On behalf of the Basilica of St. Mary in Alexandria, its pastor,
Father Edward C. Hathaway accepted the Bishop Thomas J. Welsh award during
Catholic Distance University’s 35th annual gala at the St. John Paul II
National Shrine in Washington Nov. 3.
The sit-down portion of the evening began with Bishop Michael F.
Burbidge delivering an invocation of gratitude for God’s blessings in equipping
the university for the new evangelization.
“Here we are at the Shrine of St. John Paul II who told us always
to use every appropriate resource and tool possible to teach the truth and the
joy of the Gospel,” Bishop Burbidge said. “We thank you for your blessings on
Catholic Distance University throughout these 35 years and the many ways that
they have responded to that challenge and to that call.”
Catholic Distance University, which was founded by Arlington Bishop
Thomas J. Welsh and sustained by his successors, Bishop John R. Keating and
Bishop Paul S. Loverde, uses technology to further the new evangelization
through online degree programs and continuing education certificate programs as
well as correspondence learning for those without access to the internet, such
as prisoners. Bishop Loverde, who attended the gala, was given a round of
applause by those gathered.
Throughout the evening, Helen Alvaré, a professor of law at the
Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University in Arlington, served as
the master of ceremonies. She introduced Bishop Burbidge as “a fellow
Philadelphian who loves the Diocese of Arlington just as much as I do.”
CDU President Marianne Evans Mount also took to the podium to
honor four of CDU’s recent graduates who were in attendance: Irma Juanita Álvarez
of San Diego; Air Force Captain Nicholas Radloff from Dyersville, Iowa; Alfred
García López from Fresno, Calif.; and Mary Elizabeth McKay of Fairfax. McKay
serves as liturgy director at
St. Mary of Sorrows Church in Fairfax.
Radloff, who was the navigator on an HC-130 aircraft in a combat
search and rescue squadron, said that his coursework at CDU helped foster his
priestly vocation as well as eased his transition from the Air Force into his
studies at Mundelein Seminary in Mundelein, Ill., for the Archdiocese of Dubuque.
“It was really great while I was in the Air Force to take a step
back from my everyday work and focus on God because in the military, it is not always
a God-focused job,” Radloff said. “CDU made it so the church was always on my
mind.”
He finished his service with the Air Force in December 2015 and
entered seminary in January 2016.
“My diocese was gracious enough to let me start mid-year because
of the studies that I completed at CDU,” Radloff said.
Also present at the gala were Archbishop of the Military
Archdiocese Timothy P. Broglio, who serves as CDU’s chancellor, as well as President
John Garvey of The Catholic University of America in Washington.
A silent auction was held throughout the night.
Later in the evening, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Dr.
Charles Wasaff and Mount presented Father Hathaway with the Bishop Thomas J.
Welsh Award. Wasaff said that St. Mary Basilica received the award for its outstanding record
of service: 54 apostolates; 400
parishioners actively volunteering in the community; and the largest K-8 school
in the diocese, with more than 700 students. He also added that three of its
pastors, including Father Hathaway, have given generous financial support to
CDU.
“I am honored to receive this award on behalf of parishioners
both past and present of St. Mary’s whose generosity always amazes me and
enables us to do so much good in partnering with all of these wonderful
apostolates,” Father Hathaway said before blessing all of those gathered. “God
bless you for all of the work that you do in making the faith come alive for so
many people in so many different situations.”