ROCKFORD—At the end of October, Father David Beauvais was honored with a t-shirt proclaiming his signature admonishion: Be Kind to One Another.
He even screen-printed the first of 200 of the t-shirts given away at the Red Ribbon Fair held at Boylan Central Catholic High School in Rockford on Oct. 8.
Barely two months later, on Dec. 1, the retired priest of the Rockford Diocese, received a Steuben crystal eagle honoring him as an Excalibur Award winner.
“I have been overwhelmed by the support and affirmation by the community,” Father Beauvais said this week. “So many people have sent messages of congratulations and kind words. I just like to do my ministry and service and am grateful that I have the good health and strength to be of service.”
Father Beauvais, who is 80, was ordained June 2, 1962, by Bishop Loras T. Lane at St. Bernadette Parish in Rockford. In addition to his work at parishes in nearly every corner of the diocese, he also served the diocese as director of Catholic Charities, of Catholic Relief Services, of the Campaign for Human Development, as vicar of social ministries and of finance, and as chaplain for St. Anne Nursing Center (now Presence St. Anne Center) in Rockford.
“I have always been encouraged by so many people to be involved in the community and I have learned a great deal from so many mentors along the way,” Father Beauvais added. “I am grateful to God and my family for all the help provided along the journey.”
He retired in 2006, but continues as a staff counselor for Social Services in Rockford and fills in at Masses for ill or vacationing priests.
Presented since 1971 by the Rockford Register Star, the Excalibur award honors “an individual whose outstanding service has made the Rock River Valley a better place to live, work and raise families,” the paper reported Dec. 2.
Before he received the award, for which he has previously been nominated, he was rumored to have been quietly discouraging friends from nominated him again.
“I’ve been going to these for 21 years and this is the first time the standing ovation started before the winner’s name (was announced),” said Wally Haas, editor of the Rockford Register Star editor page and of the Freeport Journal Standard.