Gala celebrates peace and the environment |
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Saturday, 06 September 2008 01:00 |
SYLVANIA—“Messengers of Peace” is the theme for the Ninth Annual Sylvania Franciscan Gala, which takes place Sept. 27. The theme draws on the mission statement of the Sisters of St. Francis and their efforts to integrate peace into life in today’s chaotic world.
Ed Hoover, a local peace activist who has been involved in peace and justice efforts along with his wife, Toby, and has partnered with Sylvania Franciscan Sister Sharon Havelak on many peace and justice issues, emcees the evening. Sr. Havelak is to give a presentation on peace. Father David Reinhart is to be honored at the gala with the St. Francis Award and Mrs. Rose Marie Pacer with the St. Clare Award.
The event starts with a liturgy at 4 p.m. in Queen of Peace Chapel on the Sylvania Franciscan campus. A reception in the Franciscan Center follows at 5 p.m., with a silent auction including original works of art made by the sisters centering around the theme of “Peace." There is a formal meal at 6:30 p.m. followed by the presentation of the St. Francis and St. Clare Awards.
About the speakers and award winners:
Father David Reinhart: St. Francis Award
Fr. Reinhart, pastor of Bono Our Lady of Mount Carmel, serves as president of the Kateri Catholic School System, which includes Cardinal Stritch High School and elementary schools, Walbridge St. Jerome, Toledo St. Thomas and Toledo Sacred Heart.
Prior to being named president of the newly-formed Kateri Catholic School System, he was president of Cardinal Stritch and served in a variety of capacities in parish, school and diocesan ministry. During his time at Cardinal Stritch High School, he has given vision to a new way of thinking about Catholic education in light of a theology of stewardship.
Under his leadership, the National Catholic Honor Roll has recognized Cardinal Stritch as one of the top 50 Catholic high schools. The high school has also taken on leadership roles in the creation of the “Live It” initiative and the Kateri Education Project, a regional study of Catholic education. Most importantly, the school has clarified its vision as a place that forms disciples of Jesus Christ.
Fr. Reinhart believes adolescents need role models and saints to imitate. To concretize this value he rededicated the Cardinal Stritch chapel to St. Francis of Assisi and St. Clare so all students and visitors would know these saints who are also important to the Sylvania Franciscan Sisters.
He commissioned Sylvania Franciscan Sister Jane Mary Sorosiak to embellish the front entrance of the school with a large mural depicting these two Franciscans. A plaque near the entrance created by Sylvania Franciscan Sister Josephine Dybza lists the names of all the Sylvania Franciscans who have been missioned to Cardinal Stritch High School.
Whenever possible, Fr. Reinhart reminds the students and families the Sylvania Franciscans were the first teachers in the school and they have left their mark for future generations. The mural and plaque at the front entrance serve as a constant reminder to all who enter the doors that Stritch is a Catholic Franciscan school.
Rose Marie Pacer: St. Clare Award
Rose Marie Pacer, a native Toledoan, makes a difference by living out the words of St. Francis, “Preach the Gospel at all times ... if necessary use words.”
Mrs. Pacer is a graduate of Toledo schools St. Hyacinth Elementary, Central Catholic High School and the University of Toledo Pharmacy School. She is presently employed as an IV pharmacist at Heartland Healthcare Services, having retired from The Toledo Hospital after 35 years. Mrs. Pacer is a parishioner of Sylvania St. Joseph where she serves as a certified catechist, lector, eucharistic minister and member of the Liturgy Committee.
As a volunteer, she has quietly logged hours of service, not only in her home parish, but also with Bethany House, Toledo Christ the King religious education program and the Sisters of St. Francis. She joined the Sisters’ Associate program in 1987 where she continues to serve as a long-term care volunteer. She is a member of the associates’ communication committee.
As a messenger of peace, Mrs. Pacer reverences human life each time she takes a deeper look at a person. Her presence with children and the elderly are clear signs of her commitment to the church and Franciscan values. She shares her time, talent and treasure and practices daily prayer, diligence to the virtue of patience, mediates solutions and has a love for people that make her a role model of Franciscan values.
Mrs. Pacer cherishes moments with her son, Scott; daughter-in-law, Kyra; and her four grandchildren Trent, Tess, Lauren and Sarah. She enjoys working in her yard and playing with her two dogs. As a witness of Franciscan peace, Mrs. Pacer knows peace starts inside each of us and we can make a difference, one person at a time.
Edward C. Hoover Jr.: Emcee
Edward C. Hoover Jr. attended St. Meinrad Seminary; Xavier University, Cincinnati; and completed graduate work at Mt. St. Mary’s Seminary, Cincinnati and the University of Notre Dame.
He married Toby (Stalzer-Stone) in 1976 and has been a long time peace and justice activist. He worked on the social justice document of the Toledo Diocesan Synod, and has advocated to reduce gun violence for 30 years. He is the co-founder of Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence, a member of the Northwest Ohio Peace Coalition and has been active in the Toledo Diocese for more than 40 years.
He organized the Perrysburg St. Rose Peace and Justice Committee in the 1980s, and belonged to the Interfaith Justice and Peace Steering Committee for a number of years. Mr. Hoover is one of the founding members of the Toledo Coalition Against the Death Penalty and stands vigil in Toledo at every execution. He is a board member of Ohioans to Stop Executions. A financial consultant, he has two grown children and four grandchildren.
Sister Sharon Havelak: Presenter
Sr. Havelak, an artist, educator and long-time peace activist, became involved in ecological issues through her work with the Earth Charter. She has been active in the sisters’ congregational justice and peace activities since they began in the mid-1970s; the Interfaith Justice and Peace Center, a local ecumenical group, since it began in the late 1970s; the Human Rights Commission of the Toledo Diocese; a long-time member of Pax Christi USA; and STOP! (Stop Trafficking of Persons!), an intercommunity ad hoc group working on the issue of human trafficking; and other peace and justice groups. Sr. Havelak was one of the organizers of the “Third Tuesday for Peace” prayer services.
The Gala funds provide resources for the sisters diverse ministries including health care and human services, especially to the poor and marginalized in the U.S. and Haiti, education on all levels, pastoral, parish and retreat ministry.
Tickets for the gala are $125 per person; MasterCard and Visa are accepted. There is a cash bar. For information about Gala tickets contact the Sylvania Franciscan development office at 419-824-3624 or visit www.sistersosf.org.
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Last Updated on Friday, 07 November 2008 09:05 |
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