“The honor and glory belongs to God alone for all of the contributions of our honorees, but we rejoice in the fact that they have said ‘yes’ to God’s will in their lives ... .”
So said Bishop Thomas John Paprocki in recognizing more than 60 recipients of Our Lady of Good Council Women of Distinction awards who gathered for Mass on June 18 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. “Along with ... Mary’s obedience to God’s will, these honorees encourage all of us to be more open to his working through us, not to draw attention to ourselves, but to give glory to him ...”, continued Bishop Paprocki.
Carolyn Munie, president of the Springfield Diocesan Council of Catholic Women, presented her honorees to Bishop Paprocki that included (by parish):
From the Alton deanery: Jane Dapkus, St. Nicholas, Pocahontas; Ann Frey, Immaculate Conception, Pierron; Ger tie Gebhar t, St. Jerome, Troy; Mary G. Gulash, St. Mary & St. Mark, Madison; Bernadette Guy-Marshall, St. Cecilia, Glen Carbon; Mary Kerkemeyer, Our Lady Queen of Peace, Bethalto; Pamela D. Lauber, Mother of Perpetual Help, Maryville; Frances Luitjohan, St. Gertrude, Grantfork; Mary Noud, St. Boniface, Edwardsville; Gladys Potthast, St. Mary, Edwardsville; Alice Reinecke, Ss. Peter and Paul, Alton; Cynthia Reynolds, St. Elizabeth, Marine; and Delores Studnicki, Holy Angels, Wood River.
From the Decatur deanery: De Ann Cash, St Aloysius, Paris; Diane Gifford, St. Thomas the Apostle, Decatur; Mary Harter, Our Lady of Lourdes, Decatur; Jean Hendrickson, St. John the Baptist, Arcola; Mary E. “Betsy” Herald, Ss. James and Patrick, Decatur; Diane Keller, Holy Family, Decatur; Anna Ruscin, St. Columcille, Sullivan; Jane Smith (posthumously), St. Michael, Hume; Andrea Spillman, Forty Martyrs, Tuscola; and Mary Ann Sullivan, St. Mary, Paris.
From the Effingham deanery: Betty Brandvold, Immaculate Conception, Mattoon; Janice Flach, St. Rose of Lima, Montrose; Elizabeth “Liz” Kremer, St. Francis of Assisi, Teutopolis; Stacia Ross Matson, Our Lady of Lourdes, Oblong; Sandra A. “Sandy” Meinhart, St. Isidore the Farmer, Dieterich; Marilyn Smitley, St. Mary, Marshall; Mary Sur, St. Anthony of Padua, Effingham; Grace Thielemann, St. Charles Borromeo, Charleston; Margaret Trummer, St. Mary of the Assumption, Neoga; Rosemary Vonderheide, St. Mary, Church of the Annunciation, Shumway; Sue Ann Whit lock, Sacred Hear t, Effingham; and Carol Frances Wong, St. Elizabeth, Robinson.
From the Jacksonville deanery: Anna Becker, Holy Ghost, Jerseyville; Barbara E. Collins, St. Francis Xavier, Jerseyville; Telisa Drake, St. Mark, Winchester; Rose Fernandes, Our Saviour, Jacksonville; Janet Kay Jones, St. Mary (Westwoods), Jerseyville; and Doris M. Tepen, St. Mary/ Blessed Trinity, Brussels.
From the Litchfield deanery: Maxine Bomkamp, Ss. Simon and Jude, Gillespie; Phyllis Elbert, St. Michael, Staunton; Linda Hasquin, St. John Paul II, Mt. Olive; Alice Holthaus, St. Louis, Nokomis; Gayla Las, St. Rita, Kincaid; Betty Meyer, St. Joseph, Ramsey: Mary Lou Poor, St. Mary, Taylorville; Anna Mae Rocker, St. Joseph, Benld; Michelle Sweet, St. Agnes, Hillsboro; Debra Themig, Mother of Dolors, Vandalia; Mary VonBehren, Sacred Heart, Virden; and Polly Wand, Holy Family, Litchfield.
From the Quincy deanery: Jan Barnard, St. Anthony, Quincy; Janet Conover, Blessed Sacrament, Quincy; Florence Dietrich, St. Joseph, Quincy; Teresa Frazier, St. Mary, Pittsfield; Martha Koetters, St. Edward the Confessor, Mendon; and Bernice Mowen, St. Brigid, Liberty.
And from the Springfield deanery: Kitty Bedolli, St. Frances Cabrini, Springfield; Maurine Brennan, Little Flower, Springfield; Rita Greenwald, Cathedral, Springfield; Deanna Kettelkamp, St. Joseph, Springfield; Joanna Laabs, Christ the King, Springfield; Jeanette Moore, Resurrection, Illiopolis; and Jane Stetter, St. John Vianey, Sherman.
Msgr. John Ossola, spiritual advisor of the SDCCW, and deanery spiritual advisors concelebrated at Mass. Father Brian Alford was the master of ceremonies. Music was provided by Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception organist and liturgy director Fred Guzasky and Teresa Woodard was the cantor. An honor guard was providede by the Knights of Columbus Assembly #0201.