Washington, DC (July 30, 2020) — In announcing its 2020 awardees, FADICA celebrates five outstanding Catholic leaders for their meaningful contributions to Church and society, and their exemplary lives of service. “Each one of the awardees is a person of deep faith who give us hope and inspiration, especially during this challenging time,” said Alexia Kelley, President and CEO of FADICA, the leading philanthropic peer network serving as a catalyst for a vital Catholic Church and the common good. “FADICA is privileged to recognize each of them,” said Kelley.
2020 Distinguished Catholic Leadership Awards
Through the Distinguished Catholic Leadership Award, FADICA pays tribute to individuals who have demonstrated imaginative leadership, outstanding initiative and a spirit of service in contributing to the renewal and vitality of the Catholic Church. In 2020 FADICA honors two Catholic Sisters as Distinguished Catholic Leaders.
Sr. Teresa Maya, CCVI, PhD
Congregational Leader, Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word
An educator, Sister Teresa Maya has been a member of the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word San Antonio since 1994. She has served as a teacher, history professor, and an administrator, and has a passion for the formation of ministers for Hispanics/Latinos in the United States. Sr. Teresa served in the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) presidency from 2016-2019 and is currently serving as Congregational Leader for her community. Leadership in her congregation inspires her conviction in the future of consecrated life. Before her transition to LCWR, Maya collaborated with the religious conference in Mexico. The perspective and attitude she brings with her, her friends and colleagues say, are unique to a bicultural upbringing and friendly to the concept of change. In selecting Sr. Teresa for this award, FADICA’s Board of Directors identified Sr. Teresa’s leadership role in religious life, her committed representation of all sisters– including Latina and next generation sisters, and her example of servant leadership.
Excerpt from Award Acceptance Remarks
In her acceptance speech, Sister Teresa Maya offered this insight on leadership: “Leadership in our Catholic communities is not just something you train for. It is not about studying leadership academically, although it helps, or about reading the next bestseller, although it helps, or even about leadership coaching. Leadership in the Catholic community begins when we are finally on our knees, knowing we don’t deserve it, we don’t know how, and we need God’s grace always. And, if we don’t start there, no matter who you are, sooner or later you are humbly lighting a candle for a challenge bigger than you, for a situation you could not even imagine was possible, for the people you serve and love and you cannot find the way to help. Leadership in our Catholic Church is only possible with a strong spiritual core, deep spiritual grounding; the sacred place where we go to give thanks and plead, to cry and wonder.”
Sister Norma Pimentel, MJ
Executive Director, Catholic Charities of Rio Grande Valley
Sister Norma Pimentel is a sister with the Missionaries of Jesus and a licensed professional counselor. As executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley for the past 10 years, she oversees the charitable arm of the Diocese of Brownsville, leading diverse ministries and programs for emergency assistance, housing assistance, military assistance, clinical counseling, and pregnancy care to all four counties in the Rio Grande Valley. She was instrumental in organizing community resources to respond to the surge of Central Americans seeking asylum in the United States and setting up Humanitarian Respite Centers in McAllen and Brownsville, Texas in June 2014. The Center was launched as a direct response to the refugee relief crisis that began in June 2014, and has since served 100,000 refugees.
During the U.S. Papal visit, Sister Norma met with Pope Francis in New York City and presented him with one of her original paintings which depicted an immigrant mother and child. She was first introduced to Pope Francis in August 2015 via a “virtual town hall” arranged by ABC News which later aired in a one-hour special edition of “20/20.”
Excerpt from Award Acceptance Remarks
Sister Norma recounted the story of how the 2015 virtual town hall with Pope Francis came about with the ABC 20/20 news program, and the advance confidentiality surrounding the event. She had the entire audience laughing as she described telling the immigrant families that they were going to meet an important person via video “who is almost as high as God, right before God.” She described how Pope Francis offered words of encouragement to the immigrant families and volunteers. “It was the best way to tell the volunteers and all the people who contributed so much and so generously to help these immigrant families, who are coming to our area in great numbers.” She shared that the volunteers give 100% of their time and energy without reservation, and that she even had a 92-year old couple who volunteered. “It’s so magnificent to see the presence of God in that encounter between the volunteers and the immigrant families because the families have their dignity restored and the volunteers preserve their humanity. It brings joy to all of us.”
2020 St. Katharine Drexel Awards
Named after the patron saint of philanthropy and only the second recognized American-born saint, FADICA presents the St. Katharine Drexel Award to recognize members and other Catholic philanthropists for their exemplary and outstanding contributions to philanthropy on behalf of the Church and the common good.
