Guidelines for the Selection of Recipients
GENERAL CRITERIA
Recipients for the Bishop O’Neill Award in Catechetics should be faithful Catholics who deserve recognition for outstanding service. Normally, to be to be eligible, a catechist should have served a minimum of 3-5 years.
A person can receive the Bishop O’Neill award only once. Before submitting selections, check parish records as to whether a person has already received the award. If you are uncertain, please contact Cynthia Sisson at the Faith Formation Office at csisson@rockforddiocese.org or phone at 815-387-3390.
Names of husbands and wives who minister as a team should be submitted together; these couples will be awarded one certificate on which both names will appear. If husband and wife are each submitted for a different ministry, they will be awarded separately.
SPECIFIC CRITERIA
- Parishes
Number of Recipients: One to three at the discretion of the DRE/CRE/DYM and pastor, in keeping with the size of the total catechetical staff. Remember to consider catechists, youth ministry volunteers, or student leaders of all ages and backgrounds.
Selected by: Parish DRE/CRE/DYM, in consultation with pastor.
Criteria: Outstanding service in the catechetical/religious education/youth ministry of the parish on any level; normally, over a period of at least 3-5 years.
- Catholic Elementary Schools
Number of Recipients: One to three, at the discretion of the principal and pastor, in keeping with the size of the total school faculty.
Selected by: School principal, in consultation with pastor.
Criteria: Outstanding service in religious education and evangelization both in and outside the academic classroom; normally, over a period of at least 3-5 years.
- Catholic High Schools
Number of Recipients: One member of Religious Studies Department.
Selected by: Department chairperson, in consultation with principal.
Criteria: Outstanding service in religious education and evangelization both in and outside the academic classroom; normally, over at least a 3-5 year period.
2023 Bishop O’Neill Award –
Nominations are now closed.