The 10th Annual Sister Marie Celinie Joubert Awards were handed out on April 20 to eight catechetical leaders who have shown excellence in forming the faithful across the Diocese of St. Augustine.
St. Luke Parish in Middleburg hosted the event, which has been recognizing individuals and their service to parish and school formation programs since 2014.
It was fitting that there were eight awardees this year, as Sister Celinie was one of the original eight religious Sisters of St. Joseph who came to Florida at the request of Bishop Augustine Verot in the 1870s to help educate the African American population in the North Florida area.
This year’s award winners:
Dr. Jack Daniels – Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine
Peg DeCurtins – St. Mary, Mother of Mercy
Georgeanne Donnelly – St. Luke
Kathleen Drop – Mary, Queen of Heaven
Diane Foley – San José
Lisa McQuagge – Queen of Peace
Deacon Doug Nullet – Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine
Regina Taylor Murphy – St. Pius V
According to Erin McGeever, director of Christian formation with the Diocese of St. Augustine, together, the eight have provided more than 170 years of service to the faithful at their respective parishes and schools.
Kathleen Drop has been helping in Christian formation at Mary, Queen of Heaven in Jacksonville for 36 years, and was asked by Bishop Erik Pohlmeier, how soon after the church was built after she started and she responded, “the year it was built,” as she has been a fixture at the parish since its inception.
The Sisters of St. Joseph were on hand and offered the event’s invocation, while Bishop Pohlmeier presented the awards and thanked them for the work they have done to grow the Church and spread God’s love.
Photos by Fran Ruchalski
