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| Mary Jeanne Kennedy Anderson youth scholarship award winners Marlee Bohnam (second from left) and Madeleine Corcoran (second from right are pictured with Jackson Fonder, Catholic Charities president and CEO, and Fr. Larry Bakke, pastor of St. Clare of Assisi Parish in Monroe and Brodhead. (Photo/Michael Mowbray of Beautiful Portraits by Michael) |
MIDDLETON — For the past five years, teens from the Diocese of Madison have won scholarship awards celebrating their “faith in action.”
For the 2014 winners and the presenters, this year took on a special significance.
On November 13, Catholic Charities (CC) of Madison hosted the 19th annual Faith in Action Celebration at the Madison Marriott West in Middleton.
The event honors those who put their faith in action and provides financial support for Catholic Charities’ many programs.
For the first time, the youth award was named the Mary Jeanne Kennedy Anderson Scholarship Award.
Anderson died last December from ovarian cancer. The award was named after her in honor of her work with Catholic Charities.
“She touched countless lives: the lives of her family, the lives of people in her parish, and the Madison community,” said Fr. Jay Poster, Mary’s cousin and parochial administrator at St. Joseph Parish in Baraboo. “Mary’s heart was filled with love for God, family, and children.”
Two of her daughters, Sarah Caflisch and Kristine Moses, presented the awards to Marlee Bohnam, senior at Baraboo High School and member of St. Joseph Parish in Baraboo, and Madeleine Corcoran, senior at Edgewood High School and member of Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish in Madison.
A ‘record crowd’
The evening began with a welcome to the more than 600 in attendance from emcee Jay Wilson, sports director for WISC-TV in Madison, and Bishop Robert C. Morlino of Madison.
Bishop Morlino acknowledged the “beautiful mission of everyone in this room attached in one way or another to Catholic Charities” and congratulated everyone on “such a good year.”
“Tonight is a night of celebration,” said Wilson. He then introduced priests, Sisters, and deacons present at the dinner as well as past award recipients, members of the Catholic Charities Board, Awards Dinner Committee, and CC staff.
Jackson Fonder, president and CEO of Catholic Charities of Madison, then thanked everyone for coming out on the cold, snowy evening.
“It’s such a humbling experience,” Fonder said, “having this event and hearing about the depth and the breadth of work that’s done in our community. It’s amazing and inspiring.”
Fonder then showed part of a video of Pope Francis that the pontiff recorded for the attendees of the Catholic Charities USA 2014 Annual Gathering earlier this year.
“You set the pace for the Church to be in the world each day. You help others change the course of their own lives. You are the salt, leaven, and light that provide a beacon of hope to those in need,” Pope Francis said in the video.
Leadership awards
Toni Prestigiacomo, event chair, presented four Leadership Awards to Catholics in the community who consistently incorporate Catholic values in their leadership and affect the lives of many others.
Recipients this year with some of their comments (in italics) are:
• Daniel Carey is the recently retired president of Edgewood College in Madison, serving from 2004 to 2014. He has served on numerous boards and councils of independent colleges. He is also a member of the Greater Madison Area Chamber of Commerce Conference and a past member of Jaycees International.
“As I think back and reflect on the very unlikely circumstances that resulted in me being here tonight, it strikes me that nearly all the successes in our lives can be traced back to that stewardship of others . . . I want to encourage you all to make a different in the lives of others. Whether you teach or coach or mentor or financially support others, I stronger encourage you to continue to do so. You can make a difference in the lives of others.”
• Dan and Rita Endres are members of St. John the Baptist Parish in Waunakee. They were both heavily involved on capital campaign committees for a new church building and seminary endowment fund. Together, they also help with the Waunakee Neighborhood Connection outreach program and the Women’s Care Center crisis pregnancy center in Madison.
Dan: “We are very honored to receive this award . . . I see many names and faces of people who could be on this award instead of us. In honor of all of you, thank you all very much and we are honored to accept this award.”
Rita: “This has given us a chance to reflect on our lives and we both agree that we especially need to thank God because he has always been the center of our lives and it is he who should be given credit for our actions.”
• Sr. Kathleen Malone, OP, has been at Edgewood Campus School in Madison since 1980 as a teacher, principal, and president. She is also on the board for Camp We Ha Kee girls camp. She was honored for her “leadership and commitment to Catholic education.”
