Extension magazine - Fall 2023

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Lumen Christi Nominees
Extension | Fall 2023 43
KIRSTEN THORSTAD
LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY
LAURA AWAKIM
LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS
SR. PEGGY SZELJACK
LUBBOCK, TEXAS
MARTIN JOHNSON
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
BLUETTE PUCHNER
SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN
From the Lumen Christi Award judges
Within 18 months, two
devastating floods hit eastern
Kentucky. As a newly arrived
parish life director, Thorstad
coordinated relief efforts to
distribute 12,000 pounds
of food to 750 families and
provide emergency shelter.
Awakim welcomes the stranger
by providing legal assistance
at a Catholic immigration
center. For over 20 years, her
knowledge and heart have
offered a safe landing for
immigrants seeking their
new home in Arkansas.
Sister Peggy sparks a deep
love and understanding of God
among people of all ages
across 61 parishes in the
diocese. She spearheaded
a successful diocesan-wide
family faith formation program
in the wake of the pandemic.
Johnson coordinates 50 volunteers,
inventory, communications
and more at St. Mary’s
Soup Kitchen. Last year he
helped the organization
provide 93,600 meals and
18,000 clothing items to
those in need.
Puchner is a mentor and
guardian for at-risk Ojibwe
children. A respected
presence in the community,
she helps them graduate high
school, ensures healthy home
environments and helps them
know that they are loved.
ACH YEAR, Catholic Extension invites our Two by Two donors to
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serve as Lumen Christi Award judges and provide feedback on
who they think is deserving of the award. This year, over 200
people accepted the invitation to participate. Below is a small
selection of responses from the judges praising this year’s nominees.
See page 32 to see how you can become a judge.
ON MARTIN JOHNSON | DIOCESE OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
Like St. Paul and Mary Magdalene, Martin had a complete conversion and
decided to serve the Lord and His people. He was not asked or called upon,
but decided to turn his life around 180 degrees and help those who were less
fortunate, even though he himself was one of the less fortunate.
He is carrying out some of the corporal works of mercy to feed the hungry and
clothe the naked. —John Holecek
LEE EILERS
MOBILE, ALABAMA
SARAH GILLIS
NEW ULM, MINNESOTA
DR. CAROLE BROWN
RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA
STELLA CHOI
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA
LUCAS MILES
TYLER, TEXAS
ON SISTER JOYCE BATES, SND | DIOCESE OF LAREDO, TEXAS
We sometimes forget the people who make possible the hands, feet and
desire of volunteers. Sister Joyce invested her talents to assure the most was
achieved with those who cared enough to volunteer.
She is an unsung hero, altering her life because of great need.
—Carolyn Murphy
Eilers leads the diocese’s
home repair ministry for elderly
and disabled homeowners.
He builds wheelchair ramps,
fixes roofs, paints and more
for these grateful residents. In
2022 he supervised over 50
repair projects.
Gillis advocates for the
miracle of new life and
well-being of families at a
pregnancy services center.
Her strong faith and gentle
demeanor have allowed the
center to expand its services.
As director of the Extension-supported
Sioux Spiritual
Center, Dr. Brown provides
a sacred space for Lakota
faithful, who comprise about
27% of the diocese’s Catholic
population, to celebrate their
faith and Native culture.
Choi unites Korean young
adults in prayer and catechesis
to involve them
in the parish community.
She is serving as a voice for
her community during the
Church’s synodal process.
At 19 years old, Miles invites
people to the Catholic
Church simply by openly
talking about his faith. He
draws this strength from his
home parish, St. Theresa,
where he has led youth ministry
programs.
ON KIRSTEN THORSTAD | DIOCESE OF LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY
What is truly inspirational about Kirsten’s story is how quickly and completely
she adopted her mission as parish life director. In response to record-breaking
flooding, Kirsten stepped up to help obtain the basic necessities of
clothing, housing and furniture for those whose homes were destroyed.
Kirsten’s accomplishments personify the mission of Catholic Extension. She
has worked with people in the poorest regions of Kentucky not only to build but
also to re-build Catholic communities.
Kirsten appears to be a person who does not just talks the talk but also walks
the walk. That is to say, she is a person who gets the job done under any situation.
—William Sabo
FR. JOSHUA WERTH
SALINA, KANSAS
STEVEN WOODBURY
SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO
EILEEN FASOLA
STEUBENVILLE, OHIO
SR. WANDA BILLION
STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA
FABIOLA TORRES
YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
ON LEE EILERS | DIOCESE OF MOBILE, ALABAMA
Mr. Eilers displays a profound commitment to using his skills and talents to
benefit others. A person’s home is so very important to his or her quality of life,
and an inability to do needed repairs oneself is demoralizing. Mr. Eilers lifts
that burden from the people he serves and restores their homes to comfortable,
welcoming living spaces.
For me, the story of the young man needing a ramp for his wheelchair exemplified
the life-changing impact of the service Mr. Eilers provides. —Jacky Walther
Father Werth overcame a
troubled past and now shows
prison inmates God’s love
and forgiveness. He administers
the sacraments and
personally counsels detainees.
He has baptized 56
prisoners and confirmed 71.
For 45 years Woodbury has
used his musical talents to
bring his community closer to
God. He teaches liturgical
music classes, directs worship
music at Mass and has
established several choirs.
Fasola started the Miracle
of Life Support Group in
2001 in a church basement
to care for new mothers in
need. Many are released from
the hospital with nothing. She
provides diapers, clothing and
more for hundreds every year.
Sister Wanda accompanies
deacon candidates and
their wives through the sixyear
process of diaconate
formation. She is a beloved
guiding light for these future
church leaders.
A child of agricultural laborers,
17-year-old Torres rolled up
her sleeves to raise $20,000
towards a new church
building for her parish, Our
Lady of the Assumption. It
will accommodate the growing
faith community.
ON DR. CAROLE BROWN | DIOCESE OF RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA
Dr. Carole Brown welcomes the Lakota Sioux with open hearts and arms to a
Church to which they bring many gifts. The need to create the space between
heaven and earth is timely, insightful, and prophetic.
Her focus on bringing the Native American Lakota Sioux peoples and
the Catholic Church together, literally, is perhaps a foreshadowing of the many
other places and peoples who yearn to be part of the People of God.
—Carol Zinn, SSJ