On Tuesday, Sept. 24, these 15 men and women will receive the Archbishop’s Vatican II Award for Distinguished Service for outstanding contributions to the Church and society. The annual Vatican II awards were established in 1991 to honor men, women and young adults who exemplify the Catholic Church’s vision set forth in the Second Vatican Council.
Michael Bruch
Vatican II Award for Leadership in Liturgy and Worship
Michael and Marianna Bruch have lived across the street from St. Monica Parish in Whitefish Bay for decades, which makes their involvement in parish life easy — at least, some of the time.
The couple also bought a cottage in Muskego in 1968, where neighbors are apt to see Michael Bruch puttering about in his 1931 Model A Ford pickup. But even when spending time at the cottage, Michael always made sure he was back at St. Monica to help whenever it was needed.
“Many miles were put on autos over summer weekends,” said Bruch, who served the parish as director of music and liturgy ministries for more than 50 years.
Bruch’s musical contributions have been a part of worship at St. Monica for the past 70 years. He began as an organist at the parish in 1954 at the tender age of 12, under the tutelage of the School Sisters of St. Francis. A graduate of St. Monica School, Marquette University High School, Marquette University and Marquette University Law School, Bruch had his own private law practice for 24 years, going on to serve as family court commissioner in the Milwaukee County Circuit Court System until his retirement in 2012.
His tenure as director of music and liturgy ministries at St. Monica saw the building of a transept pipe organ, and the renovation and enlargement of the gallery pipe organ in the parish church. Though he stepped back from the role in 2013, he is still a constant presence at St. Monica, occasionally serving as a musician at weekend Masses and funerals and acting as a parish historian.
Bruch and his wife, Marianna, whom he married in 1965, have five children and nine grandchildren. Marianna served St. Monica as the school librarian for 24 years, and together the couple ran the parish’s intercity meal program for over 35 years.
At the archdiocesan level, Bruch was a member of the Pius X Music Guild, an early member of the Archdiocesan Liturgical Musicians Association (ALMA), co-chair of the Archdiocesan Music Commission and a founding member of the archdiocesan choir. He was also appointed coordinator of the Institute for Ministries in Worship liturgical training program.
“I see this award as being given to all who have served with me and helped me in these ministries,” said Bruch. “I really believe we are all in this together.”
- Colleen Jurkiewicz
Deb Hamm
Vatican II Award for Leadership in the Church
Names of parishes have changed. Boundaries have shifted. Old roles have given way to new job titles.
But in one capacity or another, Deb Hamm has been serving the Catholic community of northern Ozaukee County for 30 years. And whether as a volunteer director of religious education or a parish director, the work has essentially been the same: spread Christ’s word by sharing moments with his people.
Hamm wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I feel very humbled to be able to walk with people during their most vulnerable moments in life,” she said. “There is something really holy about being present for others in their times of need. Something speaks deep in my soul when I am able to celebrate, laugh, commiserate, cry and sit in silence with someone when there are no words that will make things better. God is very present when I see the care people have for one another when the other is experiencing pain, tragedy and loss.”
Hamm grew up in Fredonia in a family of nine children, attending Sunday Mass at St. Rose of Lima Parish in Fredonia. Their Catholic faith was strong, but it was Hamm’s time at Marquette University that really solidified her own personal faith. During that time, she volunteered as a catechist at her home parish and befriended several Jesuit priests who helped grow her faith. After graduating from Marquette in 1990, she worked at the Ozaukee Press in Port Washington for 11 years while achieving a transitional master’s degree in pastoral studies and a master’s in divinity from Saint Francis de Sales Seminary in St. Francis.
In 2001, she became the minister of care at St. Peter of Alcantara and St. Mary in Port Washington, Immaculate Conception in Saukville and St. Mary in Belgium, later adding Holy Rosary in Fredonia to her duties. In 2004, she became the pastoral associate for Holy Rosary, Fredonia; St. Mary, Belgium; and Our Lady of the Lakes, Random Lake. The cluster was one of the first in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee to operate with an in solidum team of two priests for three parishes. In June 2022, Hamm was appointed parish director for Divine Savior in Fredonia and Our Lady of the Lakes in Random Lake.
