Chicagoland

Hundreds of laypeople honored for service to church

By Chicago Catholic
Thursday, November 9, 2017

Painting of Bishop William Quarter

Every year, the Archdiocese of Chicago grants two kinds of awards to lay men and women for their dedication to the church and its ministries. The Bishop Quarter and Christifideles awards were conferred on Oct. 29 at Holy Name Cathedral. Recipients are:

The Bishop Quarter Award, named for Bishop William Quarter, the first bishop of Chicago, is given each year to a layperson or married couple in each vicariate who demonstrates consistent service to the ministries of the archdiocese’s vicariates. Episcopal vicars nominate recipients.

Vicariate I: Alex Becker, St. Irene Parish, Warrenville. Becker has served as the director of the Priests Retirement and Mutual Aid Association since 1997, after working two years as a vicariate administrative consultant in Vicariate V. Becker has worked with countless priests and their families on their retirement process, as well as on issues relating to their health and social security for those who are still active in ministry. One person said, “He was always there for each person who came to him and always non-judgmental.”  
Becker will retire from the archdiocese this fall.

Vicariate II: Peg Barry, Mary, Seat of Wisdom Parish, Park Ridge. Barry’s ministry has touched the lives of teens and young adults within and beyond the boundaries of Mary, Seat of Wisdom Parish. 
Several years ago, Barry established a teen retreat ministry that has been carried on by others. The teen retreat program crosses the parish boundaries and touches the lives of more than 200 teens and adults.
For many years, Barry spearheaded adult Beloved Retreats as a collaborative effort of Mary, Seat of Wisdom and St. Mary of the Woods parishes. She recruited and formed the retreat teams and retreat participants. The retreats have been successful largely because of Barry’s effort at personal invitation.
“Welcoming Your Child” is the title of an evening program for parents bringing an infant for baptism. Barry trains and offers ongoing formation to couples who work in teams to lead the new parents through a series of dialogues about their relationship, their marriage and their new parenting role. The “Parenting and God Day” is offered every year in November. The participants are couples who have previously participated in “Welcoming Your Child” for their first child and now have growing families.  

Vicariate III: Rosemarie Villalobos, St. Mark Parish. Villalobos is the secretary of St. Mark Parish, but serves in many other ways. She coordinates youth ministry, supporting families by ministering both to teens and parents; helps to coordinate the lectors and eucharistic ministers for the 10:45 a.m. Sunday Mass; has served as a catechist for RCIA adapted for teenagers; has served on various parish planning committees for events and liturgies; and helps coordinate parish fundraisers and events.  Villalobos serves the larger church through her work as a member of the Vicariate III Ministry Commission, and she helped lead successful Spirit Day confirmation retreats in Deanery II-A/B for many years. 

Vicariate IV: Marta Robak, St. Ferdinand Parish. Robak is a true missionary. Her heart was touched by the Holy Spirit in 2006, when she was invited to go on a mission trip. Without asking where or when, she immediately said yes. Her first mission trip was to Kingston, Jamaica. She returned home, spread the word about missions among her family and friends, and organized and packed a container full of food and emergency care items, and shipped it to Jamaica.
For the past nine years, she has been the leader of the Chicago Missionaries of the Poor Support Team and Lay Associates located at St. Ferdinand. The group helps the Missionaries of the Poor with various fundraising projects, including food drives and concerts. Since 2008, the total support for the Missionaries amounted to $607,000. 
Robak, a wife and mother of two children who is studying for a master’s degree and working part-time, has made 28 mission trips in the last 11 years. 

Vicariate V: Theresa Lang, Holy Name Cathedral. 
As director of vicariate operations, Lang competently served the parishes of Vicariate V with compassion and kindness. Her focus on mission and her pastoral sensibility were appreciated across the vicariate, as were her temporal skills and insights.

Vicariate VI: Glenda R. Spearman, St. Thomas the Apostle Church. As a chaplain at the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Glenda coordinates ministry to Catholic patients and families. She supervises the ministers of care, coordinates the visit of Cardinal Cupich to the hospital and is actively involved in the National Association of Catholic Chaplains. Her welcoming presence to patients, their loved ones and staff is often accompanied by a gentle embrace and sign of peace.  She is a woman of deep faith whose ministry incarnates the healing, compassionate, merciful presence of Jesus. In addition to her active ministry at the hospital, Glenda also serves at St. Peter’s in the Loop.

