Nominations sought for disabilities awards

Friday, Jul. 24, 2015

The Diocese of Salt Lake City Commission for People with Disabilities is seeking nominations for the Catholics Can Award and the Catholics Do Award.  The Catholics Can Award is for individuals, parishes or organizations who ensure all are made welcome. The Catholics Do Award recognizes those who serve their faith, regardless of/along with their disability or challenges. 

Examples of actions that reflect the purpose of the Catholics Can Award include promoting the full participation of people with disabilities in Catholic parish life; promoting access for people with disabilities within parish life, such as increasing physical accessibility to parish space or the inclusion of children or adults with disabilities in religious education; facilitating the development, articulation, implementation and stewardship that is shared and supported by the parish community; advocating, nurturing and sustaining a parish culture of one Body in Christ; and responding to and influencing the political social, economic, legal and/or cultural communities that promote participation of people with disabilities in the parish, diocese and community.

The recipient, either individual or group, must be an active Catholic. The nomination should include a letter describing the recipient and the reason for the nomination, as well as three other letters of support. These nominations must be submitted to the Commission for People with Disabilities by Aug. 15.

The awards will be presented during the 2015 Catholics Can/Catholics Do Mass, Sunday, Oct. 4, at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady Of Perpetual Help Church, 5415 South 4360 West, Kearns. Msgr. Colin F. Bircumshaw, diocesan administrator, will preside, along with other priests. 

For information, contact Dolores Lopez, the Diocesan Commission for People with Disabilities at 801-328-8641 ext. 333 or dolores.lopez@dioslc.org.