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“To heal the social evils it is not enough to feed and
clothe a few poor people ... that is the smallest part of our duty.
We must bridge over the vast abyss that yawns between the rich and
the poor.” - Bishop Ketteler
In
1998, the Sisters of Divine Providence instituted the Ketteler Award
to honor individuals who demonstrate a strong commitment to social
justice. The award, named for Wilhelm
Emmanuel von Ketteler,
Bishop of Mainz, Germany and co-founder of the Congregation, is
presented annually. Bishop Ketteler, honored in Germany as the “Worker
Bishop,” was a tireless fighter for the rights of the working
class. (He was bishop from 1850 until his death in 1877 at the age
of 65.)
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1998-
Sister Helen Prejean, CSJ was the first recipient.
She was recognized for her work to abolish the death penalty.
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1999
- Sister Betty Sundry, director of social concerns
for
the Sisters of Divine Providence and Fr. Don McIlvane, in recognition
of a lifetime of activism in social justice in the Pittsburgh
area.
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2000 - Monsignor William Kerr, president of La Roche
College in Pittsburgh, who instituted the Pacem in Terris Program
at the college, a program that educates students from war torn
countries of the world.
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2001
- Joan D. Chittister, OSB, a member of the Benedictine
Sisters of Erie, PA, was recognized for her dedication to equality
and social justice, particularly equality for women in society
and the Church.
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2002
- Bishop Matthieson, retired bishop of the Diocese
of Galveston, Texas
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2003
- Sister Roberta Grzelak, director of the Office
for Human Promotion and Development, Diocese of Arecibo, Puerto
Rico was awarded the Ketteler for being the face of Providence
to hundreds of disadvantaged Puerto Rican women and children,
providing them the means to achieve a better life. She began
the ministry in 1992 with a pencil, paper and $400 monthly salary.
Today the agency has an annual budget of $600,000 and a staff
of 50 and serves more than 2,500 people each year.
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2003
-Jim and Kathy McGinnis of Missouri were Ketteler
Award recipients, recognized as founders and co-directors of
the Institute for Peace and Justice in St. Louis, an independent
interfaith not-for-profit corporation promoting peace, justice
and care of the earth through education, social action, and
prayer.
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