In an April 13 prayer service and ceremony at St. Ann in Hagerstown, Bishop W. Francis Malooly, western vicar, will recognize the outstanding service of 35 Catholics in the central region of the western vicariate by conferring on them the archdiocesan Medal of Honor. The medal is made of lucite with the coat of arms of the archdiocese on one side and flames of fire that represent the Holy Spirit and the words “love,” “service” and “disciple” on the other.
“It’s always enjoyable to gather together a group of people who take so seriously their responsibility as followers of Christ in their service to others,” said Bishop Malooly. “Not only do they provide great ministry, but they are a wonderful example to the rest of the community.”
The honorees are:
Kathleen and Joe Alexander, Holy Family Catholic Community, Middletown
Mr. and Mrs. Alexander are founding members of Holy Family. They have been involved in the pastoral council, greeter ministry, lector ministry, eucharistic ministry, liturgy committee, marriage sponsor couple, homeless shelter and various hospitality committees. Mr. Alexander was one of the first RCIA candidates at Holy Family and they both became active in that ministry. They also coordinated three years of Renew sessions and assisted with the coordination of the adult education program. They taught religious education at the middle school level and facilitated discussions for the pastoral council.
Mary Ann Breland, St. Joseph-on-Carrollton Manor, Buckeystown
Ms. Breland has been an active member and chair of the outreach committee. In addition to emergency assistance and the community food pantry, the committee programs now include Thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets, Christmas gifts, a winter clothing collection to benefit the Frederick Cold Weather Shelter, gifts for the women and children at the Women’s Shelter, and collections for Frederick Birthright. In addition, when an unusual request comes in, Ms. Breland is often able to solve problems that other resources have turned away.
Rita Byard, St. Joseph, Emmitsburg
Ms. Byard has been an active member of the sodality and helps to serve the bereavement luncheons. Between 1968-88, she completed work that is now accomplished by two secretaries, the budget manager, the house service and cook. After retiring from 20 years as secretary, Ms. Byard began volunteering as a Sunday collection counter. She has also been a member of the women’s auxiliary of the Veterans of Foreign Wars for 25 years.
Nevin Camp, St. Francis of Assisi, Brunswick/St. Mary, Petersville
Mr. Camp has served as usher and an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion. As the owner of a heating and air conditioning company, he has been very generous in assisting the parish complex in this area. He is a former Grand Knight with the Knights of Columbus and one of his many projects as Grand Knight was to renovate the St. Francis rectory kitchen.
Mildred (Millie) Connor, St. Peter the Apostle Church, Libertytown
Ms. Connor is the director of the parish’s thrift shop. She volunteers numerous hours selling items in the thrift shop, sorting and displaying donated items and directing a band of volunteers. The proceeds from the thrift shop are directed toward St. Peter’s outreach to the poor. Ms. Connor also volunteers at the monthly coffee and doughnut Sundays.
George and Helen Deluca, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Thurmont
Mr. and Mrs. Deluca served many years as money counters. At every fundraising event to the present they take and sell tickets. They help at every benefit dinner, at the Labor Day picnic and “cash bashes.” Mrs. Deluca is also a greeter at one of the weekly Masses.
Maria Teresa D’Orazio, St. Joseph-on-Carrollton Manor, Buckeystown
Ms. D’Orazio is an active member of the outreach committee. In addition, she is involved with several healthcare coalitions through the Frederick County Health Department, is a co-founder of the Hispanic Apostolate of Saint John, Frederick, is a volunteer and advocate for Mission of Mercy, is a founding board member of Centro Hispano and serves as an interpreter for the Frederick County Public School System and other health and human service agencies.
James Dowell (posthumously), St. John, Frederick
Mr. Dowell was a member of the Knights of Columbus for more than 40 years. He was a participant in the funeral services ministry and a weekly participant in the eucharistic ministry. Mr. Dowell was also a member of the pastoral council and headed the Knights of Columbus’ sponsorship of a Frederick site of the community SHARE program food co-operative. He volunteered with Frederick Food Bank as well as numerous Frederick community services programs.
