Parish religious educators honored
Almost 100 catechists and directors of religious education programs in the Archdiocese of San Francisco were honored at the annual St. Pius X Awards at St. Anne of the Sunset Church, May 6. San Francisco Auxiliary Bishop William J. Justice presided at the rites that included a prayer service and presentation of honors.
“What great catechists and parish catechetical leaders we have in the Archdiocese,” said Social Service Sister Celeste Arbuckle, director of the Office of Religious Education and Youth Ministry.
Speaking of the many dedicated people involved in religious education, she said, “They really share their faith and the faith of our Church with those they teach. It is a vocation. Our faith is so precious and each of these people make by their teaching a sacred place for Jesus to be present. With over 24,000 children and youth in our programs and countless more adult faith formation programs we are so thankful for those who serve.”
She added, “We are especially proud of all who will receive years of service recognition tonight with Bishop Justice.”
Among those honored is Kathy Jones, Director of Religious Education at Our Lady of Angels Parish in Burlingame. Jones has served as DRE at OLA for 19 years but her introduction to Religious Education started in high school when by a string of coincidences she became first grade catechist at South San Francisco’s Mater Dolorosa Parish.“The rest is history,” Jones said. “I love God and teaching so it was a given.”
Role models include her mom. “My mom was very involved in Church and very religious so she was my biggest influence. I have tried to keep faith and prayerfulness as a priority in my life and home.”
“The best moment as a DRE is the look on the beautiful faces as the first communicants receive Jesus for the first time as well as the many other wonderful experiences of the ministry and the people I work with including fabulous parents,” Jones said.
More than 350 “wonderful students” take part in the OLA religious education program and more than 35 volunteer teachers and aides serve in the classrooms, Jones noted. The staff is an exemplary group, Jones said. “Their qualities include love of God, generosity, kindness, patience, interest in learning, humor and their individual gifts and personalities.”
“Teaching religious education is extremely fulfilling and I believe one’s own faith increases as one teaches,” Jones said. “I know mine has. God has given us so much- it is a wonderful way to give something back to God.”
“Kathy has done a fabulous job for almost 20 years at OLA,” said Capuchin Father Michael Mahoney, pastor of the Burlingame parish. “Now she is at her best showing strength, courage and faith. She is a true model of the valiant woman spoken of in the scriptures.”
Ann Coughenour of Our Lady of Loretto Parish in Novato has served as a catechist for 30 years. “My Catholic upbringing and education are what inspired me to teach religious education,” Coughenour told Catholic San Francisco. “I will teach as long as the parish needs me.”
“You might call it bribery but it works,” Coughenour says about the prize she gives to the student who answers the most questions about the teaching of the day during the quiz that follows each class. “It reinforces the material taught,” she said.
Students still say hello, Coughenour said. “The best thing about my years of teaching Religious Education is the number of young adults who come up to me saying, ‘Remember me? I really enjoyed your class.’ I consider teaching Religious Education important because I am helping pass on the faith that was given to me.”
Dominican Sister Rosario Tuvida of Holy Angels Parish in Colma has been teaching religious education for 35 years.
“Children are very special to Jesus,” Sister Rosario said. “Scripture tell us so. Jesus admonished his apostles: ‘Let the little children come to me, do not stop them, for it is to such as these that the Kingdom of God belongs.’”
Sister Rosario says she likes teaching the elementary grades. “I learn from their innocence and listening to their simple wisdom. I take Scripture to heart with the excitement of my faith and let that excitement shine forth in every session I lead. It is a pleasure to share my faith experience and put faith into action every day.”
Sister Rosario said she “dreamed of being a catechist” as far back as childhood. Her family prayed the rosary daily. A favorite part of her teaching is showing children how “God calls us to be part of a Christian community.”
Sister Rosario’s roots in religious education were planted by the Dominican Sisters in the Philippines as well as “fine Religious Education teachers and musicians.”
“I also thank my Sisters of the Dominican Family and my superiors who continually support and encourage me to share my gifts and talents in teaching.”
A catechist can be one of the guides children look for, Sister Rosario said. “As catechists say ‘Faith is not taught but caught,’” she said. “Reflect on whose faith your own spiritual life is modeled for.”
Kathryn Parish-Reese of San Francisco’s Church of the Epiphany Parish has been teaching religious education for 35 years. Parish-Reese says she became a catechist as part of giving back to her community. “You give back to the Church because they have been there for you during the unexpected crises of life.”
The former banker’s catechist preparation began during the 1960s at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Daly City where her children attended school. “I needed to show my children that I was still part of the Church community,” Parish-Reese said, noting that as a mother working outside the home, she was an anomaly of the era. She started as an assistant for Saturday classes and has not stopped since except for a few brief periods.