- Colleen Jurkiewicz
Margaret (Peggy) Hamill
St. Paul VI Award for Leadership in Peace and Justice
In 2015, Peggy Hamill told the Milwaukee Catholic Herald that she saw prayer as essential to the work of a pro-life advocate.
“You really need to put on the armor of God,” she said.
It’s what Hamill has done throughout her 30 years of involvement with Pro-Life Wisconsin, first as an affiliate leader and board member and later as president of the board of directors. It’s what she did when she assumed leadership of the group in 1999, serving as state director until 2015.
But it’s what she did even before all that, growing up in Milwaukee attending St. Robert Parish School, Holy Angels High School and Mount Mary College. She credits her parents Bob and Jane O’Brien for instilling in her a strong Catholic faith.
“They fostered in me a great love for God, our Blessed Mother, our Catholic faith and for the dignity of human life,” said Hamill.
Hamill has been married to her husband, Bob, for 54 years, and the couple have 11 children, including a child lost through miscarriage, and 19 grandchildren. They live in Brookfield and are longtime members of St. Mary’s Visitation Parish in Elm Grove.
Hamill’s 16 years as state director of Pro-Life Wisconsin saw the Wisconsin state budget end funding for Planned Parenthood. A passionate advocate of espousing a pro-life mentality from conception to natural death, Hamill’s tenure with Pro-Life Wisconsin increased education and resources for end-of-life directives and care. In 2005, Pro-Life Wisconsin pioneered the observance of the anniversary of the Griswold v. Connecticut Supreme Court decision, which on June 7, 1965, struck down bans on the sale and use of contraceptives — a day, Hamill said, “that set the stage” for the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.
Hamill, who is visually impaired, credits her family with making her work at Pro-Life Wisconsin possible. “Throughout those years, they graciously drove me all over the state,” she said.
In retirement, Hamill and her husband continue to volunteer with Pro-Life Wisconsin as sidewalk counselors. She also serves on the Milwaukee Archdiocese Council of Catholic Women as the pro-life commission chair.
“My greatest joy in serving others is recognizing the hand of God at work in all the situations he has placed me in throughout my life,” said Hamill. “I am deeply grateful to receive the St. Paul VI award. I hope this recognition will encourage others, regardless of their abilities, to keep proclaiming the St. Paul VI Gospel of Life, Humanae Vitae.”
- Colleen Jurkiewicz
Dr. Mark Joerres
Vatican II Award for Leadership in Education
Collaboration. Inspiration. Evangelization. These are the touchstones of Dr. Mark Joerres’ 40-year career in Catholic education.
“My greatest joy is when someone tells me I had a positive impact on their life, either professionally or personally,” said Dr. Joerres.
Dr. Joerres began teaching in Catholic schools immediately after college graduation, achieving a master’s degree and a doctorate from Marquette in 1989 and 1994, respectively. He served in various schools throughout the archdiocese, highlighting his tenure as principal of St. Matthias Parish School from 1998 until 2008, and his roles as principal and president of St. Thomas More High School from 2008 until 2016. He just finished serving as the principal of St. Mary in Hales Corners, from which he retired this year.
In every stage of his career, Dr. Joerres sought to embrace the role of a servant leader. “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked,’” said Joerres, quoting the Gospel of Luke. “That passage always inspires me to be more and do more.”
A member of St. Mary in Hales Corners and a resident of New Berlin, Dr. Joerres also serves as an extraordinary minister of the Eucharist. Along with his wife of 35 years, Juliann, he assists with the parish’s ministry to move day-old bread to food pantries and serves as a FOCCUS marriage preparation couple.
Dr. Joerres said he is “honored” and “extremely thrilled” to receive the Vatican II Award for Leadership in Education, seeing it as a capstone to his wonderful career.
