By Erika Anderson, Staff Writer

ATLANTA—Honored by their parishes for making outstanding contributions at the local level, the youth and women of the year of the Atlanta Archdiocese were praised for their faith at a recognition Mass celebrated by Archbishop John F. Donoghue.

Over 50 women and 40 to 50 high school seniors were honored at the annual Mass sponsored by the Atlanta Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women and held at the Cathedral of Christ the King.

Music provided by Kevin Wyglad and the parish Life Teen band set the upbeat tone for the Mass, held Feb. 3.

In his homily, the archbishop said women harbor a deep reserve of patience in their vocations.

“Perhaps, and I say this truly, not just from a desire to match reality to the design of our present celebration—perhaps women-mothers and grandmothers, and women marked by God as counselors, teachers and advocates—perhaps women understand the burden of being depended upon better than anyone—better than children and young people, and perhaps better than men as well-for it seems that when men are drawn to the last tether of their patience, when their practical reasoning has been squeezed to the limits by the demands of children or co-workers, where else can they turn, but to the intuitive, indomitable, and yes—mysterious strength of women, who do not break, but who bend wisely in the turbulent winds of human experience.”

Women of the church have a particular guide for their lives in Mary, the archbishop said.

“Catholic women . . . are set aside, not only by the grace of Baptism and Confirmation—but especially by the example, the force, the living image of Mary, the ideal mother, the near-perfect woman, and her shining example of Christian obedience, forbearance, patience and understanding.”

He cited the occasion when Mary found Jesus in the temple after much time was spent searching for him.

“Exasperated by the seemingly aloof attitude of our Lord, when He stayed behind to discourse with the teachers in the Temple, and created panic and fear in the hearts of His mother and foster-father, Mary did not rail out at her boy when He calmly informed her that He must be about His Father’s business—no, she took His words into her heart, and treasured them, and let them grow in her, as wisdom in the human heart, planted by divine seed, must grow,” he said. “Surely, that act of internalization came to her rescue when later, she faced the terrible suffering of her Son, as He hung on the cross, before her sorrowing eyes.”

He reminded the women that they also possess qualities of the Lord needed by the church.

“ . . . When I spoke of the quality of women, which seems to permit them such a great capacity for answering the demands of others—for being there, for husbands, for children, for all in need—it is this quality of our Lord, of turning back to the needs of others, reflected as well in the charity of His own mother, that I wished to designate,” the archbishop said.

“And this spiritual duality resonates, not only in the personal circumstances surrounding the life of every woman here present, but resonates as well, in the halls of the Church—in the great theater of her works, her good works, on behalf of man—and womankind; a spirit of charity, moved as our Lord was moved—moved by the crowd who waits for the administering of grace, for the distribution of love, and for the comfort by which women know so well how to console our lives.”

Following his homily, the archbishop presented the women and youth of the year with certificates as Jo Ann Rieger, president of the AACCW, called the name of each person honored. She then addressed the youth recognized by their parishes.

“You should celebrate this success,” she said. “In this modern society we have, you should be very proud of your accomplishment.”

At a reception held after the Mass, those honored expressed gratitude for the recognition.

Heather Heaton, a senior at Wheeler High School in Marietta, said that she was excited to be honored by her parish, the Church of St. Ann, because it is such a large church.

“It really means a lot,” she said. “A lot of churches don’t have a lot of teens, but we have a lot of amazing teens at St. Ann’s, so it’s a big honor.”

A eucharistic minister, Heaton has also served on the parish Habitat for Humanity home-building project. She regularly attends service events, such as MUST ministries, and will go on a mission trip with the Life Teen group to Akil, Mexico, in late June.

“I’ve just always enjoyed service projects,” she said. “I’ve always felt comfortable going to different places and meeting different people. Sometimes service isn’t giving the shirt off your back, but just sitting down and talking to someone.”

The varsity basketball player sends daily Scripture reflections via e-mail to her friends and said that she likes the fact that at her parish there are a variety of activities in which to get involved. Being involved in youth groups can help to keep high school teens grounded, she said.

“There are so many temptations in high school. You need somewhere to keep you accountable. You need somewhere you can grow in your faith,” she said. “I know that these four years, a lot of things have happened to me that I wouldn’t have handled as well if I hadn’t been involved in church. And now, especially with going off to college, if your faith life isn’t where it needs to be, then you’re going to struggle in all aspects of your life. You need to center your life on Christ and everything else falls into place.”

Life Teen core member Michelle Powell said that Heaton was always willing to “jump in and help out.”

“She’s always part of the solution and she’s one of the most positive people I know,” she said.

Mary Williams, recognized as woman of the year by St. Joseph Church in Marietta, has an exhaustive resume that includes AIDS ministry, hospital ministry, nursing home ministry and ministry to shut-ins. She said that being recognized by her parish was a privilege.

“It truly is an honor, but also a calling,” she said. “It’s a calling of my ministry that reminds me to keep on keeping on.”

Mary Lynn Bryant, the woman of the year honored by St. Peter Church in LaGrange, called the recognition Mass a “wonderful experience.”

“I was just so proud to be there and so proud to be in Atlanta representing my parish,” she said. “I felt like I was accepting the award for all the women of the parish when any one of them could have received this award.”

Bryant has been a parishioner of St. Peter’s for five years and said she initially joined the Catholic women’s group at the parish to meet new people. However, she said, it is the commitment of the people of the parish that keeps her involved.

“It is just so wonderful to be with this group of people who are so willing to help and so willing to give of their time and talent,” she said, adding that it was humbling to receive the honor because she enjoys her work with the church.

“It’s been a joy to do these things with this parish, not a chore,” she said. “You do it because you want to do it, not because you feel you have to.”