Joseph Hackett (posthumously), St. Timothy, Walkersville
Mr. Hackett served on the pastoral council from 1980-2004. From the beginning of the parish, he organized grass cutters from the Knights of Columbus for the rectory and mission church and then the new church. He was a fundraising visitor to many families during the capital campaign, encouraging donations to build the church, retire the debt and build the parish hall. He participated in the RCIA, visited the sick and prayed with the shut-ins. Mr. Hackett was a charter member of the St. Vincent De Paul Society and a lector.
Joseph and Mary Hellane, St. Joseph, Hagerstown
Mr. and Mrs. Hellane are lifelong members of St. Joseph. Mr. Hellane is an usher, money counter and a helper in the setup, celebration and cleaning and breakdown of most parish events. Mrs. Hellane is the chair of the social committee and an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion. She makes white garments for baptisms, and coordinates the craft group, the bazaar and yard sale.
Raymond Klaar, St. Francis Brunswick/St. Mary, Petersville
Mr. Klaar is active in several stewardship activities. He volunteered his skills to improve the parish computer and phone systems. He also volunteered to cut the grass at the St. Francis complex. He is the former business manager and is active in the Knights of Columbus, recently holding the office of Grand Knight.
Leo Komorowski (posthumously), St. Ann, Hagerstown
Mr. Komorowski was a “jack of all trades” at the parish who was involved in many woodworking projects for the church and parish center. He installed plaques for the Monsignor Manalis Center and church. Mr. Komorowski was also an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion and a choir member. An advisor to pastors, he was active in the Knights of Columbus and VFW.
Nancy Marron, St. John, Frederick
Ms. Marron is an active member of the parish nursing team. She assists with monthly blood pressure screenings visits area nursing homes and senior centers to visit residents and distribute Holy Communion. She has also worked with the St. Vincent de Paul Society to assist patients with their medications.
Ms. Marron began a prayer shawl ministry program and provides printed information such as Care Notes, information on blood pressure, diabetes and other health issues.
For approximately 20 years she had been a religious education catechist for pre-school and second grade children in various parishes. She has also been active in music ministry.
Robert and Doris Maze, St. Anthony Shrine, Emmitsburg
Mr. Maze is a lector, corporator, finance committee member, an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, spokesman for the Lenten Appeal and a member of the Knights of Columbus. Mrs. Maze attends daily Mass with her husband and sends birthday cards to parishioners, checks on the sick of the parish, assists in the kitchen and helps the Knights of Columbus with social events.
William McGovern, St. Ann, Hagerstown
Mr. McGovern is a member of the finance and campaign committee and a former chair of the finance committee. He has been active in stewardship and was very instrumental in making the pictorial directory which showcased the more than 40 years of the parish. Most recently he had a major impact on Revitalizing the Living Stones Campaign.
Marilyn Metcalfe, St. Joseph-on-Carrollton Manor, Buckeystown
As a member and co-chair of the outreach committee Ms. Metcalfe has been very involved in developing parish programs to reach out to those less fortunate. In addition to emergency assistance and the community food panty, the committee programs now include Thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets, Christmas gifts, winter clothing collection to benefit the Frederick Cold Weather Shelter , gifts for the women and children at the Women’s Shelter, and collections for Frederick Birthright. Ms. Metcalfe had been a co-chairperson for the committee until a recent stroke.
Roger Milihram, St. James, Boonsboro
Mr. Milihram has been very involved with maintenance issues around the church as well as the construction of the addition to the church in the 1970s. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus and leads a weekly rosary group. He opens the church for prayer on Wednesday mornings.
Ken and Arline Miller, St. Augustine, Williamsport
Mr. Miller has been a volunteer maintenance person for many years before stepping down for health reasons. Mrs. Miller has also been an active member of St. Augustine, serving as the choir director. She, too, has had to resign from this position for health reasons.
Margy Myers, St. Joseph, Emmitsburg
Ms. Myers has been an active member of the sodality who served as president. She has overseen the annual donation from the sodality to the church’s recent repair and renovation fund. She worked as a cook at Mother Seton School, Emmitsburg, and later continued her employment as cook for the Daughters of Charity teachers at Mother Seton School Convent. She also volunteered as a librarians’ assistant at Mother Seton School.
