Catholic leader to be awarded for hard work and dedication

IC photo Laura V. Sausedo

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Maria Cruz Gray is the director of Hispanic Ministries of the Diocese of Salt Lake City. She will receive the Faithful Service Award at the Study Week of the Southwest Liturgical Conference.

SALT LAKE CITY – María Cruz Gray, director of Hispanic Ministries of the Diocese of Salt Lake City, will be recognized during the Southwest Liturgical Conference, which this year will be in Salt Lake City.

“This award is being given to Maria because she is dedicated to proclaiming the good news of Christ no matter the sacrifice involved,” said Timothy Johnston, the diocesan director of liturgy, who is helping to organize the four-day conference that will be in February.

The Faithful Servant award, with which Gray will be presented, has been given annually since 1981.

“The award is given to someone in the region who has provided, over a long period, support to the liturgical ministry,” said Sister Louis J. Paha, SWLC president.

To be selected for the Servants Award, a person must be recommended by the SWLC board. Those names are submitted with a résumé to the board of directors. The board’s executive committee then reviews the final list and makes the decision.

“Maria Cruz Gray was nominated for the 2011 Faithful Servant award because of her outstanding work among Spanish-speaking Catholics. She has worked tirelessly providing countless liturgical and catechetical workshops and enrichment programs for parents, liturgical ministers, catechists, lay leaders, and youth on the diocesan level and in parishes throughout Utah,” said Maxine Kaiser, a SWLC board member and former Salt Lake City diocesan liturgical director.

“Maria was selected because of her commitment, particularly to the Hispanic community and the formation of liturgical ministers in the Hispanic community,” added Sr. Paha.

Gray works closely with the Office of Liturgy and the other diocesan offices. She is a member of the Liturgical Commission, Holy Cross Ministries, Pastoral Council, Rite Liturgical Committee, Hispanic Commission and Religious Education Commission, among others.

“María has given so much of her time and shared her talents to share the gospel and strengthen formation within the Hispanic community,” Johnston said. “She is a model of Christian service and strives to build community.”

“It’s an honor to serve the Hispanics/Latinos in Utah,” said Gray.

The Southwest Liturgical Conference is comprised of the 27 dioceses in Utah, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming. Its mission is to promote ongoing liturgical formation that will stimulate “that full, conscious, and active participation in the liturgical life of the Church called for by the very nature of liturgy,” as stated by the Fathers of Vatican Council II.

To reach various areas of the region, dioceses take their turn in hosting the Study Week. The Diocese of Salt Lake City hosted the event in 1996 and will do so again in 2011.

The Servants Award will be presented during a banquet that will take place Friday, Feb. 4 from 6 pm to 9:30 p.m. at the Salt Lake Convention Center.

For information, registration for the study week or tickets for the banquet call Timothy Johnston, 801-328-8641 ext. 321.