Msgr. Moore to receive 'Christ the Teacher' Award

Intermountain Catholic

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Monsignor Terence Moore

SALT LAKE CITY — The Catholic Schools Office will honor Monsignor Terence Moore, pastor of Saint John the Baptist Parish, with the "Christ the Teacher" Award. The Most Rev. John C. Wester, bishop of Salt Lake City, will celebrate the Mass at Judge Memorial Catholic High School on March 11.

"We cannot begin to count the many ways Msgr. Moore supports our Catholic schools," said Holy Cross Sister Catherine Kamphaus, superintendent of Catholic Schools. "In my 22 years in the Diocese of Salt Lake City, he has served at Catholic Community Services, Saint Thomas Moore Parish and Saint John the Baptist Parish. St. John the Baptist is associated with the three schools at the Skaggs Catholic Center: Juan Diego Catholic High School, St. John the Baptist Middle School and St. John the Baptist Elementary School."

The Christ the Teacher award recognizes outstanding educators and employees, said Sr. Catherine. "We realized there were a lot of people who contribute to our schools, so we included staff and call it Outstanding Employees. The pastors also do so much to support our schools so we wanted to recognize them."

Other pastors to receive the award were the late Msgr. John Sullivan, then at Kearns-Saint Ann School in 2003, and the late Msgr. John Hedderman, then at J.E. Cosgriff Memorial School in 2004. "We started with them because they had done so much to support our schools for more than 50 years," said Sr. Catherine. "All the priests could have been honored in 2003."

Msgr. Robert Servatius from Blessed Sacrament School received the award in 2005, Msgr. Rudolph Daz from St. Olaf School in 2006, and Vicar General Msgr. Terrence Fitzgerald in 2007. "We recognized Msgr. Fitzgerald the year he served as administrator of the diocese; he also served in the schools for many years," said Sr. Catherine.

Msgr. Francis Mannion from Saint Vincent de Paul School received the award in 2008, Msgr. Joseph Mayo from the Madeleine Choir School in 2009 and Msgr. Colin Bircumshaw from Kearns-Saint Ann School in 2010.

"The school’s whose pastor has received the award have always been thrilled their pastor was recognized," said Sr. Catherine. "It’s not so much what they’ve done, but the number of years they’ve served and the value they see in our schools that count."

Saint John the Baptist Elementary is thrilled Msgr. Moore is receiving the 2011 "Christ the Teacher" award, said Principal Nikki Ward. "Msgr. Moore embraces the value of education and the importance of teachers as evidenced by his constant support. Through his weekly homilies at school Masses, Msgr. Moore supports the holistic education espoused by Saint John the Baptist Elementary, and bridges the tenets of Catholicism to society today. From talking about his childhood in Ireland, discussing world events, reiterating the importance of Red Ribbon Week, conferring about various virtues and more, Msgr. Moore is continually teaching. He wields tremendous influence - more than he could imagine - on Saint John the Baptist Elementary’s community."

Jim Markosian, principal of St. John the Baptist Middle School agreed that Msgr. Moore is very supportive of St. John the Baptist Middle School as well as the ministry of the Church and St. John the Baptist Parish. "He is very supportive in all of our religious education pursuits, classes and Masses, and if it’s not him, he facilitates the deacons that work with us as well," Markosian said.

Dr. Galey Colosimo, principal of Juan Diego Catholic High School, said the Diocese of Salt Lake City, which is a mission diocese, has progressed in many ways because of Msgr. Moore’s work. "Every parish under his guidance has flourished because of his commitment to building community. Even when he moved on from leading our Catholic institutions like CCS, he continued to carry the torch for the cause. Those messages he imparts have certainly resonated with our kids − as evidenced by their compassionate outreach to those in need in Uganda, New Orleans, or right here at the Skaggs Catholic Center."