Honorees to be recognized Sept. 12 at the Baltimore Basilica
Archbishop William E. Lori will bestow honors from His Holiness Pope Leo XIV upon 21 members of the laity, clergy and religious of the Archdiocese of Baltimore for their service to the Church and community.
The Papal Honors will be conferred during Solemn Lauds (Morning Prayer) at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 12 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Baltimore.
“Through their lives and ministry, the honorees for pontifical orders and medals have made significant contributions to the life and mission of the Church,” Archbishop William E. Lori said. “His Holiness Pope Leo XIV bestows these highly distinguished honors in recognition of their devoted service to Catholic health care and mental health treatment, their commitment to charity and justice for the most vulnerable and marginalized, their efforts to build vibrant communities of faith, and the many other ways they have revealed the love of Christ to their neighbors.
“Their example inspires others to live the Gospel with courage, compassion and joy. The Archdiocese of Baltimore remains profoundly grateful for their faithful service.”
The full list of honorees follows.
Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice
First bestowed by Pope Leo XIII in 1888, the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice means “For Church and Pope.” It is a distinction of honor available to the laity for great service to the Church.
Reverend Edward S. Hendricks
Founding pastor of Divine Mercy Parish in Western Maryland, Father Edward S. Hendricks has been a priest for 49 years. He shepherded the consolidation of four parishes to build one, united community that steadfastly proclaims the Good News of Jesus Christ and provided wise counsel to Archbishop Lori as a member of the Presbyteral Council. He retired in 2023.
Sister Mary Seton, M.C.
Since 1984, Sister Mary Seton has served the poor through her vocation with the Missionaries of Charity. While serving in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, Sister Seton has walked the streets to find the poorest and most disenfranchised souls to console them, bring them closer to Christ and build relationships built on trust.
Deacon William P. Nairn
Deacon William P. Nairn was ordained to the deaconate in 1982 and served St. Ann Catholic Church in Hagerstown through his retirement in 2023. He has provided personal witness to the Gospel through quiet acts of service and steadfast spiritual support to parishioners. He also spent decades on the local Knights of Columbus council and volunteered as a licensed attorney to aid the Archdiocese of Baltimore Marriage Tribunal.
Ralph Arnold Sr. and Christine Arnold
Ralph and Christine Arnold have exemplified faithful Catholic stewardship through their humble, generous and unwavering commitment to the Church. They have shared their gifts of service, leadership and philanthropy with their parish, St. John Church in Westminster, Catholic education and numerous ministries of the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Among their dedicated service to the Catholic community, Mr. Arnold has also served on the school board of St. John Catholic School.
Peggy Baldwin
Peggy Baldwin’s faithfulness, vision and kindness have created a legacy that enriches the lives of countless others on their journeys to Christ. Alongside her late husband, Tom, Mrs. Baldwin has made a decades-long investment in Catholic education, including by providing tuition assistance and donating land for the construction of the School of the Incarnation in Anne Arundel County. Among many other worthy endeavors, Mrs. Baldwin helped start Providence of Maryland, a nonprofit organization that supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Andrew Becker
Devoted to the life and ministry of his parish, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Eldersburg, Andrew Becker firmly believes that God calls us not only to give, but to serve one another. He has devoted significant time to prison ministry, visiting incarcerated men to bring them closer to Christ and to carry out the spiritual works of mercy. Also, his love and support of priestly formation have had a profound impact on the lives of seminarians, fostering pastoral care that benefits the entire Archdiocese.
Dr. Barbara D. Nazelrod
For 25 years, Dr. Barbara D. Nazelrod served as president of the Catholic High School of Baltimore. A graduate of the school, she led her alma mater with integrity and strategic vision. Her efforts have created an environment where students can achieve academic excellence and reach their full potential – spiritually, intellectually, physically, socially and morally. She retired in 2026.
Ligia Pappas
Ligia Pappas devoted her career to the Church and served as a bridge builder for Hispanic Ministry in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Recently retired, she worked in the Archdiocese’s Office for Hispanic Ministry for 25 years. Ms. Pappas recognizes the God-given dignity of every person, treating others with kindness and always advocating for the needs of our community.
Ruth A. Puls
Ruth A. Puls served the Church in the Archdiocese of Baltimore for almost 35 years, including parish ministry and leadership in the Chancery. Known for untiring dedication, commitment and faithfulness to the Church’s mission and people, Ms. Puls’ ministry has impacted many thousands of Catholics over the years. Her assignments took her to parishes throughout Maryland, including the Catholic Community of St. Francis Xavier in Hunt Valley, the Church of the Resurrection in Ellicott City and the pastorate of St. John and St. Joseph-on-Carrollton Manor in Frederick County. Ms. Puls extended and deepened the commitment to social justice in churches, schools and communities. Finally, in all that she does, she gives witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ as a woman of prayer and a true missionary disciple.
Santos Rene and Rosa Belinda Quintanilla
Santos Rene and Rosa Belinda Quintanilla have been deeply invested in the life and ministry of the Archdiocese of Baltimore through their parish, Sacred Heart of Jesus/Sagrado Corazón de Jesús in Baltimore. In addition to serving as extraordinary ministers of holy Communion, the couple sponsors many candidates on journeys to Catholicism, helps prepare couples for sacramental marriage and organizes major events, such as the celebrations of Nuestra Reina de la Paz and St. Oscar Romero.
