Posted January 10, 2022

Archbishop Nelson J. Perez led a celebration of Catholic religious education in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia with a Mass and award ceremony Sunday, Jan. 9 in the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul. Awards for significant years of service were given by the archbishop to 228 parish-based volunteer catechists and 19 directors, coordinators and administrators of Parish Religious Education Programs (PREP).

The 2021 Paul VI Award for outstanding catechetical leadership was given to Father Thomas Higgins, pastor of Holy Innocents Parish in Philadelphia, and the 2022 award to Sister Linda Lukiewski, S.S.J., longtime pastoral associate at St. Joan of Arc Church, a worship site of Holy Innocents.

The Mass and ceremony were sponsored by the archdiocesan Office for Catechetical Formation and the Association of Parish Directors, Coordinators and Administrators of Religious Education (known as PD/C/ARE). (Photos by Sarah Webb)

  • Sister Linda Lukiewski, S.S.J., proclaims a reading from Scripture during the Mass. She was named the 2022 recipient of the Paul VI Award for outstanding catechetical leadership in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

  • Presenting the offertory gifts during the Mass are, at center, Dennis Mueller, Director of Religious Education at St. Albert the Great Parish in Huntingdon Valley and president emeritus of PD/C/ARE, and Cindy Balceniuk, DRE at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Doylestown and current president of the association. She also received an award for her 30 years of service as a DRE.

  • Archbishop Perez congratulates Father Thomas Higgins, pastor of Holy Innocents Parish in Philadelphia, for receiving the 2021 Paul VI Award for outstanding catechetical leadership in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.