November 27, 2015 - Cardinal to present Cheverus Awards to 128 recipients*

Holy door in the Cathedral to be sealed in preparation for the Year of Mercy

*Source: The Pilot
 
Cardinal Seán P. O'Malley will present 128 Cheverus Award Medals to laypersons, deacons, and religious during a 3 p.m. Vespers service at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Nov. 29. Inaugurated in 2008 at the close the archdiocese's bicentennial year, the annual award ceremony recognizes Catholics for their dedicated service to the Church.
 
Each year, one-third of the parishes of the Archdiocese of Boston are asked to nominate a parishioner for the award. Most recipients are nominated by their pastor and approved by their regional bishop or episcopal vicar and Cardinal O'Malley.
 
A criterion given to pastors suggests that the nominee be a layperson who has served the parish over an extended period of time and has done so in a quiet, unassuming and, perhaps, unrecognized fashion.
 
The regional bishops and episcopal vicars 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 key ministries. Some additional recipients are personally selected by Cardinal O'Malley.
 
During his homily at last year's award ceremony, Cardinal O'Malley noted the importance of the recipients' services to the Church.  He said, "Your goodness and service are a witness to all and an invitation to live the Gospel phrase stamped on the Cheverus medal -- "Diligamus nos invicem" (Let us love one another)."
 
The medal in recognition of Boston's First Bishop, Jean-Louis Lefebvre de Cheverus
 
The medal is named for the city's first bishop, Jean-Louis 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 silver medal bears a likeness of Bishop Cheverus based on the Gilbert Stuart portrait. On the reverse side is Bishop Cheverus' coat of arms.
 
With this year's group of recipients, the total number of individuals and couples who have been named Cheverus medalists stands at 853. There were 116 recipients in 2014, 93 in 2013, 121 in 2012, 97 in 2011, 98 in 2010 and 133 in 2009. There were 68 awardees in 2008.
 
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 encouraged to help underscore the appreciation and gratitude of the parish towards the honoree.
 
Following the event, a reception will be held in the neighboring Cathedral High School gymnasium, and light refreshments will be served.
 
Cardinal Seán will seal a holy door in the Cathedral of the Holy Cross at conclusion of Ceremony in preparation for the Holy Year, the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy 
 
At the conclusion of vespers Cardinal Sean will seal a door at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in preparation for the Holy Year, the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy called for by Pope Francis.  This door will be opened on Sunday, December 13 as a Holy Door of Mercy. 
 
About the Jubilee Year of Mercy and the Holy Door:  Pope Francis has designated a Holy Year of Mercy to be celebrated throughout the world beginning on December 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Unlike other jubilee years which normally take place every twenty five years, this is an extraordinary jubilee which focuses on a theme, mercy. Speaking about the need for this extraordinary jubilee year Pope Francis said, "At times we are called to gaze even more attentively on mercy so that we may become a more effective sign of the Father's action in our lives. For this reason I have proclaimed an Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy as a special time for the church, a time when the witness of believers might grow stronger and more effective."
 
A holy door or porta sancta has been used since the fifteenth century as a ritual expression of conversion during jubilee years. Pilgrims and penitents pass through it as a gesture of leaving the past behind and crossing the threshold from sin to grace, from slavery to freedom, and from darkness to light. But the door only finds meaning when we associate the door with Christ. In the words of Pope Francis, "There is only one way that opens wide the entrance into the life of communion with God: this is Jesus, the one and absolute way to salvation. To him alone can the words of the Psalmist be applied in full truth: 'This is the door of the Lord where the just may enter' (Ps 118:20)."
 
Heeding the Pope's invitation for every Cathedral to have a Holy Door for the jubilee year, the Cathedral's door will be sealed on November 29 in preparation for it to be solemnly opened for pilgrims on Sunday, December 13 at the 11:30 Mass. The door will remain open throughout the coming jubilee year. 
 
