Chicago, IL (October 25, 2006)—On Sunday, October 29 at 2:30 p.m., Holy Name Cathedral will be the site of an annual prayer service where Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I., Archbishop of Chicago, will present six laypersons with the 2006 Bishop Quarter Awards.

This is the fourth year the awards, which are named in honor of Rt. Rev. William Quarter, Chicago’s first Bishop from 1844 to 1848, are being presented.

Given for consistent, ministerial service at the Vicariate level, the Quarter awards recognize practicing Catholics who manifest an understanding of the church’s teachings, and use their talents to deepen the life of the church in an extraordinary way.

The Archdiocese, which encompasses all of Cook and Lake counties, is geographically divided into six Vicariates that are represented by Auxiliary Bishops who participated in the nominating process along with pastors and parish councils. The 2006 honorees, listed by Vicariate are:

• Vicariate I, (Most Rev. George Rassas, Auxiliary Bishop)
  Joaquin Martinez, Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel—Maryville who immigrated to Des Plaines from Mexico in 1978 and has since dedicated his life to ensure a home for veneration of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The shrine he helped build in her honor now gives hospitality to more than 120,000 pilgrims each December during festivities surrounding her feast day of December 12.
• Vicariate II, (Most Rev. Francis Kane, Auxiliary Bishop)
  Bruce Sents, St. Nicholas Parish, Evanston is a retired CFO who has assisted the Chancellor’s office in several projects and also represented the Archdiocese in the Nehemiah and Ezra housing initiatives on the city’s West side.
• Vicariate III, (Most Rev. John Manz, Auxiliary Bishop)
  Kathy Pettiti, St. Aloysius, Chicago who has served as chair of St. Aloysius’ Finance Council where she has a reputation for going out of her way to ensure as many parishioners as possible are included in the parish’s financial planning process. She is also a lector and 35-year choir member.
• Vicariate IV, (Most Rev. Thomas Paprocki, Auxiliary Bishop)
  Nancy Donahue, St. Edward Parish, Chicago who formed, and served as president of, the St. Edward Parish Council. She was also parish delegate to the deanery level Archdiocesan Pastoral Council, serving two terms while also chairing its Education Commission and Leadership Day.
• Vicariate V, (Most Rev. Gustavo Garcia-Siller, Auxiliary Bishop)
  Maria Perez-Eraci, Archdiocesan Youth Coordinator for Vicariate V has a reputation as an outstanding leader who has touched the lives and hearts of thousands of young people and drawn them closer to Christ.
• Vicariate VI, (Most Rev. Joseph Perry, Auxiliary Bishop)
  Ricardo Herrera, Seven Holy Founders, Calumet Park who, along with his wife, has raised three children while working with the Alfa and Omega Group, a ministry for nurturing married couples under the Archdiocese’s Office of Family Ministry. He also diligently fulfills the Catechetical Ministry at Seven Holy Founders.