Our Lady of the Assumption Parish, East Boston
Ms. Mary Ann Gioregio, Saint Anthony Parish, Revere
Mr.  John F. Golden, Immaculate Conception Parish, Stoughton
Mr. Arthur  Graf, Saint Joseph Parish, Somerville
Mr. James M. Gurley, Saint Brendan Parish, Dorchester
Timothy J. Harney, Saint Peter Parish, Cambridge
Mrs. Frances Hauck, Holy Name Parish, West Roxbury
Ms. Frances X. Hogan, Mass Catholic Conference - Pro Life & Family Life Committee
Rev. Mr. Joseph E. Holderried, West Region - Saint Margaret Mary Parish, Westwood
Sister Maureen Joseph Hunt, CSJ, Saint Patrick Parish, Stoneham
Mrs. Patricia M. Jackson, Saint Bernadette Parish, Randolph
Deacon John F. Jennette, South Region - Saint Joseph Parish Quincy (Senior)
Sister Francis Anita Kearns, SC, South Region
Mrs. Kathleen Kelly, Saint Jerome Parish, Weymouth
Mrs. Ann T. Lawrence, Holy Ghost Parish, Whitman
Ms. Anne Lazzaro, Saint Joseph West End, Boston (resides in Watertown)
Ms. Eileen Lessard, Saint Pius V Parish, Lynn
Ms. Marianne Luthin, Pastoral Center
Mrs. Barbara C. MacKenzie, Saint Bonaventure Parish, Manomet
Mr.  John  Malloy, Saint Peter Parish, Plymouth
Mr.  Thomas J. Maloney, Saint Ann Parish, West Bridgewater
Rev. Mr.  Michael J. Markham, Merrimack Region - Our Lady of Grace Parish, Pepperell
Mr. Kevin Martin, Gate of Heaven Parish, South Boston
Ms. Teresa L. McCallion, Regina Cleri
Mr. Frank McCarthy, Saint Rita Parish, Lowell
Mr. John H. McCarthy, Archdiocesan Finance Council
Ms. Marge McGlone, Saint Eulalia Parish, Winchester
Mr.  Michael A. McGroarty, Saint Joseph Parish, Quincy
Mrs. Denise McKinnon-Biernat, Pastoral Center
Ms. Maureen Megnia, Saint John the Evangelist Church, Cambridge
Mr. James D. Merloni, Saint Cecilia Parish, Ashland
Mrs. Christine Moran, Saint Mary Parish, Chelmsford
Mr. Chester Morrill, Saint Richard Parish, Danvers
Mrs. Patricia Morrill, Saint Richard Parish, Danvers
Mrs. Joanne Murphy Abbott, St. John Seminary
Sister Mary Murphy, SNDdeN, Notre Dame High School, Lawrence
Ms. Linda Newall, Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish, Marblehead
Mrs. Mary Neylon, Saint Margaret Parish, Lowell
Mr. Leo P. O'Brien, Sacred Hearts Parish, Malden
Mr.  Robert S. O'Connor, Saint Mary Parish, Randolph
Ms. Jean M. Perry, Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, Cambridge
Mr.  Joseph L. Poirier, Saint Mary Parish, Plymouth
Mrs. Leona Preble, Holy Redeemer Parish, Merrimac
Ms. Theresa  Raso, Saint Joseph Parish, Boston
Ms. Vincenza Raspa, St. Leonard Church, Boston
Dr. Owen D. Reynolds, M.D., Central Region - Volunteer, Metro Youth Service Center
Mr. John Richardson, Saint Joseph Parish, Medway
Mrs. Agnes Romano, Saint Dorothy Parish, Wilmington
Mr. Paul Sandman, Archdiocesan Finance Council
Mrs. Eileen Simmons, Our Lady of Grace Parish, Pepperell
Ms. Paula Skalinski, Saint Ann Parish, Neponset
Dr. Richard Spagnuolo, Central Region - Volunteer, Metro Youth Service Center
Ms. Mary Rose Sullivan, Saint Barbara Parish, Woburn
Mr. John Swymer, Saint Agnes Parish, Reading
Mr. Benoit Thibault, Saint Augustine Parish, Andover
Mr.  Pellegrino Tulimieri, Saint Albert the Great Parish, Weymouth
Mrs. Joan Vinal, Saint Francis of Assisi Parish, Dracut
Brother Daniel F. Walters, OSB, South Region
Mrs. Carol A. Weese, Saint Francis Xavier Parish, Weymouth
Mr. Hercules Werneck, Brazilian Apostolate