Parish-Reese said her mom and stepfather made sure that she and her four siblings “attended Religious Education classes at St. Dominic in San Francisco and a two-week Catholic summer camp.”
Among the best things of her 35 years as a catechist is that she has enjoyed every one of them, she said. “I have taught children from many ethnic backgrounds and have learned how different we are culturally but believe in the same faith,” Parish-Reese said. “Every child, every person is precious in the eyes of God, we are all created in his image.”
In other acknowledgements, Joe Hanna and Mary Ann Finch were each recognized with a Director’s Award for their Religious Education work in the Tenderloin District and with Special Needs youth.
2010 PIUS X AWARD RECIPIENTS
Thirty-years + Awards
Ann Coughenour, Our Lady of Loretto
Kathryn Parish-Reese, 35, Church of the Epiphany
Karen Leach, St. Stephen
Mary Louise Castillo, Louise Tuite, Church of the Nativity
Sister Rosario Tuvida, OP, 35, Holy Angels
Twenty-years + Awards
Teresa Olson, Cecilia Wycroff , 21, Our Lady of Loretto
Beverly Pierson, St. Anthony of Padua, Novato
Carlos Corea, Church of the Epiphany
Brigid Duffy, Maria Brillantes, Martin Brillantes, St. Anne of the Sunset
Laura Nordman, Cheryl Simon, Holy Angels
Marilyn Norton, 25, Our Lady of Angels
Laurie Coulter, 20, St. Matthias
Margaret Murphy, Joseph Murphy, 21, Joan Thelen, 22, Mary Pierotti, 23, St. Veronica
Fifteen-year Awards
Margarita McKinney, Rita Clunnies-Ross, Rosemary Robinson, St. Agnes
Shirley Dimapilis, Josefina Contreras, Madie Krois, St. Anne of the Sunset
Deacon Dan Rosen, St. Stephen
Shirley Sachs, Church of the Nativity
Frank Hernandez, Lynne Horan, Ana Corina Trujillo, Holy Angels
Jeanine Diaz de Rivera, Bebelina Malolot, Our Lady of Mercy
Jill Watkins, St. Mark
Rosalinda Ceja, St. Matthew
David Martin, Church of the Visitacion
Ten-year Awards
Silvia Diaz, Alicia Lozano, Sagrario Perez, Victoria Birnberg, Our Lady of Loretto
Barbara De Barros, Susie Fitzpatrick, Katie Murphy, St. Anthony of Padua, Novato
Gretchen Harris, Norma Sweeney, St. Sebastian
Sandra Calvin, St. Agnes
Jenny Barnes, St. Anne of the Sunset
Marge Barajas, Sister Cecilia Fabulari, OP, Benjamin Polo, Celina Sanchez, Holy Angels
Teresita Condon, Our Lady of Angels
Ann Campbell, Sabrina Spence, St. Matthias
Margarita Guerrero, St. Mark
Sandra Zicke, St. Veronica
Five-year awards
Nancy Wright, Olga Camacho, Our Lady of Loretto
Mary Esperance, Karla Farrell, Kendric Vattuone, St. Anthony of Padua in Novato
Ray Lacerda, St. Isabella
Loy Banez, Church of the Epiphany
Berta Zamora, Allen Brignetti, Vicki Brignetti, Gina Brignetti, St Anne of the Sunset
Rogelio Rodriguez, St. John the Evangelist
Kathy Phillips, Trish Hargarten, St. Stephen
Joan McClintock, Church of the Nativity
Kim Cordano, Sister Otelia Fortaleza, OP, Nicole Polo, Holy Angels
Loretta Stephenson, James Stephenson, Denise Rich, Our Lady of Angels
Grace Maramba, Susan Simon, Teresa Wen, St. Bartholomew
Maria Valencia, Maria Haro, Ma. Guadalupe Castellano, St. Bruno
Luisa Maniquis, Lisa Venezia, St. Dunstan
Lisa Holcombe, Linda Picchi, Gilbert Rivera, Julie Scanlon, Laura Veglak, St. Luke
Matt Lucet, St. Mark
Cristina Vallejo, Francisco Avila, Teresita Contreras, Argentina Redondo, Inocencia Llamas, Patricia Fernandez, Alma Rodriguez, St. Matthew
Jenny Bender, St. Matthias
Deacon John Meyer, Bailey Rodriguez, St. Robert
Pamela Lucero, St. Veronica
To see more photos click here
By Tom Burke
From May 14, 2010 issue of Catholic San Francisco.