“I appreciate the recognition. Not so much for myself, although it is nice to be recognized, but more for all the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters who came before me and worked so tirelessly in Catholic schools around the world. I also appreciate the opportunity to bring some attention to Edgewood Campus School and the wonderful community of students and parents that we serve. I am thankful for them and for the excellent faculty and staff who support me.”
• Judy Scheidegger is a member of St. Albert the Great Parish in Sun Prairie and founded the Pregnancy Helpline in Madison, where she is currently the Baby Care Package coordinator. She previously served as fundraiser, speaker’s bureau, Sharing Center coordinator, phone volunteer, and board member.
“I’m truly grateful and humbled to win this recognition . . . As Thanksgiving approaches, I’m reminded of all of the gifts I’ve been given and all of the incredible people who have inspired and encouraged me along the way.”
Scholarship Awards
Catholic Charities established its Youth Faith in Action Awards, now called the Mary Jeanne Kennedy Anderson Scholarship Awards, five years ago to provide a scholarship for deserving high school seniors who put their faith into action through service in their parish, school, home, and community. Students who are nominated write an essay discussing the ways they live out their faith.
The award winners were:
• Marlee Bohnam is a senior at Baraboo High School and member of St. Joseph Parish in Baraboo. She has been involved with Love Begins Here mission trips, Confirmation retreats, and the Salvation Army.
She knows she puts her faith into action by the “countless times my eyes well up and my throat tightens with thanksgiving and praise for all the miraculous things the Lord has put into my life . . . my focus is now and will always be to profess the goodness of God.”
• Madeleine Corcoran is a senior at Edgewood High School and a member of Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish in Madison. She is involved with her parish’s early childhood education and Vacation Bible School, as well as the National Charity League and various mission trips in the Madison and Chicago areas.
“I have heard God’s call for me to put my faith into action through serving my community. I have had the privilege and honor to serve through charitable work, volunteering at my parish, and mission work. . . I believe that my Church community, my school community, and the Madison community are stronger and better places because of the work I have done.”
President’s Awards
Fonder continued the tradition of presenting President’s Awards, which were begun in 2001 to recognize success stories of Catholic Charities clients to “acknowledge the amazing accomplishments of those who receive our services,” said Fonder. “There are so many touching stories of clients overcoming challenges and obstacles.”
The recipients told their stories in video segments, alongside Catholic Charities’ staff who work with them. The honorees included:
• Diane Bristol, wife of Tim, who is an active client at the Catholic Charities Adult Day Center. Tim has Frontal Temporal Dementia and has needed more care from Diane as his condition worsened. As her ability to run errands and have personal time was impacted, they were advised to look into the Adult Day Center in Madison. Now, Tim participates in exercise, crafts, sports, and playing the guitar and bongos. Tim gets the support he needs and Diane is able to work part-time as a nurse as well as spend time with family and friends.
• Diane Schepp, wife of Michael, who had Primary Progressive Aphasia — a rare neurological syndrome. At home, Diane did her best to care for him, but his physical changes, abilities, and emotional self created daily challenges. She learned of the Adult Day Center through Diane Bristol and Michael began to receive care there. Diane Schepp was able to replenish her energy and attend to her daily living. Sadly, Michael’s condition worsened in a few short months and he passed away this August.
• Bruce Carroll, a recovering drug addict, began to change his life at age 28 after being jailed for his fifth DUI. He received a call from Fran Augustine, Hope Haven’s operations director, who asked him if he wanted him to end his drinking. At Hope Haven, he learned how to control his disease of alcoholism and served the remainder of his sentence at the Chris Farley House, receiving three phases of treatment. He is grateful for his new opportunities and believes every new day is a “gift.”
• Kenny Klingele, an active participant at St. Paul’s University Catholic Center in Madison, has cerebral palsy and reactive attachment disorder and was not expected to live past a young age. After being placed in foster care due to behavioral issues, he entered the Catholic Charities Supportive Living Program in 2007. Over the past few years, he was able to start living independently and thrive personally, socially, and in his work. He now works full-time with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and hopes to pursue a career in law.
• James Philippi, diagnosed with a number of disorders, now enjoys a full and active life thanks to Catholic Charities. He had struggled at work and could become verbally and physically aggressive. With the help of his developmental disability counselor, he started turning bad days into good days. James now works full time and is no longer physically aggressive. He calms himself by playing his instruments and is able to talk through what makes him upset.
To learn more about Catholic Charities’ programs and services, or to donate securely online, visit ccmadison.org