March 15, 2023
For Immediate Release
Medals of Honor Return to the Archdiocese of Baltimore
Re-designed medals are named after individuals who have had a foundational impact on the Catholic Church here in Baltimore – past and present
BALTIMORE, MD – On April 22, the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Gala will return to an in-person celebration after its three-year hiatus. The Gala is being held at the Marriott Waterfront Hotel in Baltimore. Since 2009, the Archdiocesan Gala has celebrated the legacy and works of our Catholic schools, educators and students while raising critical tuition assistance funds for families in need. This year, the newly re-designed Archdiocesan Medals of Honor will be handed out to individuals, both lay and religious, who have provided remarkable service to the archdiocese in one of six different areas of ministry.
“The vision behind the Medals of Honor is to shine a very bright light on individuals who have truly served as missionary disciples within the archdiocese,” Archbishop William E. Lori explained. “Nominations have come from all corners of the archdiocese, representing a wide variety of ministries and communities of faith and we are very excited about the Medal’s new look and the people the Medals are honoring.”
Beyond the honorees, the names of the medals themselves provide insight into the long history of ministry discipleship within the Archdiocese. “There are many people in the history of this archdiocese who stand as wonderful examples of ordinary people doing extraordinary work,” said Director of Community Affairs Yvonne Wenger, who chaired the Nomination Committee. “The names of each medal memorialize and honor historic and modern-day examples of people who, through their works, have been a light brightly visible throughout the archdiocese and beyond.”
The six different Medals of Honor are listed below. They represent the five pillars of the Archdiocesan Mission of Liturgy, Evangelization, Education, Service and Stewardship.
The Neumann-Valenzano Medal (Liturgy & Evangelization) – named after St. John Neumann and Msgr. Art Valenzano, this honor is given to a pastor who exemplifies what it means to build a vibrant faith community and help others find and share their light.
The Dubourg-Pacione Medal (Evangelization) – named after Bishop Louis Dubourg, S.S. and Mark Pacione, this honor recognizes a lay person or religious who has greatly impacted the work of evangelization.
The Seton-Sellinger Medal (Education) – named after St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Rev. Joseph A. Sellinger, S.J. and Jim Sellinger, this honor recognizes an individual who has shown great leadership in the ministry of Catholic education.
The Joubert-Miller Medal (Service) – named after Fr. James H. Joubert, S.S. and Msgr. Edward Miller, this honor recognizes an individual that has stood in solidarity with underserved and underrepresented communities of faith.
The Lange-Mortel Medal (Service) – named after Mother Mary Lange, O.S.P. and Dr. Rodrigue Mortel, this honor recognizes an individual who exemplifies innovation and entrepreneurship in Catholic social ministries.
The O’Neill-Baldwin Medal (Stewardship) – named after Thomas J. O’Neill and Thomas & Peggy Baldwin, this honor recognizes individuals whose “sincere and generous charity” bears witness to Christ.
The nomination process for the Medals of Honor was open to the public for several weeks, and closed on February 17. Wenger led an internal nomination committee that included representatives from various ministries. They reviewed all nominations and submitted their recommendations to Archbishop Lori.
For more information on the archdiocesan gala or the Medals of Honor, visit our website https://www.archbalt.org/gala/.
Contact: Christian Kendzierski
Christian.Kendzierski@archbalt.org