Cheverus Medals to be awarded Nov. 24

BRAINTREE -- Cardinal Seán P. O'Malley will present 95 Cheverus Award Medals to laypersons, deacons and religious during a 3 p.m. Vespers service on Nov. 24, the Feast of Christ the King, at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.

With this year's group of recipients -- including two who are accepting medals that were awarded last year -- the total number of individuals and couples who have been named Cheverus medalists stands at 610. There were 68 awardees in 2008, 133 in 2009, 98 in 2010, 97 in 2011, and 121 in 2012.

First presented in 2008 at the celebration to mark the conclusion of the archdiocese's bicentennial year, the annual award recognizes Catholics for their dedicated service to the Church. The medal is named for the arcdiocese's first bishop, Jean-Louis Lefebvre de Cheverus, who led the diocese from 1808 until his return to France in 1824. Bishop Cheverus died in 1836 as the Archbishop of Bordeaux.

The oval-shaped medal is made of sterling silver and bears a likeness of Bishop Cheverus based on the Gilbert Stuart portrait. On the reverse side is Bishop Cheverus' coat of arms.

The medal recipients are chosen for their service to the Church and God's people. Most recipients are nominated by their pastor, forwarded by their area vicar and approved by their regional bishop and Cardinal O'Malley. Some recipients are personally selected by Cardinal O'Malley.

Each year, one-third of the parishes of the archdiocese are asked to nominate a parishioner. The criteria given to pastors is that the nominee should be a lay person who has served the parish well over an extended period of time and has done so in a quiet, unassuming and, perhaps, unrecognized fashion.

Also, each of the regional bishops is asked to nominate a religious and a deacon from his region with similar qualifications. The Central Ministries of the archdiocese also make nominations from among religious, deacons and lay persons who serve on archdiocesan committees or lead important ministries.

There is no limit to the number of family members and friends who can join the honoree at the cathedral. The presence of the pastor and a delegation of parishioners is encouraged to help underscore the parish's appreciation for the service of the honoree.

Following are the 2013 Cheverus Award recipients:

-- Susan Abbott, St. Theresa of Avila, West Roxbury

-- Laura Albaladejo, St. Patick, Brockton

-- Josephine and Charles Anastasia, St. John Chrysostom, West Roxbury

-- Ruth Andrews, St. Katharine Drexel, Boston

-- Mother Teresa Benedicta, OCD, North Region

-- William Bibeau, St. John the Baptist, Haverhill

-- Madelyn Brown, The Catholic TV Network, Watertown (2012)

