DCCW honors Women of the Year for 2022

IC photo/Marie Mischel

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The 2022 DCCW Women of the Year are shown with Bishop Oscar A. Solis (center) and Father Ariel Durian, the group's spiritual advisor.

SALT LAKE CITY — Twenty-seven women from parishes throughout the diocese were honored during the 2022 Diocese of Salt Lake City Council of Catholic Women banquet, held April 23.

The banquet was part of the DCCW’s annual convention, which this year was April 23-24 at the Sheraton Salt Lake City Hotel. The total number of people attending the convention was 253, of whom 35 were there for the first time. More than 400 attended the dinner. The keynote address was by Dan Misleh of Catholic Climate Covenant, who spoke on “Integral Human Development: The Key to our Future in a Climate-Threatened World.”

Other speakers were Deacon Mike Bulson, whose topic was “Creating Wholeness in a Broken World – Thomas Merton and Pope Francis in Conversation,” and Gale Kasan, a resident of Seattle, Wash., who shared a story of faith. Elizabeth Canto, a graduate student in the Echo program at the University of Notre Dame’s Institute for Church Life, spoke on the importance of integrating service into one’s life, and Jean Hill, director of the diocese’s Office of Life, Justice and Peace, had “Living Laudato Si in Utah” as her topic.

Prior to the banquet, Bishop Oscar A. Solis celebrated a Mass at the Cathedral of the Madeleine. Concelebrants were Msgr. Colin F. Bircumshaw, vicar general; Msgr. J. Terrence Fitzgerald, vicar general emeritus; Fr. Martin Diaz, the cathedral rector; and Fr. Ariel Durian, the DCCW spiritual advisor and administrator of St. Peter Parish in American Fork.

In his comments at the banquet, Bishop Solis thanked the DCCW members for being “brilliant and active partners in the mission of evangelization of the Catholic Church here in the state of Utah. Your service is the epitome of what it means to be disciples of Christ.”

The bishop encouraged the women to continue their work of advocacy. “You have an important and pivotal role to play, not only in the Church in Utah but in the universal Church, the Catholic Church of the world,” he said.

Each Woman of the Year offers unique contributions to her parish. They teach religious education classes, minister as lectors and Extraordinary Ministers of the Holy Eucharist, work in the parish food banks, and volunteer with organizations in the wider community. For example, Julie Quintana of St. Peter Parish has served as a catechist for 10 years, and is also a lector, a member of the women’s council, “and reaches out to the parish people in little ways when the Lord calls,” her nomination form states. “Julie served as a facilitator for the parish response to the synod process. She stays active in the greater community with the homeless, Sidewalk Advocacy and PLU-Women [Pro-Life Utah].”

They also are role models of spirituality. For example, Pamela Martin Cuch of St. Helen Parish “is currently guiding her grandchildren through their own spiritual journey by attending CCD classes, ensuring the children go to Mass on a regular basis and by participating in traditional ceremonies” as members of the Northern Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah Tribe. 

In much the same manner, Amada Hernandez Padilla of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish gathers her children, spouses and grandchildren in her home every Monday to recite the rosary.

In addition to what the women do, they also are honored for their approach; as the nomination for Juanita Topham of St. Rose of Lima Parish stated: “We could recite a long list of her accomplishments but what makes Juanita special is not so much what she does but how she does it. She has the heart of a servant – she seeks ways to demonstrate her love of Christ by being present with those in her life. We would describe her as warm, freshly baked bread. It is with joy that she feeds those in her life.”

Similarly, Cecile Wanner of St. Olaf Parish, who helped provide lunch to the students and the parish school, helps coordinate funeral receptions at the parish and visits the homebound, among her other ministries, “is always the first to volunteer with friendliness and warmth of heart; she has lived her faith with a spirit of love, care and giving,” her nomination form states.

One unique recognition this year went to Nell Hanlon of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Magna, who was selected posthumously. Hanlon, a longtime member of the parish, had just accepted the role as chairperson of the parish’s Diocesan Development Drive committee when she passed away in September 2021. Her nomination form noted that she worked at the parish’s annual spaghetti dinner, Unity Festival and golf tournament, “and supporting any fundraising event our parish hosted. She was a member of the Council of Catholic Women, eucharistic minister for the homebound, and taught first-year Confirmation classes. In addition, she assisted in counting money, helped serve for funeral luncheons and was active in supporting the youth group. … Nell was generous with her time and talents and was always willing to lend a helping hand with a beautiful smile. She lived her faith and loved her parish as well as her parish family.”  

The DCCW 2022 Women of the Year 

(listed by deanery)

Maria Velasco, Christ the King Parish

Brigitte Ames, St. George Parish

Terry Manzanares, Notre Dame de Lourdes Parish

Carrie Bonacci Robertson, St. Anthony de Padua Parish

Pamela Martin Cuch, St. Helen Parish

Maria Elena Pena, St. James the Greater

Pat Meier, Holy Family Parish

Jennifer Streker, St Mary Parish

Juanita Topham, St. Rose of Lima Parish

Brenda Gonzales, Cathedral of the Madeleine

Diane Dowd, Catholic Woman’s League

Nell Hanlon, Our Lady of Lourdes, Magna

Bonnie Quigley, St. Ambrose Parish

Pat Smith, St. Ann Parish

Rosario Tovar Horta, St. Marguerite Parish 

Cecile Wanner, St. Olaf Parish

Loren Manu-Tonga, St. Patrick Parish

Mindi Allen, St. Vincent de Paul Parish

Bonnie Williamson, Blessed Sacrament Parish

Gina Bowen, St. Francis of Assisi Parish

Martha Happ, St. John the Baptist Parish

Patricia Fontaine, St. Joseph the Worker Parish

Robin Marvive, St. Martin de Porres Parish

Julie Quintana, St. Peter Parish

Amada Hernandez Padilla, Sts. Peter and Paul Parish

Maria Meza, St. Therese of the Child Jesus Parish

Wanda Lesher, St. Thomas More Parish

Bobbie Hunt, DCCW (in memoriam)