By Priscilla Greear

Staff Writer

ATLANTA--After Archbishop John F. Donoghue affirmed women's power to motivate and strengthen others, the Atlanta Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women (AACCW) honored 49 archdiocesan women of the year on Jan. 31 at its 21st annual Recognition Day Mass.

The AACCW also honored senior Melissa Nicolatos of St. Thomas More Parish, Decatur, and Marist High School, Atlanta, as the archdiocese's outstanding Youth of the Year along with 28 other exemplary high school seniors.

Approximately 700 people attended the Mass at the Cathedral of Christ the King, Atlanta, which was celebrated by Archbishop Donoghue and concelebrated by nearly 30 priests.

A spirit of devotion to Mary and appreciation for all women was evident throughout the ceremonies, beginning with the cover image on the program which depicted Our Lady of Good Counsel, the patroness of the National Council of Catholic Women (NCCW).

The Marian theme continued in the contemporary Gospel music of the Miracle Choir of St. Paul of the Cross, Atlanta, directed by Steve Dalton and featuring soloist Frances Kennedy. Selections included "Order My Steps," which addresses the Blessed Mother's obedience to God, "Mary's Canticle," which refers to her Biblical prayer of praise found in Luke's Gospel and "Immaculate Mary."

The first reading was given by Rosemary Crockette, treasurer of the AACCW's Northwest Deanery; general intercessions were made by Billie Monroe, and the Gospel was proclaimed by Deacon Hilliard Lee.

Referring to Mary's role in the Gospel story of the wedding feast at Cana, Archbishop Donoghue said that the story indicates women's power to "move not only men, but the world, and the world's events. Sometimes this power is manifested in the clothing of motherhood-for just as Mary must have influenced her Son in the ways, manners and the style of communication that emanate from the pages of the Gospel, so too, every good Christian mother works to influence her own children and to move them into ways of responsible, mature adulthood," he said.

The archbishop said that women also have power to motivate people. "For just as we see Mary, for whatever reasons, prompt her Son towards the miracle at Cana...., so too, the women of the Catholic Church are tireless in moving the Church towards greater realization of the Gospel's primary goal-salvation, achieved by the power of love."

"Sometimes women give us strength, not by any dynamic involvement, but because of their deep fidelity and their abiding gift of stabilizing and reaffirming the traditional roles of family and Church," he continued.

The archbishop concluded by encouraging all believers to continue serving and following God. "May all men and women, and all our young people, through the power of the Holy Spirit, and by the inspiration you provide, work to serve the Lord and His Church as you do-following the advice of Mary, who entreats the Lord for our sake, and who answers our questions with her faith, saying, 'Do whatever He tells you to do.'"

Shirley Radican, AACCW president, called the honorees forward to receive certificates from the archbishop. Men also were given silver crosses, while women received religious figurines. Nicolatos, who was chosen as the outstanding youth by the AACCW executive board, received $100.

Nicolatos is president of Habitat for Humanity and volunteers at Marist with the Mercy Mobile Health Care Unit. She is a member of her parish youth group where she has worked at night shelters and in soup kitchens. Possessed of a quiet demeanor Nicolatos said she has learned from those she has helped "to be more open to people I don't know."

"It's just the best honor I've ever received," she said.

Archbishop Donoghue presented certificates to other high school honorees, chosen by their parish or mission for outstanding Christian service to the community in the past year. Outstanding high school seniors were: Katie Almeter of Queen of Angels Church, Thomson; Paul Berell of St. Patrick's Church, Norcross; Anne Bourke of St. Monica's Mission, Duluth; Timothy Converse of St. Gabriel's Church, Fayetteville; Justin Cotton of Sts. Peter and Paul Church, Decatur; Christine Couch of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Carrolton; Karen Gay of St. Catherine of Siena Church, Kennesaw; Stacy Gryskiewicz of St. Michael the Archangel Church, Woodstock; Amy Rebecca James of St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Smyrna; Melissa Keen of The Cathedral of Christ the King, Atlanta; Joseph Lennon of St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Alpharetta; Rashard Longino of St. Paul of the Cross Church, Atlanta; Wilson McGinness of Our Lady of the Mount Church, Lookout Mountain; Jamila Meah of Corpus Christi Church, Stone Mountain; Sarah Miles of Christ Our Hope Church, Lithonia; Keri Muchow of All Saints Church, Dunwoody; Daniel O'Brien of Our Lady of the Assumption Church, Atlanta; Amy Okraska of St. Oliver Plunkett Church, Snellville; Christina Osborne of St. Benedict's Church, Duluth; Anil Pereira of St. Joseph's Church, Dalton; Jennifer Pharris of St. Theresa's Church, Douglasville; Billy Potter of St. Jude the Apostle Church, Atlanta; Harriet Robison of Holy Cross Church, Atlanta; Chad Rosamond of St. Lawrence Church, Lawrenceville; Crystal Roy of St. George Church, Newnan; Stephanie Sparks of Sacred Heart Church, Hartwell; Sheila Woolard of Transfiguration Church, Marietta, and all graduating seniors at St. Joseph's Church, Athens.