Dr. Askew “Skipp” Sanders
Dr. A. “Skipp” Sanders is a retired educator and racial justice advocate who is a longtime parishioner of St. Vincent de Paul in Baltimore. He served Maryland’s public schools for three decades before joining Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Baltimore as an associate superintendent. He went on to serve as executive director of the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture in Baltimore until his retirement in 2016.
Dr. Thomas J. Lynch
Dr. Thomas J. Lynch has faithfully and diligently upheld the divine sanctity of all human life during his career in medicine. A parishioner of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Crofton, he served as a top-rated primary care doctor with Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore until his recent retirement. He has been known for his exemplary, humanistic care, compassion and respect.
Reverend William J. Watters, S.J.
Longtime beloved pastor of St. Ignatius Catholic Community in Baltimore, Father William J. Watters, S.J., founded three scholarship-supported schools for underserved children. The schools — St. Ignatius Loyola Academy, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School and The Loyola School — have formed thousands of students in the Jesuit tradition of faith, justice and reconciliation. The impact of the education and faith formation in the lives of the children, their families, and the city itself, has created a sense of hope and opportunity that has helped many find Christ and overcome challenges. Father Watters’ priestly ministry has extended far beyond Baltimore, including in Nigeria, Vietnam and Mexico where he fostered the Gospel values of human dignity, the common good, compassion, solidarity and justice.
Benemerenti Medal
First bestowed by Pope Pius VI in 1791, the medal is a distinction of honor for exceptional accomplishments and service that is available to both Catholics and non-Catholics.
Dr. Nancy S. Grasmick
Dr. Nancy S. Grasmick is the former longtime Maryland State Superintendent of Schools who has worked over decades in significant collaboration with Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Dr. Grasmick is known for her advocacy of students and the tremendous impact she’s had on education policy by fostering inclusive and effective educational environments. Among the contributions of her long and distinguished career, she was the first female president of the board of directors at the Kennedy-Krieger Institute, where she continues to serve as a member.
Judge Ellen M. Heller
Retired Maryland Judge Ellen M. Heller served as a longtime member of the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Independent Lay Review Board, lending her expertise and wisdom to help guide Archbishop William E. Lori on the local Church’s compliance with the Child and Youth Protection Policies and Procedures. The board’s first Jewish member, she served from 2004 until 2020. Judge Heller was a distinguished member of the Maryland judiciary from 1986 until her retirement in 2003, including serving as the first female administrative Circuit Court judge in Maryland. Her volunteerism also includes service on the Baltimore Community Foundation Board and the Institute for Islamic, Christian and Jewish Studies.
Timothy J. Regan
Timothy J. Regan, president and chief executive officer of Whiting-Turner Contracting Company, is a visionary Baltimore civic leader and philanthropist who has contributed significantly to Catholic education and programs and resources that uplift underserved communities in the face of social and economic inequality and isolation. A parishioner at the Catholic Community of St. Francis Xavier in Hunt Valley, Mr. Regan has expanded opportunity through internships at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, his support for Catholic Charities’ Carolyn E. Fugett Intergenerational Center, and the establishment of TouchPoint Baltimore and the Village at Mondawmin which expand access to workforce development, health care services, retail and childcare — among his many other contributions to the common good.
Order of St. Gregory the Great
Founded by Pope Gregory XVI in 1831, the Order of St. Gregory the Great is an Equestrian Order available to the laity for diligent service to the Church and accomplishments that benefit society.
Knights
Sean L. Callahan
Sean L. Callahan serves as the president and CEO of Catholic Relief Services, the humanitarian and relief organization of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. CRS is committed to saving, protecting and transforming lives through programs and support that reach approximately 200 million people annually across more than 90 countries. With nearly four decades of service at CRS, Mr. Callahan has consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to the Church’s mission to cherish, preserve and uphold the sacredness and dignity of all human life — while fostering charity and justice in support of the most vulnerable and marginalized individuals, families and communities worldwide. A member of the Church of the Resurrection in Ellicott City, Mr. Callahan previously served in various roles in Latin America, CRS headquarters and South Asia.
Daniel L. Rizzo
Daniel L. Rizzo is a dedicated lay leader whose professional expertise and philanthropic service have significantly advanced Catholic education, charitable outreach and Jesuit institutions in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond. He has served as a trustee for Loyola University Maryland, Catholic Charities of Baltimore, chairman of the board of trustees for Cristo Rey Jesuit High School and vice chairman of the board of trustees for St. Mary’s Seminary & University. He is an innovation fellow for Inovalon, a healthcare software and analytics company based in Bowie, where he has also served in other senior management positions. Mr. Rizzo and his wife, Kelly, have given generously to their alma mater, Loyola University Maryland, where they have invested in student career preparation and faculty formation through the endowment of key programs and the establishment of the Rizzo Family Career Center. The family splits their time between Maryland, and Sarasota, Florida, where they worship at St. Martha Catholic Church in the Diocese of Venice.
Dame
Dr. Thelma T. Daley
Dr. Thelma T. Daley is a longtime and faithful parishioner of New All Saints Catholic Church in Baltimore. Through her work as a mental health counselor and educator, she has impacted the lives of thousands of young people, guiding them toward a deep understanding of their inherent worth in the image and likeness of God. She has been involved in many of the parish’s ministries and gives tirelessly to many service organizations, including the American School Counseling Association. Her service has also broken barriers as she became, by presidential appointment, the first woman to chair the National Advisory Council on Career Education.