Second annual Congar benefit gala planned

Intermountain Catholic

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The 2012 Yves Congar Award will be presented to John and Jean Henkels during the Gala Congar event. IC photo/Marie Mischel

SALT LAKE CITY — A wide-range of auction items, life music and the chance to honor two Catholics who have been active in the diocese for more than 25 years will be offered during the Gala Congar.

"It will be a joyful evening," said Susan Northway, director of the diocesan Office of Religious Education. "There will be a lot of socializing."

During the event, Saint Ambrose parishioners John and Jean Henkels will be presented with the Yves Congar Award.

The award is named after Cardinal Yves Congar, influential 20th-century Catholic theologian who was active in the ecumenical program. He envisioned a church in which the lives of the faithful would bear witness to the kingdom of God.

The Henkels have embodied that vision since before Vatican II, Northway said. "They do service as laity to build the Church very matter-of-factly. Their faith is very important to them and as long as I’ve known them they’ve been doing things on behalf of the faith. John’s always been very articulate about supporting the social teachings of the Church, and he has a lot of courage to speak up for what he thinks is right, and he’s always done that. They are such role models to so many laypeople."

In honor of John Henkels, the gala entertainment will include live performers who will feature Sinatra-era swing music, Northway said.

However, the main purpose of the evening "is to raise funds to help the Congar Institute continue to do what they do, and that is helping out in the missions, certainly in our home mission and other home mission dioceses."

The Congar Institute, formed by the Southern Dominican Province, promotes the formation of lay people for pastoral leadership roles. The institute provides speakers for the Diocese of Salt Lake City’s Lay Ecclesial Ministry Formation programs in both English and Spanish. Last year, two Lenten retreats in the diocese were led by priests from the institute, and this year institute staff is involved with the adult faith formation program that is starting at Saint George Parish, Northway said.

A silent auction will be part of the fundraising event. Among the auction items are a Leprechaun League T-shirt donated by Notre Dame University, whose Institute for Church Life partners with the local LEM program partners with the Office for Church Life; a new book by Dominican Father Timothy Radcliffe, with a personal letter from the author to the reader; a long weekend at a cottage on Peak’s Island in Maine, and a set of four Cantiflas movies.