SALT LAKE CITY — Each year, Catholic parishes throughout Utah elect a Woman of the Year to be honored at the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women awards dinner. The work these women do is varied, but regardless of their particular ministry, they are examples of “endless service to others,” as Catherine Finger of St. Mary Parish in West Haven is described in her nomination form.
This year, 32 women were honored as Women of the Year at the 2018 Diocesan Council of Catholic Women Convention, held April 28-29 at the Sheraton Salt Lake City Hotel. The convention theme was “Be Full of Joy.” The dinner was almost at capacity, with 504 people attending.
In his remarks at the dinner, Bishop Oscar A. Solis commended all of the recipients of the Woman of the Year award, and thanked them because through their lives and faith they have “brought Christ to others,” he said.
Calling them the epitome of the Christian community in every parish throughout the diocese, he said the women have become “an instrument of change and transformation in our world by the way you live your faith – living it filled with joy and gladness.”
The women who were recognized fill many roles in the parish and the diocese. For example, Blanca Madera of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Kearns is involved with several of her parish’s ministries, including the Spanish prayer group, and also is the parish representative to the diocesan Cinco Encuentro program. Similarly, Carol Harley, this year’s Catholic Woman’s League nominee, has served in leadership positions in the League since 2003, and has been a representative to the Women’s State Legislative Council for 15 years.
Not all of those recognized at the awards dinner are in prominent positions. Some, like Ethel Clark of St. Martin de Porres Parish in Taylorsville, work behind the scenes. According to her nomination, for years Clark has been the chairperson for the parish’s funeral lunches, cleans the church once a month, and three times a week gives a parishioner who lives in an assisted living facility a ride to daily Mass.
Many of the award recipients have been active in their parish for a long time. For example, Elaine Kucera of Immaculate Conception Parish in Copperton has been a member for almost 20 years. “Her contributions are far too many to list, but suffice to say, through her giving spirit, friendship and kindness, she has truly made a difference in our parish community and in our hearts,” her nomination reads.
On the other hand, Amy Lyman of San Andres Parish in Payson became Catholic only a few years ago, but “Even before her official baptism, Amy began volunteering for whatever projects were available. … Amy is the first one to volunteer for whatever the parish and San Andres Women’s Group needs,” her nomination form states.
Likewise, when Colleen Gudreau joined the Cathedral of the Madeleine Parish seven years ago, she “immediately became an active member of our faith community,” serving as a lector, extraordinary minister of the Holy Eucharist, a volunteer with the Good Samaritan Program, and tour guide, as well as helping to develop the “Restore the Love” program, according to her nomination.
2018 DCCW Women of the Year
Northern Deanery
Rhonda Phillips, Holy Family Parish
Marie Neri, St. Joseph Parish
Catherine Finger, St. Mary Parish
Monica Rich, St. Rose of Lima Parish
Salt Lake Deanery
Colleen Gudreau, Cathedral of the Madeleine
Carol Harley, Catholic Woman’s League
Mary Marquez, Our Lady of Lourdes Parish (Magna)
Sharon Kerikas, St. Ambrose Parish
Patti O’Connor, St. Ann Parish
Evelyn Montoya, St. Marguerite Parish
Mary Thompson, St. Olaf Parish
Carol Montoya, St. Patrick Parish
Luna Batangan, Sts. Peter and Paul Parish
Eastern Deanery
Joan Lasslo, Notre Dame de Lourdes Parish
Gloria Skerl, St. Anthony of Padua Parish
Gabriela Valadez, St. Helen Parish
Roni Greenhow, St. James the Greater Parish
Wasatch Deanery
Dorothy Soklaski, Blessed Sacrament Parish
Elaine Kucera, Immaculate Conception Parish
Kathy Norton, St. Francis of Assisi Parish
Blanca Madera, St. Francis Xavier Parish
Rachel Holt, St. John the Baptist Parish
Susan Espinoza, St. Joseph the Worker Parish
Ethel Clark, St. Martin de Porres Parish
Martha Pantos, St. Peter Parish
JoAnn Seghini, St. Therese of the Child Jesus Parish
Betty Vaughn, St. Thomas More Parish
Sophe Derrick, St. Vincent de Paul Parish
Amy Lyman, San Andres Parish
Southwestern Deanery
Donna Dischbein, Christ the King Parish
Claudia Canales, St. George Parish
Patty Simmerman, St. Paul Catholic Center
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