Knights of Columbus 2023 Family of the Year

Friday, Jun. 23, 2023

SALT LAKE CITY — Deacon Marcel Soklaski and his family were honored as the 2022-2023 Knights of Columbus Family of the Year during the May 6 Utah Knights of Columbus awards dinner.

Marcel and Dorothy Soklaski and their three sons moved from California to Utah in 1995 and soon became actively involved at Blessed Sacrament Parish in Sandy. Dorothy Soklaski served for three years as a Cub Scout leader before the couple became part of the parish’s Fall Festival committee, where they helped out for several years. Later, they led the parish RCIA program for more than eight years.

In 1999, feeling called to the diaconate, Deacon Marcel began the formation process. Dorothy accompanied him to all the classes and retreats for the next four years. The couple also became lectors and communion ministers and commenced a 12-year ministry of teaching the parish’s baptism preparation classes. On Jan. 24, 2004, Deacon Marcel was ordained a permanent deacon and was assigned to his home parish, where he has served for more than 19 years.

In 2000, Dorothy initiated an idea for an advanced math program for Blessed Sacrament Catholic School. She developed and taught the program that still exists today until 2011. She then served in the Refugee Settlement volunteer program for seven years.  In 2018 she was honored as the parish’s Council of Catholic Women’s Woman of the Year. 

Both the Soklaskis continue to be involved in many ministries at Blessed Sacrament.  

“They have guided their three adult children to be strong in their faith through a strong Catholic upbringing through attendance at Blessed Sacrament, Juan Diego Schools and subsequent secondary education,” the Soklaskis’ nomination for Family of the Year said. “They are a model Catholic family for the Utah Knights and are well deserving of this recognition.”  

Deacon Marcel is a member of the Knights of Columbus Corpus Christi Council 6966.

(Information for this article was taken from the nomination form submitted by Council 6966 and from the Blessed Sacrament Parish website.)