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September 30, 2025By Tanya Connor
The Catholic Free Press
The importance of service was highlighted at the 2025 Parish Ministry Awards Banquet Friday at the DCU Center in Worcester, as leaders praised parish workers, speakers offered inspiration and awardees celebrated with supporters.
The event honored parish and ministry volunteers chosen by their priests, with whom they were photographed next to Bishop McManus. It was part of the diocese’s celebration of its 75th anniversary and of the Jubilee Year of Hope.
Awards were given to honor 94 volunteers or groups from 27 parishes and the African Catholic Ministry in the diocese.
Bishop McManus said the word gratitude could sum up the night. Speaking of awardees, he noted that the Second Vatican Council brought a new focus to laypeople’s role, a greater awareness of living out the call to witness to the Good News of Jesus. Their ministry is a great example to their parishes, the bishop said.
He recognized the clergy, who he said can’t serve their parishes alone, and mentioned laity’s ministries.
Bishop McManus also thanked diocesan staff, saying many began with ministry in their parishes, and some have dedicated their entire lives to the Church. He mentioned the joy of being God’s instrument – to bring his love to a world desperately needing it.
In the keynote address, Jesuit Father Keith Maczkiewicz, associate vice president for mission and ministry at the College of the Holy Cross, shared a way to do that, with a story from his parish volunteer days. Although tempted to scold the mother of a first Communion candidate for not doing things in order (her son wasn’t baptized), he saw that she had given birth when very young and was trying to raise Jordan with faith. Together they worked it out for Jordan to receive the sacraments of initiation.
College students would likely define the Church as “an out-of-touch institution run by old white men whose favorite word is ‘no,’” Father Maczkiewicz said.
His definition is more like this: A beautiful, albeit imperfect, living reality that Christ left us to be, in order to enfold people in the greatest love story ever told. People like Jordan’s mother taught him the effectiveness of telling that story, in ways that people can experience it, by “getting to yes” in the midst of messiness and sin, especially with those who presume that “our first and final answer will be ‘no.’”
Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Hopedale recognized Stephen Ministers, who perform a special outreach there.
“We take lay people; we train them for 50 hours to be good listeners, like an extension of the pastor,” explained Kenneth Konicki, a leader of Stephen Ministry. They accompany people with struggles like grief and job loss, praying with them and discussing spiritual topics if they want that, he said.
Father Eric K. Asante, pastor of Sacred Heart-St. Catherine of Sweden Parish in Worcester, said he chose to honor Patricia Reardon because she has served the parish for years, working well with each priest, taking calls for food pantry help even at home and coming to the rectory to meet with people in need, despite mobility challenges.
Father James B. Flynn, pastor of St. Matthew Parish in Southborough, said he “got some advice” in choosing awardees. He said Karen Fournier handles parishioners’ Christmas gifts for Pernet Family Health Service in Worcester. Her husband, Richard, a member of the parish finance committee and chairman of the diocesan finance council, brought St. Matthew’s from a poor parish to a successful one.
John Hurley “volunteers for every aspect of the parish,” Father Flynn said. “He will do anything you ask.” His wife, Donna, received the award on behalf of the parish’s other awardee, Barbara Murphy, who Father Flynn said “runs the parish” and saves it thousands of dollars with her bookkeeping.
“I feel like this award is for Joe,” awardee JoAnn Nally, of St. George Parish in Worcester, said, in reference to her late brother, Father Joseph M. Nally. “He was my inspiration.”
Paul Prunier, awardee from St. Anne Parish in Shrewsbury, said he has done ministry wherever he’s been, including Good Shepherd Parish in Linwood and Our Lady of the Angels Parish in Worcester. At St. Anne’s, he continues to serve as a lector and extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, and is also paid sacristan and custodian. Father Adam R. Reid, pastor, said Mr. Prunier is at every Mass.
BettyAnn Harrington, executive assistant at St. Cecilia Parish in Leominster, said she has served there for 45 years, as a volunteer and employee, including helping with fundraising.
