Parish lay leaders receive Order of St. Louis IX Medallion

Above: St. Anthony of Padua, New Orleans, parishioners Glendy and Wilson Fuentes, pictured with their children and Archbishop Gregory Aymond, were among the 250 Catholic laypersons who received the Order of St. Louis IX Medallion in 2021. (Photo by Frank Methe, Clarion Herald)

By Jonelle Foltz
Clarion Herald

Two hundred twenty-five laypersons who have devoted themselves to the work of the Catholic Church throughout the Archdiocese of New Orleans were awarded the Order of St. Louis IX Medallion by Archbishop Gregory Aymond in ceremonies March 21 at St. Catherine of Siena Church in Metairie.

The Order of St. Louis IX award was established in 1975 to honor those laypersons who have contributed their time and talents to the church. In nearly a half-century, more than 10,000 men and women have received the medallion as a token of gratitude for their Christ-like service to the church.

This year’s recipients of the Order of St. Louis IX were:

Abita Springs: Donald Haik, Christina Uhlich, St. Jane de Chantal.

Algiers: Rosa and Felix Garcia, Holy Spirit; Delores Mai, St. Andrew the Apostle; Joshua Mitchell, University of Holy Cross Catholic Chapel; Maria Nguyen Kim Ngoc, St. Joseph; Danette Thierry, All Saints; Michelle and Corey Wax, St. Andrew the Apostle.

Ama: Melissa C. Guillot, St. Mark.

Avondale: Kim-Nhung T. and Chien V. Tran, Assumption of Mary; Francis W. Hingle, St. Bonaventure. 

Belle Chasse: Sheila Cognevich, Our Lady of Perpetual Help; Eric Yancovich, Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

Bogalusa: Kathi Bush and Walter S. Adams, Annunciation.

Braithwaite: Joni Manichia and Don Beshel, Assumption of Our Lady Mission.

Bridge City: Miss Sandra A. DiMarco, Holy Guardian Angels Mission.

Chalmette: Moises Felipe, Our Lady of Prompt Succor; Donald J. Picou, Our Lady of Prompt Succor.

Covington: John Karpa, St. Benedict; Earline and Thomas Murray, St. Benedict; Lauren and Clarence Gast, Most Holy Trinity; Cheryl Bowen-Rauber, Most Holy Trinity; Chretien and Brian Cochran, St. Peter; Carlos “Chico” Morales, St. Peter.

Destrehan: Melissa and Robert Ory, St. Charles Borromeo; Kim and Woodrow Bourgeois, St. Charles Borromeo.

Edgard: Jimmy Kindrick, St. John the Baptist.

Folsom: David Cooper, St. John the Baptist.

Franklinton: Eddie Boudreaux, Holy Family.

Garyville: Brenda Hymel, St. Hubert.

Gretna: Iris and Lynn Coyne, St. Anthony; Alice and Eric Houin, St. Joseph Church and Shrine; Deborah and Philip Burg, St. Cletus; Gary Hamilton, St. Cletus. 

Harahan: Wendy Celeste and Charles “Tommy” Walker, St. Rita; Katherine Jaeger, St. Rita.

Harvey: Glenn Miller, Infant Jesus of Prague Mission; Nialynn Lee, St. Martha; Lynn Martin, St. Martha; Juana and Clyde Ortego, St. John Bosco; Guyann Murphy, St. Rosalie.

Jefferson: Micaela C. Ochoa, St. Agnes; Margarita and Keith Torres, St. Agnes.

Kenner: Wandalyn Paternostro, Divine Mercy; Janice Vitenas, Divine Mercy; Joseph Marino, Our Lady of Perpetual Help; Alice Candilora, St. Jerome; Carol St. Martin, St. Jerome.

LaPlace: Diane and Larry Larousse, Ascension of Our Lord; Larry Blanchard, St. Joan of Arc; Patricia Robichaux, St. Joan of Arc.

Lacombe: Florence and Thomas Papa, St. John of the Cross; Donna and Darin Guidry, Sacred Heart.

Lafitte: Roberta and Durel Boudlauch, St. Anthony.

Luling: Rebecca Becnel, Holy Family; Lynette and Mark Eliser, St. Anthony of Padua; Rhonda Perrin, Holy Family.

Madisonville: Stephanie and William Cain, St. Anselm; Elaine and Robert I. Selle, St. Anselm.

Mandeville: Michele D. and Leonard J. Coats, Our Lady of the Lake; Joan Leon, Our Lady of the Lake; Lisa Rockwell, Mary Queen of Peace; Jackie Starks, Mary Queen of Peace.

Marrero: Danielle Burleigh, Immaculate Conception; Denise Esler and Garrett Michael Mineo, St. Joachim; Roxanne and Gordon James Bordelon, St. Joachim; Michael Holmes Sr., St. Joseph the Worker; Wanda Laborie, Visitation of Our Lady; Malcolm Burke Jr., Visitation of Our Lady; Theresa Chi and Michael Huyen Dang, St. Agnes Le Thi Thanh.