“As they say, when you love what you do, it shows. I hope everything I said and did over those 40 years illustrated that.”
- Colleen Jurkiewicz
Fr. Christoper Klusman
Leadership in the Priesthood
Following his Mass of Thanksgiving after being ordained to the priesthood in 2011, Fr. Christopher Klusman — one of fewer than 10 Deaf priests in the United States — was approached by a Deaf woman in her 70s.
The lady told him it was the first time she had seen a priest elevate the host; before, as she had been watching the sign-language interpreter, the priest would have moved on by the time she could change her gaze to the altar.
She told Fr. Klusman the experience made the Eucharist more of a connection to God for her. He said he got really emotional learning that.
Because of his status as one of the few Deaf priests serving the United States, Fr. Klusman said he has a rare platform because he is a diocesan priest without borders.
“The most important thing is opening up access to a relationship for the people with God,” Fr. Klusman said. “For a long time, Deaf people couldn’t go to a priest for Confession, or couldn’t see the priest directly (because they were looking at the interpreter).”
In 2003, when Fr. Klusman was 27 years old, he was introduced to a priest in the Diocese of Rockford who had been a teacher for the Deaf and a sign-language interpreter.
A year later, that priest asked Fr. Klusman if he had ever considered becoming a priest.
“I had never thought of it, because I had never really saw a Deaf priest,” Fr. Klusman said. “For me as Deaf person, I had never seen a Deaf priest, so I didn’t think it was a possibility. That’s why my first reaction was, ‘No.’ He said, ‘If God wants to make you a priest, he’ll make it happen.’”
By 2005, Fr. Klusman had entered Saint Francis de Sales Seminary.
“I’m very grateful the people at seminary were very supportive,” Fr. Klusman said. “My path was a path that hadn’t really been walked on before. My apprehension was what am I supposed to do, what is it going to be like next year, what is my future going to look like? I could not see anything in front of me, so it was walking with trust for what God wants for me.”
Since his ordination, Fr. Klusman has served at St. Roman Parish, as chaplain of St. Thomas More High School (his alma mater), and as director of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee’s Deaf Apostolate.
“It’s a dream come true,” Fr. Klusman said of receiving the Vatican II award. “I never expected this. However, God has allowed this to happen. It means a lot to me. The respect of the archbishop and my peers is just beyond words.”
- Larry Hanson
Fr. Tom Knoebel
Pope Benedict XVI Award for Leadership in Scholarship and Academia
Students in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee have had the benefit of Fr. Thomas Knoebel’s instruction in Christology and related subjects for more than 50 years through Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology, Saint Francis de Sales Seminary, the permanent diaconate program and the lay ministerial program.
Fr. Knoebel describes these five decades of service as a gift. “I am humbled to have been able to spend the last 50 years of my priesthood in this noble calling,” he said.
Ordained in 1969, Fr. Knoebel is a native of St. Joseph Parish in Waukesha. He earned a Ph.D. in systematic theology from Fordham University in 1980, and he is a Censor Librorum for the archdiocese since 1988, reviewing theological publications. He has also previously served on the Archbishop’s Committee for Correct Teaching. He has published four books among his academic publications, including the first translation from Latin into English of the teachings of St. Isidore of Seville, Doctor and the last Latin Father of the Church, and a book on the theology of Pope Francis, which he co-edited. From 2009-22 he served on the Editorial Advisory Board of Ancient Christian Writers, Paulist Press.
A member of the Catholic Theological Society of America since 1972, Fr. Knoebel has received various recognitions for his theological acumen. He has written reviews, provided workshops, and spoken at conferences too numerous to list.
In addition to teaching, Fr. Knoebel has served in administration for Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology for more than 25 years, including as academic dean and president-rector, leaving a legacy of the pursuit of knowledge and academic excellence. He is an emeritus member of the board of directors for Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology, a professor emeritus, and currently serves part time as lecturer of pastoral studies, teaching homiletics to the next generation of priests.
