Catholics Can Award presented to Cheryl Heyborne

Friday, Oct. 23, 2015

CEDAR CITY — An “ambassador of love and ministry” who for 20 years has memorized music so that she can play the organ during the Saturday vigil Mass at Christ the King Parish was selected as a recipient for the 2015 Catholics Can Award, presented by the Diocese of Salt Lake City Commission for People with Disabilities.

The commission “recognizes individuals who seek to include everyone, including people with disabilities, in active parish life. We also recognize individuals with disabilities who themselves are strong witnesses to their Catholic faith,” said Cindi Vega, a commission member, as she read the nomination form for Heyborne during the Oct. 18 Mass at which the award was presented.

Other recipients this year were Delfina Cook of St. Rose of Lima Parish, and Monsignor Michael Winterer, a retired diocesan priest.

Heyborne “is truly an ambassador of love and ministry,” Vega said. She described how Heyborne, who is blind, selects the music for the liturgy, has it embossed in Braille and then memorizes it. 

Heyborne also serves as the communications chairperson for her parish’s Women’s Council, and alerts parishioners of pending funeral arrangements in the Catholic community. 

“Cheryl quietly goes about her work, using her many skills to add to the liturgical and daily life of Christ the King Parish,” Vega said. “She shares her talents with grace and cheerfulness. Cheryl certainly is a blessing to this parish and a model of sharing her talents to build up Christ the King Parish.”

Prior to presenting the award, Father Richard Sherman, the parish’s parochial vicar, said Heyborne “has really demonstrated living with a serious affliction. … We are not called to suffer needlessly, but if we endure it like Christ, we add redemptive power to the world.”  

During the reception that followed the Mass, Kathy Fazio, president of the parish’s Women’s Council, gave Heyborne a gift certificate on behalf of the parish’s music ministry and the Women’s Council, “another group that absolutely can’t get along without Cheryl,” Fazio said.

Heyborne also took home a large floral arrangement, a gift from Msgr. Robert Bussen, pastor, on behalf of the parish.

“He appreciates you as much as we do,” Fazio said.

Msgr. Bussen was unable to attend the Mass because he was ministering to the parish’s mission congregations that day.