Her brother Jerry McDonald, also from St. Cecilia’s, said he’s very proud of her, and people can’t say enough about her. Their brother Vincent said she deserved the award.
“I think it was a complete honor” and a shock, Virginia Lelakis said of receiving an award for past service to her parish, Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Our Lady of Loreto in Worcester.
“This was well-attended,” Patricia Finnegan, a supporter of awardees from St. Peter Parish in Worcester, said of the banquet. “Everybody was having a good time; you could hear them.” Attendees had applauded when their parish photo with the bishop was shown on a large screen, where historical photos of the diocese were also displayed.
Diocese of Worcester Parish Ministry Awards Banquet Honorees September 26, 2025
Divine Mercy, Blackstone
Suzanne Clark
Susan Demers
Philip Dunlavey
Priscilla Laliberte
Sheila Landry
Ann Lesperance
St. Joseph, Charlton
The Knights of Columbus
The Mary Martha Guild
The Stewardship Committee
St. Anne & St. Patrick, Fiskdale
Judy Curboy
Patricia Haggerty
Thomas Haney
John Lynch
St. Francis of Assisi, Fitchburg
The St. Francis Ladies Guild
Our Lady of Hope, Grafton
Ron Dennis
Patti Hart
Ann Kjellberg
Sacred Heart of Jesus, Hopedale
Stephen Ministers
St. Cecilia, Leominster
Jeannine Brideau
Wilfred Gariepy
BettyAnn Harrington
St. Boniface, Lunenburg
The Collection Processing Volunteers
St. Brigid & Our Lady of the Assumption, Millbury
C. Felice & Theodore "Ted" Jakubiak
St. Rose of Lima, Northborough
Marisol Bermudez-Ellis
Julie Brannon
Mary Buchheit
Richard Carlson
Hilary Carlson
Jean Foster
Kenneth Foster
Theresa Foster
Theresa Fugardi
Paul Garber
Lisa Guillingham
Maryann Mackowiak
Linda McGarvey
Susan McGoldrick
Lois Meyer
David Moulton
John Rapa
John & Leona Zawacki
St. Anne, Shrewsbury
Paul Prunier
St. Mary, Shrewsbury
Susan Zybert
St. Matthew, Southborough
Richard & Karen Fournier
John Hurley
Barbara Murphy
St. John Paul II, Southbridge
Colleen Casey
James Keyes
Angela Symock
St. Richard of Chichester, Sterling
Dismas House Ministry
Food Pantry Ministry
Mustard Seed Ministry
St. Louis, Webster
Connie & Alan Jezierski
Carmen Rivera
St. Edward the Confessor, Westminster
Lance & Gail Engelmann
African Catholic Ministry, Worcester
Adjei-Nyame Family
St. Andrew's Dependable Choir
Ghanaian Melodious Choir
Rachel Mensah Essien
Dr. Annamaria and Peter Kiure
Esther Njonge
Nicholas Obeng
Blessed Sacrament, Worcester
Joanne Martin
John & Mary Ellen Stansky
Christ the King, Worcester
Mark Andrews
Elise Jacques
Janet Rauktis
Our Lady of Mount Carmel & Our Lady of Loreto, Worcester
Elaine Beaudry
Louise Faiola
Virginia Lelakis
Santina MacGregor
John Oliver
Maria Sciannameo
Sacred Heart-St. Catherine of Sweden, Worcester
Joan Lorusso
Patricia Reardon
St. George, Worcester
James Moughan
JoAnn Nally
Susan Pacek
St. Joan of Arc, Worcester
Ambassadors of Goodwill
Haydee Estremera
Michael & Kayt O'Rourke
St. John, Worcester
Dolores Vito
St. Joseph & St. Stephen, Worcester
Sandra Lima
Deacon Franklin & Barbara Lizardo
Theresa Turgeon
St. Paul Cathedral, Worcester
Deacon Francisco & Fanny Escobar
Jane Ford
Joan Sanchez de Maracallo
Kenneth Moscozo
Deacon Colin Novick
Leonor Padilla
Mavoureen Robert
Deacon Anthony Xatse
St. Peter, Worcester
Kathy Mulcahy