Marie Nowakowski , St. Ann, Hagerstown
Ms. Nowakowski has been the co-chair of the liturgy committee for many years as well as a cantor for more than 10 years. She has been a choir member for more than 20 years. Ms. Nowakowski has also served as a volunteer in the parish office and an advisor to pastors. She is an extraordinary ministry of Holy Communion, a money counter, a member of the prison ministry and an RCIA volunteer.
John and Gloria Przybocki, St. Ignatius Loyola, Ijamsville
Mr. and Mrs. Przybocki have been married for 44 years, and members of St. Ignatius since 1973. Mr. Przybocki has been active in the Knights of Columbus at St. Ignatius as well as statewide. Mrs. Przybocki is the business manager for the parish. The parishioners serve as lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, choir members and cantors.
Paul Rhoads, St. Katharine Drexel, Frederick
Mr. Rhoads volunteers as an usher and collection counter. Prior to his time at St. Katharine he was a longtime usher and collection counter at St. John, Frederick.
Edward and Josephine Sadler – Saint Peter the Apostle Church, Libertytown
Mr. and Mrs. Sadler are extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion and members of pastoral care team that provides Communion to the sick and homebound. They are the foundation of the parish’s Ladies’ Club that provides hospitality and food ministry to grieving families after funerals. Mrs. Sadler has served as the club’s vice president for many years and is now president. Mr. Sadler is a vital member of the club, taking the job as dish washer. As members of the Ladies’ Club, they plan, prepare and serve Lenten dinners for the parish and are responsible for feeding more than 500 people who attend “Christmas in the Country.” They provide the same service in feeding hundreds of people at the annual yard sale and auction.
James Schrader, St. Timothy, Walkersville
Mr. Schrader served as the parish council president as well as vice president, member-at-large, liturgy committee representative and a staff member. He was also a founding member of the Central Maryland Liturgy Network and served many years as its chair. He is currently responsible for the parish adult faith formation workshops, programs, speakers and the RCIA program. Mr. Schrader and his wife, Kathie, are a sponsor couple. Mr. Schrader is also an active catechist in Central Maryland and the archdiocese. He serves the parish as an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, an usher, lector, home-call minister and presides at communion services. He was also one of the first lay corporators.
Thomas Sweeney Sr., St. James, Boonsboro
Mr. Sweeney has been a member of St. James for more than 30 years. He has served on the parish council and the maintenance committee. He was the sacristan for a several years, and until recently, he was a lay corporator. He is an active member of the Knights of Columbus.
Karen White, St. John, Frederick
Ms. White uses her skills as a nurse to assist with monthly blood pressure screenings and ordering medical records cards, blood pressure and other health pamphlets. She also prepares and submits monthly announcements for the bulletin, quarterly reports to the pastor and makes follow-up telephone calls to parishioners with pre-hypertension and hypertension readings advising those who were diagnosed to see their doctors. Her other duties include visiting assisted living homes, nursing homes and shut-ins at private homes, administering Communion, saying the rosary, providing friendship and mental support. She serves as an advocate for parishioners who need community medical services. She assists with the healing Masses and the prayer shawl ministry.
Faye Williams, St. Francis, Brunswick/St. Mary, Petersville
Ms. Williams has been a lifelong parishioner, serving as secretary and office manager for more than four years. She recently became the business/office manager. As a former human resource manager, she has brought many skills with which she has reorganized the entire office systems. She is a member of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas and of the liturgy committee. She is a cantor and a member of our parish choir. Ms. Williams coordinates the music for funerals, Sundays, and other special Liturgical services.
Tony Wolfe, Holy Family Catholic Community, Middletown
Mr. Wolfe is one of the founding members of Holy Family and has been active in various ministries such as building out of the new office space, initial landscaping and upkeep of the church grounds, church auction, eucharistic ministry and various hospitality ministries. He was actively involved with adult education, Habitat for Humanity, the Homeless Shelter and the SHARE food program. He visits sick people in the hospital and nursing homes bringing them Holy Communion, and continues to stay very involved with the homeless people assisting them both financially and with finding shelter. He plays an important role as mentor and prayer partner to teenagers and encouraging young people to grow in their faith.