Fr. Knoebel is currently authoring a book in Christology focusing on spiritual dimensions.
“I am extremely pleased and honored to receive this award,” said Fr. Knoebel. “I accept it on behalf of all priests who have accepted the challenge of seminary teaching, devoting their priestly ministry to prepare others to serve.”
- Colleen Jurkiewicz
Liz Kuhn
St. John XXIII Award for Spirit of the Council
Prior to her career in pastoral ministry, Liz Kuhn was an engineer for GE Medical Systems. It was a job that brought her into hospitals, and when her interest began to shift from the healthcare equipment to the patients themselves, she realized she might be in the wrong line of work.
“My charism is teaching,” said Kuhn, Assistant Director of Faith Formation at Queen of Apostles Parish in Pewaukee. “Call me a church nerd, but I love new resources and methodologies. One joy is seeing a learner transformed. Transformation happens in the presence of the Holy Spirit. My greatest joy is seeing what surprises the Holy Spirit may bring.”
Born in the Bronx and raised in Long Island, Kuhn moved to Wisconsin after college for work. When she felt that calling to explore a different path, she entered a period of spiritual mentoring and eventually left her engineering career to stay home with her two daughters while pursuing a master of pastoral studies at Saint Francis de Sales Seminary. She would go on to serve as director of religious education at Christ King Parish, pastoral associate and director of faith formation at St. Boniface Parish, and director of faith formation at Queen of Apostles. As she scales back on responsibilities in preparation for retirement, she has transitioned to an assistant director position.
What she loves most about this work, said Kuhn, is “how relationships can begin, form and deepen.”
“I love when my right hand doesn’t know what my left hand is doing — when I am absorbed in the present moment — when my ego is set aside and the Holy Spirit is free to transform people and situations,” she said.
A proud Milwaukee Bucks fan, Kuhn lives in Wauwatosa with Al, her husband of 30 years. They are parishioners of the Congregation of the Great Spirit in Milwaukee. As she looks back on her career, she said she is grateful for the opportunity to serve and for her family’s support of her work.
“I would also like to highlight the many lay ministers throughout the archdiocese who serve faithfully in challenging conditions,” she said. “We need to intentionally develop young people to serve as lay ministers so they can receive this award in the future.”
- Colleen Jurkiewicz
Dcn. Jim Leggett
Vatican II Award for Leadership in the Permanent Diaconate
As a young man growing up in West Milwaukee, Dcn. Jim Leggett was a devout Episcopalian who even considered entering formation for the Episcopalian priesthood.
“As a child, I was inspired by the example of my parents,” he said. “They went to church weekly and were active members of their church community.”
But when his future wife Joan entered the picture, she brought Catholicism with her. Inspired by her love of her faith, Dcn. Leggett converted shortly before their marriage in 1961.
Thus, faith and family are richly intertwined in Dcn. Leggett’s story, and a centerpiece of his diaconal ministry is outreach to those who are not so lucky. Several years ago, he introduced the graveside ministry at St. Alphonsus Parish, which invites parishioners to attend graveside burials for people who do not have family. The ministry now has approximately 25 members who pray at 12 burials each year.
“As Christians, we all have the duty to serve others,” said Dcn. Leggett.
Another way he has done this in his life is through the insurance business he started in 1968 — and though he officially retired more than a decade ago, turning the business over to two of his children, he is still a familiar face in the office on a daily basis.
“We are a close family, and their love and support sustain me,” he said of his four children, 10 grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. Joan passed away in May 2024 after 63 years of marriage.
Dcn. Leggett was ordained to the permanent diaconate in 1983 and in that time has served at St. Alphonsus as well as at St. Sylvester Parish in South Milwaukee, where he was involved in the collaboration of the four South Milwaukee parishes (they eventually formed Divine Mercy Parish). While in South Milwaukee, he developed and oversaw the South Side Meal Program at St. Vincent de Paul. At St. Alphonsus, he also created the prayer shawl ministry and oversees the extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion.