The Christifideles Award is given to Catholic laypeople who have, by participating in parish life, demonstrated the personal and ministerial renewal called for by the papal exhortation “Christifideles Laici,” calling the laity to the “vocation of responsibility for the church’s life springing from the gift and mission of their baptism.” This year’s recipients are listed below. Listings are alphabetical by parish. The churches are in Chicago, unless otherwise noted:

Vicariate I: Therese Hernandez, St. Anastasia, Waukegan; Rick and Rita Weaver, St. Anne, Barrington; Joseph Rada, St. Bede, Ingleside; Severino and Minerva Tan, St. Dismas, Waukegan; William Clark, St. Edna, Arlington Heights; Kyle Tuckey, St. Francis De Sales, Lake Zurich; Faith Konchan, St. Gilbert, Grayslake; Gena Smith, Holy Cross, Deerfield; Kristen Berryhill, Holy Family, Inverness; Mark and Karen Huntenburg, Church of the Holy Spirit, Schaumburg; Joyce Manfre, St. Hubert, Hoffman Estates; Peter and Judy Lippert, St. James, Arlington Heights; Miriam Chan Pacheco, St. James, Highwood; Jerry and Arlene Huinker, St. John the Evangelist, Streamwood; Abel Vargas, Mision San Juan Diego, Arlington Heights; Peggy Adams, St. Mary, Lake Forest; Joseph and Mary Tylka, St. Mary of the Annunciation, Mundelein; Emanuele J. Colasuono, St. Mary of Vernon, Indian Creek; Lillian Kraemer, St. Matthew, Schaumburg; Hal Tobin, St. Patrick, Lake Forest; Brian Gallagher, St. Patrick, Wadsworth; Patricia Frydrychowicz, St. Peter, Antioch; Claudia, Eva, Brenda, Lesly and Natalia Martinez, Prince of Peace, Lake Villa; JoAnn Osmond, St. Raphael the Archangel, Old Mill Creek; James and Charlene Boss, St. Raymond De Penafort, Mount Prospect; Donna Russ, St. Theresa, Palatine; Maria Theisen, St. Thomas Becket, Mount Prospect; Angel and Martha Avelar Vasquez Avelar, Transfiguration, Wauconda; James and  Suzanne Paese, St. Zachary, Des Plaines.

Vicariate II: Kimberly Lord Arndt, St. Andrew; Donald Craig Mitchell, Assumption; Regina Mulhern, St. Benedict; Frank Dawson, St. Bonaventure Oratory; Scott and Rhonda Swanson, St. Clement; Virginia McLaughlin, St. Cornelius; Crisostomo and Natividad Licuanan, St. Edward; Jim and Linda Hehir, St. Edward; Margaret Kinel, St. Eugene; John and Tricia G. Donahue, St. Francis Xavier, Wilmette; Kevin and Pam Horan-Bussey, St. Gertrude; Lenore Thomalla, St. Gregory the Great; Nghi and Mieng Xuan Hoang, St. Henry; Raymund Torralba, St. Hilary; Donna Moy, Holy Name Cathedral; Edward Niewinski, Immaculate Conception, Talcott Avenue; Maureen Wilson, Immaculate Conception and St. Joseph Parish; Alex Gairabetoff, St. Isaac Jogues, Niles; Josephine Layug, St. Ita; Soledad Andrade, St. Ita; Steve and Pam Fitzell, St. Joan of Arc, Evanston; Cyril and Margaret Maher, St. John Brebeuf, Niles; Debra Fairfield, St. Josaphat; Macair Trapp, St. Joseph, Wilmette; Jay Rossmann, St. Martha, Morton Grove; Kathy Colby, St. Martha, Morton Grove; Al and Claire Sanchez, Mary, Seat of Wisdom, Park Ridge; Marcia Mahoney, St. Mary of the Woods; Evelyn Rubino, St. Matthias; Michael Nees, St. Norbert and Our Lady of the Brook, Northbrook; James R. O’Toole, Our Lady of Hope, Rosemont; Daniel Sullivan, Our Lady of Lourdes; Jonabel Espino, Our Lady of Mercy; James and Patricia Dietz, St. Philip the Apostle, Northfield; John K. Conway, Queen of All Saints Basilica; Patrick and Jennifer Johnson Payne, Queen of Angels; Barbara K. Ramberg, Resurrection; Glen and Kathleen Clarke, Sacred Heart, Winnetka; Brian and Kathryn Grace Norton, Sacred Heart, Winnetka; Andrew and Judith Castiglioni, St. Tarcissus; Nancy Haran, St. Thecla; Khamphoui Singvongsa, St. Thomas of Canterbury; Susan F. Rogers, St. Vincent De Paul.

Vicariate III: Diane Velez, St. Aloysius; Maria Lourdes Hernandez, Assumption BVM; Ronald and Fabiola Cabrera, St. Barbara; Jose and Maria Echeverria, St. Francis of Assisi, Kostner Avenue; Joseph Simental, St. Gabriel; Frank Buttitta, St. John Berchmans; Joyce K. Hempen, St. Malachy and Precious Blood; Juan and Rosalba Loza, Santa Maria Addolorata; Carmen Morges, St. Mark; Adrienne Y. Curtis-Davis, St. Martin De Porres; George and Linda Mattes, Old St. Mary; Robert Nolter, St. Mary of Perpetual Help; Salvador Benitez, St. Michael the Archangel, Damen Avenue; Perry and Rose Marie Lau, St. Therese Chinese Catholic Church.