Bryant believes that her involvement at the parish has strengthened her relationship with God.

“It has increased my faith life tremendously, just being around other women of faith on an ongoing basis,” she said.

In alphabetical order, as listed in the program, the women honored as outstanding women of the year are: Idalia Acosta, St. Philip Benizi, Jonesboro; Mary Lynn Bryant, St. Peter, LaGrange; June Compton, St. Joseph, Athens; Kathy Cotta, St. Benedict, Duluth; Ann Coverdale, St. Oliver Plunkett, Snellville; Elizabeth Cross, St. Paul the Apostle, Cleveland; Julia Deans-Heidbrink, St. Ann, Barnesville; Regina Doyle, St. Helena, Clayton; Andrea Drath, St. Lawrence, Lawrenceville; Nancy Dunn, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Manchester; Carol Ecksteine, St. Francis of Assisi, Blairsville; Joan Filipowicz, All Saints, Dunwoody; Betty Harper, St. Mary, Toccoa; Shirley Heinosch, St. Michael the Archangel, Woodstock; Mary Herd, St. Joseph, Dalton; Trish Irving, St. Andrew, Roswell; Kim Jelks, St. Anthony of Padua, Atlanta; Vera Kouder, St. Jude the Apostle, Atlanta; Geraldine Lee, Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Atlanta; Barbara Liblick, St. Stephen the Martyr, Lilburn; Christine Martin-Santos, St. Patrick, Norcross; Catherine L. McNeill, Queen of Angels, Thomson; Erma Miller, Holy Cross, Atlanta; Ann Mitchell, St. James, Madison; Loretta Nadwodny, Our Lady of the Assumption, Atlanta.

Also Rose O’Lague, St. Francis of Assisi, Cartersville; Chris Paciorek, Corpus Christi, Stone Mountain; Faye Pance, Sacred Heart, Hartwell; Cecilia Perra, St. Michael, Gainesville; Louise Peterson, Christ Our King and Savior, Greensboro; Blanca Petitone, St. Thomas the Apostle, Smyrna; Sheila Phacker, St. John Vianney, Lithia Springs; Nancy Prochaska, St. Catherine of Siena, Kennesaw; Peggy Reid, St. Bernadette, Cedartown; Margaret Robbins, Prince of Peace, Buford; Kathy Robenault, St. Ann, Marietta; Debbie Ruch, St. Vincent de Paul, Dallas; Elizabeth Ryan, Good Shepherd, Cumming; Carrole St. Michel, St. Theresa, Douglasville; Janet Schonleber, St. Luke the Evangelist, Dahlonega; Cindy Shepherd, St. Matthew, Winder; Gloria Smith, Sacred Heart, Milledgeville; Betty Smith, Sacred Heart, Atlanta; Cecillia Son, Korean Martyrs, Doraville; Alflorence Wadkins, St. Paul of the Cross, Atlanta; Rheda Wanstreet, St. James the Apostle, McDonough; Alberta Welsh, Holy Family, Marietta; Carmen Westerfield, St. John the Baptist, Thomaston; Mary Williams, St. Joseph, Marietta; Valerie Williams, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Carrollton; and Catherine Zitelli, St. Gabriel, Fayetteville.

In alphabetical order, as listed in the program, the youth honored as outstanding seniors of the year are: Helen Almeter, Queen of Angels, Thomson; Anna Arias, Holy Cross, Atlanta; Heather Beckett, Most Blessed Sacrament, Atlanta; John Trevor Berger, St. James the Apostle, McDonough; Patti Byrne, St. Oliver Plunkett, Snellville; Julie Chisom, Good Shepherd, Cumming; Brianne Clegg, Our Lady of LaSalette, Canton; Brandyn Cooper, Sacred Heart, Atlanta; Patrick Devereux, St. Joseph, Marietta; Rheannon Finch, St. Philip Benizi, Jonesboro; Blair Garvey, St. Benedict, Duluth; Jake Grant, St. Joseph, Athens; Jennifer Harney, St. Michael, Gainesville; Heather Heaton, St. Ann, Marietta; Kristine Hoffmann, Holy Family, Marietta; David Howe, St. Jude the Apostle, Atlanta; Jonathan James, Sts. Peter and Paul, Decatur; Sammy Jones, St. Augustine, Covington; Laura Kapa, St. Bernadette, Cedartown;

Also Jackie Larsen, St. John the Baptist, Thomaston; Luke Lenahan, Prince of Peace, Buford; John Leverett, St. Anthony of Padua, Atlanta; Jackie Lewis, Our Lady of the Assumption, Atlanta; Rachel Lynch, St. Francis of Assisi, Cartersville; Edward Mason, St. Ann, Barnesville; John McCauley, St. Vincent de Paul, Dallas; Sean McGuire, Sacred Heart, Hartwell; Kristin Monacella, St. Lawrence, Lawrenceville; Ainsley Morisseau, St. Theresa, Douglasville; Emmy Myszka, All Saints, Dunwoody; Kevin Newhall, St. Peter Chanel, Roswell; Minho Park, St. Patrick, Norcross; Sarah Rachmuth, St. Peter, LaGrange; Heather Roeding, St. Michael the Archangel, Woodstock; Jeremy Sella, St. Andrew, Roswell; Becky Shertenlieb, St. Catherine of Siena, Kennesaw; Allison Stephens, St. Pius X, Conyers; Molly Stofko, Transfiguration, Marietta; Matthew Tarnowski, St. Gabriel, Fayetteville; Tony Vceba, Christ the King, Atlanta; Andrew Lee Williams, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Carrollton; and Johnathan Williams, St. Paul of the Cross, Atlanta.