“I am humbled to receive this award,” said Dcn. Leggett. “Everything I have done as a deacon, I have accomplished with the support of my wife and family.”
- Colleen Jurkiewicz
John Marek
Leadership in Administration
John Marek retired after nine years as the Chief Financial Officer for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee in 2016.
Yet, eight years later, Marek still maintains an office at the Mary Mother of the Church Pastoral Center in St. Francis.
As he was getting ready to retire, the trustees of the Faith in Our Future Trust asked him to stay on and work with the trust.
“As the CFO, I had been under contract to provide services, so I was always providing the financial information (and) the campaign update information as it went along,” Marek said.
The beginning of the Faith in Our Future Campaign coincided with Marek starting as CFO at the archdiocese in 2007. The campaign went until 2010 with pledge fulfillment lasting until about 2013.
Now, his duties include administering about 80 grants per year from the trust — most to schools for scholarships — along with financial reporting to the trustees and working with the auditors.
He describes his current state as semi-retirement, as he and wife Kathi have spent time traveling and spending time with their three grandchildren, ranging in age from 3 to 10.
During his tenure as CFO, Marek’s biggest task was dealing with the archdiocese’s bankruptcy proceedings, which lasted from 2011 to 2015.
“During the bankruptcy, one of the things I could do was keep ongoing operations running such that people could do the work of the mission every day,” Marek said. “They could continue to do their work without looking over their shoulder, wondering if their funding or people were going to go away. It gave me some satisfaction the mission of the archdiocese continued.”
When he applied for the position at the archdiocese, the 30-plus-year member of Holy Apostles in New Berlin said he didn’t know if his background of 25 years as a CFO in manufacturing would be a fit.
After thinking and praying on it for a couple of days, he told Kathi, “I don’t know if my background would fit but I feel I have to look into this. I see it as an opportunity; I’m at a point where I’ve accumulated experience and some level of knowledge and skill, and if I could apply that on behalf of the Church, I just feel that would be a wonderful thing.”
Kathi’s buy-in would prove to be important, as during the bankruptcy, Marek was essentially doing two jobs — his day-to-day duties as CFO and the added responsibility the bankruptcy proceedings brought on.
“I spent a tremendous amount of time because it was essentially doing two jobs for much of that five years. My wife was extremely supportive. She basically took on everything around home. She let me just focus here.”
- Larry Hanson
Jennifer Osorio
St. John Paul II Award for Youth and Young Adult Leadership
Growing up as a first-generation Mexican American at St. Patrick Parish in Racine, Jennifer Osorio was always taught that God had a plan.
“When an opportunity would arise in which I wasn’t chosen or selected and I was upset, my mom would emphasize how God had something bigger and greater in store for me,” said Osorio. “Now this is something I always keep in mind no matter what circumstances I go through, and it has allowed me to strive for bigger and greater things, knowing I am capable of achieving them with God’s strength.”
Osorio is currently a student at University of Wisconsin-Parkside, double-majoring in business management and marketing. Throughout her teenage years, Osorio has been active in youth group and choir, serving as a catechist for a year and still filling in for that ministry as needed. Osorio is also a recipient of the Tolton Scholarship, which aids underserved Catholics in urban Archdiocese of Milwaukee parishes in achieving their educational goals. She is also working alongside her pastor, Fr. Juan Manuel Camacho, to expand that scholarship program within her own parish.
“That’s close to my heart because I can relate to other young adults and bond over possible experiences we have all encountered,” said Osorio. “What I love most (about serving others) is making a positive impact. It doesn’t have to be super complex — a simple smile or gesture that brings them a smile to their face. Whether it’s providing helpful information, solving problems or simply offering support, knowing that I can contribute to someone’s day in a meaningful way is incredibly rewarding.”