Women of the year recognized at the event were: Keri Allen of Our Lady's Junior Council of Catholic Women; Ruth Allen of St. Thomas More Church, Decatur; Carolyn Attaway of St. Joseph's Church, Marietta; Marguerite Balmer of Queen of Angels Church, Thomson; Nancy Barbour of St. Mary's Church, Toccoa; Lois Berthume of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Atlanta; Vera Brassfield of Holy Cross Church, Atlanta; Pam Buttersnitz of Christ Our Hope Church, Lithonia; Carm Cappuccilli of St. Patrick's Church, Norcross; Theodora Clark of St. Anthony of Padua Church, Atlanta; Ann Cowgill of St. Francis of Assisi Church, Blairsville; Judy Crifasi of Our Lady of the Assumption Church, Atlanta.

Also, Joyce Dekle of St. Bernadette Church, Cedartown; Susan DeLoache of St. Andrew's Church, Roswell; Nancy Dunn of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Mission, Manchester; Connie Esser of St. Lawrence Church, Lawrenceville; Bonnie Fawcett of Our Lady of the Mount Church, Lookout Mountain; Elfie Foppiano of St. John Vianney Church, Lithia Springs; Carol Gaudin of Sts. Peter and Paul Church, Decatur; Peggy Genova of St. Peter's Church, LaGrange; Nellie Godfrey of The Cathedral of Christ the King; Mary Beth Grenner of Good Shepherd Church, Cumming; Peggy Hallman of Sacred Heart Church, Atlanta; Aclora Higgins of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Carrolton; Marci Howe of St. Theresa Church, Douglasville; Ann Irwin of St. Michael the Archangel Church, Woodstock; Cecilia Johnson of St. Oliver Plunkett Church, Snellville; Carmen Kelly of St. Paul the Apostle Church, Cleveland; Sharon Konstantinos of St. Ann's Mission, Barnesville; Mary Kratzer of Sacred Heart Church, Hartwell; Denise Langley of St. Gabriel's Church, Fayetteville; June Markey of St. Catherine of Siena Church, Kennesaw; Anne Martin of Mary Our Queen Mission, Norcross; Carol Mason of All Saint's Church, Dunwoody; Ginny McEarchem of St. James the Apostle Church, McDonough; Anna Phuong of Our Lady of Vietnam Mission, Riverdale; Belinda Remley of St. Marguerette d'Youville Church, Lawrenceville.

Also, Marie Rouch of St. Monica's Mission, Duluth; Regina Sanford of St. Paul of the Cross Church, Atlanta; Karin Sewell of Prince of Peace Church, Buford; Clara Sible of St. Helena Church, Clayton; Lisa Sigmon of St. Joseph's Church, Dalton; Lynn Skvor of St. John the Baptist Church, Thomaston; Carol Sturgeon of Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, Milledgeville; Josephine Thomas of St. George's Church, Newnan; Marlene Torok of St. Francis of Assisi Church, Cartersville; Ellen Troughton of St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Smyrna; Deanne Tuminella of Corpus Christi Church, Stone Mountain and Jane Whitehead of St. Ann's Church, Marietta. All women from Holy Spirit Church, Atlanta, and Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Atlanta, as well as all women from St. Joseph's Church, Athens, were recognized.

Radican said the recognition ceremony is "a way to bring recognition to what people are doing, and it's a way to get more people involved (in parish service). If we don't recognize people after a while, it seems to fall on the same person over and over again."

Following the Mass of recognition, a reception was held for all attendees in the cathedral's Hyland Center.