In 2020, FADICA recognizes Thomas J. Healey, Maureen O’Leary, and John Studzinski with the St. Katharine Drexel Award.
Thomas J. Healey, CFA
Partner, Healey Development LLC; Healey Family Foundation
Tom Healey is a Senior Fellow at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and a retired partner of Goldman, Sachs & Co. Prior to joining Goldman Sachs, Tom served as Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Treasury for Domestic Finance under President Ronald Reagan. Before joining the Treasury, he was with Dean Witter Reynolds, Inc., where he was head of the Corporate Finance Department. Tom is involved in various investment activities through Healey Development LLC and in a variety of charitable activities. He was Trustee and Chairman of the Rockefeller Foundation Investment Committee and served in similar positions at Georgetown University. Tom was instrumental in guiding the fundraising for St. Mary’s Mission Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. Tom serves on the Emeritus Board of FADICA, the Board of the Leadership Roundtable, and the Board of the Cristo Rey Network. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst and a Counselor of Real Estate.
Excerpt from Award Acceptance Remarks
In his acceptance remarks, Tom Healey dispelled the notion that only the wealthy with money to burn can be philanthropists. “With some imagination, anyone can have a powerful impact on the lives of others through their own individual philanthropic acts. For instance, a good-hearted benefactor could purchase [inexpensive] Bibles for a small group, or an entire Christian community, to provide them with the inspiration and wisdom from the most-read book of all time. After listing gift ideas for as low as $4 and as high as $6,500, Healey concluded: “The point is clear: Philanthropy does not necessarily demand big bucks to be effective, just a big heart and ample imagination. Think about that…and good luck with your own philanthropy.” Tom expanded on his acceptance remarks in this article “On Giving Tuesday you can practice philanthropy with a few dollars (and some imagination)” in America Magazine.
Maureen O’Leary
Trustee, William M. and Miriam F. Meehan Foundation
Maureen O’Leary has put her Catholic faith into practice through her personal and professional vocation and philanthropy. She is a trustee of the William M. and Miriam F. Meehan Foundation and a longtime member of St. Ignatius Jesuit parish in Manhattan. She studied social work at Columbia University and then continued her training in psychotherapy and psychoanalysis at The Training Institute in New York. For over 30 years she saw patients, many low income, taught and supervised candidates at the Institute and continues to serve as an Institute Trustee. Her professional training and experience was influential in shaping her approach to putting human dignity at the center of her work on human trafficking. The Meehan Foundation is committed to supporting staff working directly with survivors of human trafficking. As an Emeritus Trustee of FADICA, Maureen helped launch a research report on the anti-trafficking efforts at Catholic colleges and universities. She also was an inaugural funder of two Vatican youth conferences, bringing together survivors and anti-slavery leaders dedicated to ending modern day slavery.
Award Presentation
Due to the pandemic, the award presentation for Maureen O’Leary will take place during a member gathering at an appropriate time in the future.
John J. Studzinski CBE
Vice Chairman, PIMCO; Co-founder Arise Foundation; Genesis Foundation
About John J. Studzinski CBE
An American-born British investment banker and philanthropist, John Studzinski CBE, is Vice Chairman of PIMCO. He is heavily involved in hands-on philanthropy, patronage, and charity work. His numerous charitable activities revolve mainly around human rights, the arts, and homelessness. John’s own charity, the Genesis Foundation, supports and nurtures people in the creative fields in the early stages of their careers. In 2015 he co-founded Arise, which he chairs, to support and promote frontline anti-slavery work. Arise is now working in Eastern Europe, across India, the Philippines, parts of Africa and South America. Much of this effort is coordinated with and through a vast network of religious sisters serving those impacted by slavery in the worst affected regions of the world. This complements his extensive work within the business community to promote supply chain transparency, which includes co-chairing the Business Against Slavery Forum, an initiative of the UK Government.
Excerpt from Award Acceptance Remarks
In his warm and heartfelt remarks, John Studzinski offered personal insights and encouragement. He recalled going with his mother when he was five years old to serve the poor at a soup kitchen. He learned quickly that the people who were working with dignity in serving the poor stood out. He praised the work of women religious as the “backbone” of the church in schools, hospitals, agencies of all kinds, and doing heroic work fighting human trafficking. He concluded with a reflection on prayer and philanthropy, and the importance of teaching young people how to pray. “Prayer is about passion and praying through your heart. And philanthropy and prayer are much closer together than we might realize.”
