2010 John E. McGrady Award ...

On April 15, 2010, Sisters Audrey and Sue received the John E. McGrady Award from the Catholic Youth Association in recognition of their service to the people of Greene County.

Accepting the award at the Westin Convention Center Hotel before 600 people including Sister Benita DeMatteis, Prioress of the Benedictine Sisters Pittsburgh, and several other Sisters from their Community, Sisters Sue and Audrey delivered the following speech.

Sisters Sue and Audrey with Sy Holzer, president of PNC Bank and winner of the 2010 Art Rooney Award.

We're deeply honored to receive the Mc Grady Award. Commissioner McGrady loved his community, as we do, and lived a life of service. The Catholic Youth Association also cares deeply about the community and for many years has generously served the needs of children and senior citizens. We are grateful to them for recognizing our service.

We learned the importance of community service from our parents’ unselfish and untiring example. We thank them for instilling within us the desire to welcome our neighbors in need into our lives. Prayer, service and community are what make us Benedictines. We join our hearts and hands to embrace and empower our community.

One of our older Sisters described our mission in these words: “Fools rush in where angels fear to tread”. She was right on target!  We arrived in the community of Greene County 21 years ago planning to  establish a House of Prayer, which certainly  sounds idyllic and quiet … and of course it never happened!  Instead, an incredible adventure began to unfold. Our home was soon filled with rowdy teenagers, bubbling toddlers and tiny babies. The hills were alive with the sound of music; it just wasn’t the tune we had imagined!

Then, as we recognized additional needs in Greene County, we began to organize projects to meet those needs. We never had the money or the resources to meet the needs; we simply began with trust that those who could help us would, and help us they did!

When we outgrew the house we were renting, a house was purchased for us by a generous benefactor in memory of his wife.

When we noticed that many children didn't have new shoes to begin the new school year, we began our Heart & Sole project. To date, 13,000 pairs of shoes have been donated and the project is still going strong..

When our foster teens told us they didn't receive many Christmas gifts before coming to us, we began the Christmas Backpack Project. Donated backpacks filled with school supplies are now delivered to teens in need on an annual basis.

Our latest endeavor, The Sweet Dreams Project, provides personalized blankets and pillows for children who do not have one to call their own.

We don't do any of this alone. Many people have become partners on our journey helping us to help others, and we are truly grateful to them.

Thank you to the Rooney Family, the McGrady Family, and the Catholic Youth Association for allowing us to share our ministry and for giving us this awesome recognition. God Bless you.

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