Archbishop Blair Honors Hardworking Parish Volunteers with St. Joseph Medal

Story by Shelley Wolf

HARTFORD – Archbishop Leonard P. Blair honored 123 worthy parish volunteers from 94 parishes in the archdiocese with the St. Joseph Archdiocesan Medal of Appreciation during a Mass Sunday, Oct. 17 at the Cathedral of St. Joseph.

Archbishop Blair, the main celebrant, bestowed the honor on those volunteers who were nominated within their parish for commendable service, for giving of their time and talent to support their parish community.

Many recipients have served their parish for decades in numerous ways, such as by acting as religious education teachers, lectors or Eucharistic ministers. Some honorees serve the needy or coordinate parish events and fundraisers. Still others promote devotions and prayer.

This year, parishes also nominated individuals who were critical in helping the parish navigate the changes in ministry required through the pandemic.

Another special group receiving the award this year was the Synod 2020 Preparatory Commission, whose members were vital in helping guide the recently concluded synodal process here in the archdiocese. These honorees provided a fitting point of connection at this year’s ceremony, which was also being held in recognition of the opening of the 2021-2023 Worldwide Synod of Bishops.

During the ceremony, Auxiliary Bishop Juan Miguel Betancourt served as the main concelebrant. Deacon Norris Taylor assisted. During the Mass, the archbishop blessed the medals and conferred them on the honorees, as Father Matthew Gworek called each to the sanctuary by name to receive his or her medal.