Cheverus Award Recipients 2015

Recipient and Parish
1.Mrs. Nancy Ambroise - Christ the King, Brockton
2.Mr. Angelo S. Amico, Sr. - Saint Athanasius, Reading
3.Mr. Estavo Barbosa - Cultural Diversity /St. Patrick, Roxbury
4.Mrs. Gabriella Barbosa - Cultural Diversity/St. Patrick, Roxbury
5.Mrs. Amy Barrett - Saint Mary of the Sacred Heart, Hanover
6.Mr. Joseph Beard - Saint Pius X, Milton
7.Ms. Constance Bielawski  - Our Lady of Czestochowa, South Boston
8.Mr. Dana Boardman - Saint Edith Stein, Brockton
9.Mr. Paul Boback - Saint Thomas More, Braintree
10.Mrs. Laura Boudreau - Most Precious Blood, Dover
11.Sister Paula Bradley - Merrimack Region/D'Youville Life & Wellness Comm., Lowell
12.Mr. Peter Brunelli - Saint Mary, Franklin
13.Mr. Charles David Burt - Congregation of St. Athanasius, Brookline
14.Ms. Marina A. Caesar - Cultural Diversity/St. Matthew, Dorchester Center
15.Mr. Vincent Cammarata - Saint Mary of the Assumption, Revere
16.Mrs. Deborah Casey - Saint Thomas of Villanova, Wilmington
17.Brother Donald Champagne, SDV - South Region
18.Mrs. Doris Champagne - Saint Anthony of Padua, Shirley
19.Ms. Maureen Connell - Corpus Christi-Saint Bernard, Newton
20.Mrs. Joan Connors - Saint Agnes, Arlington
21.Mr. Devin Corbett - Saint Joseph, Malden
22.Deacon Paul D. Coughlin - Archdiocese of Boston
23.Ms. Claire Couillard - Immaculate Conception, Lowell
24.Mrs. Elaine Coyne - Saint Anthony, Cohasset
25.Ms. Kate Crohan - Saint Agnes, Arlington
26.Mrs. Lisa Crowley - Saint Michael, Lowell
27.Brother Thomas J. Cruise, OMI - Merrimack Region - Andre Garin Res., Lowell
28.Mrs. Mia DeMeis - Saint Joseph, Needham
29.Mr. Victor A. DiFranco - Saint Catherine of Genoa, Somerville
30.Mr. Joseph Doherty - Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, Billerica
31.Mrs. Barbara Doherty - Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, Billerica
32.Mrs. Joan Donahue - Saint Elizabeth, Milton
33.Mr. Paul Ducharme - Holy Family, Lowell
34.Mrs. Cathy Duford - Our Lady of Lourdes, Brockton
35.Ms. Milly Esdale - Most Precious Blood, Hyde Park
36.Ms. Mary Ann Fittro - Holy Family, Gloucester
37.Mr. Richard A. Flaherty - Saint John Seminary, Brighton
38.Mrs. Ruth Ford - Incarnation Parish, Melrose
39.Mr. Auguste H.  Fortin - Saint John the Evangelist, Townsend
40.Mrs. Louise Fortin - Saint John the Evangelist, Townsend  
41.Ms. Janet Tambascio Fraher - Saint Columbkille, Brighton
42.Mr. Robert Griffin - Saint Linus, Natick
43.Mr. Luke Griffin - Saint Paul, Wellesley
44.Deacon Patrick Guerrini - Archdiocese of Boston
45.Mr. Paul J. Hagerty - Saint Bridget, Abington
46.Ms. Judith Haglof - Archdiocese of Boston
47.Sister Josephine Harty, OSF - North Region
48.Ms. Joyce Harvey - Cultural Diversity/St. Mary of the Angels, Roxbury
49.Mr. Murray Heald - Saint Mary, Ayer
50.Mrs. Sally Healy - Saint Francis of Assisi, Braintree
51.Ms. Barbara Henault - Saint Basil's Chapel- The Catholic Center, Bridgewater
52.Mr. Vidal Hernandez - Saint Mary, Waltham
53.Deacon Geoffrey W. Higgins - Good Shepherd, Wayland
54.Ms. Maryann Higgins - Saint Luke, Belmont
55.Mrs. Martha Huong Bach Nguyen - Cultural Diversity/Saint Ambrose, Dorchester
56.Mr. Peter Huybers - Saint Mary of the Annunciation, Cambridge
57.Ms. Suzette Jeannot - Saint Francis of Assisi, Medford
58.Mrs. Carmen Jimenez, DRE. - Saint Joseph, Lynn
59.Mr. Patrick Kaba  - Cultural Diversity /Saint John the Evangelist, Winthrop
60.Mrs. Priscilla Keough - Saint Paul, Hingham
61.Mrs. Beverly Kolek - Saint William, Tewksbury
62.Mr. Robert LaFleur - Saint Mary of the Annunciation, Danvers
63.Mr. Richard Landrigan, Esquire - Our Lady of Fatima, Sudbury
64.Mr. Gioan Liem Thanh Nguyen - Cultural Diversity/Saint Rose of Lima, Chelsea
65.Mrs. Rosa Lopez - Saint Patrick, Lawrence
66.Ms. Kathryn LoPilato - Most Holy Redeemer, East Boston
67.Brother Thomas Lydon, CFX - North Region
68.Mr. Robert Lynch - Cultural Diversity/St. Patrick, Roxbury
