Holy Spirit parishioner receives 2024 Catholics Can Award, recognizing people with disabilities

IC photo/Marie Mischel

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Bishop Oscar A. Solis congratulates Kelly McCarthy on receiving the 2024 Catholics Can Award, presented by the diocesan Commission for People with Disabilities. Also shown from left is Cindi Vega, a member of the commission who read McCarthy’s nomination; Father John Evans, vicar general; and Fr. Jose Rausseo, pastor of St. Therese of the Child Jesus Parish, where the award was presented on Oct. 6.

MIDVALE — Kelly McCarthy, a member of Holy Spirit Mission in Duchesne, was presented with the 2024 Catholics Can Award during an Oct. 6 Mass at Saint Therese of the Child Jesus Catholic Church.

The award recognizes individuals and organizations that “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,” according to the information read at the Mass.

Bishop Oscar A. Solis presided at the Mass; concelebrants were Father John Evans, vicar general; and Father Jose Rausseo, the parish pastor. Deacon Gerardo Marrufo assisted; Deacon Lynn Johnson was master of ceremonies. David de Leon, a St. Therese parishioner who received the Catholics Can Award in 2017, was one of the lectors.  

Among those attending the Mass were members of the diocesan Commission for People with Disabilities. Carol Ruddell, a commission member, provided American Sign Language interpretation.

In his homily, the bishop said the annual Catholics Can Mass was “a beautiful way” to recognize the gifts that people with disabilities bring to the Church and the mission of evangelization. “I hope that you realize what a blessing [it is] that, despite all the challenges in their lives, they continue to contribute in proclaiming the Gospel and sharing their gifts in building our Church community in whatever parish they belong.”

Over the years at Holy Spirit Mission, McCarthy has been an altar server, lector and greeter as well as a landscape and maintenance man; he also represents the mission on the St. Helen’s Parish Council, according to his nomination, which was read by Cindi Vega, past president of the People with Disabilities Commission. “His disabilities haven’t stopped him from serving the mission. Broken bones, a heart defect, a stroke and a most recent bout with cancer may have presented health challenges, but they have not dimmed his dedication to his faith or the Church. … Kelly is a very hard-working man, taking great pride in everything he does for the Church. He’s the first to arrive on Sunday and the last to leave. He makes sure everything is ready for Mass, including checking the air conditioning or heat, putting the reading and music numbers on the board and then welcoming everyone as they arrive.”

McCarthy “is an example to all of us that a disability doesn’t stop anyone from growing in their own faith and, serving in ministry to others,” the nomination added.

St. Olaf Parish in Bountiful also received the 2024 Catholics Can Award for its recent ADA renovations; it will be presented during the Oct. 20 11:30 a.m. Mass at the church.