2021 Recipients

Mr. Ronald A. Abbott, St. Michael Parish, New Haven
Mr. and Mrs. Neil Ambrose, St. Josephine Bakhita Parish, Rocky Hill
Mrs. Rita Bayer, St. Joseph Parish, Bristol
Ms. Carolyn Beaudin, St. Dominic Parish, Southington
Miss Grace Bilodeau, St. Catherine of Siena Parish, West Simsbury
Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Braun, Sacred Heart Parish, Bloomfield
Mr. and Mrs. William Brayne, Our Lady of Mercy Parish, Plainville
Mrs. Danuta Bruzas, St. Stanislaus Parish, Bristol
Mr. and Mrs. Dang Tho Cao, St. Andrew Düng-Lạc Parish, West Hartford
Miss Karen Coviello, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Waterbury
Mr. and Mrs. Steven Cristante, St. Ambrose Parish, North Branford
Mrs. Karen Cusick, Assumption Parish, Woodbridge
Mrs. Lorraine DeNicola, Christ the Bread of Life Parish, Hamden
Mr. and Mrs. Frank DiGennaro, Sacred Heart Parish, Suffield
Mrs. Concetta DiLoreto, St. Augustine Parish, Hartford
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Drozdick, St. Maximillian Kolbe Parish, Thomaston
Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Duff, St. Mary Parish, Simsbury
Mrs. Andrea Duffy, St. John Bosco Parish, Branford
Mr. and Mrs. James Dumais, Annunciation Parish, Newington
Mr. and Mrs. William Effrece, St. Michael Parish, Waterbury
Mr. Albert Ermer, St. Michael Parish, Beacon Falls
Ms. Jennifer Faenza, Christ the King Parish, Wethersfield
Mr. and Mrs. Brian Farrell, Our Lady of Fatima Parish, Yalesville
Mrs. Małgorzata Fekieta, St. Stanislaus Parish, New Haven
Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Felton, Mary, Mother of the Church Parish, Waterbury
Mr. Paul Fortier, Mary, Gate of Heaven Parish, Windsor Locks
Mrs. Kimberly Franklin, Saints Isidore and Maria Parish, Glastonbury
Mr. and Mrs. Raul Garcia, All Saints Parish, Waterbury
Miss Judith Gascoigne, Assumption Parish, Ansonia
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Giacci, Saints Aedan and Brendan Parish, New Haven
Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Grivers, St. Junipero Serra Parish, South Windsor
Mrs. Patricia Guillerault, St. Jeanne Jugan Parish, Enfield
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Hanson, St. Vincent Ferrer Parish, Naugatuck
Mr. Christian Heiden, St. Patrick – St. Anthony Parish, Hartford
Mr. and Mrs. Sean Hevner, St. Marianne Cope Parish, Broad Brook
Ms. Lana Claire Ives, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Hamden
Ms. Mary Ellen Kaczmarek, Blessed Sacrament Parish, Waterbury
Ms. Melita Dawn Kelly, St. John the Evangelist Parish, Watertown
Ms. Karen Kennedy, St. Joseph Parish, Ansonia
Mr. Christopher Kirby, Divine Mercy Parish, Hamden
Ms. Julia Kudewicz, St. Francis of Assisi Parish, New Britain
Mr. and Mrs. John Kuzia, St. Ann Parish, Avon
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Laccone, Holy Rosary Parish, Ansonia
Mrs. Carol Lindsay, St. Elizabeth of the Trinity Parish, North Haven
Mr. Andrew Lombard, St. Damien of Molokai Parish, Windsor
Ms. Ann Luszczak, SS. Cyril & Methodius Parish, Hartford
Mrs. Charlotte Manning, St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish, Manchester
Dr. Thomas Martin, Synod 2020 Preparatory Commission
Mrs. Lisandra Martinez, Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, Hartford
Mr. Dennis McCarthy, St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish, Kent
Mr. Walter McManus, Our Lady of Hope Parish, New Hartford
Dr. and Mrs. Kofi Atta-Mensah, St. Isaac Jogues Ghanaian Catholic Parish, East Hartford
Mr. Paul Miano, St. Paul Parish, Kensington
Mrs. Esther Michalowski, St. Faustina Parish, Meriden
Ms. Elise Minor, St. Patrick Parish, Waterbury
Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Mintel, St. Edmund Campion Parish, East Hartford
Mr. and Mrs. James Mitchell, St. Bridget of Sweden Parish, Cheshire
Ms. Mirian Miyasato, North American Martyrs Parish, East Hartford
Mrs. Beverly Montresor, St. Patrick Parish, Farmington
Mrs. Emily Naylor, Synod 2020 Preparatory Commission
Mrs. Kathleen Nyiry, Our Lady, Queen of the Apostles Parish, Derby
Mrs. Muriel Passariello, Most Holy Trinity Parish, Wallingford
Mrs. Maura Pauli, St. Francis Xavier Parish, New Milford
Mr. and Mrs. Eybar Pérez, St. Anthony Parish, New Haven
Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Perry, Holy Infant Parish, Orange
Mr. Antoni Piotrowicz, St. Therese Parish, Granby
Ms. Susan Ponton, St. Mary Magdalen Parish, Oakville
Mr. Louis Ponzillo, Jr., Our Lady of Loreto Parish, Waterbury
Ms. Claire Potier, St. Justin – St. Michael Parish, Hartford
Mrs. Regina Puzanowski, Sacred Heart Parish, New Britain
Mr. Stephen Rice, St. Francis Xavier Parish, Waterbury
Mrs. Mary-Ellen Rogers, Synod 2020 Preparatory Commission
Mrs. Rosalie Saginario, St. Basil the Great Parish, Wolcott
Mrs. Mary Ann Seiser, St. John Paul the Great Parish, Torrington
Mr. John P. “Jack” Shea, Basilica of the Immaculate Conception Parish, Waterbury
Mrs. Agatha Shepherd, St. Timothy Parish, West Hartford
Mr. and Mrs. James Shortley, St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish, Unionville
Mr. Anthony Sicignano, St. George Parish, Guilford
Ms. Debra Sousa, Synod 2020 Preparatory Commission
Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Stabile, Resurrection Parish, Wallingford
Mr. and Mrs. Philip Taber, St. Francis de Sales Parish, Bristol
Mr. Steven Taborosi, Divine Providence Parish, New Britain
Mr. Gilbert Thompson, St. John Fisher Parish, Marlborough
Mrs. Helene Tomalesky, St. Aloysius Parish, Plantsville
Mr. Michael Tortora, St. Mary Parish, New Haven
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Vendetti, St. Thomas Parish, Southington
Mr. Robert Vets, Jr., Our Lady of Victory Parish, West Haven
Mr. Thomas Wehner, Synod 2020 Preparatory Commission
Ms. Susan White, St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Naugatuck
Mr. Walter Wojciechowski, St. Raymond of Peñafort Parish, Enfield
Mrs. Laurie Wojculewicz, St. Matthew Parish, Forestville
Mr. and Mrs. Gabino Xicohtencatl, St. John XXIII Parish, West Haven
Mr. Donald Younghans, St. Gregory the Great Parish, Bristol
Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Zack, Cathedral of St. Joseph Parish, Hartford