69.Mrs. Janique Lynch - Cultural Diversity/St. Patrick, Roxbury
70.Ms. Elizabeth Manning - Holy Rosary Parish, Winthrop
71.Deacon Thomas Marchant - North Region
72.Sister Irene Martineau - Immaculate Conception, Lowell
73.Mr. Barry Masho - Saint Clement Shrine, Boston
74.Ms. Irene Mburu - Cultural Diversity/Sacred Heart, Quincy
75.Mr. Kenneth McCarthy - Holy Family, Duxbury
76.Miss Dorothy McDonnell - Sacred Heart, Watertown
77.Mr. James McGovern - Saint Maria Goretti, Lynnfield
78.Ms. Anne McGuire - Saint Timothy, Norwood
79.Ms. Donna McIntyre - Holy Family, Lynn
80.Sister Gwen McMahon, SCN - South Region
81.Ms. Rose M. McMullin - Saint Mark, Dorchester
82.Mr. Kevin Mossman - Saint Joseph the Worker, Hanson
83.Mr. Michael Mukisa - Cultural Diversity/Saint Mary's, Waltham
84.Mr. George O'Brien - Saint Clare, Braintree
85.Mrs. Beatrice O'Hara - Saint Mary, Foxborough
86.Mr. Robert D. O'Keefe* - Saint Anthony Shrine, Boston (Awarded in 2014, accepting in 2015)
87.Deacon Cyril O'Neil - Saint Patrick, Stoneham
88.Mrs. Carolyn O'Neil - Saint Patrick, Stoneham           
89.Mr. Pasquale Passi - Chapel of the Holy Spirit/Juvenile Corrections
90.Ms. Fabiola Perry - Saint John the Evangelist, Wellesley
91.Mr. Raymond Perry - Saint Thomas Aquinas, Bridgewater
92.Mrs. Marie Perry - Saint Thomas Aquinas, Bridgewater    
93.Brother James Peterson, OFM - Central Region
94.Ms. Marie Suze Pierre - Cultural Diversity/Saint Angela Merici,  Mattapan
95.Sister Jeanne Poor, SGM - West Region
96.Mrs. Cynthia J. Quinn - Holy Redeemer, Merrimac/West Newbury
97.Ms. Fausta F. Reyes - Saint Ambrose, Dorchester
98.Mr. Michael Rourke - Saint Patrick, Natick
99.Sister Nieves Salinas, PDDM - Central Region
100.Miss Marie Salter - All Saints, Haverhill
101.Mr. Luis Santiago - Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Boston
102.Mr. John Saunders - Saint Julia, Weston
103.Mr. Paul F. Sharrock - Saint Monica, Methuen
104.Mr. Rosario Shaw - Saint Michael, Avon
105.Mr. Ralph Sherwood - Saint Theresa of Lisieux, North Reading
106.Mrs. Jean Shifflett - St. Monica-St. Augustine, South Boston
107.Mr. Alvin Shiggs - Cultural Diversity/St. Mary of the Angels, Roxbury
108.Ms. Lucy Shum Sin - Saint James the Greater, Boston
109.Mrs. Maria C. Vincent - Saint Anthony, Cambridge
110.Maria L. Sousa - Saint Anthony, Cambridge
111.Mr. James Spinale - Saint Ann, Somerville
112.Mrs. Lucille Spinale - Saint Ann, Somerville
113.Deacon Stanley A. Straub - Central Region
114.Mr. Stephen J. Strug - Our Lady of the Lake, Monponsett
115.Deacon John A. Sullivan - South Region
116.Mr. William Sullivan - Saint Robert Bellarmine, Andover
117.Ms. Rose E. Tacelli - Saint Joseph-Saint Lazarus, East Boston
118.Mr. Felipe Teo - Immaculate Conception, Marlborough
119.Ms. Barbara Thorp - Archdiocese of Boston
120.Mr. David Toole - The Paulist Center, Boston
121.Mrs. Maureen Trainor - Sacred Hearts, Haverhill
122.Sister Ann Susan Villa, SCN - Saint Anne, Readville
123.Mr. William Wallace - Our Lady of Good Counsel, Methuen
124.Mr. Archie Walsh - Resurrection Parish, Hingham
125.Mrs. Elizabeth Walsh - Saint Ann, Peabody
126.Mr. James Walsh - Archdiocese of Boston
127.Ms. Geraldine Welch - Saint Michael, Bedford
128.Mother Olga of the Sacred Heart - Archdiocese of Boston
129.Brother Thomas Zoppo, FSC - Pastoral Center
 
 
About the Archdiocese of Boston: The Diocese of Boston was founded on April 8, 1808 and was elevated to Archdiocese in 1875. Currently serving the needs of 1.8 million Catholics, the Archdiocese of Boston is an ethnically diverse and spiritually enriching faith community consisting of 289 parishes, across 144 communities, educating approximately 42,000 students in its Catholic schools and 156,000 in religious education classes each year, ministering to the needs of 200,000 individuals through its pastoral and social service outreach.   Mass is celebrated in nearly twenty different languages each week. For more information, please visit  www.BostonCatholic.org.