Metairie: Martha and Alex Arostegui, St. Philip Neri; Charmaine Barberito, St. Catherine of Siena; Janice Compagno, St. Christopher the Martyr; Michael Vincent Condon, St. Mary Magdalen; Sara and Michael Cooper, St. Ann Church and Shrine; Dr. Kristi Soileau DeGenova, St. Francis Xavier; Jennifer Barrett Edwards, St. Mary Magdalen; Trina and Carlos Fajardo, Hispanic Apostolate; Jeanie Favret, St. Catherine of Siena; Kent Finger, St. Francis Xavier; Joann and Robert Guillot, St. Louis King of France; Courtney and Brooks Hummel, St. Angela Merici; Kathleen and Salvatore Lovecchio Jr., St. Edward the Confessor; Yolanda and Juan Mata, Hispanic Apostolate; Travis Meinert, St. Christopher the Martyr; Maureen and Lu Mulino, Our Lady of Divine Providence; Dawn Oddo, St. Edward the Confessor; Erin Schellhaas, St. Ann Church and Shrine; Jay Schwander, St. Angela Merici; Judy and David Willis, St. Philip Neri.

New Orleans: Bae Abadie, Mater Dolorosa; Jorge Arzuaga, St. Joseph; Glenny Beahm, St. Francis of Assisi; Donna Bialas, Our Lady of the Rosary; Shannon W. Blue, St. Raymond-St. Leo the Great; Lauri Boutte, Transfiguration of the Lord; Sharon Brown, St. Gabriel the Archangel; Linda Bryan, Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos; Eileen Campbell, Archdiocese of New Orleans; Marie D. Collins, St. Peter Claver; Nancy and Kevin Colomb, St. Dominic; Pamela and Dr. Guy Cresson, St. Dominic; Cynthia A. Davis, St. Peter Claver; Dr. David Delio, Blessed Sacrament-St. Joan of Arc; Lynn F. Dicharry, St. Louis Cathedral; Brenda Dooley, St. Rita; Karen and David Durand, St. Maria Goretti; Emanuel Esteves Jr., St. Gabriel the Archangel; Barbara Fleischer, St. Alphonsus; Glendy and Wilson Fuentes, St. Anthony of Padua; Camey and Benjamin Grau, St. Pius X; Mimi Hinojosa, Good Shepherd;

Marie Hollingsworth, St. David; Karen and Kirk Jacobs, Resurrection of Our Lord; Lydia Johnson, posthumously, St. Katharine Drexel; Katie Kolthoff, Good Shepherd; Michele Kot, Archdiocese of New Orleans; Sylvia and John Laborde, Holy Name of Jesus; Judith and John Lee, St. John the Baptist; Stephanie Lemieux, Blessed Trinity; Joanne Lewis, St. Mary of the Angels; Maureen and Warren McDonald, St. Theresa of Avila; Carole Merzius, St. David; Ellen Mills, St. Francis of Assisi; Mary Sarah Thoa and Joseph Lien Nguyen, Mary Queen of Vietnam; Mary Thanh Nguyen, Mary Queen of Vietnam; Rochelle Odon, St. Augustine; Stacy and James W. Pellerin, Catholic Community Foundation; Samara Poche, Our Lady of Guadalupe; Honorable Kern Reese, St. Raymond-St. Leo the Great; Wayne Roberts, St. Maria Goretti; Douglas Alfred Schof Jr., UNO Newman Center; Sue and James Schultz, Center of Jesus the Lord; Dr. Sheryl and Clinton Smith Jr., Our Lady Star of the Sea; Lori and Lance Templet, St. Patrick; Denise A. Thomas, St. James Major; Wilbert Washington, Corpus Christi-Epiphany; Gabrielle Yoes-Favrot, Catholic Center at Tulane University; Helen and Timothy Young, Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans.

Norco: Caroline and Cliff Bleakley, Sacred Heart of Jesus; Patricia Meiklejohn, Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Paradis: Kevin Landeche, St. John the Baptist.

Pearl River: Eleanore “Ellie” Ross, Sts. Peter and Paul.

Pointe a la Hache: Diondra DeMolle, St. Thomas.

Port Sulphur: Barbara Marcotte, Port Sulphur.

Reserve: Juana and Kevin Royal, Our Lady of Grace; Tracy Watson, Our Lady of Grace.

River Ridge: Kathy Clark, St. Matthew the Apostle; Steve Geiling, St. Matthew the Apostle.

Slidell: Mary K. and Gene Bellisario, St. Luke the Evangelist; Karen and Robert Carroll, St. Margaret Mary; Shelly and Stephen Dolan, St. Genevieve; Veronica and Theodore Harris, St. Genevieve; Carmen Ramirez, St. Margaret Mary; Janet Stains, Our Lady of Lourdes; Lisa and Louis Veillion, Our Lady of Lourdes; Penny and Bruce Weaver, St. Luke the Evangelist.

St. Bernard: Vicky Morales, St. Bernard.

Terrytown: Patricia Alonso, Christ the King; Judith Babin, Christ the King; Jo-Ann Molinario, Christ the King.

Violet: Charlotte Marie Arrington and Leonard Michael Bazile Sr., Our Lady of Lourdes.

Waggaman: BettyGail and Terry Dufrene, Our Lady of the Angels.

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Michele Kot, pictured at left, with Archbishop Aymond, received the Order of St. Louis Medallion for her work with the Archdiocese of New Orleans. (Photo by Frank Methe, Clarion Herald)