Nine employees of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Cleveland were honored during the St. Elizabeth of Hungary Mass and awards ceremony Nov. 1 in Sagrada Familia Church in Cleveland. A reception followed at the Catholic Charities offices.
Those honored with Mission and Values Awards were Shelli Brooks, Fatima Family Center, Cleveland; MarJennet Harris, Early Intervention Team, Medina County; Joyce Kinney, St. Augustine Manor, Cleveland; Gloria Martinez, Hispanic Senior Center, Cleveland; and Bobbi Zelenka, St. Elizabeth Center, Lorain.
Servant Leader Award winners were Patrick Gareau, president/CEO, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Cleveland; Rob Kelley, substance abuse counselor, Catholic Charities, Ashland County; and Mary Ann King, CYO.
The St. Elizabeth of Hungary Award was presented to Debby Kirkpatrick, St. John Recovery Center, Akron.
A total of 22 Catholic Charities employees were nominated for the awards.
Bishop Edward Malesic celebrated Mass prior to the awards presentation.
“My friends, as we gather around the table of the Lord today as God’s family, we are taking the time to congratulate those Catholic Charities employees who have been recognized for their dedication and hard work as humble servants in the vineyard of the Lord,” the bishop said. “These are people of service, people with a heart, people of love. Everyone who labors for Catholic Charities in our diocese truly represents the face of Christ’s heart of love. But in a distinct way here today, on this 25th anniversary of the St. Elizabeth of Hungary Mass and awards celebration, we honor those esteemed employees whose work reflects an extraordinary effort on behalf of the people we serve. We lift them up because they lift us up.”
He reflected on the work of Catholic Charities, noting they offer “tireless help to the people who count on us so much: the poor, the lonely, the marginalized, the addicted, the elderly, the stranger and the despairing. Many times, these people have no hope but for you. I want to thank you for what you do for others from the bottom of my heart.”
The bishop said it seemed appropriate that the celebration took place on the feast of All Saints, noting the day honors all saints, not just those proclaimed by the Church. He said there are saints who have gone before us in faith who are in heaven praying for us.
“Through their prayers of intercession, these saints in heaven play an important role in the life of the Church on earth. They help us to do God’s will. They help us make our way to heaven. They cheer us until we cross the finish line ourselves.”
Bishop Malesic also reflected on St. Elizabeth of Hungry, born into royalty more than 800 years ago as the daughter of the king of Hungary. She married into a wealthy family, yet lived a life of simplicity, spending her time praying and serving those who were sick, suffering and living in poverty. She had three children, was widowed at age 20 and died at 24, yet she made an impact with her kindness and help to those in need.
“It is in her memory and example that we honor those employees today who receive the St. Elizabeth of Hungary Award,” he added.
The bishop pointed out that holiness is not as rare as we might think. “The lives of the saints teach us that holiness comes in all shapes and sizes: rich and poor, hermits and organizers of charities, parents and celibates, scholars and those who could not read. Every person is called to holiness. Every person can be a saint, you and me, too,” he said.
“My friends, you are very special people to me. None of you is getting rich doing the work you do. You do it because you have been touched by the Holy Spirit to live your life in service to others, just as St. Elizabeth was moved by the Spirit.”
Brooks was described as “the friendly, knowledgeable and resourceful manager of our emergency assistance program (Fatima Family Center) … she embraces the ‘other duties’ part of her job that includes finding resources when funds are gone, making referrals for services and following up to make sure they happened, creating fliers, resumes, obituaries and printed media, being an IT troubleshooter, decorating the building and even watering and repotting the plants.”
Harris works with families of children ages 0-3 with suspected developmental delays. She is the first person to contact a family to discuss their participation in early intervention. She helps families find resources and “recognizes the dignity of every person in concrete ways.” Harris also helps families outside of her work, including assisting a Ukrainian family at the beginning of the war by getting them gas cards and grocery cards from multiple sources.
Kinney is known for singing, playing music and listening to St. Augustine Manor residents “in a way that makes them feel that they are the most important person in the room.” She also leads Bible studies and brings in a pastor for a monthly worship service for people of all faiths. “She is kind, compassionate and caring for every resident.”
Martinez, program coordinator at the Hispanic Senior Center, “is seen as the heart and soul of the center and its programs. She drives the bus, goes to the grocery store, cooks and stops on her way home to check on homebound seniors.” When the center was without a director, she stepped up to lead programs, complete reports and support the staff and seniors without missing a beat.
Zelenka was hired for the Seasons of Hope program that helped vulnerable women who had immediate needs to help get them off the streets. When funding ended, she shifted to the St. Elizabeth Center and now is program administrator for Emergency Assistance Services. When a staffing crisis occurred, she met the challenges and “provided stability, leadership and detailed programming that earned her respect from staff and guests. Her compassion with clients diffused difficult situations and honored the dignity of those we serve and our staff.”
Gareau is retiring soon after serving as president/CEO of Catholic Charities for 13 years. Before that, he served as president and CEO of St. Augustine Health Ministries from 1994-2011, managing multiple subsidiaries, working with boards, health care providers and a network of long-term care providers. He also oversaw expansions of St. Augustine Health Ministries. In 2011, he began leading Catholic Charities, which has more than 800 employees and a $105 million budget. He also was selected by his peers to serve nationally on the board of Catholic Charities USA.
Kelley also serves as an ACT program mentor, a Thinking for a change and Parent Project leader with the Ashland court, where he is held in high esteem by the Ashland Juvenile Court for his ability to connect with juveniles and families with whom others were unsuccessful. He is committed to the mission of Catholic Charities and the court to support families and to create positive change.
King has served more than 21,000 CYO children each year for 47 years. She lives the CYO mission through her work ethic she integrates prayer and reflection into her daily work. She was described as someone with a character formed by God over time, being patient and offering new athletic directors practical support, wise counsel and encouragement. She also coached softball and women’s basketball at Archbishop Hoban High School for 12 years, winning six consecutive state softball and state basketball titles while teaching her teams about God and building loving relationships.
Kirkpatrick demonstrates her great love for those who are poor, vulnerable and most in need of compassionate care. She experienced the painful loss of her daughter to opioids, which helps her understand the dynamics of substance abuse disorders. She collects and keeps toiletries and frozen meals at the St. John Recovery Center office to give to clients, especially those in unstable environments. She is an active member of St. Hilary Parish in Fairlawn and has donated more than two gallons of blood since the start of the pandemic. She also provides care and support to a family member living with cancer.
As the program ended, Bishop Malesic offered these words: “No matter how challenging or difficult your work can be, remember these words of Jesus from the Gospel of St. John, Chapter 14: ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me.’ My friends, Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. Look to him always for inspiration and hope and be not afraid.”
Learn more about Catholic Charities, its ministries and how to support them by clicking here.