As she prepares to graduate with her bachelor’s degree this winter, Osorio hopes to make this service a part of her future. She is passionate about expanding knowledge of and access to resources needed by families in need, and she hopes that eventually she will operate her own small business in the community.
“As I enter my adulthood, I hope and plan to maintain a relationship with God through prayer,” she said.
- Colleen Jurkiewicz
Charles and Debra Potter
Pope Francis Award for Missionary Leadership
“I was hungry and you fed me, thirsty and you gave me drink … I tell you, indeed, whenever you did this for one of the last of my people, you did it for me.”
For Charles and Debra Potter, those words of Christ, found in the Gospel of Matthew, 25:35-40, are not mere symbols. They’re marching orders — and the Potters, who have been feeding the hungry in one way or another for close to 45 years — have taken them to heart.
The parents of three children and grandparents of six, the Potters will celebrate their 48th wedding anniversary in January. Until their retirement in 2014, they owned and operated a supermarket, Potter’s Piggly Wiggly, for 34 years. “As community grocers, we felt an obligation to serve those with food insecurities, and worked with numerous Milwaukee area food pantries and meal programs,” said Charles Potter. “That passion continued in our personal lives as well.”
Members of St. John Vianney in Brookfield since 1995, the Potters have been involved in a number of ministries over the years. They have co-chaired the All Saints Meal Program since 2006, including the annual All Saints Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, as well as the All Saints Women’s Shelter before its closing. They volunteered with the St. Vincent de Paul meal program at St. John Vianney and volunteered with the parish festival. They have co-chaired the Ronald McDonald Brunch since 2009 and the Rosalie Manor Baby Shower since 1999. They are both current members of the St. John Vianney Human Concerns Committee.
“We feel blessed to be entrusted with coordinating the wonderful resources provided by the parishioners at St. John Vianney that provide the food for all of the meal programs we have been a part of,” said Debra Potter. “The joy comes from witnessing the generosity of our parish community.”
Being recognized with the Pope Francis Award for Missionary Leadership makes the couple “grateful and humbled at the same time,” said Charles Potter, “knowing there are others who are more deserving of this award than we are.”
- Colleen Jurkiewicz
Sarah Spotts
St. John Paul II Award for Youth and Young Adult Leadership
Sarah Spotts calls it “channeling her inner Mother Teresa.” As a member of the Core Team for the Love Begins Here mission, Spotts has spent the last two summers helping youth from around the Archdiocese of Milwaukee to engage in weeklong service experiences that directly benefit their own communities, serving God’s people in a diverse array of settings.
“Part of my mission is to help the teen missionaries get more comfortable with their faith and to embrace it more,” said Spotts. “I would help them through their struggles, answer their questions and just be there for them.”
This accompaniment is Spotts’ spiritual happy place.
“My favorite thing is serving the Lord and helping people with their relationships with God,” said Spotts. “I also love the conversations I have with people about their faith and about their life.”
Spotts first became involved in Love Begins Here after her freshman year at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. A 2022 graduate of Walden III High School in Racine, she is originally from Florida and converted to Catholicism from the Episcopalian faith along with the rest of her family. She attends St. Lucy Parish in Racine, St. Sebastian Parish in Sturtevant, St. Elizabeth Parish in Kenosha (part of the Downtown Kenosha Catholic Parishes) and St. Patrick Parish in Whitewater, where she is part of the liturgical staff organizing student Masses.
At UW-Whitewater, Spotts is studying journalism and marketing. She hopes her future career will involve writing for Catholic publications or providing social media support for Catholic companies — “maybe even be a news anchor,” she said.
Whatever the future holds, Spotts plans to continue to channel her inner Mother Teresa.
“I hope to one day become a missionary and give back to those people that have changed my faith life forever,” she said. “And I hope to maintain this faith when I enter adulthood by continuing praying every day, going to Mass daily and encouraging other people to live out their faith life.”
