Catholic Parishes, Priests Honored with Selah Awards
January 9, 2020
ROCKFORD—Parishes and priests of the Rockford Diocese were among those honored at the 2019 Biennial Selah Awards presented during a black tie ceremony at Giovanni’s Restaurant here on Dec. 20.
The Selah Awards were created by the Students Seeking Success Auxiliary of Gethsemane Christian Church in Rockford to acknowledge and honor individuals for their public service and philanthropic efforts to support our nation’s posterity.
The theme for this year’s award recipients was historic churches (1837-2010), and founding and long-serving spiritual leaders both present and past.
The awards brought together diverse faith communities in the Rockford area, both Protestant and Catholic.
Angela Carter, organizer of the event said, “Each parish and elder selected for honor has persevered within the Rockford community to extend to our youth citizens a service worthy of a ‘double’ honor meeting the qualifications for receiving this award… and request that they receive this mark in history as a portion of gratitude and thankfulness for the humanitarian aspiration, fortitude, commitment and efficacious service in the realm of civic duty.”
Ten Rockford area Catholic churches received Selah awards: the Cathedral of St. Peter, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Bernadette, St. Edward, St. James, St. Patrick, SS. Peter and Paul, St. Mary Oratory, St. Rita and St. Stanislaus Kostka.
Honored posthumously were Bishop Peter J. Muldoon, first bishop of the Rockford Diocese; Father E.A. Murphy, first pastor of St. Mary; and Father John Hampton, first pastor of St. James.
Honored for 40 years or more of service to God were Father Steven St. Jules, rector of the Cathedral of St. Peter; and Father David Beauvais, who is retired.
Representatives of the respective parishes and representatives of the Diocese of Rockford accepted the awards.