Vicariate IV: James P. and Rose Ridgeway, St. Beatrice, Schiller Park; Julia Doloszycki, St. Bernardine, Forest Park; William and Shelby Boblick, St. Catherine of Siena-St. Lucy, Oak Park; Lynn Loftus, St. Celestine, Elmwood Park; Ray Streit, St. Cletus, La Grange; Rosenda P. Tagamolila, St. Constance; Chuck Carlson, St. Cyprian, River Grove; Ralph Cantal, Divine Savior, Norridge; Charles and Patricia Rende, St. Domitilla, Hillside; Thomas Wheeler, St. Edmund, Oak Park; Medardo N. and Emma Camara, St. Ferdinand; Martin and Celia De La Torre, St. Frances of Rome, Cicero; Linda Evangelista, St. Francis Borgia; Ruben and Abigail Olivares, St. Genevieve; Christopher and Kathleen Ritten, St. Giles, Oak Park; Suzanne Stafford, St. Hugh, Lyons; Pat and Jack DeMars, St. John of the Cross, Western Springs; Peter and Janet Ziegler, St. John Vianney, Northlake; Czeslawa Giedrojċ, St. Ladislaus; Frank Link, St. Leonard, Berwyn; Patrick Thorburn, St. Louise De Marillac, La Grange Park; Michael and Jamie Sullivan, St. Luke, River Forest; Anthony and Donna Rae Siekierski, St. Maria Goretti, Schiller Park; Michael and Maddalena Flight, St. Mary, Riverside; Hentjie Sugay, St. Mary of Celle, Berwyn; Mary Warchol, St. Mary of Czestochowa, Cicero; Nancy Pudil, St. Odilo, Berwyn; Connie Barrett, Our Lady of Charity, Cicero; Yolanda Muehlfelder, Our Lady, Mother of the Church; Mary Beth Frystak, Our Lady of Victory; Pamela Rubeo, St. Pascal; Timothy and Dawn Kapolnek, St. Pius X, Stickney; Denise DuPlantis, St. Priscilla; Trina H. Eifert, St. Robert Bellarmine; Israel Rosales, Sacred Heart, Melrose Park; Miroslaw Malanowski, St. William.

Vicariate V: Jasper Benanti, St. Albert the Great, Burbank; Francis Pendergast, St. Alexander, Palos Heights; Joseph and Carol Ricken, St. Alphonsus, Lemont; Paul Matthews, St. Bernadette, Evergreen Park; Elzbieta Mazur, St. Blase, Argo; Mitchell J. Radycki, George Speck and Halina Szysziak, St. Bruno; Colette Louise Gurin, St. Cajetan; Larry and Clare Bergnach, St. Catherine of Alexandria, Oak Lawn; Nancy Johnson, SS. Cyril and Methodius, Lemont; William Fox, St. Damian, Oak Forest; Larry and Laura Adams Dawson, St. Denis; Kevin and Angela Oliver, St. Elizabeth Seton, Orland Hills; John and Sheila Pacholski, St. Francis of Assisi, Orland Park; Josephine Anderson, St. Gerald, Oak Lawn; Edwin Gazda, St. Jane De Chantal; Jerome Bambera, St. Joseph, Summit; Amando and Theresita Melgar, St. Julie Billiart, Tinley Park; Gerald and Judy Mitchell, St. Louis De Montfort, Oak Lawn; Rose Kessen, St. Michael, Orland Park; Jennifer Hynes, Most Holy Redeemer, Evergreen Park; Leroy and Audrey Schmitz, Our Lady of Loretto, Hometown; Arlene Nabor, Our Lady of the Snows; Margaret Grist, Our Lady of the Woods, Orland Park; Ralph and Georgianna Palac, St. Patricia, Hickory Hills; Tom and Jody Handzik, St. Patrick, Lemont; Mark and Catherine Panarese, Queen of Martyrs, Evergreen Park; Adriana Morales, St. Rita of Cascia; Nicholas Kiepura, Sacred Heart, Palos Hills; Jaime and Minerva Deanching, St. Stephen, Deacon and Martyr, Tinley Park; Monica Wodke, St. Symphorosa.

Vicariate VI:  Emily and John Martello, St. Agnes, Chicago Heights; James Hunter Jr., St. Ambrose; Charles and Bonnie Murach, St. Ann, Lansing; Thomas and Mary Paetsch, St. Anne, Hazel Crest; Suellen Yurkanin Jaros, St. Columba; Carol Jankiewicz, St. Florian; William and Katrina Seifert, St. Irenaeus, Park Forest; William and Trudy Miller, St. John; Emmet Cassidy, St. Joseph, Homewood; Bill and Carole Barker, St. Kieran, Chicago Heights; Lyn Gray, St. Lawrence O’Toole, Matteson; Mario Pedraza, Our Lady of Guadalupe; Dorothy Dosen, Sacred Heart Croatian; John H. Moore, III, St. Thomas the Apostle.

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