- Colleen Jurkiewicz
Fr. Luke Strand
Leadership in the Priesthood
Since entering Saint Francis de Sales Seminary in 2003, Fr. Luke Strand has spent 18 of the past 21 years involved with the majestic, historic campus directly across the street from Lake Michigan — six as a seminarian, four as vocation director for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, six as vice rector of the seminary and vocation director, and the past two as the seminary’s 20th rector.
Ironic considering Fr. Strand didn’t even consider the priesthood until after his sophomore year of college.
“I love this place. I really do,” Fr. Strand said. “I would do anything to ensure that quality priests are being formed for the state of Wisconsin from Saint Francis de Sales Seminary. If you had told me when I was in the seminary, I would end up here … I never even thought about it once. I feel like all of that time God was helping me fall deeper in love with this seminary and the importance of the seminary for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, and the importance of the seminary for the life of the Church in the state of Wisconsin. A lot of my life has been here, but I find every day an opportunity to fall even more in love with what happens here.”
Once Fr. Strand entered the seminary, his two brothers followed shortly thereafter on the path to the priesthood. Fr. Vince Strand, S.J., is a faculty member at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and Fr. Jacob Strand, who is the pastor of St. Frances Cabrini and Immaculate Conception/St. Mary parishes in West Bend.
Since he became vocation director in 2012, Fr. Luke Strand has been part of a team that has seen the seminary flourish, blossoming to 80 men who will be on campus (41 for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee) along with 10 others in Minnesota and Rome.
“It’s humbling to take part in the formation of our future priests, and I find our seminarians today have great zeal and gentleness, just like the patron of our seminary, St. Francis de Sales,” Fr. Luke Strand said. “It’s an honor to serve in this capacity to help form the next generation of priests.”
The past three years, the archdiocese has ordained 20 new priests, including a robust nine in 2024.
“Each year, you’re welcoming them deeper and deeper into the beauty of the priestly life,” Fr. Strand said. “There’s joy when these men get ordained and they’re sent to parishes.”
- Larry Hanson
Goreti Villegas
Leadership in Families
At an early age, Goreti Villegas learned what it meant to live her Catholic faith. A member of St. Mark Parish in Kenosha, she cultivated her faith with her parents, who led formation and support groups at the parish for many years.
Goreti and her husband, Francisco, are instrumental in bringing others to the faith by leading a four-year program for families at St. Mark. She serves as the president of Movimiento Familiar Cristiano Catolico USA (Movement Families Christian Catholic).
“We have been members for about six years and work with the couples and their families to be close to each other hand in hand with God,” she said. “It is important for us to help families get close to God and learn about our religion, by focusing on the couples who are the head of each family, to not give up on their marriages.”
The couple have two daughters, Fabiola and Yamileth, and a son, Uriel, who provide their inspiration for living Christ-like lives. Goreti said they guide their children to love, learn, follow Christ, and appreciate all he has done and will do for them.
“My husband also inspires me, as he loves Christ the same, if not more than I do, and is by my side in this movement to help others to follow Christ’s path,” she explained. “Also, I have been inspired by MCJ (Mi Cristo Joven youth group) that showed us as young adults the love Christ has for us, the beauty of our religion, and united my husband and I to follow him and show others what his love is. Also, my parents, my first catechists at home, introduced me to the Catholic Church, which I have learned to love.”
Each day, Goreti receives inspiration from the Prayer to the Holy Spirit, which also serves as MFCC’s opening prayer.
“We ask the Holy Spirit to give us a taste for what is right and true, to fill our hearts and kindle them with the fire of his love, because that is what we need to guide and fight for our marriage and family every day.”
Goreti is happy that she and her husband have helped families learn the Gospel, that they are not alone in their marriage and families, and that as a community, they can help or learn how to have a happy marriage and family through Christ.
“I cannot accept this award by myself because if it were not for my husband, who also heard Christ calling to us to be part of this beautiful ministry, we would not be here,” she said. “Also, Padre Carlos (Florez), our parish priest, and our community of MFCC who has supported us (MFCC) in everything we do and need.”
- Karen Mahoney