-- Judy Burton, St. Mary/St. Catherine of Siena, Charlestown

-- Jacquelyn Butterfield, St. Anne, Littleton

-- James Buxton, Holy Trinity, Lowell

-- John Carter, Sacred Heart, Waltham

-- Everett Casey, Sacred Heart, Middleborough

-- John Cheboryot and Mercy Anampiu, St. Michael, Lowell, Kenyan Apostolate

-- Antonio Jr. and Gracita Chiefe, St. Mary, Randolph, Filipino Apostolate

-- Deacon Charles Clough, West Region

-- William Corrigan, St. Anthony of Padua, Allston

-- Marileia Costa, St. Anthony of Padua, Everett, Brazilian Apostolate

-- Paul Daly, Sacred Heart, Quincy

-- Joan DeGuglielmo, St. Francis of Assisi, Cambridge

-- Sister Thomasita Delaney, RMS, Merrimack Region

-- Samuel E. DeMerit, St. Paul, Cambridge

-- Jose DePina, St. Peter, Dorchester

-- Barbara Devita, St. Thomas of Villanova, Wilmington

-- Linda Devoll, St. John the Evangelist, Canton

-- Rose DiMare, Immaculate Conception, Revere

-- Anne Doherty, St. Camillus, Arlington

-- M.J. Doherty, Archdiocese of Boston

-- Kevin Dolan, Sts. Martha and Mary, Lakeville

-- Thomas Dwyer, Esq., Archdiocese of Boston

-- Joanne Eagan, Sacred Heart, Lynn

-- Stephen Fair, St. Mary of the Assumption, Brookline

-- Walter Faria, St. Mary of the Nativity, Scituate

-- George and Linda Furtado, Immaculate Conception, Everett

-- Rosa Garcia, St. James, Haverhill

-- Deacon Alfred Geneus, St. John the Evangelist, Cambridge, Haitian Apostolate

-- Deacon Thomas Hanlon, South Region

-- Anne Hanning, St. Charles Borromeo, Waltham

-- John Hennigan, St. Denis, Westwood

-- Sister Magdalene Ikeda, PDDM, Regina Cleri, Boston, Japanese Apostolate

-- George Jackson, St. Francis of Assisi, Braintree

-- Marie Jutkiewicz, St. Tarcisius, Framingham

-- Sonete Kammer, St. Tarcisus, Framingham, Brazilian Apostolate

-- Anne B. Kelly, St. Francis de Sales, Charlestown

-- Mary Kiesinger, St. Dorothy, Wilmington

-- Richard Kimball, St. Cecilia, Boston

-- J. Timothy Looney, St. Joseph, Wakefield

-- Dr. Aloysius Lugira, St. Mary, Waltham, Ugandan Community (2012)

-- Eleanor Mackin, St. Mary, Lynn

-- Judie Mahan, St. Gerard Majella, Canton

-- Constance Malloy, Our Lady of Sorrows, Sharon

-- Deacon Leo Martin, St. John the Baptist, Peabody

-- Jeanne Masterman, St. Catherine of Alexandria, Westford

-- Janice Mathias, St. Mary, Billerica

-- Robert Matson, St. Joseph, Holbrook

-- Elinor McFarland, St. Ann by the Sea, Marshfield

-- Darice McIntire, Sacred Heart, Manchester

-- Altagracia Mena, St. Patrick, Lowell

-- Helen Monteiro, St. Patrick, Roxbury

-- Deacon Pablo Morel, North Region

-- Kevin Muldoon, Immaculate Conception, Weymouth

-- Sheila Murphy, St. Andrew, Billerica

-- Sylvia Murphy, St. Helen, Norwell

-- Joseph R. Nolan, St. Francis Chapel, Boston (Prudential Center)

-- Roberta Oles, St. Mary, Wrentham

-- John Ollquist, Holy Family, Dorchester

-- Lawrence and Sally O'Maley, St. John the Baptist, Essex

-- Sister Mary O'Rourke, CSJ, West Region

-- Eduardo Pascua, Holy Trinity, Quincy

-- Mary Peck, St. Margaret, Burlington

-- Michael Pietkiewicz, St. Stanislaus, Chelsea

-- Rita Pizzi, St. Blaise, Bellingham

-- Nancy Pouliot, Holy Family, Amesbury

-- Brother Thomas Puccio, CFX, North Region

-- Lucille Ratte, Star of the Sea, Salisbury

-- Pat Riley, St. Michael, North Andover

-- Martha Roberts, St. Malchy, Burlington

-- Sister Florita Rodman, CDP, South Region

-- Ellen Greene Romikitis, Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Dorchester

-- John Scanlon, Sacred Heart

-- Margaret Scollins, Our Lady of the Assumption, Marshfield

-- Patricia Shafto, St. Christine, Marshfield

-- Deacon Richard Siebert, Merrimack Region

-- Joan Silta, St. Pius Tenth, Milton

-- Stella Simione, St. John the Evangelist, Winthrop

-- Celia Sirois, Archdiocese of Boston

-- Marguerite Small, St. Mary of the Annunciation, Melrose

-- Jean Soucy, St. Mary Magdalen , Tyngsborough

-- Antonio and Delminda Sousa, Our Lady of Fatima, Peabody

-- Claudia Suarez, Madonna Queen Shrine, East Boston

-- M. Doris Thompson, St. John the Evangelist, East Bridgewater

-- Joseph Tuan Thong, St. Bernadette, Randolph, Vietnamese Apostolate

-- Paule Verdet, Sacred Heart, Newton

-- Judy Vivien, St. Mary of the Assumption, Hull

-- Ann C. White, St. Ann, Quincy

-- Magda E. Zabala, Holy Family, Dorchester

More information on the award and a list of previous award recipients is available at www.BostonCatholic.org/cheverusawards.aspx.