Humanitarian Awards Dinner spotlights CCS

Intermountain Catholic

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After accepting the Humanitarian Award, the Sisters of Saint Benedict sing ?May the blessing of the Lord be upon you; we bless you in the name of the Lord.?

SALT LAKE CITY — Those who reach out to the neediest members of the community were honored Nov. 10 at the annual Catholic Community Services Humanitarian Awards Dinner.

Jon and Karen Huntsman were honored as Humanitarians of the Year; the Sisters of Saint Benedict and the Sisters of the Holy Cross were honored as Humanitarians; The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Welfare Services was honored as a Community Partner; and Katherine Mahoney was named an Unsung Hero.

"To all of you, to our dear friends who have collaborated with us so well, I just want to say how grateful we are," said the Most Rev. John C. Wester, Bishop of Salt Lake City. To the honorees, he said, "You have done a great service to us. You’ve inspired us, you’ve encouraged us, you’ve given us a great example, and you’ve enriched us by your generosity."

Regarding the Huntsmans, Bishop Wester said in the video presentation that preceded the award that he was pleased that CCS was honoring them. "These two individuals are certainly huge humanitarians in our community and beyond," he said. "They do so many things behind the scenes. They help people in ways that none of us will never know."

Karen Huntsman, accompanied by her youngest son Mark, accepted the award on behalf of herself and her husband. "Our family has been so warmed and so appreciative for the opportunity we have had to work with Catholic Community Services over the years," she said. "They have touched our lives as we have been able to help them in some small way."

The Sisters of the Holy Cross were present throughout Utah 70 years before CCS was established, providing health care and other assistance to those in need, said Monsignor J. Terrence Fitzgerald, vicar general emeritus of the Diocese of Salt Lake City, in the video presentation that preceded the award presentation. "CCS is blessed to have the collaboration of Holy Cross Ministries throughout the greater Salt Lake area. No other group has been as consistently significant in the care for those who are the clients of CCS," he said.

In her acceptance remarks, Holy Cross Sister Suzanne Brennan, president and executive director of Holy Cross Ministries, said the sisters desire to do the best they can with their God-given gifts, resources and courage, to be in solidarity with the poor, immigrants, refugees, those in despair, those in the shadows, and those who are forgotten but just need a helping hand. "Let us continue to support each other in community partnerships and prayer and continue to do the best each one of us can do," she said.

"The Sisters of Saint Benedict came to Utah to establish St. Benedict’s Hospital [in Ogden] and within that hospital they became angels of compassion and charity for northern Utah," Msgr. Fitzgerald said, adding that the sisters provide CCS tremendous support.

The hospital was sold in the 1990s, but the Benedictine sisters continue to serve as volunteers there.

"Today at Ogden Regional Medical Center we still see the sisters and their legacy as part of the foundation and fabric that holds this hospital together," said CEO Mark Adams, in the video presentation.

In her remarks, Sister Danile Knight, spokeswoman for the Sisters of St. Benedict, said their foundation serves more than 8,000 women and children each year. "There are six sisters here tonight, but we would, however, be remiss if we did not remember the 134 sisters of St. Benedict who came to Utah over the past 65 years to minister to the people of Ogden," Sr. Danile said. "I have often said to the sisters who are here tonight that we are standing on the shoulders of some very great women who came before us. On behalf of the 140 Sisters of St. Benedict, past and present, we accept with gratitude and humility this award."

As a partner with CCS, LDS Welfare Services donates basic necessities and funding to the Refugee Resettlement and Basic Needs programs.

"Truly, the Welfare Services of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints deserves this award, and I’m so proud and honored to be able to give it to them this year," Bishop Wester said in the video presentation.

Welfare Services is celebrating its 75th year this year, "and for many of those years we have been honored to have the opportunity of partnering with this marvelous organization," said Bishop H. David Burton, presiding bishop of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as he accepted the award. "We’re proud to partner in so many different endeavors with Catholic Community Services. It’s a great organization. No one does what they do better than Catholic Community Services. Your great performance is because you really, really care."

Katherine Mahoney leads the Refugee Resettlement Ministry at Saint John the Baptist Parish in Draper, which mentors refugees who are new to the United States. In accepting the Unsung Hero award, she thanked the parish’s ministry group for everything that they do, and for "taking your children with you and teaching them about unconditional love, acceptance, showing them that we are all children of God."